Every so often, people asked why I write so much about Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The first, and most fundamental reason, is that recently she’s the Democrat who makes the most news. It’s just that simple. She proven herself adept at using the media to make waves, and those waves are usually worthy of discussion.
However, there’s another reason I enjoy writing about AOC and the members of her socialist squad. They, and their ideology, represent an absolute disaster for the Democratic Party, and I want to help that along however I can.
We’ve talked a lot about the corner into which Dems have painted themselves. They have to placate their militant leftist base but doing so is driving away working-class moderates. On the other hand, if they play to the centrists, the base goes into rage mode. It’s a lose-lose situation and, so far, it doesn’t look like they have any idea how to deal with it. That’s good news for the country.
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That said, a new poll indicates that the Democrat brass at least knows the problem exists…
“If all voters hear about is AOC, it could put the [House] majority at risk,” said a top Democrat who is involved in 2020 congressional races. “[S]he’s getting all the news and defining everyone else’s races.”
That quote comes from an anonymous Democrat, and it was offered thanks to some leaked internal polling. The poll was conducted in May, and focused on white, non-college educated, likely voters. Specifically, it looked at Ocasio-Cortez, her progressive compadres, and socialism overall.
If you’re a Democrat hoping to de-throne Trump in 2020, it’s full of terrible news. Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are very famous. They’re currently driving the narrative. The problem is that they, and their socialist fixation, is massively unpopular.
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The findings:
Ocasio-Cortez was recognized by 74% of voters in the poll; 22% had a favorable view.
Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota — another member of The Squad — was recognized by 53% of the voters; 9% (not a typo) had a favorable view.
Socialism was viewed favorably by 18% of the voters and unfavorably by 69%.
Capitalism was 56% favorable; 32% unfavorable.
“Socialism is toxic to these voters,” said the top Democrat.
That thud you hear is this data landing at the DNC like a hundred-pound bag of wet cement. Their rockstar is deeply unpopular. Worse, even though there are approximately 250 Dems running for President in 2020, not one of them has taken an honest stab at defending capitalism. They may say something like “I’m not a socialist,” but their policies – to a man – tell a different tale.
Yet, they’ve chosen this course when only 18% view socialism favorably. That’s the shaky branch onto which they’ve decided to climb? Yikes.
Like Obi-Wan Kenobi, I can feel millions of progressive voices crying out at once: “That’s a poll of white voters! White people are evil! Plus, they’re uneducated non-college grads! They’re a bunch of racist hillbillies! Who needs ’em?”
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To be blunt, Democrats need them. I don’t agree with the left’s assessment that the white working class is a bunch of bigoted morons but, even if I did, I’d recognize that you can’t win a national – or even a swing state – election without them. We’ve seen what happens if you try.
In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s campaign stated, in no uncertain terms, that it didn’t need white voters to win. It also didn’t need Christians who were unwilling to abandon their values. How’d that work out?
Hillary drove away pretty much everyone. White voters stayed home or went for Trump, and she lost in spectacular fashion. Yes, her popular vote numbers were propped-up by coastal lefties, but in the rest of the country she found that you couldn’t alienate half the electorate and hope to have your party win. Ocasio-Cortez has either not figured this out, or she doesn’t care.
When you watch Nancy Pelosi go to war with AOC’s squad, you’re watching those who have learned this lesson try to rein-in a destructive internal force.
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Time will tell which path they choose.
