Meet the “Squad”: Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ayanna Pressley (D-MA), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), the four most “woke,” progressive women in the House of Representatives.
What sets them apart from the majority of Democrats? They are uncompromisingly leftist in their mindset. Earlier this month, when Nancy Pelosi encouraged all Democrats to compromise on the border issue and vote for the recent border funding bill, the Squad refused. After all, as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told the children of America, (and, apparently, the entire world), “No matter what the President says… [this country] belongs to everyone.”
Though Ilhan Omar is the only member of the Squad born outside of the United States, all four women claim to give voice to minorities and immigrants across the country. Tlaib is a Palestinian-American, Omar is Somali, Cortez is of Puerto Rican descent, and Pressley, raised in Chicago, has focused her career on representing the African-American community.
Cortez has advocated for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Tlaib wants to “impeach that mother [expletive],” Omar giggles and grins when she talks about Muslim terrorists, and Pressley wants to lower the voting age to 16.
If these four become the face of the Democrat party for the next year, Trump will surely be reelected… and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi knows this all too well.
In an interview with the New York Times, Pelosi expressed her discontent with the Squad. As the NYT explains:
Pelosi feels that the four made themselves irrelevant to the process by voting against ‘our bill,’ as she put it, which she felt was the strongest one she could get. ‘All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,’ she said. ‘But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people and that’s how many votes they got.’
Pelosi understands that by pushing hard against Trump in the media, advocating for open borders, and proposing economically difficult spending programs like the “Green New Deal,” Democrats might be shooting themselves in the foot.
Take a look at what Pelosi said concerning Democrats who want to impeach Trump:
‘Oh, he’d rather not be impeached,’ she said. ‘But he sees a silver lining. And he wants to then say, “The Democrats impeached me but the Senate” — he won’t say Republicans — “exonerated me.” The thing is that, he every day practically self-impeaches by obstructing justice and ignoring the subpoenas.’
On July 11th, CNN reported that 82 Democrats wanted to move forward with impeaching president Trump – our female fab four were among them. But many senior Democrats, who want the party to appear civil and unified, know that calling for the impeachment of Trump would alienate more moderate voters.
Until July 14th, there was little uniting the Squad with the rest of the Democrat Party. But Trump’s tweets may have provided an opportunity for moderates like Pelosi to join the Squad’s unabashed Trump-bashing.
Last Sunday, Trump tweeted:
….and viciously telling the people of the United States, the greatest and most powerful Nation on earth, how our government is to be run. Why don’t they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came. Then come back and show us how….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2019
Following these remarks, a vicious back and forth ensued between Democrats and Republicans in congress and President Trump.
The back and forth is simple: Democrats have used this to fuel the Orange-Man-Bad fire, establishment Republicans have deflected, and Trump has stood his ground, saying in a press conference that those who hate this country are free to leave.
The question now is whether Pelosi and the Squad can use Trump’s remarks to turn moderates and independents to the Democrat Party for the 2020 elections.
Currently, Pelosi is using the media storm surrounding Trump’s remarks as an opportunity to show party unity without drawing attention to the Squad’s radical rhetoric and policies. On Tuesday, Pelosi told the press that all Democrats would stand with their “sisters” in the Squad. Later in the day the Speaker of the House, along with 235 Democrats and four Republicans, voted to condemn Trump’s “racist comments.”
Many Americans, however, are growing tired of “woke” culture and see some common sense in Trump’s recent remarks. Reuters even reported that Trump’s approval rating rose among Republicans following his controversial tweets and the media storm that surrounded them.
Pelosi is attempting to use this media storm to demonstrate unity within the Democratic Party. But will rallying behind this Squad cause middle America to perceive the Democrat Party as irredeemably opposed to them?
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[Image Credit: leopaltik1242, public domain]
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