General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsShould we just hand control of the Party over to AOC?
All I hear from young people these days is that they want someone younger to represent them. In their minds, Kamala was still too old for them. Apparently, 59 is the new 79. The only thing I wonder is if AOC wants to be President or Speaker of the House. Either way, maybe it's the right thing to do. J.D. Vance will try to succeed Trump at age 44. AOC would be 39. Presumably, the young people would like that. And, if not President then perhaps Speaker of the House? I don't know. From the little that I've seen of Garlin Gilchrist, I really like him. He's about Vance's age. But, he doesn't carry nearly as big a megaphone as does AOC. And, I guess that's what it's all about these days...having lots of followers online. Who else is there?
ornotna
(11,110 posts)Has that been suggested?
SocialDemocrat61
(3,064 posts)Its a straw man.
bucolic_frolic
(47,565 posts)There is wisdom, experience, timing. The clockwork of politics as it developed over time. The principles of democracy dating from ancient Roman Empire. The foundation of the Enlightenment. We faced similar terrain when Nixon won reelection. How did that work out for us?
Let youth study Machiavelli, Hobbes, Montesquieu, Locke, Rousseau - the great political philosophers. To govern you need to please and convince naysayers and the other side, not just yourselves. If you want one-sided government, you have Republicans and MAGA and Trump. We risk becoming a much smaller party in opposition if we shed our leaders in favor of firebrands. Witness the fracture of moderation in multiple European countries. They call elections twice a year sometimes.
Cirsium
(1,151 posts)If all you hear from "young people these days" is that they want someone younger to represent them, then you aren't really listening at all.
Mischaracterizing the opinions of those with whom you disagree in order to make them all look ridiculous? Not good.
SocialDemocrat61
(3,064 posts)When someone cant make a factual, logical, reality based argument; theyll resort to such intellectually dishonest tactics.
ThePartyThatListens
(239 posts)Ar this point I believe it's intentional.
They're wilfully mischaracterizing the arguments.
I do not respect that.
KT2000
(20,948 posts)who provide an explanation for not voting for Kamala. They voted FOR someone - a horrendous someone. Their justifications like "too old" for Harris are lies. It may take years of therapy to unearth their reasons but always remember what they knowingly voted FOR!
awesomerwb1
(4,604 posts)asking to rename the Democratic party.
SocialDemocrat61
(3,064 posts)Maybe we should have a contest. But what would be a good prize for the winner? 🤔
Celerity
(46,857 posts)SocialDemocrat61
(3,064 posts)Lol 😂
Celerity
(46,857 posts)The Madcap
(566 posts)Democracy party...as opposed to the Fascism Party.
SocialDemocrat61
(3,064 posts)the House, the Senate, and the White House. Yeah that makes sense.
0rganism
(24,752 posts)The GOP could see some use for it as an easy method to corral opposition, or simply dissolve it by declaring all Democrats to be terrorist supporters. The neoliberalist framework within which both parties operated for decades is giving way to a new and dangerous form of populism -- one the GOP has quickly adopted and co-opted. The old guard in the Democratic party might not be such a safe bet for continued survival going forward.
W_HAMILTON
(8,564 posts)...will turn their eyes on AOC and she will then become the dastardly """establishment"""" and those easily susceptible to this will then get Pied Piper'd into hating her and supporting someone else to overthrow it.
PS - Did you also hear how young people wanted someone other than Biden to be our standard-bearer? And then once he was kicked to the curb and a younger candidate ran in his place, they showed it never actually mattered because they still had lackluster turnout and not enough support for her to win?
Cirsium
(1,151 posts)Who exactly is the "they" whom you hate so much? Young people? Progressives? Followers of AOC?
W_HAMILTON
(8,564 posts)...and then once we do, they still criticize, complain, and move the goalposts to give new reasons why they don't support Democrats -- all the while we lose support from the broader electorate that isn't as extreme as this particular subset is.
Cirsium
(1,151 posts)Yeah, they sure are annoying.
Hekate
(95,274 posts)Cirsium
(1,151 posts)"Observation." Sure. "I am not hating on them, I am just describing the way they are!" said every bigot in history. Just making observations.
"Those that claim they will happily support Democrats if we only bend over backwards to appease them and then once we do, they still criticize, complain, and move the goalposts to give new reasons why they don't support Democrats."
That is not an "observation."
Celerity
(46,857 posts)Iggo
(48,511 posts)Hekate
(95,274 posts)Half the talent in the country wasted just like that.
lame54
(37,198 posts)We need fighters
Not capitulators
Galraedia
(5,207 posts)You don't have to be a genius to see that selecting a 74 year old battling esophageal cancer (with a 20% survival rate) over a healthy 35 year old woman for a key position is a really bad idea. I may not agree with AOC on everything but I trust her to get the job done. This just sends the wrong message to young voters that this is a country club and they're not welcome.
claudette
(4,661 posts)I believe there are more qualified Dems than AOC. She's good, but still a newbie.
usonian
(14,585 posts)Fiendish Thingy
(18,800 posts)AOC can run the show during the week, and Maxwell Frost can take it on the weekends.
SunImp
(2,375 posts)Autumn
(46,655 posts)thebigidea
(13,318 posts)It's not a prize given out for perfect attendance, you slug it out and have to win it.
Trenzalore
(2,549 posts)Being able to reach people outside legacy media is critical to any political operations future success. So bashing the followers on social media isn't a strong talking point.
As for AOC,.from what I understand the speaker emeritus played a large role in interference with her ambitions. I appreciate everything the speaker emeritus has done, but she stepped down as leader and should have relinquished her seat. This isn't ageism. She could have been 55 when she did this and I would have the same opinion. The speaker emeritus needs to let minority leader Jeffries run the show and enjoy her retirement.
radicalleft
(510 posts)Weve been handed to us by the current leadership. Fuck it lets do it!
claudette
(4,661 posts)There are many, many, many more experienced Democrats who have seniority over her.
dpibel
(3,439 posts)I mean, other than the clear provocation of "turn the party over to the kids," the balance of your post is pretty hard to decipher.
I can see a way in which "that's what it's all about these days...having lots of followers online" could be read as dismissive or patronizing, but I am very sure you didn't mean it that way!
BannonsLiver
(18,197 posts)But gee, isnt there some middle ground between sidelining younger Dems and handing the party over to them? I kinda think there is. Maybe we can work on that a little FFS 🙄
JustAnotherGen
(33,805 posts)Last edited Thu Dec 19, 2024, 05:13 AM - Edit history (1)
I'm Gen X-er it's our turn. Jeffries it is - and I would like to see Booker take over from Schumer.
Now Lauren Underwood - look at her legislative accomplishments.
She knows how to quietly count votes and get her bills passed.
That said I'll vote but that's it.
PeaceWave
(1,041 posts)Seeking Serenity
(3,080 posts)Could pass a rule barring anyone older than 40 years from seeking the party's nomination for elective office, and requiring every elected Democratic officer to resign their office upon attaining the age of 40 years.
Would that satisfy them?
lees1975
(6,100 posts)"Hand it over" isn't really the right term to use.
If we'd had bold leadership in the Justice Department, the buffoon wouldn't have been eligible to run again, with an "insurrectionist" tag on his name. For two years we had a Congressional majority in the White House and we made some great accomplishments, But we couldn't get a solid, evidence-based house investigation through the justice department to a trial, because of a leadership failure. Not looking for someone to blame, but that's when Garland should have been told either get it done or someone else will come for your job who will. We missed that chance.
And yeah, there would have been inherent risks in busting the filibuster and packing the court. But we would not now be looking at a corrupt, bought and paid for immunity ruling and god only knows what else is coming out of their bribed brains. That's a bridge we could have also crossed with legislation, preventing a turnabout.
But we need leaders who are open to considering everything and who are not bound by the traditional protocols of restrictions the GOP no longer cares about and which makes us ineffective, weak, pearl clutchers.
AOC is high on my list. So is Ruben Gallego. J. D. Pritzker. Gavin Newsome. And Kamala Harris and Tim Walz. Wes Moore.
Jack Valentino
(1,510 posts)that ANYTHING is being "handed over" to AOC at this juncture.
I know--- you've on a rant that appears to be headed in both directions at once! LOL
I feel your frustration of this time.
I do believe that the Democratic party needs to recognize and advance younger leadership,
whether it is AOC or anyone else....
we shouldn't allow the GQP to misrepresent themselves as being the party of younger ideals.
Blue_Tires
(56,725 posts)Especially young men... So I don't get it.
Celerity
(46,857 posts)For the youngest quartile (18 to 29) young men went for Trump by only one point over Harris (which is fucked up, I fully admit, but not 'going hard').
The 'going hardest for Trump' male quartiles were the Gen Xers to youngest Boomers (45-64yo) who went for Trump by 20 points, and the 65yo and older cohort, who went for Trump by 13 points.
Gen X and the youngest boomer women (45-64yo) were also the only female cohort who went for Trump, by one point.
Gen Xers are now the Trumpiest Gen (with some of the youngest Boomers tossed in, aka most of the the 'Generation Jones' sub Gen).
https://edition.cnn.com/election/2022/exit-polls/national-results/general/us-house/0
2022
Now that all said, I also do admit that the youngest cohorts in 2024 did slide towards Trump compared to 2020, much to my horror (obviously driven by young men, as you did state).
https://edition.cnn.com/election/2020/exit-polls/president/national-results
2020
Blue_Tires
(56,725 posts)Celerity
(46,857 posts)25 per cent of black males (all ages), and 33 percent of 18-44yo black males went Trump.
https://apnews.com/article/young-black-latino-men-trump-economy-jobs-9184ca85b1651f06fd555ab2df7982b5
Blue_Tires
(56,725 posts)DeepWinter
(586 posts)She said she didn't know if her future was in Politics anymore. She hasn't back tracked that as far as I know. She's super young. All roads are open.
Blue Full Moon
(1,320 posts)Worrying about the billionaires think sure didn't work.