Ocasio-Cortez Calls Electoral College 'Shadow of Slavery's Power'
High-profile Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York labeled the Electoral College “a shadow of slavery’s power” in a recent tweet.
Eliminating the Electoral College has become a Democratic talking point ever since the election of President Donald Trump. Democrat Hillary Clinton won the 2016 popular vote, largely on the strength of wide majorities in New York and California, but Trump won the most electoral votes, which are apportioned in proportion to a state’s population.
“I passionately believe it’s time to abolish the Electoral College,” Clinton wrote last month in the Atlantic.
The topic gained life Friday as critics of Justice Brett Kavanaugh were bemoaning the fact that despite a scorched-earth campaign to block his confirmation, Kavanaugh was going to clear the Senate and join the court.
“We are a country where two presidents who both lost the popular vote have now placed four justices on the Supreme Court. Democracy in action,” GQ correspondent Julia Ioffe said on Twitter, citing Trump and former President George W. Bush.
We are a country where two presidents who both lost the popular vote have now placed four justices on the Supreme Court. Democracy in action.
— Julia Ioffe (@juliaioffe) October 5, 2018
That brought Ocasio-Cortez out to demand the change in American elections with her own unique explanation.
“It is well past time we eliminate the Electoral College, a shadow of slavery’s power on America today that undermines our nation as a democratic republic,” she tweeted.
It is well past time we eliminate the Electoral College, a shadow of slavery’s power on America today that undermines our nation as a democratic republic. https://t.co/00HZN3MI6F
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) October 6, 2018
Some on Twitter tried to educate Ocasio-Cortez about the nature of the government for which she wants to make the laws.
“If you’re going to get into politics at the very least you should know not only the Constitution, but the Federalist papers. We don’t live in a democratic republic, we live in a constitutional republic. The founders knew of the dangers of democracy,” tweeted Dave Ellis.
Ocasio-Cortez, who in June toppled long-time congressman Joseph Crowley and is all but assured victory in the heavily Democratic district, was vocal in speaking out against Kavanaugh.
“A generation ago, committing perjury and lying to Congress multiple times in your nomination hearing would have been an automatic disqualifier. To see the rules that we are willing to dismantle just to insert a partisan pick is truly disturbing,” she said during a recent Boston University speech, according to The College Fix.
During her speech, she showed her unfamiliarity with standard political terms.
“It doesn’t mean you get everything tomorrow. As much as I would love that, I would love to get inaugurated Jan. 3rd (and) Jan. 4th we’re signing health care, we’re signing this,” she said, according to Fox News, disregarding the fact that members of Congress are not inaugurated.
The candidate, who often describes herself as a socialist, was asked in a recent interview on MSNBC about implementing her plan for change once she reaches Capitol Hill.
“Well I think a lot of it has to do with changing our strategy around governance,” Ocasio-Cortez said.
“You know there’s a lot inside baseball and inside the beltway, you always hear that term thrown around, but there are very few organizers in Congress and I do think that organizers operate differently, it’s a different kind of strategy,” she said.
“And what it is really about organizing, and and really thinking about that word, organizing, segmenting people, being strategic in their actions,” she said. “In really bringing together a cohesive strategy of putting pressure on the chamber instead of only focusing on the pressures inside the chamber.”
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