- Rip. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted that top Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer should no longer lead the party.
- “We need new leadership in the Democratic Party,” Ocasio-Cortez said in a new podcast with Intercept on Wednesday.
- The criticism stems from heated negotiations between Democratic leaders and their Republican counterparts.
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez insisted that during a new podcast with Intercept on Wednesday, top Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer should no longer lead the party.
“We need new leadership in the Democratic Party,” Ocasio-Cortez told host Jeremy Skill.
The criticism comes as provocative talks between Democratic leaders and their Republican counterparts, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, have escalated in recent days. The parties appear close to finalizing a deal that would give the American people much relief amid the coronavirus epidemic.
“We, the Democratic Party, have benefited a lot,” Ocasio-Cortez said of the 2.2 trillion care laws passed in March. The law “was everything the Republican Party wanted.”
“I know that if we had given up the farm after that, we would have had very little money to bring them back to the negotiating table later.” “And I’m afraid that’s the current situation we’re dealing with now.”
Congress leaders have provided extra aid to Americans over the past eight months, when the unemployment rate is above pre-epidemic levels and millions face food insecurity and are in danger of being fired.
“For this reason, don’t take a stand and say: ‘No, I’m sorry. Nancy Pelosi shouldn’t be a speaker and Chuck Schumer shouldn’t be a leader?'” Scahill asked.
Progressive Democrats in New York agreed, though arguing that changing them is not easy. He blamed the party’s left wing, as well as its more moderate members, for neglecting to build the leadership of the next pay leadership.
“The internal dynamics of the House have made it clear that there are very few options for succession,” he said. “The speaker has indicated that she is paying attention to the transition and may depart at some point, and the left has no real plans for that. This is something we need to think about.”
The House Democrats have already appointed Pelosi to serve as speaker next year and he is likely to retain his top spot. However, a California congresswoman has indicated she will step down after a two-year term.
“It’s easy for someone to say: ‘Oh, well, why don’t you run?'” Ocasio-Cortez said. “But the housing is extraordinarily complex. And I’m not ready. It can’t be me. I know I can’t do it.”
