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Ever since AOC appeared I kept thinking, with that meteoric rise, was she some kind of Trump of the left in the making? I know that first thing you'd say is that she couldn't be more different, but as an antipode, she ticks all the necessary boxes, whilst at the same time provoking a similar reaction of total adoration - absolute hatred among fans / opponents. ( I once foolishly attempted to discuss something she said on social media). They both have a relatively aggressive style of speaking with a lot of grimacing and face pulling, they are both pretty media savvy and know how to use social media (she obviously has an age advantage here). Language is frequently accessible to almost everyone, messaging tends to be populist (allowing for differences in the respective audiences).

 

Here is a first article I came across, one of many offering criticism of the recently launched Green New Deal, which I find interesting primarily because it places her in the post Trump age where according to the author, "capturing the imagination" is deemed more important then coming up with a feasible plan.  

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/green-new-deal-unrealistic-impossible-experts.html?fbclid=IwAR1D0Mk4bVa3WkwJdyBSVh_aeWE-PVuOt9d2zFl4nSUEQ8iadRMFygmbhHo

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12 minutes ago, SasaS said:

Ever since AOC appeared I kept thinking, with that meteoric rise, was she some kind of Trump of the left in the making? I know that first thing you'd say is that she couldn't be more different, but as an antipode, she ticks all the necessary boxes, whilst at the same time provoking a similar reaction of total adoration - absolute hatred among fans / opponents. ( I once foolishly attempted to discuss something she said on social media). They both have a relatively aggressive style of speaking with a lot of grimacing and face pulling, they are both pretty media savvy and know how to use social media (she obviously has an age advantage here). Language is frequently accessible to almost everyone, messaging tends to be populist (allowing for differences in the respective audiences).

 

Here is a first article I came across, one of many offering criticism of the recently launched Green New Deal, which I find interesting primarily because it places her in the post Trump age where according to the author, "capturing the imagination" is deemed more important then coming up with a feasible plan.  

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/green-new-deal-unrealistic-impossible-experts.html?fbclid=IwAR1D0Mk4bVa3WkwJdyBSVh_aeWE-PVuOt9d2zFl4nSUEQ8iadRMFygmbhHo

I think she's sort of in the same boat as Corbyn.  

 

By that I mean that people have been pissed off for a long time and, if they're not into politics or economics, they've not been able to articulate why. They've just been pissed off.

 

Both the US and UK political systems have offered those people two things. A right wing party, and a right wing party with lipstick on. People chose the latter out of tribalism but still instinctively knew that the problems that were blighting their lives weren't going to be addressed.

 

Our societies are geared up for the people at the top to take everything for themselves, they control the media and the politics, but pre 2007 they were more subtle about it. They doled out crumbs from the table. But since then they've gone into overdrive.  So called austerity has left those people at the bottom facing a genuinely existential threat so they no longer have anything to lose.

 

The likes of her and Corbyn have emerged and a lot of those people like what they represent. But, they will come under sustained assault by their own and by the opposition who want to retain the status quo. 

 

Half the battle is being aware of that fact, that those attacks will come, and I think most of us are now.

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It would appear from one or two remarks toadstool Dick made in the SOTU speech they are setting the latest desperate 'deflect from the investigations' agenda for a 'Reds under the bed', 'The enemy within', 'better dead than red' type of offense and what self-respecting automatic rifle toting, MAGA hat wearing, daughter-shagging, evangelical closet queen couldn't fly with that?

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32 minutes ago, Section_31 said:

I think she's sort of in the same boat as Corbyn.  

 

By that I mean that people have been pissed off for a long time and, if they're not into politics or economics, they've not been able to articulate why. They've just been pissed off.

 

Both the US and UK political systems have offered those people two things. A right wing party, and a right wing party with lipstick on. People chose the latter out of tribalism but still instinctively knew that the problems that were blighting their lives weren't going to be addressed.

 

Our societies are geared up for the people at the top to take everything for themselves, they control the media and the politics, but pre 2007 they were more subtle about it. They doled out crumbs from the table. But since then they've gone into overdrive.  So called austerity has left those people at the bottom facing a genuinely existential threat so they no longer have anything to lose.

 

The likes of her and Corbyn have emerged and a lot of those people like what they represent. But, they will come under sustained assault by their own and by the opposition who want to retain the status quo. 

 

Half the battle is being aware of that fact, that those attacks will come, and I think most of us are now.

 

What I find most intriguing about her is the political tactic, type of a politician, her views, to me, are nothing particularly new, especially post-Sanders.

 

Therefore I don't agree completely with the Corbyn comparison, I think he is closer to a traditional "serious" politician, he cannot allow himself to come out with policies that can be easily attacked, a variation of the old be realistic demand the impossible approach. Even if you allow that she is still a (very) quick rising Democratic Party "backbencher" and he is a leader of the opposition with a serious shot at power. Although many of the tactics, reactions, positions are new and he would do something you think would definitely harm him, like don't siding immediately with the government in the matter of national security (the Scripal affair), which would take away a lot of points in the old game but didn't affect him too much. He is definitely a political phenomenon, but more in common with Sanders, and I definitely wouldn't call him a populist, whilst AOC is closer to that category.

 

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52 minutes ago, Strontium Dog said:

 

I've seen a few people describing her as the Democrats' Sarah Palin.

 

Palin! Talk about a suppressed memory.

All I rember is how's that hopey changey stuff working for ya, which was admittedly a brilliant soundbite.

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