Her comments on Maduro were atrocious though, repeating the "election fraud" lies that have been debunked over and over, and complaining that the Trump regime left the Maduro government in charge (calling that government "the Maduro regime"). Absolutely despicable. The more I learn about her background, the more likely it seems there is a link with US intelligence there.
I'd encourage you to listen to her full remarks. She certainly doesn't talk about Maduro the way I do, but that wasn't her point. She pointed out that Trump's claim for regime change was bogus, as he left the government there. She wasn't saying "I could do regime change better." She was pretty clear that the US has no right to intervene in Venezuela.
She repeated US propaganda about Maduro and Venezuela and by bringing up that Trump left the government in power, the implication is that she or a Democrat would've done better, i.e. full regime change.
How can anyone actually say a lot of the deaths in Gaza were “avoidable”? As though the hundreds of thousands dead were accidental, or collateral damage. An unbelievable, unforgivable choice of words.
It’s obvious that she has no chance at gaining public office. No more chance than Donald Trump had in 2014, meaning…who knows?
Her ignorance of issues and tone deaf style will mean nothing to a public that seems to long for another idiot on the level of Kamala Harris.
I think "avoidable" means those people would be alive if the US hadn't armed Israel. She called Israel's acts a genocide, so I don't think she was saying it was some type of accident.
To me, “avoidable” was that ridiculous dress she wore to the Met Gala, (going maskless while her train bearers wore covid masks). That was avoidable; she could have stayed home. Characterizing the funding of genocide as “avoidable” is pure idiocy, precisely the kind of idiocy that Glenn Greenwald called out so eloquently earlier this week. And it’s precisely the kind of idiocy that fans of Harris or AOC tie themselves into knots trying to rationalize. If that had been a simple gaffe, I would overlook it, but everything else she said in Berlin, I would need a very, very, big ladder to overlook.
It's clear she doesn't share my view on Maduro or the state of Venezuela. But she was very clear that the US has no right to breach Venezuelan sovereignty and kidnap its leader.
"JFK invaded Cuba, cemented America’s role in the Vietnam War, and was a die-hard anti-communist Cold Warrior."
Wow, are you behind on your history. First, JFK didn't invade Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion was already set when he took office, and as he had no time to review it he basically allowed it to proceed. Second, he had already drafted an order to begin withdrawing US troops from Vietnam just before he was murdered. Third, at the time of that murder, he had already opened dialogue with Krushchev to try and find diplomatic means to address the Cold War.
The case has been made those were among the factors that got him killed.
As President, JFK should have cancelled the Bay of Pigs. The plans were made before he was in office, but the buck stops with him. He did write that order, but he was also the president who sent "advisors" (special forces) into Vietnam. After he was killed, that presence was expanded and American became an active participant in the war.
I see you’ve chosen to ignore what I wrote about what he was doing about Vietnam right before he was murdered lest it challenge your premise. I was under the impression you were against that sort of thing. My mistake.
Another perspective from Glenn Greenwald: https://youtu.be/u-orbgB4vdU?si=8zKd2bCKCilpaXgA It took her only 6 months to call Pelosi “Mama Bear” Based her campaign on raise a ruckus and we must organize. When Jimmy Dore put forward Force the Vote she did not use the leverage she had and said Jimmy was not an authorized organizer! I’ve been following her word salads for 2 years; some moralizing and finger wagging then votes with every imperialist war monger. Glenn noted she is “unrecognizable” from the person he interviewed right before her entrance into Congress. That you are duped by her at this juncture: masquerading as the Left is sad. Kshama Sawant was always right about her; a sheep herder like Bernie to bring young people to the dem party and block 3rd party candidates; the road for a progressive within the dem party leads to the cemetery.
Jimmy Dore is not an authorized organizer. He's a podcaster. I also find it difficult to take Sawant seriously. She quit an actual position of power, which many dedicated organizers spent countless hours to help her achieve and hold, to start a podcast.
I recognize that Jimmy Dore is a podcaster. My point was a person does not need to be “authorized” to organize people. That you do not take Sawant seriously and yet defend AOC is a lapse in judgment; especially that so much of your writing is insightful. I group Sawant with Chris Hedges, Max Blumenthal, Glenn Greenwald and Aaron Mate to name a few and AOC with Bernie Sanders. The first group as authentic; the second group as careerists. FWIW I supported Bernie, twice.
One thing she clearly understands and which the Washington Consensus does not is competition even though the idea is not new.
This may be heresy here but her point is not new. A generation ago Scotty Reston, in comparing America's relationship to the Soviet Union argued it was a "Marathon not a sprint" meaning that we would not and should not view it like some short violent clash but that we should be better, invest better, grow better over time if we wanted to prove we were the best. She gets that.
If we want to claim the US system is better than China then we have to actually *be* better, and we don't do that by sending arms, we do it by investing in ourselves and in our society. At the end of the day that is what makes the difference and also what makes the actual competition worthwhile. If we cannot develop better and develop for all then we are not worth fighting over.
Spot on. AOC is certainly not the first to talk like this. But in a world where everything is anti-China hawkism, it comes across like a breathe of fresh air.
Thank you. It would really be awesome at least once to hear the usual Anti-China Hawks say something like "China is beating us on PISA scores, lets invest in our schools!"
AOC is not my dream candidate for 2028, but she's likely the best the Democrats are going to offer.
Excellent article. Thank you!
Thanks for reading!
I would vote for her in a heartbeat. Thank you for another great piece, Joe. I also hope she reads it.
Thanks Eli!
Her comments on Maduro were atrocious though, repeating the "election fraud" lies that have been debunked over and over, and complaining that the Trump regime left the Maduro government in charge (calling that government "the Maduro regime"). Absolutely despicable. The more I learn about her background, the more likely it seems there is a link with US intelligence there.
I'd encourage you to listen to her full remarks. She certainly doesn't talk about Maduro the way I do, but that wasn't her point. She pointed out that Trump's claim for regime change was bogus, as he left the government there. She wasn't saying "I could do regime change better." She was pretty clear that the US has no right to intervene in Venezuela.
She repeated US propaganda about Maduro and Venezuela and by bringing up that Trump left the government in power, the implication is that she or a Democrat would've done better, i.e. full regime change.
That's not what she said, though. If you watch the full remarks, she explicitly says the US didn't have the right to coup Maduro.
How can anyone actually say a lot of the deaths in Gaza were “avoidable”? As though the hundreds of thousands dead were accidental, or collateral damage. An unbelievable, unforgivable choice of words.
It’s obvious that she has no chance at gaining public office. No more chance than Donald Trump had in 2014, meaning…who knows?
Her ignorance of issues and tone deaf style will mean nothing to a public that seems to long for another idiot on the level of Kamala Harris.
I think "avoidable" means those people would be alive if the US hadn't armed Israel. She called Israel's acts a genocide, so I don't think she was saying it was some type of accident.
To me, “avoidable” was that ridiculous dress she wore to the Met Gala, (going maskless while her train bearers wore covid masks). That was avoidable; she could have stayed home. Characterizing the funding of genocide as “avoidable” is pure idiocy, precisely the kind of idiocy that Glenn Greenwald called out so eloquently earlier this week. And it’s precisely the kind of idiocy that fans of Harris or AOC tie themselves into knots trying to rationalize. If that had been a simple gaffe, I would overlook it, but everything else she said in Berlin, I would need a very, very, big ladder to overlook.
Uh...you didn't mention her answer about Venezuela. That was just bad.
It's clear she doesn't share my view on Maduro or the state of Venezuela. But she was very clear that the US has no right to breach Venezuelan sovereignty and kidnap its leader.
26:30, here: https://youtu.be/VvqwGgsYuuY?si=roPFEgh-qEi36R7u&t=1614
"JFK invaded Cuba, cemented America’s role in the Vietnam War, and was a die-hard anti-communist Cold Warrior."
Wow, are you behind on your history. First, JFK didn't invade Cuba. The Bay of Pigs invasion was already set when he took office, and as he had no time to review it he basically allowed it to proceed. Second, he had already drafted an order to begin withdrawing US troops from Vietnam just before he was murdered. Third, at the time of that murder, he had already opened dialogue with Krushchev to try and find diplomatic means to address the Cold War.
The case has been made those were among the factors that got him killed.
As President, JFK should have cancelled the Bay of Pigs. The plans were made before he was in office, but the buck stops with him. He did write that order, but he was also the president who sent "advisors" (special forces) into Vietnam. After he was killed, that presence was expanded and American became an active participant in the war.
I see you’ve chosen to ignore what I wrote about what he was doing about Vietnam right before he was murdered lest it challenge your premise. I was under the impression you were against that sort of thing. My mistake.
https://substack.com/@the307/note/p-188375131?r=2g3mc
Another perspective from Glenn Greenwald: https://youtu.be/u-orbgB4vdU?si=8zKd2bCKCilpaXgA It took her only 6 months to call Pelosi “Mama Bear” Based her campaign on raise a ruckus and we must organize. When Jimmy Dore put forward Force the Vote she did not use the leverage she had and said Jimmy was not an authorized organizer! I’ve been following her word salads for 2 years; some moralizing and finger wagging then votes with every imperialist war monger. Glenn noted she is “unrecognizable” from the person he interviewed right before her entrance into Congress. That you are duped by her at this juncture: masquerading as the Left is sad. Kshama Sawant was always right about her; a sheep herder like Bernie to bring young people to the dem party and block 3rd party candidates; the road for a progressive within the dem party leads to the cemetery.
Jimmy Dore is not an authorized organizer. He's a podcaster. I also find it difficult to take Sawant seriously. She quit an actual position of power, which many dedicated organizers spent countless hours to help her achieve and hold, to start a podcast.
I recognize that Jimmy Dore is a podcaster. My point was a person does not need to be “authorized” to organize people. That you do not take Sawant seriously and yet defend AOC is a lapse in judgment; especially that so much of your writing is insightful. I group Sawant with Chris Hedges, Max Blumenthal, Glenn Greenwald and Aaron Mate to name a few and AOC with Bernie Sanders. The first group as authentic; the second group as careerists. FWIW I supported Bernie, twice.
One thing she clearly understands and which the Washington Consensus does not is competition even though the idea is not new.
This may be heresy here but her point is not new. A generation ago Scotty Reston, in comparing America's relationship to the Soviet Union argued it was a "Marathon not a sprint" meaning that we would not and should not view it like some short violent clash but that we should be better, invest better, grow better over time if we wanted to prove we were the best. She gets that.
If we want to claim the US system is better than China then we have to actually *be* better, and we don't do that by sending arms, we do it by investing in ourselves and in our society. At the end of the day that is what makes the difference and also what makes the actual competition worthwhile. If we cannot develop better and develop for all then we are not worth fighting over.
Spot on. AOC is certainly not the first to talk like this. But in a world where everything is anti-China hawkism, it comes across like a breathe of fresh air.
Thank you. It would really be awesome at least once to hear the usual Anti-China Hawks say something like "China is beating us on PISA scores, lets invest in our schools!"
But of course they never think of that.