Author Topic: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District  (Read 36475 times)

Offline Chingwa

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #135 on: October 05, 2019, 04:34:37 PM »
In my opinion, she will soon learn that her outspoken supporters are greatly outnumbered by those nursing silent disapproval.

Offline dssjh

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #136 on: October 05, 2019, 05:03:08 PM »
we'll see soon enough. i believe her district is one of the most left-leaning in the USA.

Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #137 on: October 05, 2019, 06:09:24 PM »
Quote
Still don't know how one finds when/where these THs are going to happen.

I found them using the Google and Facebook in less than half a minute. They are announced on her FB Page. I follow her profile on FB, and realize now I should follow her Page.

https://www.facebook.com/repAOC/photos/a.408675763214298/545336146214925/?type=3&theater

If social media isn't your thing, have you tried signing up for your congressional representative's e-newsletter? (I haven't, so don't know if her office announces townhalls there.) 

https://ocasio-cortez.house.gov/

Offline fillmorep

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #138 on: October 06, 2019, 11:52:22 AM »
I disagree with so many of the posts here. This district is hardly a hotbed of left wingers. I voted for her as a fresh face. I've lived in JH for almost twelve years and didn't even know Joe Crowley was my representative. He was not paying proper attention to his district. Yes, she has a strong media presence nationwide but also seems to be reaching out in these town halls. She is new at this. She's very smart and will learn to moderate a bit as she figures out how to get supporters for her legislative ideas. Even if she does nothing more than introduce the concept of a Green New Deal, she's accomplished a LOT. Yes, it is more aspirational than realistic; but agree with her or not, she has IDEAS. More than we can say for so many of the warm bodies in the legislature.

Offline itsit

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #139 on: October 06, 2019, 12:17:32 PM »
 Wow, I am surprised at the previous poster Fillmore Rep not knowing about Crowley. He was everywhere in the District when he was in office. I saw him lots and would introduce myself and express concerns. I see AOC on tv but like other posters mention, she isn't around the hood which I know is due in some part to security not being provided for her (Crowley wasn't in the same danger) and that fact that she didn't want unpaid staffers so is currently overwhelmed in her offices without interns to pick up much of the routine work.

  That said, it feels like she is good on the national stage, maybe great even, but local not so much. I do think she will be beatable for the next election. On the count that people like their local electeds to be responsive, which by many accounts, she has not been. She seems to be trying to change this but it may be too late and the strategists that selected her may have others to put in the pipeline for offices as her popularity will propel her into something national, no doubt. If the census results are low for this area, we may lose a seat anyway and it would be her spot, as the newest and youngest. For this reason, I was surprised she hasn't been more vocal right out of the gate on being counted as opposed to the efforts with the Green New Deal as a much bigger, but very worthy, national and international project.

Offline CaptainFlannel

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #140 on: October 06, 2019, 12:50:31 PM »
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I've lived in JH for almost twelve years and didn't even know Joe Crowley was my representative. He was not paying proper attention to his district.

If you don't even know who your congressional representative is after living in the district for over a decade, it also seems worth entertaining that it's very likely that the reason you don't know this is  because*you* weren't paying attention. Especially post 2016 Presidential election. I attended some townhalls and forums hosted by Crowley. He wasn't doing nothing. Maybe he wasn't doing enough, but it's hard to give great weight to someone's opinion who admits not having enough curiosity post-November 2016 to Google who their representative in the House is.

Offline dssjh

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #141 on: October 06, 2019, 02:33:34 PM »
i see AOC in the neighborhood a lot, far more often than i saw Crowley. maybe that's because her office is in the Bruson Building, and we live a couple of blocks from that. but i see her on the street, engaging constituents, on a regular basis.

Crowley was responsive when push came to shove, and he was good at town halls, but i see AOC as being more interactive so far.

Offline Chingwa

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #142 on: October 06, 2019, 02:40:27 PM »
I also live nearby the Bruson building, but have never seen her in this neighborhood. (shrug)  I never saw Crowley either though, except at town halls.

I had my disagreements on a number of issues with Crowley as well, but he was generally a moderating force and seemed community focused, not a radical parading for a national audience. I have no doubts that once Jackson Heights has outlived it's usefulness to AOC she will do whatever she can to keep the spotlight that she enjoys.

Offline dssjh

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #143 on: October 06, 2019, 02:44:59 PM »
and Joe has moved on, too. following the money.

https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/430975-crowley-joins-coalition-to-pass-trumps-new-nafta

he's also lobbying for weed conglomerates and other business interests, and trying to unseat Ed Markey, one of AOC's biggest allies. he knows the game well.

Offline abcdefghijk

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #144 on: October 06, 2019, 03:15:15 PM »
I have no doubts that once Jackson Heights has outlived it's usefulness to AOC she will do whatever she can to keep the spotlight that she enjoys.

I agree with this. Jackson Heights is simply a stepping stone for someone like AOC. 

Which isn't a bad thing.

But it would be great to have someone who is very focused on our neighborhood and our challenges. And not only preoccupied by a larger vision.

Offline dssjh

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #145 on: October 06, 2019, 03:22:58 PM »
but by her work for immigrants -- a very large part of this community -- and the non-moneyed class (also a significant part), isn't she doing that? a congressperson is supposed to address macro issues, not deal with car alarms, honking, double parking and/or local quality of life offenses. those are issues for local politicians, and i agree that we need to press ours to address them.

Offline toddg

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #146 on: October 06, 2019, 05:56:52 PM »
I think AOC has been a refreshing voice on the national stage.   And I agree with fillmorep that her work championing the Green New Deal and getting it into the national conversation is a great and worthy achievement for someone at the start of her Congressional career. 

I'm not sure I agree with everyone's diagnosis of why she defeated Crowley.   Crowley did have a presence in the neighborhood.   I saw him at meetings often, and in fact just saw him yesterday at Espresso 77.   And I don't think very many people found his voting record objectionable.   Perhaps not as progressive as some would like, but certainly in the mainstream for a Democrat (according to this link he had an ideology score of 0.31, with 0 representing the most liberal member of Congress and 1 representing the most conservative).   But he had definitely become a creature of Washington.

I think for many, the real objection to Crowley was his corrosive impact on local politics through his running of the Queens Democratic Party machine.  Over and over again, emerging leaders who were starting to get active in politics as an extension of their work to better the community found their way blocked by a party machine that demanded loyalty above all else (and championed useless foot soldiers like Moya and DenDekker).  So last year, when AOC (along with Catalina Cruz and Jessica Ramos) ran energetic, reformist, insurgent campaigns, a lot of people were excited to see the new energy and ideas they were bringing.   And when Crowley decided he was too good to debate his opponent or take her seriously, a lot of people decided his time was up.

Offline JHALUM

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #147 on: October 06, 2019, 07:38:07 PM »
The 14th congressional district has one of the highest concentrations of Hispanic voters in NY.  I think it was just time that a Hispanic was elected to office and that if it wasn't AOC it could have very easily been someone else. 

Offline Chingwa

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #148 on: October 06, 2019, 07:38:15 PM »
I'm curious why any tax-paying American citizen would support this...

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Proposes Full Welfare Benefits for All Immigrants, Regardless of Legal Status"
https://www.newsweek.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-just-society-trump-immigrant-visa-ban-1463422


Offline jh35

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Re: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 14th Congressional District
« Reply #149 on: October 06, 2019, 08:01:18 PM »
I'm curious why any tax-paying American citizen would support this...

"Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Proposes Full Welfare Benefits for All Immigrants, Regardless of Legal Status"
https://www.newsweek.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-just-society-trump-immigrant-visa-ban-1463422

I hope she does not get Trump re-elected.