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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Families & Children |
Freshman rising star, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is bringing Ana Maria Archila, a community activist and sexual assault survivor who confronted former Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in an elevator over his support for then-Supreme Court Justice nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The emotional moment was caught by TV cameras and quickly went viral, although it did not ultimately affect Kavanaugh's confirmation or Flake's support for it.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: The factors that created our win was the fact that we had bold commitments & I campaigned on hard commitments of Medicare for all, tuition-free public college, ensuring a green new deal for our future. And championing those issues were the reasons that we won. We won across demographics.
Q: So you reject the idea that your gender was a factor here?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: You There is a confluence of factors that makes this moment inspiring. Right now, more women than ever are running for office. And I do think that women want representation in Congress, absolutely. Congress right now is 80% male, and that creates blind spots in our legislation. It means we don't have family leave, we don't have paid maternal and parental leave. It means that we don't get the equal pay that we want. So I think those issues certainly were important.
Today, 50 members of the Democratic Women's Caucus (DWC) sent a letter to President Trump in response to his disrespectful rhetoric and policies toward women. The letter is sent on the heels of Secretary Pompeo disparaging a well-renowned journalist for doing her job, and President Trump validating this behavior by stating, "you did a good job on her."
Excerpts from DWC letter:We are writing this letter in response to your continuing derogation of women in your rhetoric and policies. 'You did a good job on her. Take her out. Get rid of her. Lock her up. Send her back. Nasty woman. Disgusting. Low IQ. Whack job. Grab 'em by the pussy.' 'I can do whatever I want.'
It is most shameful that the words young girls and boys hear directed at women from the upper echelons of power are dripping with disdain and disrespect. Beyond your public policy choices--stripping away women's access to health care, undermining protections for survivors of sexual assault, reversing equal pay efforts and more--your words demonstrate a contempt for women who dare to do their jobs or speak truth to power which reflects poorly on you. It is as if you relish the opportunity to publicly humiliate any woman who fights back, speaks up, or takes up space.
This letter is of the greatest urgency because the message being sent to young girls and boys is that women don't matter and their equality is allowable only when convenient.
Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, an esteemed career diplomat committed to anti-corruption reforms who you referred to as "the woman" who is "going to go through some things" in your July 25 call with President Zelensky, was yet another casualty. After imploring your associates to "take her out," you smeared her good name and career for your own personal benefit.
Mr. President, instead of being the biggest bully on the playground, why don't you set a moral example for our children?