Ocasio-Cortez: ‘In the Republican Party, there’s a hostage situation’

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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) says in a new interview in Rolling Stone Magazine that there is a “hostage situation” in the Republican Party.

The freshman congresswoman from the Bronx, who calls herself a Democratic Socialist, told Rolling Stone that “a lot of Republicans” know they have a duty to speak out against Donald Trump’s words and actions, but they don’t do it out of fear.

“In the Republican Party, there’s a hostage situation going on,” she told the magazine. “There are a lot of Republicans that know what the right thing to do is — not just on impeachment but on a wide range of issues — and they refuse to speak up.”

Ocasio-Cortez called it “an unacceptable position” for Republicans in Congress to avoid standing up to the president. She also painted the issue as part of a much bigger struggle and bigger societal issue than just partisan politics in Washington, D.C.

“We’re not in the realm of politics anymore,” the 29 year-old said. Then she added:

“These are not questions of politics. These are questions of society. These are questions of equal treatment. These are questions of civil rights.”

Ocasio-Cortez also addressed the topic of impeaching Donald Trump. She said that she personally would vote to impeach Trump “no question.” But she also acknowledged that other members of Congress in her party “come from very tough districts where their constituents are torn” on their support for the president, making it difficult for the House to commit to voting for impeachment without further evidence of crimes.

She rejected the argument that Republican lawmakers have different intentions “behind closed doors” despite voting with Trump.

“If they vote the same way, what does it matter?” she said. “I don’t care what’s in your heart if how you are voting is the same as someone who is actually racist.”

“I am tired of people saying, ‘I’m gonna vote the same way as bigots, but I don’t share the ideology of bigots.’ Well, you share the action and the agenda of bigots. We need to hold that accountable.”

Ocasio-Cortez is absolutely correct in her assessment of the wishy-washy boot lickers who comprise the Republican Party today. Their empty words carry no weight, and do not matter. They will be judged by history — and by American voters — on the basis of their actions. And as of right now their actions show that they have completely abdicated all responsibility to hold Donald Trump accountable. They indeed are being held hostage by an autocratic, lying dictator wannabe, and this is not a situation that can last indefinitely.

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Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.