Give AOC the Reins
Why We Need Her as House Speaker Now
The political game has shifted, and the Democratic Party is still trying to figure out what to do in this new era. Their confusion is palpable and frustrating to many.
It’s actually very simple: the primary goal of any nationally elected Democrat now is to protect what remains of our democracy and the rule of law from further destruction by Trump. Without stopping his relentless grabs for more power, we will no longer have future national elections in any meaningful sense.
Therefore the primary role for Democratic leadership is to optimize all leadership roles around who can best mobilize a critical mass of citizens to stop Trump from taking more power than he is legally given.
To refocus the Democratic Party’s leadership, goals and tactics, we all need to come to terms with the fact Trump is, by his nature and his actions, an aspiring dictator. Whether we ultimately end up living in a full dictatorship under him is going to depend on our ability to create bulwarks against his power grabs in every domain.
The more that we can successfully protect, the more likely he meets his political demise without requiring other nations to stop him militarily.
The courts may hold for a time but are unlikely to hold long-term under the assault against them. Already Trump and team are defying legitimate court orders and it is only a matter of time before they refuse to obey a direct Supreme Court ruling against them. Without police to enforce their decisions, courts rely on the executive branch to follow the Constitution and to respect the separation of powers, which is a weakness Trump can exploit.
So what we need to slow down and eventually halt the consolidation of power that Trump seeks is one thing: mass mobilization of people.
There needs to be a deafening chorus of empowered voices that bolsters the institutions that can still be protected.
Thus, the only skill that truly matters in 2025 for Democratic leadership is the ability to speak in a way that motivates large numbers of people and organizes them into effective action. The skills required are those of a motivational speaker more than a legislator. And ideally, that person speaks best to the citizens we most need to mobilize.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a woman of the people. She was a working-class waitress. She’s known economic deprivation and is a strong stand against the corrupting influenced of the moneyed elite. She has real credibility.
AOC is the right demographic. To stand up to the white tech bros and moneyed oligarchs, it’s ideal to have a powerful woman of color. It is fitting, appropriate and inspiring to rally behind someone who represents so many of their targeted demographics. It makes her the ideal David against the Goliath.
AOC is a truly kick-ass speaker. She speaks powerful truths from her heart. She is emotionally real and also tough. She cares deeply and is also fierce. She can be fun and playful, and she also means business. People listen to her and forward her videos everywhere. She is a viral phenomenon in a time that social media matters.
AOC is increasingly the top draw for grassroots events and rallies. Bernie has been lighting up his tour but AOC really added to the star power draw when she joined. Together, they catalyzed a political rally in Denver larger than any since Barack Obama in 2008 (34K people). We need 30,000 person rallies virtually non-stop this year in every part of the country, and particular in red states and districts. If we pair AOC up with all the most beloved musicians in the country in addition to Bernie and other local speakers, she can light up this country.
AOC understands how to speak for the next generations as well. She is charismatic, inspiring, and a trusted voice for young adults, who are at the heart of every protest movement. We need to motivate the youth who can provide the energy for the mass movement that is required. She can do it.
Democratic leaders should offer her the title of House Minority Leader (and hopefully soon the Speaker of the House) because it makes it clear she is now the Democratic leader FOR the people, which the house represents. But they should delegate as many of the Washington duties as possible and deputize Hakeem Jeffries as her right-hand person. Functionally, he can do a lot of what he is now doing while accepting and celebrating the promotion of AOC above him in the hierarchy of leadership. That’s a powerful message.
So if you like this vision, how do we help to make this happen?
Simple. Share this article everywhere you can (cut and paste into social feeds to maximize the visibility). Call your Democratic representatives and advocate for them to support such a move. Talk with other people about why you like this idea. Spread it. Champion it.
Within a month, we can make this happen and it will give us the rest of the year to have her lead the American people against the aspiring dictator while there is still time.
We can do this. We need to nominate the best person for the most important job of the moment and the candidate who clearly can deliver the goods is AOC.