Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, also known simply as AOC, is many things: the US representative serving the 14th district of New York, a former waitress and bartender, and recently Gen Z’s new political hero. Especially known for her progressive beliefs and will to fight for families separated by the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an article by a writer from CNN dubbed her “the future of the Democratic Party.” On the second night of the 2020 Democratic National Convention, she spoke for sixty seconds and delivered Bernie Sanders’ symbolic Presidential roll call nomination speech while expressing support for Biden. Many hope to see her run for President in 2024 or 2028.
AOC grew up in both the Bronx and Yorktown, and entered the political scene after winning the Democratic primary election for New York’s 14th congressional district in June 2018. Prior to that, she worked in the office of the late Senator Ted Kennedy. In 2016, she volunteered to help organize Sanders’ campaign. The entirety of AOC’s background has led her to form progressive ideas. While working in Kennedy’s office, she saw the trauma ICE has caused by separating families, and while traveling with Sanders’ campaign, she had the opportunity to stand with indigenous people. AOC also fights strongly for a federal jobs guarantee, influenced by her waitressing job that deeply connected her to the working class. The guarantee, which aims to revitalize the economy by giving all Americans jobs “with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations, and retirement security” (CNBC), is part of the Green New Deal. Written by AOC and Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey, the plan has the ultimate goal of eradicating US carbon emissions and eliminating the dependence on fossil fuels.
The Green New Deal plan has been a long time coming. The concept has existed for over ten years, and has been called “our moonshot” (CNBC) by AOC. It would include massive reorganizing, and the use of government funds to support huge employment projects. It aims to have the US carbon neutral in 10 years. The large scale of the plan has been compared to FDR’s New Deal, whose purpose was to get America back on its feet after the Great Depression. AOC’s plan for the Green New Deal has reforms that could significantly help families across America and assist in reducing global climate change, but can also be seen as “unrealistic,” as stated by Colorado Congressman Doug Lamborn. In response to claims that the plan is too far-fetched, AOC has argued that “even the solutions that we have considered big and bold are nowhere near the scale of the actual problem that climate change presents to us” (NPR). According to Harvard’s 2018 National Youth Poll, the youth of America agree with her, as 56 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 29 support the federal jobs guarantee, along with the support of 63 percent of likely voters.
Aligned with many ideals from Sanders’ campaign, AOC also supports Medicare for All. Her goal is to eliminate the private insurance industry and instead have a universal insurance system run by the US government. AOC’s plan has potential to protect families in New York and across America. She believes even “passing a watered down version of Medicare for All in a deeply divided Congress would still represent a major achievement for the Democratic Party’s progressive wing” (CNN). Sanders, who introduced the act in 2017, believes AOC’s plan is too much of a compromise, especially because Medicare for All “is in a sense already a compromise. It is a four-year transition period” (CNN). While Sanders has expressed his support for AOC and has said he greatly admires her work, he has since distanced himself from this particular part of AOC’s proposals.
In terms of abolishing ICE, AOC recognizes the constant violations of human rights ICE commits, and believes in abolishing ICE instead of reforming it. In 2019, AOC stated, “ ‘Abolish ICE’ is a call to action on several levels. One is the literal interpretation… which I support and I’ve said on multiple occasions I don’t believe that an agency that systematically and repeatedly violates human rights, I don’t think that agency can be reformed” (Washington Post). Her ideas are radical and daring, to say the least.
As seen on social media, AOC and her ideas are widely supported by Gen Z. Because her largely progressive ideas fit exactly with what the rising generation believes in, she has connected with America’s youth in a unique way. She has a large following on social media, consisting of 6.2 million followers on Instagram on her personal account and 810K on the federal account. By utilizing the platforms Gen Z uses, she has been able to communicate with rising voters daily. Her speaking abilities are also widely admired, being seen as calm and strong, while not holding back. For example, she once called out Trump’s racist beliefs, based on “words that he uses, which are historic dog whistles of white supremacy” (CBS News). Her debate skills attract Gen Z and older generations alike, and have culminated in omnipresent support.
AOC is an outspoken person, and her beliefs and ideas to reform New York and America advocate for change in a confident, unique way rarely seen in politicians. With the support of Gen Z and progressive Americans, she is the ideal politician in the eyes of many. On the other hand, some politicians argue her plans are unrealistic and in some cases, too much of a compromise, while AOC herself recognizes that serious problems require serious solutions. AOC has a long career ahead of her, which will certainly be filled with ambitious proposals and fascinating debates that will show America what possible changes could occur in the coming years.