The election has just (almost) concluded. Although we appear focused currently on the here and now, Editor Jake Sonderman chooses to look to the future of American politics. He’s assigned the Blog Staff to investigate and ruminate. Sara looks at an important up-and-coming group and ideology in American politics.
By Sara Habibipour
The Squad is a group of four women of color in the House of Representatives known for their efforts to push Washington Democrats towards more progressive policies. The four Congresswomen–Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan, and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts–seemed to gain more popularity on social media after their comebacks to Trump’s derogatory remarks regarding their heritage. He falsely implied that they weren’t American and suggested they “go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came” (CNN).
But, these women have made it clear they aren’t going anywhere. In fact, all four were recently re-elected.
Who Are They?
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) (Rep. of New York’s 14th Congressional District–the Bronx, Queens, and Rikers Island)
AOC became the youngest woman (and youngest Latina) ever elected to Congress after defeating ten-term incumbent Democratic Rep. Joe Crowley (CNN).
In addition to being a member of the Democratic Socialists of America, she introduced the Green New Deal, which “outlines the framework for combating climate change by creating millions of jobs in new green industries as well as transitioning to new energy sources and building new infrastructure” (Ocasio-Cortez.House.Gov).
She has also worked with others, such as Bernie Sanders, on more progressive ideas like Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, and student loan forgiveness. She has called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) due to the harsh conditions in our southern borders’s detention centers (CNN).
Rashida Tlaib (Rep. of Michigan’s 13th Congressional District–Detroit and its surrounding areas)
Tlaib is the first Palestinian-American woman to serve in Congress. Like AOC, Tlaib has embraced Progressive ideas like Medicare for All, a $15 minimum wage, debt-free college, and the abolishment of ICE.
She has also gained a significant amount of social media attention after her controversial comments regarding sanctions and boycotts on Israel.
Ilhan Omar (Rep. of Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District–Minneapolis and its surrounding areas)
Ilhan Omar is the first Somali-American ever elected to Congress. She and Tlaib are also the first two Muslim women ever elected to Congress. She came to the United States two decades ago after fleeing her homeland as a refugee. She then became a US Citizen at the age of 17 (CNN).
Similar to AOC’s journey to politics, she ran with the support of the Justice Democrats (a Progressive political-action committee). She is also a proponent of Medicare for All, abolishing ICE, tuition-free college, and $15 minimum wage.
Ayanna Presley (Rep. Massachusetts’s 7th Congressional District–Boston, Cambridge, and surrounding areas)
Pressley is the first black congresswoman to represent Massachusetts after defeating twenty-year incumbent Rep. Mike Capuano (CNN).
Pressley’s passion for politics greatly stems from personal experiences. For example, she often speaks about her father being incarcerated for much of her childhood and how she is a rape survivor.
Pressley is also known for speaking out about the poor conditions of detained migrants at the Texas border, and she has called upon Democratic lawmakers to take action.
How Do These Women Represent the Future of Politics?
According to the New York Times, the Squad represents a more inclusive and representative future of politics. “The Squad understands that ‘diversity’ is meaningless if the measure of success is ‘sameness.’ The Congresswomen are choosing to do politics a different way because they recognize that Congress has never worked for their communities.” By bringing in voices from communities Congress has never heard from before, it is possible that the future of politics will finally serve communities of color rather than silence them; “…inclusivity means that people from different communities, backgrounds and ideological traditions will do their jobs differently and will bring new sensibilities, commitments and understanding with them when they sit at the tables of power. If they are doing their jobs, they will be accountable to people who sent them there, not maintaining the status quo” (The New York Times).
The Squad also greatly represents the visions of the young people of our nation who tend to prioritize equality and climate change. Many say that the Squad’s ideas for Progressive policies represent the future of the Democratic party, even though the party seems to look more moderate at the moment. This is obviously frustrating for these Progressives, but according to Conor Lamb (Democrat Representative of Pennsylvania), more moderate policies are needed to unify the country in its current state (New York Times). The future could possess these ideals, especially as the younger generation starts to fill seats in Congress.
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/15/politics/who-are-the-squad/index.html
Image Sources:
https://apnews.com/article/f80a96ce79934860936ebdc2127c28fc
https://i.insider.com/5fa2a2a469331a0011bc731c?width=1000&format=jpeg&auto=webp
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/08/where-ilhan-omar-failed/596743/
https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/03/30/ayanna-pressley-democrat-committee
Future of Politics Editor: Jake Sonderman