Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (@RepAOC) explains why she voted "NO" on Passage of H.J.Res. 28

[oberliner]

Link to tweet

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. Note: The explanation is in the screen text only, the video does not address this

I disagree with AOC on this vote. I feel, in the context of a long government shutdown, that Democrats should not be seen as opposing a bill to open up government on the basis of a specific policy disagreement - especially when that policy represents the current status quo.

Having said that, I appreciate that she 1) recognizes that this was a nuanced call, acknowledging in essence that there are good grounds to disagree with her on this. 2) that she knew her vote did not in any way threaten the outcome, and that Democratic opposition from the left is not what Trump is counting on - it does not reinforce his hopes to peel off moderate centrist Dems from states that he won in 2016 and 3) this was a vote of conscience for AOC. It is a matter that she feels very strongly about, as does at least an important portion of her constituency

[still_one]

2. Some folks, including myself at times, refuse to to look at things objectively, and I am NOT

referring to you

I agree with you on this

[hueymahl]

7. I appreciate your nuanced response

And I tend to agree with you.

I do wonder if she would have voted differently if her vote would have mattered from a pass/fail standpoint. My hope, and guess, is that she would have voted with the part in that circumstance.

[Apollyonus]

22. 1. There was no separate funding for ICE in any of the bills

2. The bills only provided money for enforcement of existing laws, the same laws that existed under the Obama administration. 3. She did not poll her constituents and has no reason to think that all her constituents or even a majority of them wanted to vote no. 4. The outcome was not threatened is a cop-out and 5. In my opinion, this was an attempt to get attention rather than a matter of conscience. She succeeded. Everyone is talking about it which gives her more publicity.

She has makings of becoming a great congresswoman ... but she needs to refrain from behaviors that portray Democratic disunity.

[GulfCoast66]

31. I disagree she has the makings to become a great congresswoman...

It takes gaining seniority and trust.

Can you see her putting in the decade or so it takes to gain a leadership position?

And Trust of her fellow caucus members? I’ll let you decide. But she tried to defeat 2 of them in the last primary and has taken aim at one more for 2020.

In addition, being seen as opposed to boarder security is a losing position. Ice needs reform, but we will always need an immigration enforcement agency.

[Apollyonus]

43. I agree

The makings of a great congresswoman was conditional ....

[malchickiwick]

55. She at least knows the difference between a "boarder" and a "border" ...

... jus' sayin'

[cwydro]

96. Lol. I see that all the time here.

Annoying.

[pecosbob]

82. Her district is 48% Hispanic so I understand her vote

Some here would make this into a splintering of the Party for Pete's sake.

[George II]

92. MOST of the 48% Hispanic in the district are from Puerto Rico.....

....No Puerto Ricans are undocumented immigrants, they're AMERICAN CITIZENS!

[cwydro]

97. Puerto Rican's May be considered Hispanic, but they are US citizens.

So...

[Gothmog]

3. Ten republicans voted in support of opening the government

Link to tweet

[Apollyonus]

4. I didn't like the pickle

so I refused the salad, the steak, the mashed potatoes, the dessert and the coffee.

[tonedevil]

9. I'm allergic to pickles...

and even though I like salad, steak, mashed potatoes, desert and coffee since the pickle juice is all over them I will have to abstain.

[NurseJackie]

12. She didn't abstain.

[tonedevil]

13. There weren't any...

real pickles involved either.

[treestar]

21. It is not all over

Funding ICE does not mean both else can be paid for.

[lapucelle]

95. There was no pickle juice...

The House on Wednesday also passed, 234-180, a spending package comprised of six bills that members of both parties in the House and Senate negotiated last year. The package provides full fiscal 2019 funding for all non-funded departments other than Homeland Security. Since it includes no funding for ICE, it’s unclear why Ocasio-Cortez voted against it.

https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/aoc-joins-republicans-voting-house-democratic-bills-reopen-government

[tonedevil]

99. I'm not reacting to...

the vote, I am as unclear as to why Rep. Ocasio-Cortez voted the way she did as anyone. I'm pointing out the ridiculous the original analogy was to me.

[NurseJackie]

11. Bad decision. Excellent analogy.

[brush]

57. Agreed. Hope she's not just a contrarian out for attention.

I don't like how she seems to be in opposition to other Dems so often.

[NurseJackie]

59. Many people feel like abstaining would be less offensive than voting with the Republicans.

Personally, think that's a distinction without a meaningful difference, but... whatever.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

61. I know ordering the meal is going to bring a pickle that causes people to die

but I really want the meal.

At least try get close to her position. It's not just "a pickle." It's a pickle that sucks a lot and takes away civil liberties of a lot of people. She took a vote that was meaningless (by which I mean that her voting no had no chance of killing the bill) and made a really clear stance about her position on ICE. Seems like not a horrible idea.

[lapucelle]

98. There was no pickle...

The House on Wednesday also passed, 234-180, a spending package comprised of six bills that members of both parties in the House and Senate negotiated last year. The package provides full fiscal 2019 funding for all non-funded departments other than Homeland Security. Since it includes no funding for ICE, it’s unclear why Ocasio-Cortez voted against it.

Link to tweet

[WeekiWater]

5. Foolish but insignificant. NT

[Skidmore]

6. Who is this "we"?

I don't see any Dems but her voting "no."

[Joe941]

24. Her constituents...

you see she speaks for those who voter her in. It's how congress works.

[Skidmore]

25. So she

huddled with every single one of them present before voting? Impression is that the brief huddle wasn't so large.

[Eliot Rosewater]

52. She asked them ALL if they are willing to keep the government shut down over continuing

funding that is already there for ICE?

Do you have video of that you can give us?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

62. I'll let her, you know, ACTUAL constituents let her know they aren't happy with her

instead of taking your word for it.

She says she is representing her constituents. Do you have proof she isn't? And if she isn't, I'm sure that will hurt her in 2 years.

[Eliot Rosewater]

64. It is weird that ONE district in America is so different than EVERY OTHER democratic

district.

weird

BTW, when will one of you ANSWER ME, do you agree she should ONLY vote on PERFECT bills?

Yes

or

No?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

65. Sounds like she heard from constituents about ICE.

Do you not think that maybe the Bronx would have a different view on ICE than, say, a rural Wisconsin district? Do you really think that every congressional district in the country that has a D for representative is demographically the same? You can't possibly be that obtuse. She has a specific constituency that she is trying to represent.

[Eliot Rosewater]

66. Answer my question or we are done

Should she ONLY vote on bills that are PERFECT?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

68. Of course not.

I don't think she is saying that either.

What a ridiculous straw man.

[Eliot Rosewater]

69. This is the EPITOME Of that for KRIST SAKE

the government is shut down

NOTHING is more important

What is WRONG with people, if THIS isnt a reason to vote on an imperfect bill NOTHING EVER WILL BE

[Cuthbert Allgood]

72. The vote was SO CLOSE without her voting yes.

Come on, you know better. You know what she did. Stop with the purity tests.

[Eliot Rosewater]

75. ME the purity test

that is enough of that

bye bye now

[onenote]

74. Since one of the bills she voted against has nothing to do with ICE

and I'm doubting that her constituents knew precisely what the other bill (which would have funded DHS only through February 28) meant in terms of ICE funding. To know that you'd have to review the bill passed in September to keep the government open until December (which is cross-referenced in the bill she voted against) and then review another bill (900 pages long) from March 2018 that is cross-referenced in the September bill.

[George II]

94. Considering the magnitude of the NY Metropolitan Area (probably 15-20 million)....

....the number of undocumented immigrants is relatively small. For example, in 2017 there were only 145 arrests of undocumented immigrants in the New York City AREA, probably only a dozen or so, if any, in the 14th District.

Most of the Hispanic residents in the District are Puerto Rican. We all know that Puerto Ricans are American citizens, not undocumented immigrants.

[R B Garr]

32. Her Justice Democrat pals. There were links to their websites

that said she would consult with a group to determine how to vote in furtherance of their group message. Seriously, and this is why there is scrutiny.

[Cha]

33. Wow.. 'cause that's what I was thinking Yesterday

about the "we" vote... without any proof at all. just my gut.

Mahalo, RB

[OhZone]

8. I had someone block me on Facebook -

because I defended her on a very nasty anti-AOC thread, saying one Democrat dissenting because she chose to support her constituent's was not the end of the world. And she has done some postive things already. #wheresmitch

Then I got huge flack for one of her friends when I posted on my page about being blocked. The person was not even a FB friend! ha

I think Democrats should be a little careful about allowing their fears of dissent to be more divisive than the actual dissent.

[TheBlackAdder]

27. She's a threat. It's pile on the QB and when the pile is lifted, not all on the QB with be Repubs.

[treestar]

10. That is dumb

Immigration laws exist and will be enforced. Who takes the position that none of the laws should ever be enforced? That is being the right wing straw man.

[LanternWaste]

14. Karera wa, kore made wa sapōto o ukeru niataisuru n

[Decoy of Fenris]

16. Cute. "They should never get any support." in Japanese.

Nice way of circumventing the "Support Democrats" rule.

[dsc]

15. I honestly don't get this explanation

First there were three votes, not one, and even she says only one bill contained funding for ICE (every neutral report says zero contained funding for ICE). So, lets say for the moment she is right and every neutral report is wrong, what is the explanation for the votes against the other 2? This is why denigrating experience is a bad idea. She comes across here as having no idea what she is doing.

[Apollyonus]

18. It is not like she polled her constituents either

I seriously doubt any significant number of her constituents wanted her to vote against the Democratic caucus.

[jalan48]

17. I like AOC but at this point in time we need to be presenting a solid front on the shutdown.

[oberliner]

40. Did you see the Manchin vote?

[jalan48]

78. Yeah, that sucked too IMHO.

[onenote]

19. My problem with that explanation: She voted for the same legislation a week ago.

Did she not know what was in it then?

[oberliner]

39. She said she had heard from some folks on the topic since then

[onenote]

42. In other words neither she nor her staff knew what was in the bill before?

This is why first-term members of Congress need experienced people as staffers.

[oberliner]

46. I think she didn't fully appreciate how important the ICE issue was to her constiuents

It sounds like she got an earful and took that into account.

[brush]

63. BS. Her district in the Bronx and Queens is nowhere near the border.

Contrarianism for attention could be a problem.

Just abstain already if she didh't understand/hadn't done her research.

[oberliner]

71. There are over 500,000 undocumented immigrants living in NYC

ICE arrests 65 during Operation Cross Check in New York City and Long Island

NEW YORK – Officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) arrested 65 during a 5-day period, ending July 20 in New York City, and on Long Island.

During the operation, ICE’s ERO arrested 65 individuals for violating U.S. immigration laws. 64 of those arrested, had been previously removed from the United States and returned illegally. Of those arrested, 29 individuals were previously released from local law enforcement custody with an active detainer. Several had prior felony convictions for serious or violent offenses, such as sexual offenses, weapons charges, and assault, or had past convictions for significant or multiple misdemeanors.

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-arrests-65-during-operation-cross-check-new-york-city-and-long-island#wcm-survey-target-id

[brush]

84. There are no perfect bills. ICE funding was already designated.

[onenote]

70. I'm going to go out on a limb and express doubt that many of her constituents know the intricate

details of what is in these bills.

For example, one of the bills she voted against, HR 648, would have funded the rest of the government except DHS and has nothing to do with Homeland Security or ICE funding.

The other bill she voted against (HJ Res 28) would have funded the government, including DHS through February 28. To know what exactly that meant, you'd have to go back to a bill cross-referenced in H J Res 28 that was passed in September to fund the government through December 7 and then back further to the 900 page bill passed in March 2018 for the 2018 fiscal year.

[oberliner]

73. They know that they don't like ICE

There is a very large population of undocumented immigrants among her constituents. No doubt she has heard several ICE-related horror stories.

[onenote]

76. Well someone should have known that one of the bills she voted against had nothing to do with ICE or

DHS.

Yet she voted against it. Which makes me question what she, her staff, and her constituents actually know before she votes.

[George II]

91. There isn't a very large population of undocumented immigrants in the 14th District.

[lapucelle]

100. Why would her constituents think there was funding for ICE when there wasn't any?

Why would a representative let misperceptions determine a Congressional vote?

[KG]

20. where's my pearls when need to clutch them, dammit!

[Jose Garcia]

23. So, just like Trump, she is willing to continue the shutdown unless

she gets her way on her pet issue.

[Joe941]

26. You don't have to agree, but I for one respect her right to vote as she sees fit.

[Eliot Rosewater]

53. So she will only vote for bills that are perfect? Do you know how many of those exist?

[David__77]

28. Is opposing the wall a pet issue?

If so, do you think that it is Democrats who are willing to continue the shutdown unless they get their way on that issue?

[Jose Garcia]

34. If you are the only person voting for/against something,

it sure looks like a pet issue.

[David__77]

35. I can understand that perspective.

I have the perspective that, sometimes, I can agree with the person who casts the lone vote, pet issue or no.

I certainly don't think that there being many Republicans supporting a wall somehow validates that policy perspective.

[oberliner]

38. Not at all like Trump

[democratisphere]

29. I would recommend that AO-C take time out from showboating

and grandstanding and learn what being a Representative is all about. You can't always get everything you want, so you learn to get more by COMPROMISING and then voting with your own Democratic Party on Bills and issues.

[oberliner]

37. Meaning what exactly?

[democratisphere]

44. I read my post again. Message seems clear to me.

It is usually a good idea not to defend the indefensible.

[oberliner]

45. What would be the best way for her to be spending her time right now?

[EffieBlack]

48. It was crystal clear. It needs no fiurther explanation

[democratisphere]

56. Thanks for the affirmation.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

67. I would recommend that you spend your time not blasting Democrats

about a vote that made no difference on the outcome and seemed to be a clear attempt to take the opportunity to make a position on ICE clear which she feels is in line with her constituency.

But, yeah, I'm sure an actual member of Congress cares what a random person on the internet who isn't from her district things about the job she is doing representing her district.

[democratisphere]

80. I think a large number of random people on the internet from her district might disagree

that the vote didn't matter.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

81. So how close was the vote?

And how do you know that people in her district aren't happy she made a point about ICE? AOC seems to think that it was important to do that given what she heard from her district. Do you have evidence to the contrary?

[democratisphere]

106. So we had 10 Republicans defect and vote with the Democrats.

Then we had one Democrat defect and vote with the redumbliCONS. I'm absolutely certain the constituents in her district didn't want her abandoning all the other Democrats and voting with the ever dwindling redumbliCONS! Enough said!

[politicaljunkie41910]

30. Gosh, she seems like she needs a real job. She obviously has too much time on her hands.

I've tried to sustain from making a comment, since I know she has a huge following here at DU, but she makes being a congresswoman seem like she's in a click back in high school. Oh Boy!!! How about this Rep AOC? If you have to explain your vote, perhaps you voted the wrong way. Gee, I hate those tough, nuanced calls.

[oberliner]

36. That seems harsh

She is definitely doing things differently, I will say that.

[Hekate]

77. Not sustain -- refrain. Not click -- clique.

Sorry, I usually refrain fom being a grammar nazi.

[politicaljunkie41910]

104. Thanks for calling this to my attention. I'm babysitting my grandchildren and am easily distracted.

But I need some interaction with adults during the day. So, while I personally would not correct someone's grammar on DU, I welcome it.

[Hekate]

105. Enjoy the grandbabies. I understand about needing some adult time...

My pet peeve right now is my iPad's autocorrect, among other things, like throwing in commas after every other word.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

87. Your concern is noted.

I'm glad you could hold back that long. Hope you feel better now that you've gotten that off your chest.

[oberliner]

47. That is ridiculous

She is a left-wing progressive Democrat.

[EffieBlack]

49. That label won't mean much if she keeps voting with the Republicans.

[pnwmom]

50. +1

[oberliner]

51. I bet her voting record will be much more progressive than not

Over the long haul.

In fact, I think she will nudge Democrats a little further to the left on some issues (including immigration).

[Eliot Rosewater]

54. Certain people are gonna post every controversial thing this congressperson does in

an attempt to divide us. On one side people will post about her to WARN us what is going on if it is problematic and on the other side they will be doing it to DIVIDE us on purpose.

I think we need to know what she is doing but we have to be careful not to be manipulated.

[Cha]

58. Wondering why she voted with the

republicons not to re-open the Gov when ICE was Not included in the Bill?

And, why did she delete her Instagram post that talked about "ICE being included was the reason she voted against it"?

[NurseJackie]

60. Nailed it!

[lapucelle]

103. Yes, indeed:

And it's nice to know that Speaker Pelosi:


and Maxine Waters:


are there to help guide her.

http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm

[onenote]

79. She explained her vote against H.J. Res 28

which would have extended the 2018 fiscal year funding for DHS and ICE (as approved in a 900 page March 2018 appropriations act and extended in September and again in December) until February 28. She voted for a similar bill that would have extended funding until February 8 last week. Also, she voted For a motion to bring the bill she opposed to the floor for a vote and voted against a motion to recommit the bill after it passed. That's a lot of inconsistency to explain.

And it doesn't explain at all her vote against HR 648, which would have funded all of the currently unfunded parts of the government except DHS (and ICE) through September 30. That bill has absolutely nothing in it about ICE.

[lapucelle]

107. There is some talk here in NY that Cortez may have been trolled by Fox, the New York Post,

and a self-described anarchist-journalist named Elizabeth King for having voted on January 3 to extend DHS funding for five weeks.

The theory is that Cortez voted to bring HR 648 for a vote so she could vote against the bill itself, having either been misinformed concerning DHS funding (which was not included) or perhaps simply to publicly break ranks with the party in order to satisfy people like Elizabeth King (who lives in Chicago) and immunize against further claims of inconsistency from Fox. This would also explain her vote not to recommit.

What remains bewildering is Cortez's vote against HR 648. Maybe her team was so busy navigating the optics of the other votes that they didn't have time to do a detailed analysis of the more complex piece of legislation and were thus unable to accurately brief the freshman representative on its many details.

I'm sure that everyone (including those working without pay at NYC's two major airports, both of which are located in Queens) will be heartened to know that anarchist-journalist King is confused, but happy about the "no" votes.

The package of six bills the House voted on did not include funding for DHS, so it’s not entirely clear as of yet why Ocasio-Cortez voted against those in addition to the bill that would have extended 2018 funding levels for departments including DHS.

Either way, the “no” votes from Ocasio-Cortez on Wednesday demonstrated that she’s willing to break with party ranks — at least sometimes — in order to take a stand for the progressive reforms she was elected to push in Congress

It would be unconscionably self-serving if a legislator cast votes in order to advance his or her personal brand and thus preserve marketability, so I'm sure that this is not the case with Cortez's January 23 votes.

https://www.brit.co/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-broke-party-ranks-to-stand-by-her-principles/

[RelativelyJones]

83. What's up with the "we"? Has she gone royal?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

88. You know she actually represents people, right?

Like, that's her job?

[George II]

85. The bill that "included funding for ICE" really didn't do so, it was about funding....

....for DOD, Energy and Water Development, Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Veterans Affairs, Violence Against Women, EPA w/respect to pesticides, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and other funding.

It did not include specific funding for HHS or ICE.

Here's the House summary of the bill:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-joint-resolution/28

She also voted "No" on H Res 61, HR 648, and HJ Res 31....the last one was this morning.

Does she have an explanation for those three?

[pecosbob]

86. NY-14, 48% Hispanic and 47% foreign-born...

[Lordquinton]

89. Good, it's an extortion bill

They need to stand up to Republicans and only vote on bills that don't cede more ground. Otherwise this hostage situation will continue for the entire congressional session, and until the Republicans lose all power.

She's willing to do what it takes, and I'm proud to support her.

[George II]

90. No it isn't. Here is the summary of the bill:

https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-joint-resolution/28

It was a bill introduced by DEMOCRATS, so you're saying Democrats are introducing "extortion" bills?

[Eliot Rosewater]

101. Which site are we on again? So so so sick of this shit.

I want to know more about the reasoning for voting no on all of them.

What possible reason could there be?

[lapucelle]

93. ...

Link to tweet

The House on Wednesday also passed, 234-180, a spending package comprised of six bills that members of both parties in the House and Senate negotiated last year. The package provides full fiscal 2019 funding for all non-funded departments other than Homeland Security. Since it includes no funding for ICE, it’s unclear why Ocasio-Cortez voted against it.

https://www.rollcall.com/news/congress/aoc-joins-republicans-voting-house-democratic-bills-reopen-government

[John Fante]

102. I'd like to think that she'd have voted "yes" if the bill had

a chance of passing in the senate. If it's meant to send a message about ICE and nothing more, I'm okay with it.