A crucial influx of women into the seats of power within the American government is resulting in one of the most fundamental modern-day shifts in American politics. Female politicians like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Buffy Wicks are causing rippling political reform on a dramatic cultural level.
Before the evening of 26 June 2018, when she shocked the political establishment and herself by soundly defeating Joe Crowley, a 10-term incumbent and the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House, few recognized the name of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Her presence in Congress has been seismic,” said Alexandra Rojas, the executive director of Justice Democrats. “She has changed the whole ecosystem and expanded the idea of what’s possible in the minds of voters. That kind of change is on a scale that’s almost immeasurable.”
AOC has persuaded every big 2020 presidential contender to endorse her Green New Deal in the year after her arrival on Capitol Hill and galvanized resistance to an agreement with Amazon in New York. She earned more money earlier this year than any other House Democrat, including the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi.
“She’s gotten a lot done by challenging the status quo – by taking on politics as usual in Washington,” said Caroline Fredrickson, the president emerita of the American Constitution Society.
While AOC is sweeping the country, a California lawmaker, Buffy Wicks, was refused a proxy vote relating to a family leave initiative. In retaliation, she brought her newborn baby to the state assembly floor and righteously shared her relatable, personal burden of juggling childcare and jobs all while a pandemic is raging universally. A clip of her powerful speech went viral.
“Every woman has been in that situation, just maybe not on the floor of the assembly,” Wicks said. “My mask was falling as I was trying to rock my baby and say what I needed to say. “Since this all went viral, I’ve had many moms reach out about having no childcare and going into the bathroom to cry because they’re so stressed,” she continued. “My hope is to get rid of this misogynist racist in the White House, take back the Senate, and create better safety nets.”
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