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In a surprising turn of events, the four Congresswomen known as “the Squad” has swept their primary challenges. Despite Ilhan Omar, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayanna Pressley facing competition from well-funded establishment Democrats, they’ve secured their shot at running for the House again in 2020.
Given that all four are from staunchly Democratic districts, it’s very likely that they will, once again, have a seat at the table.
This is perplexing, for a number of reasons. The four progressive newcomers are hardly representative of the America that we know. They complain about wages, decry employment practices, and beg for Medicare for All and other free handouts. All four have developed varying degrees of a cult of personality on social media.
How is it that these out-of-touch progressives secured their seats for a second time?
Some voters in urban areas love to vote for fantasy programs. Despite the unlikelihood that the US ever becomes a socialist state, the concept is shockingly popular among some younger voters. Look no further than Senator Bernie Sanders surprisingly ascendant presidential campaigns in 2016 and 2020.
Thankfully, both times he ran, he was beaten out by more reasonable, moderate candidates. The Democratic Party hasn’t leaned into socialism all the way. At least, not yet.
However, the presence of “the Squad” threatens to push the party even further left. While establishment Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi are a thorn in the side of Republican governance, they’re, at least, a known entity.
Their preferred methods of moving in Washington DC are already known, and they’ve got lasting ties to the governing elite. At the end of the day, Pelosi and Schumer have a stake in things staying pretty much just like they are.
Progressive upstarts like Omar, Pressley, and AOC, meanwhile, threaten to upend that balance. They have no love lost for their Republican colleagues, and would sooner see the country radically transformed. Some paint them as dangerous because their ideas supposedly incite violence.
This isn’t exactly true, and it misses the true danger of their ideas. Progressives are a danger to Republicans because they have no ties to the current establishment.
While Mitch McConnell and other top Republican leaders try to keep a handle on the party, Progressives have no problem sidestepping the rules. After all, they want to change the rules of governing.
Why should they abide by the current rules while they’re seeking to throw them away in the first place? That, in essence, is the true danger of these upstart progressives.
