AOC on the first 100 days: 'Biden has definitely exceeded expectations that progressives had'
I’m probably a lot closer on the political spectrum to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez than I am to Joe Biden—and not just because I prefer a Starbucks triple venti nonfat soy caramel baby’s blood macchiato to whatever low-rent greasy spoon baby’s blood bevvie Biden drinks. Probably has Sanka in it. Pfft.
So I appreciate what AOC is saying here. My goal in supporting Joe Biden was to take the keys away from the bath salts-besotted yeti who was driving the van I was trapped in. Sure, I liked Biden well enough, but I didn’t expect him to be a progressive champion.
Well, blow me down, he’s delivered on a lot of progressive priorities, and progressives are noticing:
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OCASIO-CORTEZ: “One thing that I will say is that I do think that the Biden administration, President Biden has definitely exceeded expectations that progressives had. I’ll be frank, I think a lot of us expected a much more conservative administration, and I think that … not only what has ultimately come out, but the active invitation and willingness and collaboration with progressives in his first 100 days, or almost 100 days, has been very impressive. So while there are very, you know, there are areas where there are just plain areas of disagreement, I think the actual conduct of the administration has absolutely been in good faith, but not just in good faith but active incorporation of progressive legislation, and also for those of us individually. And I can at least say that there has been a lot of openness and willingness and flexibility in incorporating many of our goals, requests, demands, etc., and I think that it has been to the benefit of the country.”
Anand Giridharadas, writing for The Atlantic, agrees with AOC’s assessment and summarizes the first three months of the Biden administration, and the surprises it’s held, better than I ever could:
Biden sold the country on a massive rescue package that his erstwhile rival Sanders has called “the single most significant piece of legislation for working-class people that has been passed since the 1960s.” He quickly followed that with an infrastructure proposal that includes everything from roads to a strengthened safety net for caregivers, and focuses on redressing the harms of climate change and the racist urban planning of the past. Biden plans to finance it partially through a tax increase on the corporations he was once better known for protecting. There have been a slew of executive orders, many of real import, as well as gestures like standing up for Amazon workers seeking to unionize.
The conversations I’ve had in recent weeks have painted a portrait of an improbable coming-together of people and forces: a moderate president, with an ascendant progressive movement at his back and at his throat, facing a once-in-a-generation window of opportunity. … And many of us who thought we knew what a Biden presidency would look like, and didn’t expect much from it, are suddenly asking ourselves: How did we get him so wrong?
Hey, it’s early, but I’m beyond pleased with Biden so far.
What about you? Let me know in the comments and the accompanying poll.
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