Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez called out President Joe Biden with an if/then statement that tells the Biden to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. “If the President supports DC statehood,” the Congresswoman writes, “[then] he should govern like it.”
AOC is responding to Biden’s statement on changes put forth by the DC Council that are subject to Senate approval.
Some Democrats — with stalwart fealty to the idea of self-governance for Washington, DC — have argued that if the Senate votes to overturn the bill implementing the DC Council’s changes, Biden should refuse to sign their overturn. But Biden, already in plenty of fights, doesn’t want to fight this one right now.
This ain’t it. DC has a right to govern itself, like any other state or municipality. If the President supports DC statehood, he should govern like it.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) March 3, 2023
Plenty of places pass laws the President may disagree with. He should respect the people’s gov of DC just as he does elsewhere. https://t.co/VXczSp8YPc
Biden tweeted his opinion and tipped his future course of action, also saying his stance was in line with the DC mayor’s opinion. Biden also chose an easy-to-digest law-and-order element of the proposed changes to lean on — the President is betting that there just isn’t an angry majority of DC citizens who really believe reduced penalties for carjacking is good policy.
AOC believes, like the President, that DC should govern itself. Her response presumes that the DC Council’s recommendations accurately represent the majority opinion of DC residents. Of Biden’s plan to sign a bill rejecting the changes should it reach his desk, AOC breaks with the President, saying: “This ain’t it.”
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