AOC Called Out Democratic Leaders Whose Response To Abortion Laws Is Just "Go Vote"

Ever since the Supreme Court ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade on June 24, people across the country have been voicing their opinions on the decision. Many politicians and celebrities took a strong stance against the the ruling shortly after it was announced, including Michelle Obama, who called it “horrifying,” and President Joe Biden, who said it was a “a sad day for the country.” Democratic leaders, including Biden, have been urging pro-choice supporters to vote in this fall’s midterm elections as their best hope for preserving reproductive rights. But Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had something to say about Democratic leaders just telling people to “go vote” — and she got real about taking meaningful steps beyond just “wait[ing] for an election” in a series of tweets on Saturday, June 25. You’ll want to read Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's tweets about the Supreme Court's abortion ruling, because they’re all about making a true change.

Ocasio-Cortez shook things up with her Twitter thread on June 25, which called out Democratic leaders who have been telling people to “go vote” or been asking for donations after the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling that ended the constitutional right to abortion the day earlier. Instead, Ocasio-Cortez called on pro-choice supporters to “do more than wait for an election,” and gave a thorough explanation of the changes she wants to see when it comes to the Democratic party’s response to the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

Ocasio-Cortez began by calling the Supreme Court's legitimacy into question, citing facts like “7 of the 9 justices were appointed by a party that hasn’t won a popular vote more than once in 30 years,” “1 of those seats was stolen,” and “several lied to Congress to secure their appointment.” She also added that Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas’ family “was paid by right wing groups for years and never...disclosed it” and that two justices “stand very credibly accused of sexual assault.”

Ocasio-Cortez went on to explain that in a “legitimacy crisis,” the Democrats can’t just offer a solution of voting, but of “statute and authority.” She gave examples from history where U.S. presidents understood the danger of an “unchecked Court overreach,” citing how Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation despite the court’s ruling.

Ocasio-Cortez then laid out the plan for Democrats' next steps. She explained that President Joe Biden and the Democratic leaders “can no longer get away with familiar tactics of ‘committees’ and ‘studies’ to avoid tackling” crises such as court expansion, opening clinics on federal lands, federal access of abortion, and more. She also called on leaders to be concise and clear with what is needed to make actionable change, such as asking questions such as, “How many seats does the party need to codify Roe?” rather than just saying “Go vote.” Finally, she told leaders to “be honest” and give details to voters.

Ocasio-Cortez wrapped up her thread by calling for action, saying “let’s cut the handwringing and get moving.”

Ocasio-Cortez’s tweets about the Supreme Court’s abortion ruling make so much sense and will hopefully inspire more actionable solutions from Democratic leaders.