Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez has questioned the legitimacy of the Supreme Court and challenged president Joe Biden to “step up” on abortion rights.
Ms Ocasio-Cortez on Saturday forensically laid out, in a Twitter thread, many of the problems she had with Supreme Court judges, calling for Democrats to outline a clearer and more instructional plan for voters on how to codify Roe v Wade – less than 24 hours after the nation’s highest court reversed its 1973 ruling, leaving it up to states to now legislate on abortion.
“Election or not, the Supreme Court has a legitimacy crisis and the public reaffirms it: 75% of the US public reports lacking confidence in SCOTUS, & those numbers were *pre-Roe ruling*” she tweeted Saturday.
She said in reply to another tweet that Mr Biden has been “historically weak on this issue (supported Hyde until ‘19), but now is his chance to step up & grow.”
In addition to highlighting sexual assault allegations against justices and claiming a seat was “stolen,” she wrote that “7 of the 9 justices were appointed by a party that hasn’t won a popular vote more than once in 30 years” and “Several lied to Congress to secure their appointment.”
“In a legitimacy crisis, the solution Biden + Dem leaders must offer can’t just be one of voting, but of statue & authority,” she tweeted, later adding: “The ruling is Roe, but the crisis is democracy ... The President & Dem leaders can no longer get away with familiar tactics of ‘committees’ and ‘studies’ to avoid tackling our crises head-on anymore.”
She called for measures including a restrain on judicial review; the opening of abortion clinics on federal land; court expansion; and the expansion of federal access to and awareness of pill abortion.
To best achieve party goals, she said, Democrats must “be PRECISE with what we need and we will do with that power.
“How many seats does the party need to Codify Roe?” she tweeted. “Dems must SAY THAT. Not just ‘go vote’ or ‘give us $6 to win.’ That is demoralizing, losing, unfocused nonsense.”
Ms Ocasio-Cortez insisted that her party must tell voters which seats were needed, in which states and which races, in addition to outlining what the President and Congress would be “ACTUALLY willing+able to do at 52/60 seats?
“Be honest. Details motivate,” the 32-year-old tweeted, urging people to “stop the handwringing and get moving.”
