Our Women in Washington
By 
This may have happened over a week ago, but I have to say how awesome it is that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is exposing to the public just how that gross corporate-friendly Washington sausage is made:
Our “bipartisan” Congressional orientation is cohosted by a corporate lobbyist group. Other members have quietly expressed to me their concern that this wasn’t told to us in advance.
Lobbyists are here. Goldman Sachs is here. Where‘s labor? Activists?Frontline community leaders?
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) December 6, 2018
Just knowing how this happens is so important. We elect progressive people. But from the moment they reach Washington, or even the statehouses, they are bombarded with corporate lobbyists telling them all their ideas are wrong. This is part of the institution. It is a huge part of what needs to change. AOC wasn’t the only one telling us what was happening.
Gary Cohen, former CEO Goldman Sachs addressing new members of Congress today: "You guys are way over your head, you don't know how the game is played."
No Gary, YOU don't know what's coming – a revolutionary Congress that puts people over profits. https://t.co/ZLML2qzAW6
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) December 6, 2018
This is just great. First, we need people standing up publicly to the corporate masters who rule Washington. Second, we need to know what actually happens. Who knew this kind of freshmen orientation existed? I’m not surprised that it does now that it is mentioned, but I had never thought about it before. There’s all sorts of insidious traditions and institutions. Part of reclaiming democracy–and reclaiming the Democratic Party from the Third Way/DLC/charter school advocates/etc to the infinity that influenced both the Clinton and Obama administrations–is simply taking off the blinders on how this happens. And of course it will women of color leading the way. I love these people. We need more of them.