AOC: Redrawing of Voting Districts Allow Politicians To Choose Their Voters Not the Other Way Around

HASAN This week the ░░░░░░░░ will vote on a ░░░░░░░░ more important than even ░░░░░░░░ Covid relief bill more ░░░░░░░░ than bills on climate ░░░░░░░░ or gun control because ░░░░░░░░ is a bill that ░░░░░░░░ everything else free and ░░░░░░░░ elections It is called ░░░░░░░░ R 1 or the ░░░░░░░░ the People Act and ░░░░░░░░ would expand access to ░░░░░░░░ limit the role of ░░░░░░░░ in politics and bring ░░░░░░░░ independent commissions to draw ░░░░░░░░ congressional boundaries The Republicans ░░░░░░░░ to filibuster it in ░░░░░░░░ Senate Of course they ░░░░░░░░ But don t let ░░░░░░░░ on the right gaslight ░░░░░░░░ into thinking it is ░░░░░░░░ partisan or political to ░░░░░░░░ to expand voting rights ░░░░░░░░ make it easier to ░░░░░░░░ to protect the integrity ░░░░░░░░ our democracy That is ░░░░░░░░ One woman who only ░░░░░░░░ Congress a little over ░░░░░░░░ years ago has stood ░░░░░░░░ to that kind of ░░░░░░░░ gaslighting and been outspoken ░░░░░░░░ her support for H ░░░░░░░░ 1 She is a ░░░░░░░░ who literally needs no ░░░░░░░░ one of those rare ░░░░░░░░ names who has become ░░░░░░░░ just by her initials ░░░░░░░░ My first guest on ░░░░░░░░ Mehdi Hasan Show here ░░░░░░░░ MSNBC Rep Alexandria Ocasio ░░░░░░░░ from New York s ░░░░░░░░ Congressional District Congresswoman good ░░░░░░░░ Thank you for joining ░░░░░░░░ on this first show ░░░░░░░░ CORTEZ Good evening thank ░░░░░░░░ for having me it ░░░░░░░░ an honor HASAN So ░░░░░░░░ s just jump in ░░░░░░░░ House is going to ░░░░░░░░ on H R 1 ░░░░░░░░ week which Donald Trump ░░░░░░░░ attacking by name tonight ░░░░░░░░ will pass in the ░░░░░░░░ but will then be ░░░░░░░░ and defeated in the ░░░░░░░░ which is hugely ironic ░░░░░░░░ vital pro democracy bill ░░░░░░░░ t pass because of ░░░░░░░░ anti democratic procedure in ░░░░░░░░ Senate Are you as ░░░░░░░░ as I am about ░░░░░░░░ state of American democracy ░░░░░░░░ now OCASIO CORTEZ Yeah ░░░░░░░░ don t think that ░░░░░░░░ can really be undersold ░░░░░░░░ really can t be ░░░░░░░░ how fragile of a ░░░░░░░░ we re in right ░░░░░░░░ And this attack on ░░░░░░░░ democracy starts in the ░░░░░░░░ legislatures as you mentioned ░░░░░░░░ is a very explicit ░░░░░░░░ on voter rights particularly ░░░░░░░░ states like Georgia Arizona ░░░░░░░░ especially on black voters ░░░░░░░░ addition to immigrant communities ░░░░░░░░ voters Asian voters Native ░░░░░░░░ voters and so on ░░░░░░░░ you mentioned this is ░░░░░░░░ scary because we are ░░░░░░░░ a census redistricting time ░░░░░░░░ once we get that ░░░░░░░░ back from the U ░░░░░░░░ Census Bureau every single ░░░░░░░░ S congressional seat will ░░░░░░░░ I will be redrawn ░░░░░░░░ that redrawing of those ░░░░░░░░ creates a situation where ░░░░░░░░ start really choosing their ░░░░░░░░ instead of the other ░░░░░░░░ around HASAN Yeah Yeah ░░░░░░░░ Which is not what ░░░░░░░░ is supposed to be ░░░░░░░░ Here s a follow ░░░░░░░░ How does democracy survive ░░░░░░░░ this country when one ░░░░░░░░ the two parties in ░░░░░░░░ two party system and ░░░░░░░░ millions of supporters have ░░░░░░░░ given up on democracy ░░░░░░░░ truth on basic facts ░░░░░░░░ a shared reality and ░░░░░░░░ just wholeheartedly embraced conspiracism ░░░░░░░░ authoritarianism Can democracy survive ░░░░░░░░ that scenario OCASIO CORTEZ ░░░░░░░░ I think the bad ░░░░░░░░ is that our democracy ░░░░░░░░ are all threats to ░░░░░░░░ democracy here in the ░░░░░░░░ States but the good ░░░░░░░░ is that our democracy ░░░░░░░░ been very deeply flawed ░░░░░░░░ the beginning And even ░░░░░░░░ now in its current ░░░░░░░░ with the Senate you ░░░░░░░░ millions upon millions upon ░░░░░░░░ more Americans who are ░░░░░░░░ by Democrats in the ░░░░░░░░ but Democrats and Republicans ░░░░░░░░ much are you know ░░░░░░░░ re 50 50 in ░░░░░░░░ Senate And not only ░░░░░░░░ but just like with ░░░░░░░░ Electoral College you have ░░░░░░░░ possibility of and frankly ░░░░░░░░ reality of minority rule ░░░░░░░░ the Senate It s ░░░░░░░░ inherently undemocratic institution The ░░░░░░░░ College is inherently undemocratic ░░░░░░░░ that was born of ░░░░░░░░ compromise with slave owners ░░░░░░░░ when our country was ░░░░░░░░ being established And so ░░░░░░░░ good news though is ░░░░░░░░ there is a lot ░░░░░░░░ room for improvement But ░░░░░░░░ will require a degree ░░░░░░░░ massive grassroots organizing that ░░░░░░░░ have not yet seen ░░░░░░░░ the good news though ░░░░░░░░ that that organizing is ░░░░░░░░ We re seeing organizing ░░░░░░░░ to happen on unprecedented ░░░░░░░░ to protect people s ░░░░░░░░ rights in the United ░░░░░░░░ HASAN Yeah A lot ░░░░░░░░ people a lot of ░░░░░░░░ traditionally have wanted to ░░░░░░░░ about climate change and ░░░░░░░░ control and the economy ░░░░░░░░ reform has never been ░░░░░░░░ up the list of ░░░░░░░░ it just doesn t ░░░░░░░░ people the same way ░░░░░░░░ now finally people are ░░░░░░░░ that if you don ░░░░░░░░ get that you don ░░░░░░░░ get anything else So ░░░░░░░░ think you re right ░░░░░░░░ point to the role ░░░░░░░░ activists One thing you ░░░░░░░░ last year which a ░░░░░░░░ of other Democrats were ░░░░░░░░ to do is you ░░░░░░░░ the F word you ░░░░░░░░ Donald Trump a fascist ░░░░░░░░ remember after the DNC ░░░░░░░░ you extend that analysis ░░░░░░░░ descriptor to the wider ░░░░░░░░ Party just watching them ░░░░░░░░ CPAC this week just ░░░░░░░░ at some of the ░░░░░░░░ studies that have emerged ░░░░░░░░ of Europe which suggests ░░░░░░░░ Republican Party in America ░░░░░░░░ similar to far right ░░░░░░░░ in Poland and Hungary ░░░░░░░░ than it is to ░░░░░░░░ right parties in Germany ░░░░░░░░ France Would you extend ░░░░░░░░ F word to the ░░░░░░░░ Republican Party that we ░░░░░░░░ now seeing in front ░░░░░░░░ us OCASIO CORTEZ Well ░░░░░░░░ know I do think ░░░░░░░░ fascistic tendencies and we ░░░░░░░░ saw a lot of ░░░░░░░░ sympathizing but one thing ░░░░░░░░ I do think is ░░░░░░░░ important to acknowledge is ░░░░░░░░ American white supremacy is ░░░░░░░░ different and unique to ░░░░░░░░ the kind of you ░░░░░░░░ comparisons to fascism historical ░░░░░░░░ to fascism in the ░░░░░░░░ You know white supremacy ░░░░░░░░ very much its own ░░░░░░░░ relationship And I would ░░░░░░░░ that that is a ░░░░░░░░ you know that more ░░░░░░░░ informs the current power ░░░░░░░░ and struggles with democracy ░░░░░░░░ we currently have So ░░░░░░░░ I do believe that ░░░░░░░░ certainly is the streak ░░░░░░░░ fascism certainly I do ░░░░░░░░ that Donald Trump met ░░░░░░░░ threshold I actually believe ░░░░░░░░ deeper problem in the ░░░░░░░░ States has to do ░░░░░░░░ our attachment and protection ░░░░░░░░ white supremacist power structures ░░░░░░░░ a culture as well ░░░░░░░░ our governance that arrived ░░░░░░░░ white supremacy and the ░░░░░░░░ of black human beings ░░░░░░░░ the United States There ░░░░░░░░ a direct through line ░░░░░░░░ that history to the ░░░░░░░░ College the establishment of ░░░░░░░░ Senate and really the ░░░░░░░░ of the franchise to ░░░░░░░░ Civil Rights Act of ░░░░░░░░ 1960s HASAN I m ░░░░░░░░ glad you re putting ░░░░░░░░ in historical context because ░░░░░░░░ is this tendency to ░░░░░░░░ talk about authoritarianism or ░░░░░░░░ or racism with foreign ░░░░░░░░ or European analogies And ░░░░░░░░ himself in Mein Kampf ░░░░░░░░ praising American Jim crow ░░░░░░░░ so America has its ░░░░░░░░ history as you point ░░░░░░░░ it doesn t need ░░░░░░░░ comparisons You ve spoken ░░░░░░░░ I mean look at ░░░░░░░░ happened on January the ░░░░░░░░ if we want to ░░░░░░░░ fascism and authoritarianism in ░░░░░░░░ You ve spoken out ░░░░░░░░ emotionally passionately in public ░░░░░░░░ what happened on January ░░░░░░░░ how you thought you ░░░░░░░░ going to die You ░░░░░░░░ up sheltering in Rep ░░░░░░░░ Porter s office and ░░░░░░░░ said this about the ░░░░░░░░ she found you in ░░░░░░░░ a listen Clip starts ░░░░░░░░ I said Don t ░░░░░░░░ I m a mom ░░░░░░░░ m calm I have ░░░░░░░░ we need We could ░░░░░░░░ for like a month ░░░░░░░░ in this office And ░░░░░░░░ said I just hope ░░░░░░░░ get to be a ░░░░░░░░ I hope I don ░░░░░░░░ die today Clip ends ░░░░░░░░ Congresswoman I have to ░░░░░░░░ that really got to ░░░░░░░░ and it got to ░░░░░░░░ of other people I ░░░░░░░░ as well And the ░░░░░░░░ part of it is ░░░░░░░░ you went to Katie ░░░░░░░░ s office to hide ░░░░░░░░ you say you didn ░░░░░░░░ feel safe in the ░░░░░░░░ room with your own ░░░░░░░░ House colleagues who you ░░░░░░░░ could have given your ░░░░░░░░ away and got you ░░░░░░░░ OCASIO CORTEZ Yeah and ░░░░░░░░ don t think that ░░░░░░░░ by any means a ░░░░░░░░ of the imagination We ░░░░░░░░ very limited details but ░░░░░░░░ do know that members ░░░░░░░░ Congress are being included ░░░░░░░░ the initial inquiries and ░░░░░░░░ into who was part ░░░░░░░░ this attack who collaborated ░░░░░░░░ worked with these potentially ░░░░░░░░ that were violent that ░░░░░░░░ knew for a fact ░░░░░░░░ many members of Congress ░░░░░░░░ our site And as ░░░░░░░░ goes on we realize ░░░░░░░░ how violent their plans ░░░░░░░░ including speculation about trying ░░░░░░░░ gas the underground tunnels ░░░░░░░░ basements while having members ░░░░░░░░ Congress trapped inside So ░░░░░░░░ know it is extraordinarily ░░░░░░░░ and not to mention ░░░░░░░░ fact that there are ░░░░░░░░ of Congress who are ░░░░░░░░ dangerous They talked about ░░░░░░░░ tried sneaking firearms onto ░░░░░░░░ floor of the House ░░░░░░░░ the point where now ░░░░░░░░ member of Congress has ░░░░░░░░ go through a metal ░░░░░░░░ to exercise our right ░░░░░░░░ our community s right ░░░░░░░░ vote on issues and ░░░░░░░░ laws of the land ░░░░░░░░ the fact that we ░░░░░░░░ even at that point ░░░░░░░░ of explicit threats from ░░░░░░░░ members of Congress just ░░░░░░░░ to show that it ░░░░░░░░ not an exaggeration to ░░░░░░░░ that some are a ░░░░░░░░ to their colleagues HASAN ░░░░░░░░ also puts the whole ░░░░░░░░ about bipartisanship and reaching ░░░░░░░░ the aisle in a ░░░░░░░░ new context Hard to ░░░░░░░░ that when you re ░░░░░░░░ just politically disagreeing but ░░░░░░░░ for your own safety ░░░░░░░░ some of your colleagues ░░░░░░░░ about the future of ░░░░░░░░ you will be 35 ░░░░░░░░ minimum age required to ░░░░░░░░ for president 23 days ░░░░░░░░ 2024 presidential election Have ░░░░░░░░ considered running in 2024 ░░░░░░░░ even 2028 Surely it ░░░░░░░░ have crossed your mind ░░░░░░░░ CORTEZ You know I ░░░░░░░░ have not Laughs I ░░░░░░░░ elected at 28 years ░░░░░░░░ you know I won ░░░░░░░░ primary at 28 I ░░░░░░░░ elected in my general ░░░░░░░░ to Congress at 29 ░░░░░░░░ in that time I ░░░░░░░░ have been very much ░░░░░░░░ on trying to really ░░░░░░░░ the best job possible ░░░░░░░░ that is what has ░░░░░░░░ been my focus and ░░░░░░░░ to be my focus ░░░░░░░░ I you know they ░░░░░░░░ you know never confirm ░░░░░░░░ deny these things but ░░░░░░░░ can say it has ░░░░░░░░ been top of mind ░░░░░░░░ as of late HASAN ░░░░░░░░ right you re using ░░░░░░░░ right language there that ░░░░░░░░ for sure Congresswoman let ░░░░░░░░ take a pause as ░░░░░░░░ go to a break ░░░░░░░░ when we come back ░░░░░░░░ a few minutes I ░░░░░░░░ speak to Alexandria Ocasio ░░░░░░░░ about the Covid relief ░░░░░░░░ and the fight over ░░░░░░░░ minimum wage So stick ░░░░░░░░ for that I will ░░░░░░░░ be speaking with Mary ░░░░░░░░ we ll talk about ░░░░░░░░ her uncle said today ░░░░░░░░ CPAC but does she ░░░░░░░░ think he may not ░░░░░░░░ run again in 2024?”