By Jake Johnson/Common Dreams
After West Wing producer and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin lectured the bold freshman class of congressional Democrats to “stop acting like young people” in a CNN interview on Sunday – remarks that were quickly interpreted as a call to move right – Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) responded that the progressive policies championed by young Democrats aren’t mere “trends” with no real-world consequences.
News Flash: Medicare for All & equal rights aren’t trends.
When people complain about low turnout in some demos, it’s not because communities are apathetic, it’s bc they don’t see you fighting for them.
If we don’t show up for people, why should you feel entitled to their vote? https://t.co/oGRsG9NZV3
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 20, 2019
Sorkin went on to tell CNN’s Fareed Zakaria that he believes “there’s a great opportunity here, now more than ever, for Democrats to be the non-stupid party. To point out the difference, that it’s not just about transgender bathrooms” and that Democrats should show the country that “we haven’t forgotten about the economic anxiety of the middle class,” which is nice, but seems to reinforce the debunked notion that Trump voters are economically anxious instead of racist.
Aaron Sorkin: The new crop of Dems need to “stop acting like young people” pic.twitter.com/qGZqWDpXi8
— jordan (@JordanUhl) January 20, 2019
Sorkin’s unsolicited advice to young congressional Democrats – who, in just a short period of time, have helped push bold solutions like a Green New Deal and a 70 percent tax rate into mainstream political discussion – was widely panned by progressives, who characterized the screenwriter’s comments as a sad attempt to shoot down the party’s surging left-wing energy.
Who is going to tell him that most of the Democratic politicians firing up the base and driving the conversation *are* young people? https://t.co/s1IMC41wuj
— CREDO Mobile (@CREDOMobile) January 20, 2019
Charlotte Clymer of the Human Rights Campaign added:
I would like to remind everyone that the only political campaign Aaron Sorkin ever won was a fictional presidential election that he wrote. https://t.co/rmI72ieV35
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) January 20, 2019
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Also:
beautiful day to remember when Aaron Sorkin called me an “internet girl” whom it wouldn’t kill “to pick up a film or newspaper once in a while,” then said I should write something nice <3 https://t.co/n3U0FZ7Gbi
— Sarah Nicole Prickett (@sylvia__north) January 20, 2019
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Aaron Sorkin is a television writer, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a sitting congresswoman, and Piers Morgan is a failed Dancing With the Stars contestant. Decide for yourself who knows what about politics. https://t.co/3MZs2iqMP8
— Evan DeSimone (@Smorgasboredom) January 20, 2019
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aaron sorkin pacing furiously around his study every time AOC posts a tweet without quoting gilbert & sullivan
— Sarah Lazarus (@sarahclazarus) January 20, 2019
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Also: is Aaron Sorkin implying here that transgender rights are a distraction? Because it seems to me he’s saying that. https://t.co/rmI72ieV35
— Charlotte Clymer🏳️🌈 (@cmclymer) January 20, 2019
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Aaron Sorkin told democrats like AOC to stop acting like “young people”, so she went on a Donkey Kong livestream and talked about Pokemon Snap and why the N64 is the best console.https://t.co/bXJASWw2kx
— CNET News (@CNETNews) January 21, 2019
Posted on January 22, 2019