Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is calling out Republicans in the wake of the federal government shutdown that began at midnight on Oct. 1 after Congress failed to reach a funding deal.
In a conversation with MSNBC host Chris Hayes, the progressive lawmaker described the deadlock as a symptom of “an unprecedented abuse of power, destruction of norms, erosion of our government and our democracy, in order to prop up an authoritarian style of governance.”
Ocasio-Cortez stressed that despite their public stance, Republican leaders and President Donald Trump are politically weakened.
“They are underwater across the board, and they know it. And that is causing them to double down in public. But it is backfiring,” she said in the video clip posted by Hayes on Instagram.
The shutdown stems from a stalemate over enhanced Obamacare subsidies, with Democrats defending healthcare coverage while Republicans resist expanded federal spending.
As a result, hundreds of thousands of federal workers are bearing the brunt of the closure, with the White House warning that layoffs are “imminent.” While agencies deemed essential remain open, many programs have already been disrupted.
Ocasio-Cortez urged Democrats to remain steadfast.
“They rely on the perception of inevitability and power so that people comply in advance and acquiesce in advance,” she explained. “But we have to stand tall right now, alongside everyday Americans who want us to be standing up right now as well.”
For now, lawmakers are headed out of Washington until at least Friday, Oct. 3, guaranteeing that the shutdown will continue for several more days — and potentially much longer.
