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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez told HuffPost that electing a progressive president wouldn't guarantee the passing of Medicare for All and other left-wing policies.
- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez admitted that electing Sen. Bernie Sanders as president wouldn't guarantee the rollout of Medicare for All and other progressive policies.
- "A president can't wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want," the liberal lawmaker known as "AOC" told HuffPost.
- Ocasio-Cortez argued that a progressive president could still pursue a more ambitious agenda and pull government policy to the left.
- "The worst-case scenario? We compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option," she said. "Is that a nightmare? I don't think so."
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Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez acknowledged that electing Sen. Bernie Sanders as president wouldn't guarantee Medicare for All and other progressive policies are implemented.
"A president can't wave a magic wand and pass any legislation they want," the liberal lawmaker known as "AOC" told HuffPost in a recent interview.
Voters know there's an "inherent check" on what a president can achieve in office, Ocasio-Cortez said. However, she argued that inevitable opposition from Congress was a compelling reason to elect a progressive Commander in Chief, as they could pursue more ambitious policies and pull moderate Democrats and Republicans to the left.
"The worst-case scenario? We compromise deeply and we end up getting a public option," Ocasio-Cortez told HuffPost. "Is that a nightmare? I don't think so."
While the option of government-provided healthcare isn't the left wing's final goal, the Congresswoman said, she's not interested in hammering other Democrats for their healthcare views. Her stance is that voting in a progressive president will extend the scope of what can be achieved.
Ocasio-Cortez endorsed Sanders last October, as the self-described democratic socialist and socialist hold similar views on multiple subjects. Sanders is currently the frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination after winning the popular vote in the Iowa caucuses and triumphing in the New Hampshire primary in recent weeks.