Intellectual Takeout
"Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) hit the American political scene like a nuclear-tipped cruise missile. She upended a veteran incumbent in the primary and easily won the general election, becoming, at 29, the youngest woman in Congress. She enthusiastically defended “Democratic Socialism” and turned her “Green New Deal” into a political litmus test. She has three million Twitter followers. When she showed up for the State of the Union address, every camera followed her. She is being called the new face of the Democrat Party and an eventual presidential candidate.
"AOC has had a spectacular start. But does she have staying power? If she wants to be around for a couple of decades, then she must read Charles Moore’s official biography of Margaret Thatcher, Margaret Thatcher: From Grantham to the Falklands, for there are three things the veteran politician can teach the fledgling AOC." . . .
. . . Paradoxically, Margaret Thatcher may have had an easier path to power than AOC does. Since British politics excluded women from positions of power in the 1960s, Thatcher could work away acquiring knowledge and skills relatively unnoticed. That gave her the time to become the formidable opponent in parliamentary debates, a crucial litmus test for leadership positions.
"AOC, on the other hand, has started near the top. Her tweets and interviews are front page news. Admittedly, she has great social media skills, something which Margaret Thatcher never had to be concerned about. But will the constant spotlight prevent her from mastering policy and process?
"AOC will also face plenty of temptations to leave Capitol Hill. She could probably get a high-paying gig at MSNBC just for asking. Time will tell if she has what it takes for a long political career – and if she has the strategic patience of Margaret Thatcher."
It also helps if you don't think like an adolescent. TD
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