OPINION: It's a Brave New World

It's a brave new world, and welcome to the face of the national Democratic Party -- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez or AOC as the adoring liberal media refers to her. It is apparent that they have anointed her as the "new" Democratic Party.

Oh, Nancy Pelosi is still Speaker of the House and Chuck Schumer is still Minority Leader of the Senate, but let there be no question that, when AOC speaks, the liberal media listens and takes almost everything she says as gospel. She and the rest of the "squad" apparently think that they can dictate the future of the Democratic Party and the rest of the country. And so far, they are doing a pretty good job on the first one.

AOC (who went by the name of "Sandy" in college) is 30 years old and the only real job she has had is as a waitress/bartender. She was still living at home with her mom when she surprised everyone by defeating a 10-term incumbent in the primary and, of course, won overwhelmingly in the sixth most Democratic district in New York City.

And now, she knows exactly how to fix all of our environmental and economic problems if we but listen to her vast knowledge based on her extensive life experience. Just for the record, I have clothes older than her.

I don't mean to say that you can't be 30 years old and be a leader and can't be an effective legislator. But, you can't act like you know everything because you don't. I'm twice her age and I am smart enough to know what I don't know. But, not is the case with AOC. She has an answer for everything that ails our country; the scary part is that people are flocking to her.

My Democratic friends will quickly tell me that they are not cut from the same cloth as she is and I believe them -- except for the ones that think she is a genius. But, I have to point out to them that she is pushing their party so far to the left that it resembles nothing of the party of Truman.

AOC (Sandy) is acting like a kingmaker and people are kissing her proverbial ring to garner her endorsement. Bernie Sanders is in love with her and vice versa. That should tell you something but, sadly, it won't to many.

Polls show socialist Bernie ahead in several states. How have we gotten to the point in this country that we want to imitate the "great" success of countries like Venezuela that went from prosperity to utter ruin in a matter of years after adopting a socialist government model?

We have a lot of time before we can put the 2020 election in the books (unless Trump is elected again and then the Dems will waste another four years of trying to delegitimize his election). I pray that people will wake up and recognize what is happening and quit putting their hope in a 30-year old bartender.

Kevin Wilson is a former state representative who was born in Goodman and now lives in Neosho. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 01/16/2020