Summary
Progressives criticized House Democrats for choosing Rep. Gerry Connolly over Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the top Democratic seat on the House Oversight Committee.
The 131-84 vote, reportedly influenced by former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, sparked backlash against the party’s “gerontocracy,” with critics like MSNBC’s Joy Reid and others arguing it prioritizes seniority over fresh ideas.
Connolly defended the decision, citing his experience, but progressives argued it reflects the Democratic Party’s resistance to change, hindering its ability to address future challenges and energize younger voters.
First off. That’s not how bills work. You don’t introduce one and have it fail and that’s the “first draft”. Secondly this bill didn’t fail. It passed and it has become law. Thirdly this is a simple Medicaid and Medicare expansion bill. It did not create a public option for people. It just made Medicaid and Medicare available for a few more people than it previously did. You should actually read the stuff you link to.
Here is the actual Affordable Care Act with its “first draft” AKA the introduction.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/111th-congress/house-bill/3590
And finally I’m Gen X not a Zoomer. I was there when they wrote this shit, I was there when they were debating it and paying very close attention. And I watched Nancy Pelosi go on television and tell everyone that a public option was not on the table because they wanted “bipartisan support” and Republicans wouldn’t support it with a public option attached. (Biden echoed this later while running for president) This, even though at that time they owned both the House and the Senate and the Presidency. And they were still trying to play nice with the goddamn Republicans. They were “afraid of a filibuster”. And they didn’t have the spine necessary to do away with the 2/3 majority overrule. Which, BTW, the Republicans have no scruples about doing.
