Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly, who edged out New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) for a top Democratic post in December before stepping down, died from esophageal cancer on Wednesday, becoming the third Democrat to die in office this term.

The late congressman made headlines in December when, with support from former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, he defeated AOC to lead the House Oversight Committee, despite reportedly violating stock trading laws, according to Raw Story. AOC would have been the youngest Democrat to chair a House committee at 35 years old.

  • inclementimmigrant@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    These assholes are so scared of losing power and corporate money they’re willing to drop fucking dead on the floor of Congress rather than let the new generation take over.

    Fuck these boomer assholes.

  • zebidiah@lemmy.ca
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    2 days ago

    Schumer, pelosi, Ginsburg, and all the other fossils who refuse to retire until they fucking die are just as responsible as the orange piece of shit is for the current state of amerikkka

    • Curious Canid@lemmy.ca
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      2 days ago

      No, they are not. False equivalence just takes the focus off the people who really are responsible. Trump, his enablers, and his supporters created this disaster.

      A lot of useless Democrats failed to stand up and try to stop it. They have much to answer for, but they are in a different category.

      • zbyte64@awful.systems
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        2 days ago

        It was a system of checks and balances, but the Democrats went along with consolidating power. So while yes, they aren’t the direct cause, they were the adults in the room and they failed in that responsibility.

  • BigMacHole@lemm.ee
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    2 days ago

    This is SO BAD! There’s only SO MANY OLD WHITE GUYS WITH CANCER the Democrats can Promote before GIVING UP and Conceding EVERY SINGLE ELECTION to the Republicans!

  • Gates9@sh.itjust.works
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    2 days ago

    The Democrats are like ancient kings who killed their children for fear of usurping their rule. Now the enemy is at the gates and they have no generals, the few champions they do have were cowed long ago.

    • gradual@lemmings.world
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      2 days ago

      Almost.

      Establishment democrats are still living great lives under trump. They’re not enemies because trump doesn’t fuck with their money, unlike Bernie.

      It’s the working class that has to suffer.

  • MehBlah@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Geriatric democrats trying to keep their grip on their right wing agenda.

  • Raiderkev@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    But guys, it was his turn! Just like Hillary in '16. Forget what the people want, we need to worry about stroking egos here.

  • Pollo_Jack@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    When Alexander the Great died, his empire devolved into infighting and instability. Why would he plan for his successor at such a young age?

    These democrats dying in office, leaving no protege nor successor in the wings, are doing the same thing to America but they have no excuse.

    • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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      2 days ago

      These ancient centrist fucks are the reason we’re in this mess. We don’t want their proteges in power. We need new blood that will fight instead of trying to maintain the status quo.

      • leadore@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        True, look at Pelosi’s choice to succeed her, Hakeem Jeffries. I thought he seemed good at first but he’s turned out to be just another hand-wringing wimp. So it’s not simply a matter of being too old, it’s a matter of clinging to the old ways.

        edit: IOW, getting younger people in is necessary but not sufficient.

    • mechoman444@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      They don’t. They’re quite awake. You think that old fart got that position because of ambition? No. He got that position due to politicizing and internal maneuvering.

      He was put there specifically so AOC would not have that seat and screw everything and everyone else.

      If I recall correctly it was Nancy Pelosi who maneuver to get him into that spot. They knew he had late stage cancer at the time.

        • grue@lemmy.world
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          The point is, this didn’t happen because the Democrats made a mistake. This happened because the Democrats knew exactly what they were doing and did it on purpose.

    • barneypiccolo@lemm.ee
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      2 days ago

      Before the Dems can take on the MAGA Nazis, and win, they have to take back their own party from the Republican Lites. Time to make those DINOs extinct.

  • IninewCrow@lemmy.ca
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    3 days ago

    Hilarious … the only way to beat the old Democratic party is to wait for them to die

      • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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        The problem isn’t that they’re old. The problem is that seniority trumps everything else. He was worse for the position, but he got it because he had seniority.

        He wasn’t bad because he was old, he was just worse and got it because he was old.

      • gAlienLifeform@lemmy.world
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        3 days ago

        Yeah, age isn’t so much the issue when we have decent older people like Bernie Sanders and younger douchebags like Josh Gottheimer running around, the problem is that newly elected Democratic party members have all been told that they need to vote for the people who have been in DC the longest and one day eventually it will be their turn

        That would be bad enough on its own, but coupled with the destruction of any kind of campaign finance regulations making it a lot easier for moderate Democratic party members to secretly work work with rich donors and Republicans to make sure progressives don’t stay in DC for long, we’ve ended up with a senior group of Democratic lawmakers who have shitty policies their voters hate and only know how to solve their problems through hippie punching

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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        3 days ago

        No, just most of them, including almost all of the ones with the most power.

        Name two people under 70 who’s amongst the 10 highest ranking in the party leadership.

        I’ll even give you Hakeem Jeffries for free so you only have to find one.