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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    21 hours 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.

  • BigMacHole@lemm.ee
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    20 hours 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!

  • zebidiah
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    23 hours 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
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      22 hours 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.

      • zebidiah
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        19 hours ago

        My guy, they are part of the enablers

      • zbyte64@awful.systems
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        19 hours 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.

  • Gates9@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day 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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      1 day 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.

  • Raiderkev@lemmy.world
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    1 day 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.

  • MehBlah@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

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

  • Pollo_Jack@lemmy.world
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    1 day 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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      1 day 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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        1 day 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.

    • Tigeroovy
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      1 day ago

      I’d rather he rot on this plane of existence so we can be sure it happened.

    • barneypiccolo@lemm.ee
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      1 day 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.

    • mechoman444@lemmy.world
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      1 day 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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          1 day ago

          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.

  • carlossurf
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    2 days ago

    Whats with these old fucks not stepping down and enjoying what little they have left of their lives. Same with biden

    • Hanrahan@slrpnk.net
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      17 hours ago

      Becase they then become like his, iirrelevant, and its too much to think about for them.

    • leadore@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      It’s the addiction of power. Once someone has acquired it, they can’t give it up. Only exceptional people have the strength to resist and step down. Take Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who had been teetering on the line between this world and the next for years, if she had retired while Obama was president, the SCOTUS wouldn’t be so out of balance now. But she just couldn’t do it.

    • RememberTheApollo_@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      They’re literally unable to do anything else except remain in their protected little cocoons arguing with each other while people fawn over them and pay them for their favor.

      They’re like the minor peerage of old. All trying to hang on to their name and title to keep their ego afloat.

      • Cenzorrll@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        I haven’t seen much asking for Bernie. Lots of praising Bernie for doing what’s right and we should have had him in 2016, but I see a lot more asking for AOC.

      • keegomatic@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        Nothing is black and white. Bernie may be a geezer, but he has consistently good policy positions for his entire career, and has more integrity than the rest of the senate combined.

    • rumba@lemmy.zip
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      2 days ago

      He was somewhat apprehensive about his first term; he just didn’t want Trump to get in.

      When he came back for round two, he seemed to have unfinished business tho

    • Neuromorph@lemm.ee
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      1 day ago

      congressional healthcare is insane!!! why give that up in the years you need it the most!!!