Let's talk about AOC.

[NurseJackie]

131. Whatever criticism that comes her way is fair and deserved...

Whatever criticism that comes her way is fair and deserved, from what I've seen and offered. But I also think that by their very nature, critical remarks naturally fall short of swooning praise that so many are accustomed to. As a result, and in comparison, her fans often perceive mild and ordinary criticism to be "bashing". But I think that fair-minded people understand that's simply not the case. It serves no good purpose for anyone to engage in a hyper-defensive position that ends up being completely unfair to those who have valid opinions that deserve to be expressed. I think that there can be very little doubt that eventually, when members are not allowed to scrutinize and/or criticize our elected representatives... and when Democratic critics are being silenced or bullied, then what that means is that certain politicians are effectively receiving special treatment (by popular demand.)

Look, all I'm saying is that Democrats should be able to speak honestly about all of our Democratic elected officials. You know... "holding their feet to the fire" and all that. --- That's fair, right? I think every reasonable minded adult can agree on that, right?

You are correct in your observations and I completely understand your diffidence in expressing perfectly reasonable critiques or pointing out other inconsistencies.

I'm reminded of a simple classroom science experiment from middle school where the student submerges both hands in a bucket of water. Left-hand bucket is filled with ice water and the right-hand bucket is filled with very hot tap water. After one minute, both hands are then submerged into a third bucket filled with room temperature water. As a result of being "acclimated" the the extreme conditions of very cold and very hot... each hand now perceives the room temperature water as being very hot and very cold... simultaneously! But how can that be? In reality, the bucket in the middle is only room temperature... neither hot nor cold... but the subject of the experiments perceives it as being two different temperatures at the same time.