Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez addresses past support for defunding police

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez recently addressed her past support for the “defund the police” movement, characterizing the period of intense political rhetoric during the COVID-19 pandemic as a time when the “Overton window” opened significantly. She noted that the discussions held during the lockdowns were fruitful in exploring various policies to improve society, though she acknowledged that the rhetoric used during that time is not what she would use today.

Commentator Matt Taibbi criticized this stance, suggesting that the shift in language is a strategic attempt to rebrand political movements for electoral viability. Taibbi argued that while the language has changed, the underlying ideological goals remain, and characterized the previous era of activism as a period of extreme social and political friction.