Democratic theory often asserts a need for constant, impassive “checks and balances” to ensure the will of the masses is continually maintained. It often asserts that for the system to work, scrutiny and criticism are necessary.
In late July, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) came under fire from her liberal Democratic base for refusing to vote against House Amendment 55 to House Resolution 4016 (under the DOD Appropriations Act).
The amendment was proposed by Marjorie Taylor Greene (MTG), a Republican who, despite supporting Trump, diverged from his ideas primarily when it came to the release of the Epstein files. In fact, she resigned in late November and plans to step down January 5th, 2026.
Greene argued that the USA, facing a $37T national debt (equivalent to about 308M average household incomes, for reference), should stop providing foreign aid to “nuclear-armed Israel,” which she claimed is “very capable of defending [itself].”
House Amendment 55 aimed to cut $500M in funding for Israel’s missile defense systems, including the Iron Dome. For context, the occupation is said to have murdered at least 680,000 Palestinians, 70% of them children.1
The amendment was supported by four Democratic representatives—Al Green, Summer L. Lee, Ilhan Omar, and Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib—as well as two Republicans—the aforementioned MTG and Thomas Massie.
AOC, who has, at this point, agreed that the atrocities in Palestine qualify as a genocide, voted against lowering funding, drawing widespread scrutiny. In other words, she voted to continue funding “Israel’s” so-called “defensive” systems. Upon being called out, she responded on social media, stating:
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s amendment does nothing to cut off offensive aid to Israel nor end the flow of US munitions being used in Gaza. Of course I voted against it. … I remain focused on cutting the flow of US munitions that are being used to perpetuate the genocide in Gaza.
This was met with a largely negative response.
“I didn’t give the mass shooter guns and ammunition, I just bought him a bulletproof vest so nobody could stop the massacre.” (@caitoz via X/Twitter)
“If you recognize that Israel is committing a genocide, why are you voting in favor of giving it $500 million for anything?” (@aaronjmate via X/Twitter)
“[There] is no such thing as “defensive military aid.” When you give Israel the military infrastructure that ensures it can do its genocide and launch its wars against Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, Syria with full impunity, you are directly and intentionally funding and arming the genocide.” (@zei_squirrel via X/Twitter)
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) echoed this in their statement, saying:
Providing any aid to Israel as they carry out a genocide with U.S. support is completely unacceptable. This is even more true of military aid of any kind. Any funds that go to Israel assist this brutal genocide. Any support for Israel legitimizes its eliminationist campaign against the Palestinian people. The fact that Representative Ocasio-Cortez acknowledges that Israel is carrying out this genocide makes her support for military aid all the more disappointing and incongruous. We urge the representative to continue voting against the Iron Dome, whether it is part of a larger defense spending bill or as a stand-alone bill.
A few days later, she posted again, saying:
Google is free. If you’re saying I voted for military funding, you are lying. Receipts attached. Drag me for my positions all you want, but lying about them doesn’t make you part of the “left.” If you believe neo-[Nazis] are welcome and operating in good faith, you can have them!
An equivalent was posted to Instagram with slight changes in wording:
Google is free. I did not vote to give any funding to Israel. I voted against it. Receipts are attached. Remember: Just because you see a meme doesn’t mean it’s true. And if you really believe that Marjorie Taylor Greene is an ally to Palestinians and a welcome part of your coalition, and that voting against her amendment that was designed exactly for this chaos is constructive and to be supported, then you can have her. Thanks.
Both posts included screenshots to H.R.8774 (the DOD Appropriations Act for FY2025), and the link to H.R.4016 (the FY2026 successor) was added in the replies of the post on X/Twitter. A screenshot of a “nay” vote was also included without context.
This is inherently undemocratic, shown through her inability to take and respond to criticism without (1) claiming that her critics, many of whom are of her own voter base, are lying; (2) claiming that these critics are no longer “part of the ‘left’” as a direct result of this criticism; and (3) equating supporting a bill to support for its sponsor.
Furthermore, the attached screenshots do nothing to establish credibility. The amendment had its own vote, separate from the parent bill. This parent bill, for FY2026, was also not the one shown in the post’s photos on either platform, with AOC electing to showcase the FY2025 equivalent instead.
Her original explanation was also deeply flawed. She claimed she voted against the amendment because it only cut funding to “Israel’s” supposedly “defensive” systems, such as the Iron Dome, and not its offensive aid. That reasoning seemed to indicate that she was still open to supporting the former.
Yet in the same post, she acknowledged and reaffirmed that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. If a genocide is unfolding, how is sending any military support to that same occupation/government—be it offensive or “defensive”—justified?
AOC, on some occasions, has the guts to challenge the American system. Yet, it seems she lacks the guts to be challenged herself. This is a critical issue that requires rectification if so-called “democracy” is desired.
Good leaders must cultivate the ability to accept and constructively respond to—rather than deflect—criticism. By extension, citizens, supporters, and critics should all continue to press leaders with strong, honest criticism to ensure accountability.
This is based on estimates, since “Israel” likes to kill members of the press, and official reports often underreport based on what can be reasonably confirmed.