Progressives cheer as Congress’s new intake pledge to take the fight to Trump

The 116th Congress, sworn in on Thursday, made history. It included the first Muslim and Native American women elected to Congress, two of the youngest women, a record number of women overall, and becomes the most racially diverse lawmaking body ever in America.

And the incoming class has shown they’re unlike establishment Democrats in recent years in another important way: they’re willing and capable of fighting Trump’s fire with fire.

Among them has been the Michigan congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who had some strong words for the president. Speaking at an event shortly after being sworn in, Tlaib, the first Palestinian American elected to Congress, recalled a conversation she had after she won.

She said: “And when your son looks at you and says, ‘Mama, look, you won. Bullies don’t win,’ and I said, ‘Baby, they don’t’ – because we’re gonna go in there and we’re going to impeach the motherfucker.”

Tlaib had been clear about her intentions in impeaching Trump throughout her campaign. She tweeted in March: “Why am I running? Because this is about electing the jury to impeach (POTUS) and I will make a heck of juror.”

Tlaib came under swift criticism from Republicans and what the new Democratic party rebels often see as the old brand of milquetoast Democrats, for so-called incivility, but for supporters on the left it’s exactly the type of opposition to Trump they have been waiting for.

Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) I will always speak truth to power. #unapologeticallyMe

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, who was born in Somalia, spent four years in a refugee camp and became the first member of Congress to wear a hijab, was, like Tlaib, sworn in on a copy of the Qur’an. She sounded a spirited tone on Thursday when she tweeted: “Sworn in and ready to throw down for the people.” She added an emoji of a clenched fist.

Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) Sworn in and ready to throwdown for the people ✊🏽#peopleshouse pic.twitter.com/cq7Bby1H2e

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the youngest woman ever elected to Congress, and already beloved for her willingness to punch back at critics and regressive Republican policies, was booed on the floor when casting her vote for Nancy Pelosi as House speaker.

Like many of the new, younger members of Congress for whom social media sparring is their natural lingua franca, Ocasio-Cortez fired back a swift rebuke.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) Over 200 members voted for Nancy Pelosi today, yet the GOP only booed one: me.



Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me, fellas 💁🏽‍♀️ https://t.co/kLor9A0TWa

In a more subtle symbol of the wave of change, Arizona’s Kyrsten Sinema, the first openly bisexual person in the Senate, was sworn in on a copy of the constitution instead of the Bible, as is most frequently done. (Sinema was sworn in by the deeply religious vice-president, Mike Pence, not exactly known for his support of LGBT people.)

Of course, it wasn’t all partisan squabbling and symbolic gestures: many of the new members also set about doing the business of governing. Ocasio-Cortez has spent the week renewing her calls for single-payer Medicare for All health system, ending for-profit prisons and Ice detention, and fighting for a “Green New Deal”. Omar boasted of the Democrats’ immediate passage of two new bills to reopen the government, still in the midst of a partial shutdown.

There’s a lot of legislating and more governing to be done, but for Democrats looking for reasons to get excited about the tenor of the new Congress, and hope for change yet to come, there’s plenty of reason to take heart.