MSNBC's Chris Hayes conducted a "Headliners" profile on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), how she decided to run for Congress and why she's popular amongst the Democratic Party. Two interesting points came up during the profile: AOC had a huge "burden" to decide to run and, according to one senior campaign aide, Democratic Socialism isn't as fringe as it's often made out to be.
Chris Hayes, in his Headliners profile of AOC, tries softening her politics: Her "ideology reflected a simple goal, restoring human rights." pic.twitter.com/FUwsUNlTh7
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 1, 2019
When Ocasio-Cortez decided to run "she felt the burden of the world on her shoulders."
AOC's former staffer on her decision to run: "She felt the burden of the world on her shoulders" pic.twitter.com/Kmo2l2DzOy
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 1, 2019
But the scariest thing to come about: AOC's former senior campaign aide, Walid Shaheed, explaining how Democratic Socialism has become more mainstream.
"I think Bernie Sanders really opened the window for the debate on Democratic Socialism in this country," Shaheed said during the special. "It's not as fringe as you might think. In fact, what's becoming fringe is if you call yourself a capitalist openly."
AOC's former staffer, Walid Shaheed, says Democratic Socialism is now "not as fringe as you might think. In fact, what's becoming fringe is if you call yourself a capitalist openly." pic.twitter.com/03Z9gYqyIz
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 1, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez's team likes to seize on this idea that conservatives are obsessed with the Congresswoman because she threatens their power, she threatens the status quo, not because her ideas are dangerous to America's future or because these ideas have become "the norm."
What AOC says sounds pretty and great in theory – and that's the part her supporters love to run with – but they don't think about the long-term impact the policies would have. She wants to make sure everyone is paid $15 an hour and the environment is protected but she doesn't think about the domino effect.
She wants to implement more regulation on farmers but doesn't want them to increase prices to compensate for the regulations and stifling of business. That cost is then passed onto the consumer.
Employers are forced to pay employees more and that cost is passed onto consumers, meaning the cost of goods also goes up.
Her policies wouldn't actually help anyone. All they'll do is create one giant economic burst. Another recession.
What she advocates for is the dangerous to our economy and our sustainability. She thinks about the wants and the desires but not how to get there, not how each moving part is impacted.
Conservatives have clung onto AOC's agenda to point out the future of the Democratic Party because...
1) It's a scary thought to think that we can work to hand our salaries right back to the government.
2) The government infringes even more on our lives.
3) We're on the road to being like other failing nations (Hello, Venezuela!)
And, like what Shaheed said, Socialism is becoming more mainstream, meaning more Americans are okay with being told to sit down, shut up and fork over their money. That warning needs to be taken seriously. T
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