Progressives Back AOC, Warning Cruz and Other Republicans 'Pose a Threat'

Progressive Democrats rallied behind Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York after she described GOP Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and other Republicans that objected to President Joe Biden's win as "abusers."

© Tom Williams-Pool/Getty Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) described many of her Republican colleagues as "abusers" on Monday. In this photo, Ocasio-Cortez speaks during a hearing of the House Oversight and Reform Committee on August 24, 2020 in Washington, D.C.

During an Instagram live-stream on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez called out Cruz and other Republicans who objected to the certification of Biden's victory, arguing that their actions contributed to the violent insurrection by supporters of former President Donald Trump against the U.S. Capitol on January 6. She accused Cruz and other Republican lawmakers of being eager to "move on" without discussing accountability.

The progressive Democrat has repeatedly singled out Cruz and blasted Republicans who joined with him in objecting, saying they should no longer serve in Congress.

"These are the tactics of abusers. Or rather, these are the tactics that abusers use," Ocasio-Cortez said during the video. "What they're asking for when they say, 'Can we just move on?' ... is, 'Can you just—can we just forget this happened so that I can do it again, without recourse?... Can you just forget about this so that we can, you know, do it again?'"

Other progressive Democrats quickly rallied behind Ocasio-Cortez, sharing a similar perspective and praising her for publicly discussing the trauma she and other members of Congress suffered during the attack by the pro-Trump mob.

"I shared @AOC's concern about being locked in the same room as my Republican colleagues on January 6th. They had incited an insurrection, and were live-tweeting our whereabouts," freshmen Representative Mondaire Jones, a New York Democrat, tweeted on Tuesday. "Some of them continue to pose a threat to everyone who works in the Capitol. They must be expelled."


I shared @AOC’s concern about being locked in the same room as my Republican colleagues on January 6th.

They had incited an insurrection, and were live-tweeting our whereabouts.

Some of them continue to pose a threat to everyone who works in the Capitol. They must be expelled. pic.twitter.com/YCLBizX5ab— Mondaire Jones (@MondaireJones) February 2, 2021

Former Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro, who previously served in former President Barack Obama's Cabinet, thanked Ocasio-Cortez for sharing her experience.

"Thank you for sharing your experience, @AOC. So many lives were put at risk because lawmakers fanned the flames of violent extremists—and law enforcement failed to take the threat seriously," Castro tweeted. "We can't 'move on' from this attack until those responsible are held accountable."


Thank you for sharing your experience, @AOC.

So many lives were put at risk because lawmakers fanned the flames of violent extremists—and law enforcement failed to take the threat seriously.

We can’t “move on” from this attack until those responsible are held accountable. https://t.co/LHqj0zpEeT— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) February 2, 2021

Representative Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, took aim at Ocasio-Cortez's critics.

"Y'all stop invalidating @AOC's experiences because you aren't hearing about the experiences of other members," she wrote in a Monday evening tweet. "Everyone deals with trauma differently, her stories are validating for so many of us with similar experiences and she is showing people that vulnerability is strength."


Y’all stop invalidating @AOC’s experiences because you aren’t hearing about the experiences of other members.

Everyone deals with trauma differently, her stories are validating for so many of us with similar experiences and she is showing people that vulnerability is strength.— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) February 2, 2021

In an interview with MSNBC, Representative Katie Porter, a California Democrat, recounted just how terrified Ocasio-Cortez was as they hid together on January 6. Porter said she told her colleague: "'I'm a mom. I'm calm. I have everything we need. We can live for like a month in this office.'" Ocasio-Cortez replied, "'I hope I get to be a mom, I hope I don't die today,'" Porter said.

The New York congresswoman strongly criticized Republicans for saying that Democrats should just "move on" while dismissing efforts to hold Trump and other GOP lawmakers accountable.

"So many of the people who helped perpetrate and who take no responsibility for what happened in the Capitol are trying to tell us all to move on... forget about what happened... [and] that it wasn't a big deal... without any accountability, without any truth-telling or without actually confronting the extreme damage, physical harm, loss of life and trauma that was inflicted on not just me as a person, not just other people as individuals, but as on all of us as a collective, and on many other people," Ocasio-Cortez said in her Monday evening live-stream.

Just 10 Republican House members joined with their Democratic colleagues in voting to impeach Trump a second time a week after the violent attack against the Capitol. The Article of Impeachment accuses Trump of inciting the riot. Ahead of the mob attack, Trump urged supporters at a nearby rally to march to the legislative building and "fight like hell" to keep him in office. The Senate will begin Trump's second impeachment trial next week, but it currently appears that there are not enough GOP senators willing to vote to convict the former president.

Newsweek reached out to Cruz's press representatives for comment but they did not immediately respond.

Related Articles
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Compares Ted Cruz to an Abuser in Escalating Feud over Capitol Riot Fallout

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Instagram Live on Capitol Riots Viewed Over 4 Million Times

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Hid in Bathroom During Capitol Riot and Thought She Was Going to Die

Parkland Survivor David Hogg Relates to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Capitol Riot Trauma

Donald Trump said AOC makes the old men in Congress 'shiver in fear' because she has a strong base like him, report says

Alia Shoaib
Sat, October 2, 2021

Former President Donald Trump (L), Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (R) Getty Images (L), AP Photo (R)

Donald Trump said AOC elicited fear in Congress because she had a strong base like him, a new book extract says.


Trump said the AOC was a "failed geek", but praised her for her outsize influence in the Democrat Party.


He made the comments at a closed-door event with business leaders including Jeff Bezos in 2019.

Former President Donald Trump said that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez made old men "shiver in fear" in the halls of Congress, reports say.

Trump reportedly made the comments at an event attended by a hundred business leaders in 2019, according to an excerpt from the book "In Trump's Shadow: The Battle for 2024 and the Future of the GOP" by journalist David Drucker, seen by The Daily Mail.

In the closed-door meeting, Trump called the New York congresswoman a "failed geek" but expressed admiration for her outsize influence within the Democratic Party.

"Let me tell you something about AOC. I've watched her walk down the halls of Congress, and I see these old men shiver in fear. They shiver in fear whenever they see her," Trump said.

"You want to know why? Because AOC has a base, just like me."

Trump's comments elicited "nervous laughter" from the crowd, according to the book extract quoted by The Daily Mail.

Trump also reportedly told the business leaders that reelecting him was the only way to continue their work and defeat AOC's Green New Deal.

"You definitely want to see me reelected if you want to keep being in business," Trump said.

"You've got this Green New Deal. It's completely crazy. It'll completely shut down American energy. And it's from this failed geek, Alexandria Ocasio- Cortez."

Trump's speech was an early reelection pitch, the book said, which came shortly after the Democrats regained control of the House of Representatives in the 2018 midterm elections.

High-profile business leaders in the audience included Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and CEOs of companies like JP Morgan, Boeing, and Blackrock.

Some members of Trump's entourage were also in attendance, including Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and his daughter Ivanka Trump.

Read the original article on Business Insider

AOC and squad members lobby for Biden to accept Green New Deal outside DNC

Louise Hall
Fri, 20 November 2020

Rep Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, center, arrives for an event with Rep.-elect Cori Bush, right on Thursday, 19 November 2020, outside the Democratic National Committee (AP)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other progressive members of “the squad” have rallied outside the Democratic National Committee headquarters demanding president-elect Joe Biden embrace the Green New Deal.

During the rally on Thursday outside the Washington headquarters, Rep Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic New York congresswoman, urged Mr Biden to take bold action on climate change and racial justice.

“We are all here today because of the movement ... because at the end of the day, dollars don’t vote, people do,” Rep Ocasio-Cortez said.

The rally was broadcast online with the hashtag #BidenBeBrave by the Sunrise Movement, an American youth-led political movement.

“@JoeBiden must act on his mandate & deliver for those who delivered for him. #BidenBeBrave,” the movement said on Twitter.

AOC is part of a group of progressive first-term Democratic congresswomen, known as the “squad,” alongside Ayanna Pressley, Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib.

This year, the progressive Democrats expanded their ranks with the election of three more candidates who replaced longtime Democratic incumbents: Mondaire Jones, Jamaal Bowman and Cori Bush.

At the rally, Minnesota representative Ilhan Omar said: “This is a movement built out of the urgency people feel to protect our planet”

“Some of the leaders of the Democratic Party, or even some of our colleagues who are freshmen, talk about us getting back to basics,” she said, Bloomberg reported.

“We are all here today because of the movement... because at the end of the day, dollars don’t vote, people do” - @AOC

We are going to win a #GreenNewDeal through the power of the people and the power of movements. #BidenBeBrave pic.twitter.com/rYK0lk0yUO
— Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) November 19, 2020

“I was confused because what is more basic than fighting for clean water? What is more basic than fighting for a breathable planet?”

Rep Bush, the first Black woman elected to Congress from Missouri, urged the US to confront how climate change disproportionately affects minority communities.

“When we don’t act, people that look like me die,” Rep Bush said.

The Green New Deal is an ambitious environmental plan to combat climate change that AOC originally co-sponsored in 2019 and seeks to fight the climate crisis and tackle inequality simultaneously.

Mr Biden has previously said he “will work with Congress to implement a bold agenda that addresses the climate emergency, achieves environmental justice and creates good-paying jobs.″

Read More

Trump threatens Twitter with lawsuit for blocking campaign accounts

Activists protest Biden hiring oil figure – follow live

AOC shoots down Nikki Haley in fiesty Covid relief exchange

AOC says Trump now has ‘no interest’ in helping Americans over Covid

AOC Blasts New Limits on Stimulus Checks, Says They're Less Generous Than Trump's


NASDAQ

CONTRIBUTOR
Christy Bieber The Motley Fool
PUBLISHED  MAR 4, 2021 


Image source: Getty Images

President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats campaigned on the promise of providing $2,000 stimulus checks for most Americans. When President Biden actually released his proposed $1.9 trillion stimulus plan, however, it included $1,400 checks. The Biden administration indicated they felt this fulfilled the promise because the payments would combine with $600 checks authorized in a coronavirus relief bill in late December.

When the House of Representatives passed legislation based on Biden's stimulus plan, the bill made these $1,400 checks available in full to individuals with incomes under $75,000 and to married joint filers with incomes up to $150,000. Partial payments would be available above these thresholds. However, eligibility would phase out faster than it did with previous stimulus checks, with Americans receiving no payments once their income hit $100,000 for individuals and $200,000 for married couples.

However, some conservative Democratic senators were concerned this still resulted in too many people getting direct payments. As a result, when the bill was sent to the Senate, Democrats agreed to narrow eligibility further. Now, however, progressive Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (also known as AOC) is speaking out against these new restrictions, calling her colleagues less generous than President Trump.

AOC objects to stricter stimulus check limits

Under the new senate stimulus plan, individuals who earn more than $80,000 and married couples who earn more than $160,000 will not be eligible for payments. Altogether, this means around 12 million Americans will be left out of this next direct payment -- most, if not all of whom, received the prior two stimulus checks.

AOC voiced her displeasure with this targeted proposal by tweeting, 

"Conservative Dems have fought so the Biden admin sends fewer & less generous relief checks than the Trump admin did. t's a move that makes little-to-no political or economic sense, and targets an element of relief that is most tangibly felt by everyday people. An own-goal."

Ocasio-Cortez went on to tweet that she believes the Democrats "have a responsibility to show people in this country what a Democratic majority can do for working people." Her follow-up tweet included a list of what she sees as key Democratic priorities, including providing "more generous relief checks," as well as increasing the federal minimum wage from the current $7.25 per hour to $15 per hour.

The minimum wage increase has long been a priority on the left and was included in the House's coronavirus stimulus bill. However, it had to be stripped from the Senate version because the coronavirus relief bill doesn't have 60 votes in the Senate, which would be necessary to overcome a filibuster that can block legislation.

The bill can be passed through a process called "reconciliation," which requires just 51 votes. But all provisions of reconciliation bills must relate to the federal budget, and the minimum wage increase was determined not to fulfil this requirement.

In addition to criticizing her more conservative colleagues for imposing these new limits on eligibility for stimulus checks, AOC also signed on to a letter with 22 fellow progressives urging President Biden to push forward with his $15 per hour minimum wage anyway. The decision not to allow it in the reconciliation bill was made by the Senate Parliamentarian, and the letter urged the Biden Administration to disregard the ruling.

The Democrats, however, need to keep their caucus together. There are 50 senators who vote with the left in the Senate, and Kamala Harris can cast the tiebreaking 51st vote for the reconciliation bill. If they lose even one vote, the bill won't pass. And with some of the more moderate Democrats making clear they oppose the minimum wage increase and that their support for stimulus checks is conditioned on narrower eligibility rules, AOC is unlikely to move the administration on these issues.

Instead, the new income limits are all but certain to make their way into the final bill, which means fewer Americans are going to see stimulus money deposited into their bank accounts this time around.

 

Federal grants for pollution remediation increase property values around the Great Lakes

by Juan Ochoa, University of Michigan

Credit: CC0 Public Domain

Nearly $1.23 billion has been spent by the U.S. government since 2004 on the cleanup of toxic pollutants in waterways resulting from manufacturing activities in historic areas around the Great Lakes.

Now, a new University of Michigan study finds that federal grants aimed at remediating these "Areas of Concern," or AOCs, had a positive notable and statistically significant effect on housing prices within about a 12-mile radius of specific regions on all five Great Lakes.

Published in the Journal of Public Economics, the research shows that the initial designation of these AOCs lowered property values by an average of $25,700 per house. However, the subsequent awarding of federal grants to clean up these areas raised property values by an average of $27,295 per house—resulting in a net-positive benefit of the AOC program.

"Federal grants have positive effects on property values that outweigh the remediation costs," said study co-author Michael Moore, professor of environmental economics at the U-M School for Environmental and Sustainability. "The programs are a success story from an economic perspective."

The 30 locations designated as AOCs were assessed to have the most environmentally degraded surface water—rivers, lakes and bays—connecting to the Great Lakes.

Key findings include:

• Impact of AOC listing: The dissemination of new public information regarding the extent of environmental degradation had a notable negative initial impact on housing prices.
• Effect of federal grants: AOC grants positively influenced housing prices, suggesting that residents and homebuyers in the region value improvements in water quality as reflected in housing prices.
• Beyond AOC: The positive impact of AOC grants extends beyond housing prices, potentially benefiting the local economy through community revitalization, commercial development, tourism, and other economic activities.

"Our analysis shows that funding for cleanups can have a powerful impact on surrounding areas and can work to combat stigma effects of the initial negative information shocks," he said. "Sheboygan, Wisconsin, is an outstanding example of a waterfront that has been transformed from an industrial area into a vibrant community."

The U-M study also highlights the need for future research into the impact of an AOC delisting, as well as the consideration of additional remediation benefits to individuals beyond the roughly 12-mile radius, including tourists and those valuing the existence of restored natural areas.

More information: Alecia Cassidy et al, Cleaning up the Great Lakes: Housing market impacts of removing legacy pollutants, Journal of Public Economics (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2023.104979

Journal information: Journal of Public Economics 

Provided by University of Michigan Economist finds link between park funding, home values

THE SECOND INTERNATIONAL GAMERS 

Missed Jagmeet Singh And AOC’s ‘Among Us’ Stream? Here Are The 5 Best Moments

Mel Woods 1 day ago

© Twitch/JagmeetSingh Jagmeet Singh plays "among Us" with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and several streamers.

Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh teamed up with U.S. congressperson Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Friday night for a three-hour video stream of the popular game “Among Us” on Twitch with a rotating cast of several high-profile streamers.

Through the stream’s voice chat, Ocasio-Cortez and Singh talked politics in their respective countries, answered questions from the streamers and even virtually murdered each other once or twice. Nearly 100,000 viewers tuned into Ocasio-Cortez’s stream at one point, with close to 30,000 watching Singh’s stream of the event at its peak.

hasanabi

@hasanthehun

Playing Among Us with @theJagmeetSingh, @aoc, @NorthernlionLP, @Jack_Septic_Eye, @xQc, @theserfstv, @DisguisedToast, @ContraPoints, @TSM_Myth and some other folks as well! Get in now!

HasanAbi - Twitch

i'm a political commentator irl trying to avoid heated gaming moments

For the uninitiated, “Among Us” is a video game based on popular party games like “Mafia” and “Werewolf” where players work together to determine who the “imposter” is, as that imposter tries to kill off the other players.

While Singh said he did several “dry runs” of the game in preparation this week, it still took him some time to grasp the basic mechanics, from not killing people in plain sight, to how to do the in-game tasks. Lying — a key component of the game — didn’t come as easily to Singh, with several of the streamers describing him as a “wholesome liar.”

The whole thing is available to watch up on Singh’s Twitch channel, but here are five highlights if you missed the Friday-night stream.
AOC and Jagmeet bond right off the bat

The stream marked the first meeting — even if virtual — between Singh and Ocasio-Cortez. The two immediately developed a casual rapport, with Ocasio-Cortez even asking Singh to call her “Alex,” since that’s what her friends call her.

Spence

@MagicianMarner

Watching chat hopelessly yell at Jagmeet Singh to do shields properly

6:18 PM · Nov 27, 2020

39

See Spence’s other Tweets

She said Singh first came across her radar due to his viral response to racist comments made during a town hall.

“I think what the way I was first kind of exposed to your work was when you had this super viral moment when you encountered this woman who was being super racist at a town hall,” she said.

© Twitch/JagmeetSingh Jagmeet Singh plays


Ocasio-Cortez praised Singh’s “compassionate” handling of the encounter, calling it a “model moment.”

And that kinship extended into the game. Throughout the stream, Singh approached Ocasio-Cortez as an ally.

“It’s the progressive politicians united, we’re not about killing people, we’re about making life better for people,” Singh said early on.

Ocasio-Cortez echoed the sentiment: “Yeah. We’re pacifists.”

Even when Singh killed another player right in Ocasio-Cortez’s view, she was hesitant to doubt her fellow leftist politician — even though he was, in fact, the killer. The two also bonded over why the fictional spaceship the game is set on still uses fossil fuels.

Bean Wife

@GasolineJoy

·

Nov 27, 2020

Replying to @GasolineJoy

"It can't be Jagmeet this many times in a row, can it?!" Jagmeet: Yeah

Bean Wife

@GasolineJoy

Jagmeet Singh AOC

How come we're in the future and we're still using fuel???

6:11 PM · Nov 27, 2020

7

See Bean Wife’s other Tweets

AOC praises Canada

Between games, the pair chatted with the streamers about American and Canadian politics and the difference between the two. That led to some high praise from the U.S. representative about Canada’s health-care system and approach to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ocasio-Cortez noted that Canada is literally next-door to the U.S., but has vastly different policies.

“What’s so surprising to me is that I live in New York, Toronto is just a day’s drive away,” she said. “It’s just a stone’s throw away from being able to afford your insulin.”

Ocasio-Cortez said Canada is proof that “another world is possible.”

“Another world is possible and exists like a three hour drive away from people who say it’s impossible,” she said.

RELATED

Jagmeet Singh Set To Stream ‘Among Us’ With AOC On Friday

© Provided by HuffPost CanadaJagmeet Singh Ups TikTok Game With 'Flip The Switch' Challenge

© Provided by HuffPost Canada

Even Jagmeet Singh Is Doing That Viral ‘Dreams’ TikTok


Singh noted that while Canada is far from perfect, it’s not as polarized as the U.S.

“Our electorate, the people of Canada are not as polarized,” Singh said. “You’ll have pretty horrible conservative premiers — or governors — that are bad on so many things but still acknowledge we should follow science advice.”

Singh also had his fair share of praise for his fellow politician, calling Ocasio-Cortez a “beacon of hope” for the progressive movement.
#JagMute

The NDP had some technical troubles throughout the stream, accidentally muting or unmuting his mic at the wrong times.

In one memorable moment, Singh unmuted as he was confessing to being the imposter.

“I thought I was muted. So rookie, so embarrassing,” he laughed.

According to the NDP leader, his staff were inspired to call the moment #JagMute, prompting plenty of memes and praise for Singh’s innocent play style on social media.

Christo Aivalis 

@christoaivalis

Jagmeet Singh just BLEW AOC's mind with public auto insurance formed by CCF-NDP governments

6:25 PM · Nov 27, 2020

1.1K

118 people are Tweeting about this

And now not realizing he was muted omg #jagmute@theJagmeetSingh this hashtag better trend— Shannon. (@sionainnkerry) November 28, 2020

More streams in the future?

During Friday’s stream, Singh expressed his optimism at doing it again in the future as a way to reach out to young voters.

Earlier this week he ruled out streaming with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, but plenty of NDP caucus members were already scheming about a potential collaboration.

And Alberta’s lone NDP MP was already trash-talking.

If you ask me, I’d love to see B.C. premier and NDP leader John Horgan say that “Among Us” is “lit.” 

And even some actual news

While the stream was largely light-hearted gaming checkered by Canada-U.S. comparisons between Singh and Ocasio-Cortez, the NDP leader did manage to sneak in some actual news for astute political news watchers. About halfway through the stream, Singh hinted that his party would push for domestic COVID-19 vaccine production escalation next week.

“It really speaks to the sovereignty of your country if you can produce them yourself,” he said.

Singh was short on details about what that would look like, but the gamers got to hear it first, which was maybe the point.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost Canada.

MORE TWEETS AND SCREEN SHOTS HERE

Missed Jagmeet Singh And AOC’s ‘Among Us’ Stream? Here Are The 5 Best Moments (msn.com)