“It is bizarre to see 1%-salaried anchors laugh at the US housing crisis.”
Photo by DON EMMERT Contributor, Getty Images
Last week, GOOD highlighted Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’ very real-life struggle to find housing in Washington, D.C. after becoming the youngest woman ever elected to Congress.
She told The New York Times that her situation is unusual because “I can’t really take a salary. I have three months without a salary before I’m a member of Congress,” she said. “So, how do I get an apartment? Those little things are very real.”
Ocasio-Cortez saved up some money from her previous job at a restaurant which she quit to hit the campaign trail.
“We’re kind of just dealing with the logistics of it day by day, but I’ve really been just kind of squirreling away and then hoping that gets me to January,” she said.
While Ocasio-Cortez’ housing problems are undoubtedly a headache for her, they show why her election is so important. According to a report by Quartz, the median member of the U.S. Congress was worth over $1 million. That’s 12 times greater than the net wealth of the median U.S. household.
Ocasio-Cortez gives working-class Americans a voice in a Congress full of out-of-touch lawmakers in the one-percent.
\n40% of ALL Americans currently struggle to pay for one basic need like food or rent. As much as @FoxNews likes to mock the working-class, the real scandal is that at the wealthiest point in our history, we are at one of our most unequal. Most Americans are barely scraping by.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 9, 2018\n
However, conservatives saw Ocasio-Cortez’ struggle to find housing as an opportunity to bash the Democratic-Socialist.
\nWorking class people make a way to afford their rent. Mooching, spoiled, entitled brats on the other hand whine so that some one else will pay the tab. Mommy and daddy cut you off little girl?
— Daniel Griffin (@danimal09752) November 11, 2018\n
\n“You just pay for it”... lol! That was her answer to paying for the “Medicare for All” plan. So, just pay your rent @Ocasio2018
— Toni Brooks (@tonij_87) November 9, 2018\n
\n@Ocasio2018 doesn't need to rent an apartment in D.C. given that she's living rent-free in conservative heads pic.twitter.com/IemFCd2Zmy
— Conye McCool (@connor544) November 13, 2018\n
Fox News also made sure they got their shots in on the 29-year-old Congresswoman. While discussing the topic they ran a chyon that read: “Self-proclaimed socialist says she can’t afford DC rent.”
Contributor Judy Miller and host Bill Hemmer chuckled about the fact that Ocasio-Cortez was working at a restaurant before launching a bold campaign to help low-income people like herself.
Miller called Ocasio-Cortez’ story a “political lie.”
So Ocasio-Cortez called them out on Twitter while noting that the wealthy progate inequality by mocking low-income people.
\n1. @FoxNews, why can’t any of your anchors say my name correctly? It’s been 5 months. 2. It is bizarre to see 1%-salaried anchors laugh at the US housing crisis. 3. Never purchased pricey clothes + always told my story. But repeating lies until they are believed is your thing. https://t.co/Py5aXFi3Z4
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 9, 2018\n
\nThere is no reason to be ashamed or embarrassed. Mocking lower incomes is exactly how those who benefit from + promote wealth inequality the most keep everyday people silent about 1 of the worst threats to American society: that the rich are getting richer and the poor, poorer. https://t.co/aWaOzy7UJJ
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 9, 2018\n
Ocasio-Cortez says that her living situation is being worked out, but it shouldn’t be overlooked because its emblematic of how working people are disenfranchised by the political process.
\nThere are many little ways in which our electoral system isn’t even designed (nor prepared) for working-class people to lead. This is one of them (don’t worry btw - we’re working it out!) ?? https://t.co/PEQ5ccSDSO
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 8, 2018\n
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Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez explains what's really wrong with sexist attack from GOP congressman - GOOD
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