Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

[southernhybrid]

Paul Krugman defends AOC, by explaining that her opinion on tax policy is based on information from many economists.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/opinion/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-tax-policy-dance.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

The controversy of the moment involves AOC’s advocacy of a tax rate of 70-80 percent on very high incomes, which is obviously crazy, right? I mean, who thinks that makes sense? Only ignorant people like … um, Peter Diamond, Nobel laureate in economics and arguably the world’s leading expert on public finance (although Republicans blocked him from an appointment to the Federal Reserve Board with claims that he was unqualified. Really.) And it’s a policy nobody has every implemented, aside from … the United States, for 35 years after World War II — including the most successful period of economic growth in our history.

To be more specific, Diamond, in work with Emmanuel Saez — one of our leading experts on inequality — estimated the optimal top tax rate to be 73 percent. Some put it higher: Christina Romer, top macroeconomist and former head of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, estimates it at more than 80 percent.

I know that Krugman freaks out conservatives, but he does give plenty of evidence that AOC didn't pull those figures out of her ass. She actually did some research before coming to a conclusion about tax rates on the ultra wealthy.

 

[southernhybrid]

But wait, there's more. Maureen Down, had an amusing editorial about the Republican snowflakes reaction to AOC etc.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/opinion/sunday/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-pelosi-congress-dance.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

No longer content with Nancy Pelosi, the right craves a new she-devil. Republicans have mocked Ocasio-Cortez’s hardscrabble story, howled at her proposal to soak the rich with a 70 percent tax, scrutinized her clothes and booed her at Pelosi’s swearing-in. A.O.C. saucily tweeted back, “Don’t hate me cause you ain’t me, fellas.”

The frenzy reached new absurdity when a tweet popped up with a video of her with friends at Boston University doing a dance from “The Breakfast Club,” with this slam: “Here is America’s favorite commie know-it-all acting like the clueless nitwit she is.” Holy Footloose.

“It is unsurprising to me that Republicans would think having fun should be disqualifying or illegal,” she told The Hill.

Liz Cheney, part of the Republican House leadership, complained about “foul language,” ignoring the fact that her father used an epithet during an argument about Halliburton and Iraq on the Senate floor. Trump huffily called Tlaib’s vulgarism “disgraceful” and “highly disrespectful to the United States of America.”

The spectacle of Republicans as snowflakes is rich. But while the fiery spirit among the new Democrats is refreshing and members of Congress are entitled to say what they want, the brat pack may want to avoid getting too far over their skis while their learning curve is steep.

They should focus on the big picture: Trump is doing such an amazing job as a vulgarian and villain, it would be a shame to get in the way.

 

[RavenSky]

'Leaked' Video Of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Proves She... Has Friends, Can Dance | HuffPost "The youngest congresswoman dared to participate in a viral “Breakfast Club” video while in college. Oh, the scandal!"

Various sympathizers responded

Neither AOC or any representative of her made any response to that video.

Yes, they did. They responded with humour:

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1081234130841600000

 

[RavenSky]

3. has a great personality, and 4. looks pretty,

Debatable.

2/10. Would not bang (except doggy style).

Don't worry Derec... she wouldn't "bang" you either.

 

[RavenSky]

Paul Krugman defends AOC, by explaining that her opinion on tax policy is based on information from many economists.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/05/opinion/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-tax-policy-dance.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage

The controversy of the moment involves AOC’s advocacy of a tax rate of 70-80 percent on very high incomes, which is obviously crazy, right? I mean, who thinks that makes sense? Only ignorant people like … um, Peter Diamond, Nobel laureate in economics and arguably the world’s leading expert on public finance (although Republicans blocked him from an appointment to the Federal Reserve Board with claims that he was unqualified. Really.) And it’s a policy nobody has every implemented, aside from … the United States, for 35 years after World War II — including the most successful period of economic growth in our history.

To be more specific, Diamond, in work with Emmanuel Saez — one of our leading experts on inequality — estimated the optimal top tax rate to be 73 percent. Some put it higher: Christina Romer, top macroeconomist and former head of President Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, estimates it at more than 80 percent.

I know that Krugman freaks out conservatives, but he does give plenty of evidence that AOC didn't pull those figures out of her ass. She actually did some research before coming to a conclusion about tax rates on the ultra wealthy.

Thank you for posting this ^^^^

Here's another article in support:

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is floating a 70 percent top tax rate — here’s the research that backs her up

https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/4/18168431/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-70-percent

 

[RavenSky]

New Green Deal

Many people ask what a Green New Deal entails.

We are calling for a wartime-level, just economic mobilization plan to get to 100% renewable energy ASAP.

To read more, check out http://ocasio2018.com/gnd - that’s our resolution text. Read Section #6 for our detailed scope & scale.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jxUzp9SZ6-VB-4wSm8sselVMsqWZrSrYpYC9slHKLzo/edit

 

[RavenSky]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

 

[RavenSky]

Republicans: Let Americans keep more of their own hard-earned money
Democrats: Take away 70% of your income and give it to leftist fantasy programs

You’re the GOP Minority Whip. How do you not know how marginal tax rates work? Oh that’s right, almost forgot: GOP works for the corporate CEOs showering themselves in multi-millionbonuses; not the actual working people whose wages + healthcare they’re ripping off for profit.

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1081761714096476160

 

[poster]

Republicans: Let Americans keep more of their own hard-earned money
Democrats: Take away 70% of your income and give it to leftist fantasy programs

You’re the GOP Minority Whip. How do you not know how marginal tax rates work? Oh that’s right, almost forgot: GOP works for the corporate CEOs showering themselves in multi-millionbonuses; not the actual working people whose wages + healthcare they’re ripping off for profit.

https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1081761714096476160

The lady's got moxie. I like it. She's smart and tough.

What AOC is bringing to the Democratic party is wit and a willingness for unconventional public debate. This is something Republicans have been doing for years. I hope more Dems get the message and drop the pretense that they are too sophisticated to engage in this type of debate.

Call it as you see it and don't be afraid to verbalize that. Can't be afraid to be called out.

 

[Harry Bosch]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

It wouldn't be a good time right now to have a guarantied federal job! But what does she mean "hold Wall Street Accountable"? The stock market goes up and down. Is she saying that people shouldn't want to sell when Trump says something crazy?

 

[GenesisNemesis]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

It wouldn't be a good time right now to have a guarantied federal job! But what does she mean "hold Wall Street Accountable"? The stock market goes up and down. Is she saying that people shouldn't want to sell when Trump says something crazy?

When progressives say "Hold Wall Street Accountable" they usually mean more regulations on banking, but also probably would include stock trading.

 

[poster]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

But what does she mean "hold Wall Street Accountable"? The stock market goes up and down. Is she saying that people shouldn't want to sell when Trump says something crazy?

"Wall Street" is often a reference to banking. That is what I assume she meant.

 

[Harry Bosch]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

It wouldn't be a good time right now to have a guarantied federal job! But what does she mean "hold Wall Street Accountable"? The stock market goes up and down. Is she saying that people shouldn't want to sell when Trump says something crazy?

When progressives say "Hold Wall Street Accountable" they usually mean more regulations on banking, but also probably would include stock trading.

I've never seen a progressive position to advocate limiting public stock trading. How would that help anyone? I favor more strident regulations on banks (mostly feel that their capital requirements should be higher so that they fail less) but I also think it would hurt the economy if they had less incentive to lend.

 

[GenesisNemesis]

How would that help anyone?

I'm not sure how stock trading helps anyone except the rich.

 

[poster]

When progressives say "Hold Wall Street Accountable" they usually mean more regulations on banking, but also probably would include stock trading.

I've never seen a progressive position to advocate limiting public stock trading. How would that help anyone? I favor more strident regulations on banks (mostly feel that their capital requirements should be higher so that they fail less) but I also think it would hurt the economy if they had less incentive to lend.

True progressives would advocate ending stock trading all together. The people you know who call themselves progressives are either lying to you about their poltical leanings or are completely ignorant of what "progressive" means in this context.

Either way, you've been bamboozled.

 

[Harry Bosch]

How would that help anyone?

I'm not sure how stock trading helps anyone except the rich.

Well, most workers today have no pensions. SSN is unreliable. Good idea to strip 401ks also? How are working people suppose to retire?

 

[GenesisNemesis]

How would that help anyone?

I'm not sure how stock trading helps anyone except the rich.

Well, most workers today have no pensions. SSN is unreliable. Good idea to strip 401ks also? How are working people suppose to retire?

I don't know enough about SSN or 401ks to comment on those, but I do see that whenever the stock market goes down, it hurts the poor the most. Why's that acceptable? And it's based entirely on chance.

 

[poster]

How would that help anyone?

I'm not sure how stock trading helps anyone except the rich.

Well, most workers today have no pensions. SSN is unreliable. Good idea to strip 401ks also? How are working people suppose to retire?

That's because neoliberal policies have bamboozled American democratic rank and file into believing the stock market, rather than supporting eachother generationally, is a better idea. It was a radical idea at the time, and it was, and is, wrong.

eta: But it can be fixed.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Well, most workers today have no pensions. SSN is unreliable. Good idea to strip 401ks also? How are working people suppose to retire?

I don't know enough about SSN or 401ks to comment on those, but I do see that whenever the stock market goes down, it hurts the poor the most. Why's that acceptable? And it's based entirely on chance.

I'm not so sure that stock market decreasing hurts the poor the most. It certainly hurts speculators. If you are a long term purchaser (which most workers who rely on 401ks are), you benefit when buying during a down market. Certainly large rich holders suffer greatly when it drops. Why do you claim that it's entirely based on chance? Apple took a great hit last week because their business strategy in China is not working. How is that chance?

 

[southernhybrid]

SouthernHybrid noted AOC's 70% top tax rate proposal. I posted above a link to part of her "New Green Deal" proposal.

Some of her other political positions:

Support a Federal Jobs Guarantee
Bailout Student Debt / Student Loan Cancellation
College for All
Legalize Marijuana
Explore Reparations
Baby Bonds
Endorse Single-Payer Medicare for All
Hold Wall Street Accountable
Make Min Wage = Living Wage
Cancel Puerto Rican Debt
End For-Profit Prisons & ICE Detention

Except for not knowing what "baby bonds" means, I'm not seeing anything in there that I disagree with.

It wouldn't be a good time right now to have a guarantied federal job! But what does she mean "hold Wall Street Accountable"? The stock market goes up and down. Is she saying that people shouldn't want to sell when Trump says something crazy?

I read somewhere that she and a few others wanted a small tax on stock trades, as well as taxing capital gains as regular income. Short term capital gains are already taxed as regular income. Maybe that's what she means. Of course, none of this is going to happen as long as the Senate and presidency are in Republican hands. And, even if Dems were in complete control, few of these things will ever happen. The US isn't made up of people with views as far left as some of the new Dems. If they gain power, and can make a very good, detailed case as to how some of these things could be done in a realistic way, perhaps over time, progress will be made.

One of the things that few people seem to understand, is that 1/3rd of current Medicare recipients get their coverage from Advantage Plans, which are private insurance plans, similar to HMOs. The premiums are lower, but the programs are subsidized by the government. I've not seen anything realistic put forth that would explain how Medicare would be paid for if everybody received it, or how much taxes would need to be raised if everyone received it without copays or premiums. Hopefully, the increased taxes would be less than current insurance premiums. Medicare for all would be a big help to business, since most working people currently get their coverage through their employers.

Another thing that hasn't been addressed is Part D, the drug coverage part of Medicare, which is also a private insurance plan. How do you transition from this to full governmental coverage? What happens to the thousands of people who work in the health insurance industry? Medicare currently doesn't cover dental or vision care, yet those who promote Medicare for all say these things will be covered. How does that happen? What about long term care? It's the most expensive part of old age care, but Medicare only covers rehab. I'm not against UHC, but I haven't seen a realistic plan yet that would allow us to go from where we are today to where we want to be. I tend to think that we might be better off by following some of the European countries that use insurance to provide care. I think the insurance companies might be non profit, but I really don't know enough about them.