Freshman House Rep. Dan Crenshaw and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez locked horns on Twitter as they traded barbs following Sunday’s Super Bowl game.
Crenshaw kicked off with a timely jab at his Democratic colleague in a tweet following the win by the New England Patriots over the Los Angeles Rams in Sunday’s Super Bowl LIII. The Texas Republican and former Navy SEAL, who lost his eye while serving in Afghanistan, knocked Ocasio-Cortez’s progressive ideas in a tweet about her proposed 70 percent marginal tax rate.
“Should someone propose a 70% tax on the Patriots so that NFL competition is more fair and equal? Asking for a friend,” Crenshaw tweeted Sunday.
Should someone propose a 70% tax on the Patriots so that NFL competition is more fair and equal? Asking for a friend.
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) February 4, 2019
The Patriots now maintain the impressive distinction of winning six Super Bowl titles. Crenshaw’s analogy was aimed at AOC’s ‘spread the wealth’ mantra, after all, too much winning (or success) is not allowed in Ocasio-Cortez’s view, according to her politics.
But Crenshaw’s point seemed to fly over the heads of many on Twitter, including Ocasio-Cortez.
“I’ve seen politicians make it clear they don’t understand sports, and I’ve seen ones make it clear they don’t understand taxes, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone do both at once,” Princeton history professor Kevin Kruse tweeted.
I’ve seen politicians make it clear they don’t understand sports, and I’ve seen ones make it clear they don’t understand taxes, but I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone do both at once. Congrats!
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 4, 2019
Former NFL star Donte Stallworth, who once played with the Patriots, could not understand what Crenshaw was saying.
I’ve read that tweet 5x and I still don’t know wtf he’s talking about.
— Donté Stallworth (@DonteStallworth) February 4, 2019
When he learns about the NFL’s salary cap and revenue sharing system, he is going to be FURIOUS.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) February 4, 2019
Others also took shots at the wounded war veteran on Twitter.
I’m not sure which is worse.
1) You’ve never heard of a salary cap.
2) You think progressive taxes tax all income at the highest rate.
3) Snarkily using “Asking for a friend” about something you actually don’t understand.— kalbzayn (@kalbzayn) February 4, 2019
By Monday morning, Ocasio-Cortez finally responded with a tweet of her own.
The average NFL salary is $2.1 million, so most players would never experience a 70% rate.
The owners who refuse to hire Kaepernick would, though. https://t.co/AnST2lCiU9
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 4, 2019
The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist defended her proposal, noting that most NFL players would not likely be affected, though team owners would, making a reference to former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, Colin Kaepernick, who hasn’t played since 2017 after igniting controversy over kneeling during the national anthem in 2016.
Plans to increase taxes on the wealthiest in America could certainly affect league owners, as noted by Market Watch:
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is worth $6.6 billion, according to Forbes, while Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who is married to WalmartWMT, +0.51% heiress Ann Walton, is worth $8.5 billion.
There were a few players on the field during the Super Bowl who would certainly be impacted, as well, including defensive tackle Aaron Donald of the Rams and his $40 million salary. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s total earnings in 2018, Forbes estimates, were around $29 million.
Ocasio-Cortez has been repeatedly slammed for her proposed tax plan, with former Starbucks CEO and 2020 hopeful Howard Schultz calling the lawmaker out for demonizing billionaires, and even President Trump taking a jab at her plan with a tweet responding to events in Venezuela.
Many Twitter users saw Crenshaw’s point and came to his defense, slamming critics.
#AOC is a nut case. Dan Crenshaw for President.
— MsZuccarello (@CarmiOnTheVerge) February 4, 2019
This little twit doesn’t deserve to tie his shoes.
— Jeffersonian Jim (@rrman48) February 4, 2019
Another week, another dumb “hot take” from AOC
— What_da_puck! (@tlschrades) February 4, 2019
He did fine. AOC basically said the team owners would have to pay more for not signing Kaepernick. Maybe she should be more worried about the guy who was shot to death on the subway platform by MS-13 members. The shooting took place in her district.
— Shay (@DeplorableShay) February 5, 2019
I’ll take Dan any day over the socialist.
— Brian Summers (@LTRegulate) February 5, 2019
Yeah. Because he actually sacrificed for his country.
I don’t agree with a # of his views, but his patriotism is unquestionable. Hers – meh— Tony Connors (@RealTonyConnors) February 5, 2019
Who cares? Crenshaw is a hero. #AOC is a loudmouth Leftist unworthy of a congressional seat from an all-American place like her district
— Bob Sikes (@BobSikes) February 5, 2019
Crenshaw’s attempt to poke his House colleague on her tax plan was not the Texas Republican’s first shot at the New York lawmaker. Responding to her remarks about a video of her dancing being “scandalous,” Crenshaw tweeted that Ocasio-Cortez should “dance away.”
No one thinks this is scandalous. Dance away (was actually pretty good).
What is scandalous is increasing income taxes to 70%. It’s wholly unethical for anyone to work a majority of the year just to give their money to the government.
Dancing’s great, but ideas matter more. https://t.co/8RIShEJjAL
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 4, 2019
“What is scandalous is increasing income taxes to 70%,” he added, however. “Dancing’s great, but ideas matter more.”
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Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.
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