Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continued her argument in favor of increasing congressional pay in a series of eyebrow-raising tweets.
The freshman New York Democrat doubled down on her support for pay raises for Congress, leaving many to feel like her remarks exposed her socialist agenda and amounted to a form of “extortion.”
Ocasio-Cortez responded on Twitter to a comment on the decision by House Democrats to suspend their efforts to secure a pay increase for the first time in nearly a decade.
The 29-year-old lawmaker who has been in office all of six months, collecting a $174,000 taxpayer-funded salary, told Fox News Monday that the proposed $4,500 pay increase was “not even like a raise.”
AOC demands increase in long-winded rant after Dems halt self-pay hike due to bad optics: ‘It’s not even like a raise’ https://t.co/OjTlhLgQjv pic.twitter.com/Egop7kZgL5
— Conservative News (@BIZPACReview) June 11, 2019
Not getting those pay hikes, Ocasio-Cortez argued on Twitter Tuesday morning, will encourage the ongoing existence of “dark money loopholes.”
Yep. Voting against cost of living increases for members of Congress may sound nice, but doing so only increases pressure on them to keep dark money loopholes open.
This makes campaign finance reform *harder.*
ALL workers deserve cost of living increases, incl min wage workers. https://t.co/fCdgHKx4G1
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 11, 2019
She added that the system then rewards “those who rely on money loopholes and other forms of self-dealing” when they are not given pay raises.
What this does is punish members who rely on a straight salary, and reward those who rely on money loopholes and other forms of self-dealing.
For example, it incentivizes the horrible kinds of legislative looting we saw in the GOP tax scam bill.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 11, 2019
The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist drove her point home, apparently believing her argument was a good one in favor of pay raises.
“Voting against cost of living increases is 1 reason why dark $ loopholes stay open,” she tweeted.
It’s not a fun or politically popular position to take. But consistency is important.
ALL workers should get cost of living increases. That’s why minimum wage should be pegged to inflation, too.
Voting against cost of living increases is 1 reason why dark $ loopholes stay open.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 11, 2019
One of many Twitter users who pushed back, suggesting Congress get some work done before voting to give themselves a pay raise, prompted Ocasio-Cortez to tout the benefits of “democratically socialist businesses” and methods.
Nah @AOC I disagree with you here. Pass term limits, immigration reform, min. Wage increase first, then you can adjust your salaries for cost of living. I’m sure we all would vote to give ourselves a raise too but we can’t.
— iWill (@iWill2_) June 11, 2019
In democratically socialist businesses (like worker co-ops) or methods (like collective bargaining) you actually CAN vote for a worker pay increase.
Many do!
We can’t pass these laws bc of big money. This is how you chip at it.
Like I said, it’s not popular but I’m being ? https://t.co/toFwbs56x0
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) June 11, 2019
But advocating for a pay hike, while warning that voting against the increase will mean “dark money” wins, was not only a questionable stance, it was one that didn’t win many over to Ocasio-Cortez.
It’s starting.
She talks about capping income for us, but doesn’t think twice about calling for pay increases for the government.
Kids, just say no to Socialism. https://t.co/4w5I2Rp0EO
— Eric Spencer (@JustEric) June 11, 2019
Sounds a bit like extortion. ?
— Stephen L. Hall (@StephenLHall) June 11, 2019
“Give us more money, or we’ll just get it elsewhere. Whatever it takes, bitches.”
Ransom demands. https://t.co/4mKDnXHAp1
— Gordon Shuckrow III (@GordonShuckrow3) June 11, 2019
wait…what!!!!!!
if you don’t give us more money we’re going to be corrupt! ahahahahahahahahahahahaha
— Gianbattista (@gbtiepolo1) June 11, 2019
In other words: Either you pay me more or I’ll start breaking the law because I can’t control my nature. Correct?
— Alejandro Palomares (@AHPSC) June 11, 2019
Fed-up Americans trying to pay their bills with regular paychecks called out the congresswoman with scathing reminders about counting her blessings – and doing her job.
No.
One, you make almost $200,000, that seems more than enough to get by on to me.
Two, it seems you folks all leave Congress as millionaires anyway. Why should we throw more on top of that? https://t.co/fVA1R0FfSI
— Persnickety (@Dawnsfire) June 11, 2019
All workers don’t work for a few months a year and have the security of a 2-6 year contract with healthcare and a pension for life. If Congress stopped worrying about investigating each other and did some actual work, people might be more inclined to agree.
— Matt Micros (@Macros1) June 11, 2019
The grifter who was bartending last year is there for the $$$.
Not just 174k salary. She wants those books deals and a nice retainer from CNN and MSNBC.— AtticusLee (@AtticusLee6) June 11, 2019
If you can’t get by on $174k a year, which is far more than the average American makes, maybe you’re too stupid to be in Congress.
And the fact.many can’t is largely the reason why America is $22 TRILLION in debt.https://t.co/6Q6MKo3vkg
— BonkPolitics (@BonkPolitics) June 11, 2019
Heh… it’s not designed to be a career either. It’s a service job that you all should do for two terms max and leave. Don’t like the pay, graduate in your career. Thx
— Colorado RedTraci (@goptraci) June 11, 2019
You already make four to five times what my family makes but you need to worry about cost of living ….
— Bip sutton (@bippal) June 11, 2019
You volunteered for the job, Sandy. You knew what the pay was. We are $22,000,000,000,000 in debt as a country. GTFO with your raises. You make 3x the National avg. live within your means and shut up.
— Whatevs (@danobrien1972) June 11, 2019
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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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