Also did you get your phone out of the toilet yet? Should prolly do that soon.
Sooo… Big fan of AOC and Hogg, but the original tweet (I know, I am showing my age here) doesn’t value-judge the holdings, just lists them.
I would have been horrified if she’d had the numbers of a Mitch McConnell or Nancy Pelosi. The current Congress and Administration show very clearly why having people with lots of money run the country is a terrible idea.
maybe the response was addressing comments to, and not the original tweet?
She… she has 66k in bank accounts? I hope they’re at least in CDs or high yield savings; although I guess she gets a pension.
CDs? Compact discs?
She’s not perfect, but she is at least coming from a place where she is aware of the challenges facing regular people. If everyone in congress was like that we’d be in a much better situation.
I seem to recall this was from a few years ago. At this point, I wouldn’t hold it against her if she’s made more money. Big name politicians can make extra money through things like speaking fees and book deals. Honestly, I’d be surprised if any famous politicians aren’t taking speaking fees. Plus, her salary is $174,000/year according to Wikipedia.
I like to at least pretend in my head that I’d be an ethical politician were I ever elected (a job I would never actually want), and if somebody offered me a speaking fee that was sort of the average amount a politician might get, I think I’d still be able to convince myself it wasn’t a bribe.
Yeah I remember during one of Bernie’s presidential runs it was some sort of “gotcha” from the right that he made about $1M in a year. Like… okay? He’d be pretty fucking dumb if he didn’t make that at a bare minimum from his popularity.
Most elected positions don’t pay enough in the U.S. today. This is expecially true in state legislature where most politicians start before attempting a national run. The only people who can afford to run for underpaid positions are either independently wealthy or corrupt. For example let’s look at some of the most corrupt states in the U.S.
Texas - state senators & representatives $7,200 salary and $221/per diem when in session.
Louisiana- senator and representatives $16,800 + $178/per diem and $6000 slush fund.
Utah - state senators and representatives $0 salary and $301/per diem.
Nevada - State senators and representatives $0 salary and $130/per diem.
This lack of pay for positions is deliberate to keep “working class” out of government. It lead to open corruption and conflict of interest being normalized.
Initially politician wasn’t supposed to be a career. It was a side hustle you did after planting and after harvest. Which exains some of the session schedules you see today that seem odd.
I’d argue that we need to get these offices back to being what you do outside your day job again. Whatever that means in modern society. However, if were going to make the mistake of letting it remain a career path. We do need to pay accordingly. While codifying actual laws against graft. Not just unenforceable “norms”.
The difference is that in ye olden days there was simply much less need for full time legislators. In an era where 90% of the population lived on largely self-sufficient family farms, and large scale economic regulation wasn’t widespread, part time legislators made a lot more sense.
Is it that different today? I’d argue a lot of the legislation getting done that isn’t just naming things. Or approving reoccurring spending isn’t just useless, but harmful. At least here in a red state where I live.
All I’m saying is government at all levels today does a hell of a lot more than governments did in the 19th century. We simply ask more from our governments than we used to. And the more a government does, the more legislation will be necessary.
It was designed so that wealthy landowners could attend sessions more easily. Just like the u.s. senate does not represent the population, but the land area. The writers of the national and state constitutions were almost all wealthy landowners.
In my opinion, given the size of the population and the complexity of the economy, full time politicians who are paid very well combined with draconian anti-graft laws are needed.
Most Americans get two weeks off a year, if they’re lucky. There’s no way to make this “outside your day job.”
They’re 100% is. But it 100% requires addressing what you just talked about. There needs to be a new labor movement. Where terms are renegotiated again.
And then they like to put up measures to increase their salary from $5k to $25k, as if that’ll let your average Joe run and isn’t just a handout to the already wealthy scum currently in office. Bonus points when they also try to increase the term limit at the same time.
disclosed
You don’t think Trump’s SS cronies are looking for any and all reasons to off her? Tax evasion or financial fraud would be fucking PERFECT for them to get rid of her
I’ll have you know I quite like AOC but she’s still a politician and she sure as shit isn’t dumb. She has money somewhere she would be stupid not to. To be clear this is also not a bad thing. I would expect her to have money she’s been in politics long enough.
Stop talking.
The previous commenter’s question stands, though. Where would she have this mythical money that the current regime couldn’t find?
Why would they care? You’re assuming she’s a threat, she isn’t. Also there’s tonnes of ways to hide money ask any divorced dad lol
Because they’ve made her a distinct target. They attacked her for wearing a borrowed dress to the Met. They’d leap at the opportunity to tear her down if they had any evidence that would survive scrutiny (since they’re already doing it with evidence that doesn’t).
The Republican and Democratic parties have placed targets on AOC, Bernie Sanders, and Mamdani because they aren’t on the oligarchs side.
And the rest of us are on their side, and it’s time to start throwing our weight around.
It starts with elections. The only reason the Establishment guys are paying attention is because the DemSocs are winning primaries, even against entrenched incumbents. Even worse, those that have been elected are far more effective that the average elected loser, and those wins have tended to be on the side of the Citizens.
They’re doing everything right, they’re succeeding, and they are gathering followers FAST.
No wonder the incumbent losers are panicking. They’ll eventually accept it, and get on board. Except the MAGAs, they should be panicking.
“That these dead shall have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom to oppress the people—and that government of the oligarchs, by the oligarchs, for the oligarchs, shall not perish from the earth.”
Indeed and there are plenty of ill informed dumbshits that will vote against her.
she’s a good start, would get there if she would please come out against israel’s genocide. probably career suicide but…
gotta look again to see if she’s come out anti israel. if so, she’s got my votes.
win!
I wish I had $66k. Could squash my wife’s student loans with that.
AOC has argued for student loan cancellation for all and free college education for all. She and Bernie Sanders have put forth proposals to do just that. They’re just fighting an uphill battle.
Didn’t Biden start implememting that? Or am i misremembering
The Biden administration eventually lost in court. A major campaign promise was to forgive $10k in student loan debt (for those making less than X dollars in income, iirc). Congress couldn’t get a bill for that through, so he tried to use an executive action to order the Department of Education to do it, but a number of (red) states fought it and won in the Supreme Court.
He also tried to restructure existing loan forgiveness programs, like the public service loan forgiveness program that I am in, to make them have shorter terms. This also lost in court eventually. My loans are still in forbearance due that that litigation, but only for a few more weeks.
I still don’t understand why the paycheck loans could be forgiven but not student loans.
Because the paycheck loans were being abused by members of congress and wealthy business owners…
Mohela. Missouri argued theyd disproportionately lose out on profits
That case was so fucking dumb and proved the SCOTUS majority is completely partisan. Missouri had zero standing to sue. The loan forgiveness order was probably illegal but they didn’t even wait for a case that made sense.
Biden also was the one who made loan non-forgiveness his signature piece of legislation in the 2000s. Maybe realized the folly of his ways but his offset was a drop in the fucking ocean.
Another commenter explained how it was stopped, but he was only going to forgive some for people below a threshold. AOC and Sanders are trying to forgive all for everyone and make it free moving forward. AOC was very vocal about Biden not taking it far enough
She’s right – He didn’t take it far enough. By him saying he would forgive $10k for those earning less than blank, meant he believed he had the power to forgive student debt. With that power, he was like, “nah fuck most of 'em. Drown in your debt.” I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – Biden was a huge disappointment.
I hope she gets that golden email, I really do.
I have 0.000000% issue with elected officials at the federal level having investments in the stock market.
So long as it’s done in a way that can reasonably guarantee they aren’t manipulating the market, doing insider trading, etc. This includes things like investing in mutual funds (with caveats obviously) amongst other options from publicly accessible financial services firm.
They made Jimmy Carter give up his peanut farm.
I am pretty confident there’s no such guarantee. Source: the last 250 years of American politics.
I am pretty confident that there’s no way you read “reasonably guarantee” and understood it correctly.
I absolutely did. There’s no way to reasonably guarantee that the people who are making laws that affect companies and individuals aren’t using that power for their own enrichment.
No, I disagree. Elected officials shouldn’t have investments in stocks at all, period. Nor should they be multimillionnaires or richer.
Fascinating. How do you envision that working? And what do you currently do to support this being a possibility?
A public system of all finances of everyone, as is done in some northern countries. Full transparency, so it can be seen who donated to whom. Additionally, no crypto must be owned. No ties to shell companies, no offshore nonsense.
In many countries, it is mandatory to sell your stock and give up bonuses before taking up the job if there is a conflict of interest.
I’d add that whoever earns a combined income higher than 9x the yearly salary of the lowest-paid labourer in their country, must be disposed of all that. Income must be tied to buying power.
But, if you ask me, I’m of the opinion that there are better measures to be taken.
What is given up should be held and owned by an independent worker’s cooperative fund, that will focus on the community’s wellbeing.
I myself joined a trade union, and have thought about setting up an anti-capitalist financial institution. If the Israeli could buy up Palestine, then us labourers also can buy up capitalism and defeat it by itself. We must however also defend our public wellbeing. And that means we must set up our own:
- Farms
- Industry
- Defence
- Economy
- Services
I firmly feel that we must establish our own mutual aid. When we no longer depend on capitalism and are secure, we have sown the roots for our independence from the oligarchs that form CEOs, landlords and private insurers.
If you believe that I would like to invite you to go watch some pro wrestling with me.
I think a society should be judged by its “lowest” members. If those are living well, everyone else will likely live a good life as well.
Might get there faster if politicians would have to live on minimum wage alone.
Actually some idiot previously made fun of her for just this. Some people really deserve to be fiddled by daddy Trump all their life
You don’t mean the sexual way, right? No one deserves that, regardless of political views.
“She doesn’t have the mountain of ill-gotten personal wealth required to understand the commoners and their struggles.”
But still votes to arm Israel
