Representative Alexandria-Cortez has gained a well-earned reputation for her stinging Twitter rebukes aimed at Republicans foolhardy enough to try to put her down. Former Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker tried to do this Tuesday and his ears must surely be burning now.
Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) is a proponent of the New Green Deal, which proposed a number of environmental initiatives for fighting climate change and called for upping the tax rates of the wealthiest Americans (earning $10 million or more) to 70 percent. As part of the plan, people earning up to $75,000 would pay about 10 to 15 percent in taxes, Newsweek reports.
“That doesn’t mean all $10 million are taxed at an extremely high rate,” Ocasio-Cortez said during an interview with CBS’s 60 Minutes. “But it means that as you climb up this ladder, you should be contributing more.”
Walker tried to mock Ocasio-Cortez’s idea on Twitter.
“Explaining tax rates before Reagan to 5th graders: ‘Imagine if you did chores for your grandma and she gave you $10. When you got home, your parents took $7 from you.’ The students said: ‘That’s not fair!’ Even 5th get it.”
Explaining tax rates before Reagan to 5th graders: “Imagine if you did chores for your grandma and she gave you $10. When you got home, your parents took $7 from you.” The students said: “That’s not fair!” Even 5th graders get it.
— Scott Walker (@ScottWalker) January 15, 2019
Ocasio-Cortez was quick to respond and upbraided Walker for being wrong. On Twitter, of course, according to Raw Story.
“Explaining marginal taxes to a far-right former Governor: Imagine if you did chores for abuela & she gave you $10. When you got home, you got to keep it, because it’s only $10. Then we taxed the billionaire in town because he’s making tons of money underpaying the townspeople.”
Explaining marginal taxes to a far-right former Governor:
Imagine if you did chores for abuela & she gave you $10. When you got home, you got to keep it, because it’s only $10.
Then we taxed the billionaire in town because he’s making tons of money underpaying the townspeople. https://t.co/Wcnn2sEgek
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) January 15, 2019
And if you step beyond Twitter, polls show her plan is popular. A survey conducted by The Hill/Harris Poll found that a sizable majority — 59 percent agreed with the idea of raising the highest tax bracket to 70 percent. Even a fair percentage (45 percent of Republicans) were on board with this.
Most notably, many economists, including Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman say Ocasio-Cortez’s tax policies are sound.
More than a few Twitter users also couldn’t resist upbraiding Walker. Enjoy!
So you lied to 5th graders because you are a moron who doesn’t understand what AOC but wanted to use your FOX News got take?
I’m so glad you lost.
— Tony Posnanski (@tonyposnanski) January 15, 2019
Imagine anyone caring what you think about anything ever again.
— shauna (@goldengateblond) January 15, 2019
Bro, you know damn well a school wasn't dumb enough to let you speak.
— Isaac (@WorldofIsaac) January 15, 2019
excited to hear how you'll mis-explain ratios to them
— maura quint (@behindyourback) January 15, 2019
how many of the 5th graders then got up and corrected you about how it *actually* worked
— Bill P (@Bill_TPA) January 15, 2019
Featured image license CC Attribution 3.0 by El Borde via Wikimedia Commons
