Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is This Year’s Break Out Politician
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at the New York City Women’s March. Photo: John Lamparski 2018/Getty Images
The most recent radical politician coming out of Congress is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Since being sworn in on Jan. 3, 2019, Ocasio-Cortez serves as a United States Representative for New York's 14th Congressional District. Ocasio-Cortez is a Democratic Socialist and is a very controversial politician within the Republican party, as well as within her own Democratic party.
According to The New York Times the young politician delivered a major upset to a ten-term republican, Joe Crowley and went on to become the youngest woman ever elected to the United States Congress at the age of 29.
“Her being the youngest woman to ever become a congresswoman makes her feel like breaking the glass ceiling is really possible” said Samantha Mickly, a 19-year-old college student at St. Bonaventure University studying political science.
Some of her political ideologies include single payer Medicare For All, free public college, guaranteed paid family leave, abolishing United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement, federal job guarantee, ending privatized prisons, and renewable energy infrastructure. The policy she is most known for establishing is the Green New Deal. The Green New Deal is an economic stimulus program that is aiming to help defeat climate change while at the same time creating jobs that will help the United States economy.
Ocasio-Cortez plans on doing this by introducing a marginal tax rate of 70 percent to United States citizens who make above 10 million dollars. This means on their 10 millionth dollar they will be taxed 70 percent on anything they make over that amount.
The Washington Post's tax experts stated this taxation will generate an extra $720 billion per decade to put towards improving our environment and economy.
She would not have been able to accomplish getting elected or broadcasting her liberal views without the help of social media platforms. “I am not that into politics, but I first heard about the Green New Deal and her policies through Twitter so I decided to follow her to stay informed” said Ella Dion, a 20-year-old LIM College student.
Because of her generational standing as a Millennial, Ocasio-Cortez can confidently take advantage of social media platforms to their full potential. She utilizes popular apps such as Twitter to broadcast her views. Ocasio-Cortez currently has over 3 million followers on Twitter. This has helped her gain attention while running for office, as well as get information out to the masses about The Green New Deal. In return, it has helped her attain mass amounts of supporters for this new policy.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is definitely a politician to keep an eye on in these upcoming years. With her progressive ideas and her vast social media presence she is bound to make some big changes in our government. It is only the beginning for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.