Ocasio-Cortez Claims New Yorkers Are ‘Outraged’ Over Opening of New Amazon Headquarters
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the democratic socialist who unseated Rep. Joe Crowley in a shocking upset earlier this year, expressed “outrage” on behalf of her constituents over the opening of a new Amazon headquarters in Long Island City, Queens.
Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 13, 2018
The tweets were sent just hours after the Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon plans to open two new east coast locations, one in in Crystal City, Va. and another Long Island City, creating a total 25,000 jobs in the process.
Mayor Bill DeBlasio, who is expected to announce the plan on Tuesday, called it “the single biggest economic development deal in the history of New York City.” But Ocasio-Cortez — a Bernie Sanders acolyte who routinely rails against the malign influence of large corporations — cast the opening of a new Amazon headquarters in her district as yet another opportunity for the wealthiest to pillage the resources of the poor.
Displacement is not community development. Investing in luxury condos is not the same thing as investing in people and families.
Shuffling working class people out of a community does not improve their quality of life.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 13, 2018
Lastly, this isn’t just about one company or one headquarters. It’s about cost of living, corps paying their fair share, etc.
It’s not about picking a fight, either. I was elected to advocate for our community’s interests – & they‘ve requested, clearly, to voice their concerns.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 13, 2018
The 29-year-old former waitress ran on a deeply progressive platform characterized by expansive social benefits including medicare-for-all and tuition-free higher education but has not yet detailed exactly how she will raise sufficient revenue to fund her policies.
Asked about the $32.6 trillion price tag recently placed on Sanders’ Medicare-for-all plan, Ocasio-Cortez has fallen back on the savings that would result from eliminating out-of-pocket cost to the consumer at the point of care.
“People often say, like, how are you going to pay for it and I find the question so puzzling because ‘How do you pay for something that’s more affordable? How do you pay for cheaper rent?’ You just pay for it,” she said during an interview last week with Jorge Ramos. “We’re paying more now.”
