Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a political novice who was recently elected to the House of Representatives, is making it known that she wants a seat on the influential House Finance Committee as well as the Energy and Commerce Committee.
The request is a highly unusual one given the fact seats on these committees are awarded based solely on seniority. What is more, there are many who are concerned that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez doesn’t understand how the government and financial system work, even though she has a degree in economics.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez embraces a socialist platform that not only goes against the basic principles of the Constitution, but also makes no financial sense for those who are supposed to benefit from it.
Recently, the representative-elect complained that a restaurant she used to work at closed down without noting the fact that the restaurant’s owner recently told journalists the reason the restaurant closed down was because New York is raising the minimum wage and the restaurant simply does not have the funds to cover the additional expense. Raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour is one of Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s pet positions and one that she will most likely push if granted committee membership.
Ms. Ocasio-Cortez also told journalists that the unemployment rate is low only because many people are working two or three jobs. Her mistake is a surprising one for a university graduate as it is common knowledge that the number of jobs the average American holds has no bearing on the unemployment rate. Anyone who is currently working is counted as employed.
Furthermore, the representative-elect has railed against Uber for putting cabbies out of business and then used her rant to justify calling for a Federal Jobs guarantee, a popular cause promoted by various left-leaning politicians who feel that even more government involvement in the life to ordinary citizens is the answer to all life’s problems.
It seems unlikely that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez would be given a seat on any committee; however, it does remain a possibility. It is interesting to note that shortly before her public request to have a seat on two influential House committees, Ms. Ocasio-Cortez announced that she would back Rep. Nancy Pelosi for Speaker of the House. The move is a surprising one as Ms. Ocasio-Cortez had earlier called for Rep. Pelosi to step aside and allow someone else to take up the gavel. In fact, she even joined a group of protestors who camped outside of Rep. Pelosi’s office to demand more action on climate change. Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s change of position is one that is leaving many people wondering if she cut a deal in exchange for party loyalty.
There are also concerns that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez’s primary reason for wanting a seat on two well-known House committees is that she wants access to large donations that are typically given to members of these committees. Given the fact that the Republicans control the Senate and the presidency, it is highly unlikely that any bills the Democrats pass in the House will become law in the foreseeable future. The House committees, powerful as they may seem, can’t enact legislation on their own.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has generated a great deal of attention for herself since unseating ten-term Congressman Joe Crowley earlier this year. Even so, it would seem the representative-elect has the mistaken impression that she is more important and worthy of attention than she really is. Her positions on a number of important financial and legal matters would cause ruin for the very people that she claims she wants to help. Her lack of basic knowledge of how the government works is beyond worrisome.
Thankfully, the odds of her being granted a chair on even one committee aren’t high; furthermore, the system of checks and balances put in place by the Founding Fathers ensures that, at present, the socialist platform that Ms. Ocasio-Cortez stands for won’t become a reality anytime soon.
~ Patriotic Freedom Fighter
