The AOC: Trump, Ocasio-Cortez, the Founding Fathers, Sundance and skin care

United States Capitol. Benjamin Kanter/Mayoral Photo Office.

The Swamp fights back

Writing in the New York Post on Saturday, Trump-whisperer Salena Zito applies her “special” understanding of the American electorate’s psyche to explain AOC’s populist rise. Simply put: Ocasio-Cortez and Trump are two sides of the same coin of voter discontent with the status quo. Ho-hum.[/caption]

The Hill reports that some Dems are floating the idea of a primary challenge for Ocasio-Cortez. “What I have recommended to the New York delegation is that you find her a primary opponent and make her a one-term congressperson,” the Democratic lawmaker, who requested anonymity, told The Hill. Any guesses on who steps up to take on AOC in June 2020? Write in your suggestions in the comment box below.

In the meanwhile, her response on Twitter is classic AOC:

Even Founding Fathers Approve

Eric Levitz writes in New York magazine that like the American Founding Fathers, Ocasio-Cortez believes concentrated wealth is incompatible with democracy. Levitz based his thesis on the observations of slaveholder Thomas Jefferson during a trip to France. Jefferson’s wrote that “[French] aristocrats had grown so wealthy, they were happy to leave their lands uncultivated, even as masses of idle workers were eager to improve it.” Of course, Jefferson used slave labor, not wage-demanding poor whites, to cultivate his lands. Poor Eric!

Sundance Film Fest

“Ocasio-Cortez to skip Sundance premiere, citing shutdown” read a NY Post story on Saturday. She tweeted, “Due to complications from the gov shutdown, I’ll miss @jubileefilms’ premiere of “Knock Down the House.” But she appeared via big screen.

Science & History vs AOC

Bjorn Lomborg writing in the New York Post took AOC to task for saying that “the world is gonna end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change.” Lomborg acknowledged that “her full remarks made it clear she only meant that the world would begin to end in 12 years if we don’t act.” Yet he insisted that she was still wildly wrong and science was on his side.

NY Post Business columnist John Crudele tackled AOC’s and Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s proposals to tax the uber-rich on Tuesday. Crudele asserts that their proposals are really smart because the rich will become “tax exiles” by taking up residence on a foreign shore, like Monte Carlo. But he cynically concludes that both will back off as wealthy donors apply pressure. He doesn’t know AOC as well as he thinks does. For shame, John.

When fighting the good fight, skincare is essential

In the quest for copy to write about DC’s young social-media star, AOC’s skin care regimen began fodder for national media outlets. Vanity Fair gushed, “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Breaks Down Her Skin-Care Routine,” while Vox quipped faux-incredulously that “it took this long for a politician to reveal his skin care regimen because no one would think to ask a 78-year-old white man about his daily skin care routine.” Thatiana Diaz over at Refinery 29 enthused that “the congresswoman is proving that self care should always be a priority.”

It seems all it took was for an Instagram follower to inquire about how she stays stress-free with glowing skin. The apparently boundary-less Ocasio-Cortez responded with a breakdown of her full skin-care routine, which includes double cleansing, followed by toner and actives, and ends with a moisturizer and S.P.F. But she also took the opportunity to recommend the three works that she says helped her most with public speaking (Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, the Gettysburg Address, and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “Drum Major Instinct” sermon). Alex from the block is one savvy pol.

AOC conquers podcasting

I’ll sign off this edition of The AOC with her tweet and link to her first podcast episode as congresswoman.

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