The newly elected member of congress has used Twitter to push the Green New Deal, and is pushing back against flack from critics.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has turned Twitter burns into an art form.
The newly elected congresswoman from New York has used the social media platform to push what she calls the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan aimed at curbing carbon emissions and addressing economic growth. But this plan also put her in the crosshairs of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who took to Twitter to refer to her idea and her comparisons to ambitiousness of the moon landing as “looney.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who has gained a huge following on Twitter, clapped back at Huckabee and included his daughter, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, in her insult.
“Leave the false statements to Sarah Huckabee. She’s much better at it,” she added, referencing the former governor’s daughter, who currently serves as White House press secretary.
The burn spread quickly across Twitter, with many praising Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for her willingness to engage directly with her right-wing critics. Politicians on the left have often been criticized for letting their political opponents set the narrative, but Ocasio-Cortez and her social media friendly political approach have turned this on its head.
Though she has yet to take office, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has become one of the most prominent backers of progressive policies like the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Last week, she held a press event to promote the Green New Deal and laid out plans to move to 100 percent renewable energy and cut carbon emissions.
In pushing the idea, Ocasio-Cortez has come up against not only opposing politicians, but also the fossil fuel industry.
“This is about the fact that if we continue to allow power … with corporations to dictate the quality of our air … to dictate and tell us that we can keep burning fossil fuels, to dupe us, people will die,” Ocasio-Cortez said (via NBC News).
Ocasio-Cortez also used Twitter this weekend to push Medicare for All and attack members of congress who accept affordable government healthcare for themselves but don’t want to extend the same option to all Americans.
“It’s frustrating that Congressmembers would deny other people affordability that they themselves enjoy. Time for #MedicareForAll,” she wrote on Twitter.
Her leadership on healthcare and environmental issues have led many supporters to hope for a presidential run from Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but it wouldn’t be for a few more years. At 29, she is still more than five years away from being eligible to run.
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