SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
To donate by check, phone, or other method, see our More Ways to Give page.
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) explained her proposal for a 70 percent marginal tax rate for the richest Americans on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert." (Photo: @headlineplanet/Twitter)
Appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Monday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) once again brought to American households a discussion of the economic system which has allowed an extreme wealth gap to widen in the United States, explaining her proposal to impose a far higher tax rate on the wealthiest Americans in order to even the playing field.
"At what level are we really just living in excess, and what kind of society do we want to live in?" --Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
Weeks after telling Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes" that Americans who make more than $10 million per year should be taxed at 70 percent, Ocasio-Cortez explained to Colbert that her proposal is far from radical.
"It's not a new idea," she said. "Under the Republican administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, we had 90 percent marginal tax rates."
The first-term congresswoman, whose outspoken advocacy for a Medicare for All system, a Green New Deal, and bold reforms to pull working Americans out of poverty has left establishment Democrats and their supporters claiming that she is a "radical," did not mince words in summing up how economic inequality in the U.S. has spiraled out of control.
"I do think that a system that allows billionaires to exist when there are parts of Alabama where people are still getting ringworm because they don't have access to public health is wrong," she said.
While Ocasio-Cortez clarified that she doesn't believe billionaires like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet are "immoral" just because they are billionaires, she highlighted the moral question around an economic system that permits a handful of people to amass such wealth when so many in society are forced to live in poverty as they work long hours for meager pay.
"At what level are we really just living in excess," she asked, "and what kind of society do we want to live in?"
The line drew loud applause from Colbert's studio audience.
When Colbert asked, "How many fucks do you give?" about establishment Democrats and critics who have scolded Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives for their outspokenness regarding improvements the party leadership could make, the congresswoman replied, "I think it's zero."
\u201c.@AOC tells Colbert: I give "zero" f*cks about people telling me not to "make waves."\u201d— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott) 1548158307
She added that she rejects the characterization of her advocacy and activism as "divisive," saying she looks to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. for examples of tactics which bring about lasting change.
"People called Martin Luther King divisive in his time," Ocasio-Cortez reminded Colbert. "We forget he was wildly unpopular when advocating for the Civil Rights Act. I think that what we need to realize is that social movements should be the moral compass of our politics."
Ocasio-Cortez elaborated on her point in another Monday interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates, explaining that elected officials in the current political climate must take extra care to prove to the public that they are working for American families--by forcefully fighting against the systems which have created massive inequities in one of the richest countries in the world.
"Right now, I think with this administration, with the current circumstances, with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people--even people who kind of abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a Democrat or whatever it is--I feel a need for all of us to 'breathe fire,'" Ocasio-Cortez said.
\u201c"With the current circumstances,with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people,even people who abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a democrat,or whatever it is, I feel a need for all of us to breathe fire" @AOC #MLKnow\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1548101333
Dear Common Dreams reader, The U.S. is on a fast track to authoritarianism like nothing I've ever seen. Meanwhile, corporate news outlets are utterly capitulating to Trump, twisting their coverage to avoid drawing his ire while lining up to stuff cash in his pockets. That's why I believe that Common Dreams is doing the best and most consequential reporting that we've ever done. Our small but mighty team is a progressive reporting powerhouse, covering the news every day that the corporate media never will. Our mission has always been simple: To inform. To inspire. And to ignite change for the common good. Now here's the key piece that I want all our readers to understand: None of this would be possible without your financial support. That's not just some fundraising cliche. It's the absolute and literal truth. We don't accept corporate advertising and never will. We don't have a paywall because we don't think people should be blocked from critical news based on their ability to pay. Everything we do is funded by the donations of readers like you. Will you donate now to help power the nonprofit, independent reporting of Common Dreams? Thank you for being a vital member of our community. Together, we can keep independent journalism alive when it’s needed most. - Craig Brown, Co-founder |
Appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Monday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) once again brought to American households a discussion of the economic system which has allowed an extreme wealth gap to widen in the United States, explaining her proposal to impose a far higher tax rate on the wealthiest Americans in order to even the playing field.
"At what level are we really just living in excess, and what kind of society do we want to live in?" --Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
Weeks after telling Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes" that Americans who make more than $10 million per year should be taxed at 70 percent, Ocasio-Cortez explained to Colbert that her proposal is far from radical.
"It's not a new idea," she said. "Under the Republican administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, we had 90 percent marginal tax rates."
The first-term congresswoman, whose outspoken advocacy for a Medicare for All system, a Green New Deal, and bold reforms to pull working Americans out of poverty has left establishment Democrats and their supporters claiming that she is a "radical," did not mince words in summing up how economic inequality in the U.S. has spiraled out of control.
"I do think that a system that allows billionaires to exist when there are parts of Alabama where people are still getting ringworm because they don't have access to public health is wrong," she said.
While Ocasio-Cortez clarified that she doesn't believe billionaires like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet are "immoral" just because they are billionaires, she highlighted the moral question around an economic system that permits a handful of people to amass such wealth when so many in society are forced to live in poverty as they work long hours for meager pay.
"At what level are we really just living in excess," she asked, "and what kind of society do we want to live in?"
The line drew loud applause from Colbert's studio audience.
When Colbert asked, "How many fucks do you give?" about establishment Democrats and critics who have scolded Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives for their outspokenness regarding improvements the party leadership could make, the congresswoman replied, "I think it's zero."
\u201c.@AOC tells Colbert: I give "zero" f*cks about people telling me not to "make waves."\u201d— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott) 1548158307
She added that she rejects the characterization of her advocacy and activism as "divisive," saying she looks to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. for examples of tactics which bring about lasting change.
"People called Martin Luther King divisive in his time," Ocasio-Cortez reminded Colbert. "We forget he was wildly unpopular when advocating for the Civil Rights Act. I think that what we need to realize is that social movements should be the moral compass of our politics."
Ocasio-Cortez elaborated on her point in another Monday interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates, explaining that elected officials in the current political climate must take extra care to prove to the public that they are working for American families--by forcefully fighting against the systems which have created massive inequities in one of the richest countries in the world.
"Right now, I think with this administration, with the current circumstances, with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people--even people who kind of abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a Democrat or whatever it is--I feel a need for all of us to 'breathe fire,'" Ocasio-Cortez said.
\u201c"With the current circumstances,with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people,even people who abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a democrat,or whatever it is, I feel a need for all of us to breathe fire" @AOC #MLKnow\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1548101333
Appearing on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" Monday night, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) once again brought to American households a discussion of the economic system which has allowed an extreme wealth gap to widen in the United States, explaining her proposal to impose a far higher tax rate on the wealthiest Americans in order to even the playing field.
"At what level are we really just living in excess, and what kind of society do we want to live in?" --Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)
Weeks after telling Anderson Cooper on "60 Minutes" that Americans who make more than $10 million per year should be taxed at 70 percent, Ocasio-Cortez explained to Colbert that her proposal is far from radical.
"It's not a new idea," she said. "Under the Republican administration of Dwight D. Eisenhower, we had 90 percent marginal tax rates."
The first-term congresswoman, whose outspoken advocacy for a Medicare for All system, a Green New Deal, and bold reforms to pull working Americans out of poverty has left establishment Democrats and their supporters claiming that she is a "radical," did not mince words in summing up how economic inequality in the U.S. has spiraled out of control.
"I do think that a system that allows billionaires to exist when there are parts of Alabama where people are still getting ringworm because they don't have access to public health is wrong," she said.
While Ocasio-Cortez clarified that she doesn't believe billionaires like Bill Gates or Warren Buffet are "immoral" just because they are billionaires, she highlighted the moral question around an economic system that permits a handful of people to amass such wealth when so many in society are forced to live in poverty as they work long hours for meager pay.
"At what level are we really just living in excess," she asked, "and what kind of society do we want to live in?"
The line drew loud applause from Colbert's studio audience.
When Colbert asked, "How many fucks do you give?" about establishment Democrats and critics who have scolded Ocasio-Cortez and other progressives for their outspokenness regarding improvements the party leadership could make, the congresswoman replied, "I think it's zero."
\u201c.@AOC tells Colbert: I give "zero" f*cks about people telling me not to "make waves."\u201d— Tom Elliott (@Tom Elliott) 1548158307
She added that she rejects the characterization of her advocacy and activism as "divisive," saying she looks to civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. for examples of tactics which bring about lasting change.
"People called Martin Luther King divisive in his time," Ocasio-Cortez reminded Colbert. "We forget he was wildly unpopular when advocating for the Civil Rights Act. I think that what we need to realize is that social movements should be the moral compass of our politics."
Ocasio-Cortez elaborated on her point in another Monday interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates, explaining that elected officials in the current political climate must take extra care to prove to the public that they are working for American families--by forcefully fighting against the systems which have created massive inequities in one of the richest countries in the world.
"Right now, I think with this administration, with the current circumstances, with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people--even people who kind of abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a Democrat or whatever it is--I feel a need for all of us to 'breathe fire,'" Ocasio-Cortez said.
\u201c"With the current circumstances,with the abdication of responsibility that we've seen from so many powerful people,even people who abdicate that responsibility by calling themselves liberal or a democrat,or whatever it is, I feel a need for all of us to breathe fire" @AOC #MLKnow\u201d— People for Bernie (@People for Bernie) 1548101333