Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is a favorite target of the right due to her unapologetic stances supporting environmental policy overhaul, medicare and housing for all, and a federal jobs guarantee.
Republican lawmakers frequently decry Ocasio-Cortez and her stances as socialist, claiming that expanded public goods for working class Americans would lead to the erosion and eventual destruction of the United States.
The Congresswoman's name is frequently invoked by the likes of President Donald Trump and other leading GOP figures as an emblem for radical left ideas, resulting in millions of dollars in donations to Ocasio-Cortez's Republican challenger despite the near-inevitability of her win in New York's solid blue 14th Congressional District.
Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) tried to paint Democrats as socialists in a recent tweet.
Not every democrat is a socialist
But every socialist is a democrat
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) November 1, 2020
The tweet got the attention of Ocasio-Cortez, and the famously Twitter-savvy Congresswoman offered an unflinching rebuttal.
Curious what you call GOP giving away billions in public funds to Wall St & fossil fuel companies?
Or what you call YOUR ability to go to Walter Reed hospital & receive socialized healthcare for free?
Funny how it's only “socialism" when others get what y'all give yourselves. https://t.co/Xgvcdnj404
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 1, 2020
(Also, the idea that socialists like Dems... lol)
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 1, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez attacked Rubio and his Republican colleagues for hypocrisy, noting the deference of the GOP to Wall Street and fossil fuel companies. She also pointed out the "socialized healthcare" enjoyed by officials in government, most famously the robust virus treatment Trump received at Walter Reed Medical Center early last month.
She then mocked the idea that socialists feel loyalty to Democrats, when in reality many socialists make up some of the most vocal critics of the Democratic party.
People applauded Ocasio-Cortez's clapback.
THIS. Soooo this.The GOP hypocrisy is just maddening. Just like how they are “pro-life" until the baby is born, and then they could care less about it as a human citizen for the rest of its life. #vote #vote2020 https://t.co/XxRugzjCOO
— Robin Locker Lacey (@MelangeTravel) November 2, 2020
I love this woman. https://t.co/6IqARhD4zS
— John Tartaglia (@johnnytartags) November 2, 2020
Watching @AOC dog walk @marcorubio is what I live for now. https://t.co/IJSzrJPsFJ
— The Vanilla Gorilla 🦍 (@FreakyFrog44) November 1, 2020
P R E A C H 🙌 https://t.co/JDvKsmuraH
— FighForWhatsRight!🌊 (@Aijgrose216A) November 2, 2020
They love the handouts when it benefits them yet when average America wants healthcare that is affordable or education to create a better future all the sudden it's socialism?!! Yeah no 🙄🙄🙄🙄 https://t.co/vJrOMV3I2t
— Aggie1994inWA (@Aggie1994inWA) November 2, 2020
And she was far from the only one to skewer Rubio's stance.
Not every Republican is a value-abandoning throne-sniffer cultist but...wait that one doesn't work.
— IncitingElectionViolenceHat (@Popehat) November 1, 2020
GOPers enabled the most corrupt admin in history. Not every GOPer is corrupt but all are complicit in the crimes.
You enabled and are complicit in Trump's felony conduct. You covered up Trump crimes.
And GOP politicized masking and social distancing, causing 235k+ covid19 dead
— lawhawk #maskingforafriend (@lawhawk) November 1, 2020
Corporate Welfare costs American taxpayers 10X more than Social Welfare. Handouts to farmers to assure their votes is Socialism. Marco Rubio and the Republican Party LOVE Socialism.
— Bruno Amato (@BrunoAmato_1) November 1, 2020
Not every con artist is a Republican.
But every Republican is a con artist.
— Regina Marston for CA 42 in 2022 (@Marston4ca42) November 1, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez—who won over 70 percent of the vote in her primary—is expected to handily win reelection on Tuesday.