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A video of Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York criticizing her colleagues in the House for not reading legislation before they comment on it has been viewed more than 1.7 million times on Twitter.
Ocasio-Cortez's thorough scolding came after she listened to comments from her fellow representatives that demonstrated a distinct lack of knowledge about the legislation they were discussing—a bill about public banking introduced by AOC and Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib of Michigan last year.
Today we held the first Congressional hearing in modern history on public banking.\n\nApparently it is too high of a bar to expect Republican members of Congress to, you know, actually read the bills they\u2019re talking about, but nevertheless it went very well!https://twitter.com/j_larosa415/status/1417982670915604485\u00a0\u2026— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1626912875
Ocasio-Cortez said:
"I learned a while ago, you know when I first got to Congress, I thought, man, people definitely study what they're talking about here."
"Then I got here and realized that people don't even—a lot of my colleagues don't even read the bills that they are commenting on."
She then held up a printed copy of the bill and told those gathered:
"But for anyone who's curious, it's right here at the desk."
Her disapproval and condemnation didn't end there, though.
"We're making lots of statements that have nothing to do with the legislation and frankly, you know, if I made comments that very publicly demonstrated that I didn't read the legislation I was discussing, I'd be embarrassed, but that is an aside."
Many praised Ocasio-Cortez online for her frank criticism of her fellow lawmakers.
She's so good. She gets vilified because of the identity politics that straightjacket US politics. Yet it's undeniable she's one of the most thoroughly prepared and effective legislators in Congress. She's the real thing.— Jorge Rivera Mar\u00edn (@Jorge Rivera Mar\u00edn) 1626913115
Here on planet earth I love her I wish she was my representative here in Louisiana.— Joy Mariah\u270c\ud83d\udc1d\ud83d\udcaf \u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a\ud83c\udffe\u270a\ud83c\udffd\u270a\ud83c\udffc\u270a\ud83c\udffb\u270a (@Joy Mariah\u270c\ud83d\udc1d\ud83d\udcaf \u270a\ud83c\udfff\u270a\ud83c\udffe\u270a\ud83c\udffd\u270a\ud83c\udffc\u270a\ud83c\udffb\u270a) 1626912657
Sad but true— Name cannot be blank (@Name cannot be blank) 1626912487
She is. And the sad truth is that if some of her colleagues had just read the bill, we might be saying that about them too. She's special for sure, but the bar in Congress is SUUUUUPER low for anyone else to come off looking prepared.— Chris Corrigan (@Chris Corrigan) 1626913551
I wonder what would happen to me if I showed up to work unprepared for a meeting...think I'd still have my job?— BlueFox, BA, MS, MBA (@BlueFox, BA, MS, MBA) 1626916533
*every time*— Aimee Carrero (@Aimee Carrero) 1626962089
You are a beacon of competency in a sea of corrupt indolence. Thank you!pic.twitter.com/wFFzzrtFsi— (((Social Justice Warboss))) I3 I_ /\/\ (@(((Social Justice Warboss))) I3 I_ /\/\) 1626913204