NOW BEFORE OUR EYES. THIS IS "ALL IN AMERICA."
A GREEN NEW DEAL WITH ALEXANDRIA
OCASIO-CORTEZ."
OCASIO-CORTEZ." WE’RE HERE AT THE ALBERT
EINSTEIN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE.
I WAS BORN IN THIS VERY HOSPITAL
AND THE YEAR I WAS BORN, 1979
THERE WERE 338ER PARTS PER MILLI
OF CARBON DIOXIDE IN THE WORLD.
AND 1989, THE BIRTH YEAR OF THE
CONGRESS WMPRM WHO REPRESENTS TH
DISTRICT.
DISTRICT. WHAT DO THOSE NUMBERS MEAN?
THAT’S THE HIGHEST IN RECORDED
HISTORY IN ICE CORE RECORDS
DATING ALL THE WAY BACK 800,000
YEARS.
YEARS. AND HERE’S THE OTHER THING.
HALF ALL THE CARBON EMISSIONS WE
HAVE PUT IN THE AIR AS A SOCIETY
HAVE HAPPENED IN THE LAST 30
YEARS, WHEN WE BASICALLY KNEW
WHAT WE WERE DOING.
IN 2018 UN SCIENTISTS ISSUED A
REPORT AND BASICALLY SAID WE
HAVE TO GET ON THIS PROBLEM.
IF WE HAD GOT ON IT EARLIER, IT
WOULD HAVE BEEN EASY.
IN 1979, OR 1989.
BUT WE DIDN’T AND NOW WE’RE HERE
AND WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO AVOID
THE MOST CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE IS TO CUT CARBON
EMISSIONS IN 12 YEARS.
12 YEARS.
12 YEARS. THAT’S THE PROJECT WE’VE BEEN
TASKED WITH BY THE EARTH.
THERE’S AN URGENCY AND A RISING
GENERATION OF AMERICANS ACROSS
THE WORLD THAT REALIZE THE CLOCK
IS TICKING AND GETTING CLOSE TO
RUNNING OUT.
RUNNING OUT. INTO THE VACUUM IS A BROAD NEW
POLICY PROPOSAL AND YOU PROBABLY
HEARD ABOUT IT.
IT’S CALLED THE GREEN NEW DEAL.
IT ENVISION AS CARBON-ZERO
ECONOMY BY THE MIDDLE OF THE
CENTURY AND A TRANSFORMATION OF
SOCIETY.
SOCIETY. SOME CALL IT A SOCIAL MONSTER.
SOME CALL IT OUR ONLY HOPE FOR
SURVIVAL IN THE WAY OF LIFE WE
HOLD DEAR.
HOLD DEAR. THE CONGRESSWOMAN, THE ONE BORN
IN 1989, THE ONE WHO REPRESENTS
THIS DISTRICT, THE YOUNGEST
WOMAN TO EVER REPRESENT A
DISTRICT IN THE UNITED STATES
CONGRESS WHO IS THE CO SPONSOR
HAS BECOME A MASCOT FOR IT AS
WELL.
WELL. WE’RE GOING TO TALK TO HER ABOUT
WHAT HER VISION MEANS.
PLEASE WELL ALEXANDRIA OCOSIO
ECORTEZ.
ECORTEZ. ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ.
ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ. [ CROWD CHANTING]
>> HOW ARE YOU?
HAVE A SEAT.
>> THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
>> A REAL HOSTILE CROWD.
THIS IS GOING TO BE TOUGH.
HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I’M WELL.
I’M EXCITED WE’RE BACK IN THE
BS.
BS. >> I AM TOO.
>> IT FEELS GOOD TO BE HOME.
>> I WANT TO START WITH A VERY
BROAD AND BASIC QUESTION.
HOW DID YOU GET YOUR POLITICS?
>> I THINK FOR ME MY POLITICS IS
MY LIFE EXPERIENCE AND A
REFLECTION OF ALL OUR
EXPERIENCES NOT JUST IN THE
BRONX BUT AS WORKING PEOPLE.
IB COME FROM, SINCE I’M PUERTO
RICAN, FIRST GENERATION, 500TH
GENERATION.
GENERATION. THAT’S A WHOLE OTHER ISSUE.
BUT TO GROW UP TO A
FIRST-GENERATION NEW YORK FAMILY
ON MY MOM’S SIDE.
ON MY DAD’S SIDE WHO WAS BORN IN
THE SOUTH BRONX, TWO WORKING
PARENTS AND TO LIVE THE AMERICAN
DREAM.
DREAM. MY DAD STARTED A SMALL BUSINESS.
MY MOM CLEANED HOUSES TO GET ME
THROUGH SCHOOL.
THROUGH SCHOOL. AND TO ALSO EXPERIENCE THE OTHER
HALF OF THAT, WHICH IN 2008,
WHERE YOU CAN DO EVERYTHING
RIGHT AND HAVE IT ALL TAKEN AWAY
AT THE SAME TIME.
AND WHAT HAPPENS IN THAT CASE?
AND TO ME WHEN ALL OFF THAT
HAPPENED, IT BECAME VERY
IMPORTANT THAT -- IN MY
FRAMEWORK AND BELIEF, THAT WE
NOT JUST HAVE A WEALTHY SOCIETY
BUT THAT WE HAVE A MORAL
SOCIETY.
SOCIETY. >> WHAT WAS THAT EXPERIENCE?
>> IN THE FALLOFF 2008, AS WE
ALL KNOW THE MARKETS CRASHED AND
MY FATHER ALSO PASSED AWAY FROM
LUNG CANCER.
LUNG CANCER. AND ALL THE SUDDEN OVERNIGHT I
WAS THE DAUGHTER OF A SINGLE MOM
WITH A YOUNGER BROTHER AND WE
HAD TO WORK OUR WAY THROUGH THAT
SITUATION.
SITUATION. WE’RE ON THE BRINK OF
FORCLOSURE.
FORCLOSURE. OUR HOME WAS ABOUT TO BE TAKEN
AWAY.
AWAY. I STARTED WORKING IN
RESTAURANTS.
RESTAURANTS. AND SO FOR ME AS AN ECONOMICS
GRADUATE IN THE WAKE OF THE
RECESSION, I STARTED -- I
DECIDED I NEEDED TO GO BACK HOME
TO THE BRONX AND THAT I NEEDED A
WORK IN EDUCATION ADVOCACY AND
ORGANIZING.
ORGANIZING. ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING THAT
WASN’T ENOUGH.
WASN’T ENOUGH. SO I ALSO WORKED IN RESTAURANTS.
IT’S IN THAT EXPERIENCE BEING
SHOALEDER TO SHOULDER WITH
UNDOCUMENT BUS BOYS AND PEOPLE
BASICALLY MY AGE IN THE SAME
EXACT SITUATION.
EXACT SITUATION. SO MANY WERE COLLEGE GRADUATE
SAID WHO HAD A PARENT PASS AWAY
OR SOMEONE IN THEIR FAMILY
STRUCK WITH AN ENORMOUS MEDICAL
ISSUE AND IT REALLY BECAME CLEAR
FROM THAT EXPERIENCE THAT OUR
ISSUES AND ECONOMIC ISSUES ARE
SYSTEMIC AND THEY’RER NOT AN
ACCIDENT.
ACCIDENT. THEY’RE A RESULT OF AN ECONOMIC
SYSTEM THAT ENRICHES A FEW AT A
ENORMOUS COST OF THE WORKING
CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS.
>> REPRESENT THIS DISTRICT IN
THE BRONX, IN QUEENS.
AND A LOT OF ISSUES.
WHY THIS ISSUE FRONT AND CENTER
FIRST THING?
FIRST THING? WHAT CONNECTS YOU TO THIS?
>> SO THIS ISSUE IS NOT JUST
ABOUT OUR CLIMATE.
FIRST AND FOREMOST WE NEED TO
SAVE OURSELVES, PERIOD.
THERE WILL BE NO FUTURE FOR THE
BRONX, THERE WILL BE NO LIVABLE
FUTURE FOR GENERATIONS COMING,
FOR ANY PART OF THIS COUNTRY IN
A WAY THAT IS BETTER THAN LOT
THAT WE HAVE TODAY IF WE DON’T
ADDRESS THIS ISSUE URGENTLY AND
ON THE SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.
BUT HOW I ACCESS THIS ISSUE IS I
STARTED LOOKING AT ALL OF OUR
PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. WE HAVE RUN AWAY INCOME AND
EQUALITY.
EQUALITY. WE’RE AT UN OF OUR MOST UNEQUAL
POINTS ECONOMICALLY SPEAKING IN
AMERICAN HISTORY.
AMERICAN HISTORY. WE’RE DEALING WITH A CRISIS OF
HOW OUR ECONOMY IS MADE UP.
OUR ECONOMY IS INCREASINGLY
FINANCIALIZEDED.
FINANCIALIZEDED. WHICH MEANS WE’RE MAKING PROFITS
OFF OF INTEREST AND LEASING YOUR
PHONES BUT WE’RE NOT PRODUCING
AND WE’RE NOT INNOVATING IN THE
WAY WE NEED AS AN ECONOMY.
AND I WAS LOOKING AT OUR ISSUES
OF SOCIAL AND RALGSZCIAL JUSTICE
WHICH WE HAVE A NEXUS IN THE
BRONX.
BRONX. AND BHAUT WHAT I STARTED
THINKING ABOUT IS WE’RE LOOKING
AT ALL OF THESE ISSUES, LIVING
WAGE, TUITION-FREE PUBLIC
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.
AND THERE’S A FALSE IDEA WE NEED
PUT THEM IN A LINE AND SAY DO
THIS OR DO THAT.
YOU CARE ABOUT HEALTH CARE OR DO
YOU CARE ABOUT THE ECONOMY OR
JOBS?
JOBS? AND THEN I STARTED TO REALIZE
THESE ARE NOT DIFFERENT
PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. THESE ARE ALL PART OF THE SAME
PROBLEM.
PROBLEM. IN THE PAST WE’VE CONFRONTED
THIS TYPE OF STAGNATION AND THIS
TYPE OF SYSTEMIC THREAT AS A
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. FIRST ALL OF WE’VE BEEN HERE
BEFORE.
BEFORE. WE’VE BEEN HERE BEFORE WITH THE
GREAT DEPRESSION.
GREAT DEPRESSION. WORLD WAR II, EVEN THE COLD WAR.
AND THE ANSWER HAS BEEN AN
AMBITIOUS AND DIRECTED
MOBILIZATION OF THE AMERICAN
ECONOMY TO DIRECT AND SOLVE
OURER PROBLEM.
OURER PROBLEM. AND HISTORICALLY SPEAKING WE
HAVE MOBILIZED OUR ENTIRE
ECONOMY AROUND WAR.
BUT I THOUGHT TO MYSELF IT
DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY,
ESPECIALLY WHEN OURER GREATEST
EXISTENTIAL THREAT IS CLIMATE
CHANGE.
CHANGE. TO GET US OUT OF THE SITUATION
TOO, REVAMP OUR OECONOMY TOO,
CREATE DIGNIFIED JOBS, TO
GUARANTEE HEALTH CARE AND
ELEVATE OUR EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES AND ATTAINMENT, WE
WILL HAVE TO MOBILIZE OURER
ENTIRE ECONOMY AROUND SAVING
OURSELVES AND TAKING CARE OFF
THIS PLANET.
THIS PLANET. [ APPLAUSE ]
>> IT COMES OUT OF THE GATE AND
I THINK IN SOME WAYS AS A
POLITICAL VISION.
POLITICAL VISION. THE POLITICAL VISION YOU JUST
ENUNSIATED.
ENUNSIATED. WHICH IS WE’RE NOT GOING TO COME
OUT OF THE GATE AND SAY YOU’RE
GOING TO PAY MORE FOR FUEL.
THEY TRIED THAT IN FRANCE AND
THEY RIOTED.
THEY RIOTED. CLEAN WATER, THE WHOLE THING AND
THE RIGHT JUST LOSES ITS MIND.
AND I MEAN FOR SURE.
I DON’T KNOW IF YOU’VE NOTICED.
I JUST WANT TO GIVE A TASTE OF
IT’S A 24-HOUR ON TRUMP TV, IN
THE CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT, IT’S
24-HOUR AOC TV.
>> WHAT IS THIS GREEN NEW DEAL?
RADICAL ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIALISM.
>> A REAL SERIOUS THREAT TO OUR
WAY OF LIFE.
>> AN ABSURD SOCIALIST
MANIFESTO.
MANIFESTO. >> A GREEN SOCIALIST MANIFEST
OO.
OO. >> IT’S LIKE YOUR KIDS SPEW
NONSENSE AND YOU’RE LIKE QUIET,
QUIET LEARN SOMETHING BEFORE YOU
COME BACK TO ME.
>> SHE WAS A BAR TENDER.
>> SHE’S ADORABLE IN THE WAY A
5-YEAR-OLD CHILD CAN BE
ADORABLE.
ADORABLE. >> AND SHE’S RANTING AND RAVING
LIKE A LUNETIC.
>> I SUPPORT COWS.
>> I’VE GOT 100 COWS.
>> NO SOUTH DAKOTA MILKSHAKES.
>> CHEESEBURGERS AND MILKSHAKES
WILL BECOME A THING OF THE PAST.
>> THEY WANT TO TAKE AWAY YOUR
HAMBURGERS.
HAMBURGERS. THIS IS WHAT STALIN DREAMT ABOUT
BUT NEVER ACHIEVED.
>> THE INFAMOUS STALIN FIVE-YEAR
PROGRAM TO GET RID OF
HAMBURGERS.
HAMBURGERS. WERE YOU EXPECTING THAT?
>> YES, 100%.
>> THAT?
>> THAT? THEY TOOK IT TO 11.
>> IT IS NEXT LEVEL.
I DIDN’T EXPECT THEM TO MAKE
TOTAL FOOLS OF THEMSELVES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I EXPECTED A LITTLE MORE
NUANCE AND I EXPECTED A LITTLE
MORE CONCERNED TROLLING.
>> YOU’VE GOTTEN THAT TOO.
>> MORE IN MY PARTY.
>> ON THE CONCERNED TROLLING
THERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ISSUED AN
FAQ.
FAQ. LIKE ANYONE THAT WAS UNABLE OR
UNWILLING TO WORK WOULD BE
GUARANTEED A JOB.
IT SAID IT WAS PRELIMINARY A
DRAFT.
DRAFT. DO YOU THINK YOU GUYS ROLLED IT
OUT THE RIGHT WAY?
>> WHAT I WILL SAY IS THAT I
DEFINITELY HAVE A STAFFER THAT
HAD A VERY BAD DAY AT WORK AND
WE DID RELEASE A WORKING DRAFT
EARLY.
EARLY. SO I GET THAT’S WHAT THEY’RER
SEIZING ON.
SEIZING ON. BUT REALLY WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS
HAVE A SERIOUS CONVERSATION AND
EVEN IN THOSE DRAFT VERSIONS,
WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT AND
IS REALLY ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE
NEED TO INNOVATE ON OUR
TECHNOLOGY.
TECHNOLOGY. OBVIOUSLY LIKE I HAVE A STAFFER
RELEASE A DOCUMENT ABOUT COW
FLACHULENCE.
FLACHULENCE. >> WHICH IS AN ISSUE.
IT SOUNDS RIDICULOUS BUT IT IS
AN ISSUE.
AN ISSUE. >> IT IS AN ISSUE BUT IT DOESN’T
MEAN YOU END COWS.
IT MEANS IS WE NEED INNOVATE AND
CHANGE OUR GRAIN -- OUR COW
GRAIN FROM WHICH THEY FEED IN
THESE TROUGH.
THESE TROUGH. WE NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE.
REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE. THESE ARE OUR SOLUTIONS.
>> ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO
DO IS BRING IN FOLKS AND GET
INTO THAT.
INTO THAT. BUT BEFORE WE DO, SORT OF A
PERSONAL QUESTION BUT IT’S JUST
YOU AND ME HERE.
LIKE IT’S JUST -- YOU’RE IN THE
CENTER OF EVERY ASPECT OF
AMERICA’S POLARIZED DIVIDED
POLITICS IS RIGHT NOW COMING
RIGHT AT ALEXANDRIA
OCASIO-CORTEZ WHO WAS
WAITRESSING A YEAR AGO AND JUST
GOT HEALTH INSURANCE FOR THE
FIRST TIME.
FIRST TIME. >> FIRST TIME IN YEARS.
>> WHAT DOES THAT FEEL LIKE?
>> YOU KNOW, FOR ME, IT’S
SURREAL, OBVIOUSLY.
SURREAL, OBVIOUSLY. AND I’M JUST REALLY THANKFUL
THAT -- I STILL LIVE IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THAT I’VE ALWAYS
LIVED INDIANA THE BRONX IN
PARKCHESTER.
PARKCHESTER. AND I GO TO MY SAME BODEGA GUY
AND THAT’S WHAT I ALWAYS GO BACK
TO.
TO. [ APPLAUSE ]
THAT TO ME IS NOT LIKE OH, LOOK
AT ME I’M STILL THE SAME PERSON.
IT IS LIT TLAEL GROUNDING FORCE
FOR MY LIFE.
BECAUSE I DO FIND WHEN I GO TO
D.C., I’LL BE THERE AND THE WORK
WEEK IS ABOUT FOUR-DAYS A WEEK
IN D.C.
IN D.C. THEN I COME BACK HOME AND DO
COMMUNITY WORK HERE.
AND ON THAT FOURTH OR FIFTH DAY
IN D.C., I’M LIKE GET ME OUT OF
HERE.
HERE. IT CAN SERIOUSLY BE THE UPSIDE
DOWN AND I HAVE TO COME BACK TO
MY LIFE IN ORDER TO COME BACK TO
THE SOLUTIONS TO THE COMMITMENTS
TO THESE SOLUTIONS.
BECAUSE THIS IS NOT -- YEAH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
AND A WHAT AREA LOT OF WHAT THE
NEW DEAL IS SHIFTING OUR
POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL
PARADIGMS ON EVERY ISSUE.
BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE TIME TO
WAIT.
WAIT. WE DON’T HAVE TIME FOR IF I EVER
YEARS FOR A HALF BAKED WATERED
DOWN COMPROMISED POSITION WHEN
PEOPLE ARE DYING BECAUSE THEIR
INSULIN IS SKY ROCKETING,
BECAUSE WHEN PEOPLE -- THEY’RE
SENDING THEIR KIDS TO SCHOOLS
THAT HAVE LED IN THE WATER.
THIS IS URGENT.
THIS IS URGENT.
AND TO THINK THAT WE HAVE TIME
IS SUCH A PRIVILEGED AND REMOVED
FROM REALITY ATTITUDE.
[ APPLAUSE ]
-- THAT WE CANNOT TOLERATE.
>> I AGREE ABOUT THE URGENCY AND
I THINK THAT’S WHERE A LOT OF
THE WORLD IS NOW ACTUALLY.
I WANT TO TALK ABOUT WHAT IS
THIS THING.
THIS THING. ASIDE FROM THE FACT YOU’RE
TAKING AWAY MY HAMBURGERS.
>> WHICH IS NOT HAPPENING.