Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez may want her followers to believe inflation is “propaganda” — but her constituents aren’t buying it.
The prominent Democratic Congressman took to his Instagram story to share a video from New Zealand’s left-leaning Aotearoa Liberation League in which an activist claims the “propaganda” around inflation is designed to protect “greedy shareholders,” who are really to blame for rising costs. life
But when The Post visited Ocasio-Cortez’s constituents in the 14th district, which includes areas in Queens and the southeast Bronx, they all reported economic pain and many said the Biden administration could not be left alone.
The White House has repeatedly touted a “Bidenomics” plan to combat rising prices.
Latisha Law, 41, a certified nursing assistant, single mother of three, and grandmother, paused outside Key Food in the Bronx’s Castle Hill neighborhood to say she has been struggling financially since the outbreak.
Congresswoman Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez is “out of touch” with some of her constituents, according to several people in Queens and the southeast Bronx. Kevin C. Downs for the NY Post
This is a video by a left-wing group from New Zealand that AOC posted on its Instagram story. Aotearoa Liberation League / Instagram
The video calls it “gaslighting” not to blame the price hike on “greedy shareholders.” Aotearoa Liberation League / Instagram
Inflation is real — and the blame lies with the government as much as with big corporations, Law told The Post.
“Is AOC crazy?” Law said. “Has he gone to the grocery store recently? $1,000 is nothing anymore. $100 is nothing anymore. Maybe he should spend some time on the project and really help people.”
Law, like the majority of Bronx and Queens residents interviewed by The Post, doesn’t know much about Ocasio-Cortez.
Most asked who he was and couldn’t seem to identify him but all agreed that they paid almost double for the same amount of groceries and other necessities.
Latisha Law, 41, is a certified nursing assistant and single mother of three who says inflation is real and the AOC doesn’t understand what residents like her are going through. Matthew McDermott
Inside the Main Foods opposite the Castle Hill home in the Bronx, shoppers face mounting bills. Matthew McDermott
Some reported getting into serious credit card debt because of their difficulty paying bills.
“I worked two jobs just to survive,” Law told the Post. “I killed myself just to support my family. It is much worse now than before the epidemic.”
Iris Vasquez, 61, who lives across from Key Food in Castle Hill Houses, was taking her great-granddaughter, Cali, 2, for a walk when The Post asked her what she thought of the video AOC shared with the world. .
Vasquez shook his head.
“I think what the government is doing is taking advantage of the epidemic,” he said. “You can’t put this all on a big company. Prices rose high at that time and they remain high. I think it’s just an excuse to make us spend more money.
Iris Vasquez, 61, a resident of Castle Hill Houses in the Bronx, seen here, said the government is taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic and has kept prices high. Matthew McDermott
“I had to pay ten dollars for an egg at one point! Sometimes I have to go all the way to the Food Bazaar near Yankee Stadium to get a better price but then I have to Uber back. I don’t think inflation has ever been this bad.”
Sergio Acevedo, 51, of the Bronx, pointed to his car as he drove it out of another Bronx supermarket.
“See that?” he said. “I used to be able to buy twice as much food for the same price as I pay today. I buy a little more now and do. Inflation is worse than ever.”
Jean Torres, 72, a retired school teacher and Bronx resident of Puerto Rican descent, said that inflation is so bad that some of her children are forced to pay for some essentials by putting it on credit cards.
Retired Bronx schoolteacher Jean Torres said that the AOC “does not represent Hispanic values.” Matthew McDermott
“The AOC does not represent true Hispanic beliefs or values,” Torres told The Post. “Puerto Ricans have traditional family values that he does not represent.
This is why the Latino vote is veering away from him and other Democrats and going for Trump.
“And for him to act as if inflation is something other than the government’s fault? Because I don’t have someone pay me $30,000 for a gala dress like she did, it’s easier for me to see the truth.”
In 2021, Ocasio-Cortez famously wore a white dress by Brother Vellies with red letters “Tax the Rich” across the back and emblazoned with the matching slogan on her bag to the Met Gala.
Ocasio-Cortez wears this Brother Vellies dress with “Tax the Rich” emblazoned on the back at the 2021 Met Gala. Getty Images For The Met Museum/Vogue
“The AOC should not be in Congress,” Torres said. “He’s not helping us, he’s hurting us with his rhetoric and his policies.”
Torres said he was a lifelong Democrat but left the party several years ago.
He said his entire family now votes Republican and said he wants Trump to win the presidency again.
Ellis Olive, a retired paramedic and Bronx resident, said he lives on a fixed income and inflation has limited the amount of food he can buy.
“Everyone I know now is living paycheck to paycheck,” Olive, who declined to give her age, told The Post.
Bronx resident and retired EMS officer Ellis Olive says her food budget is extremely tight due to inflation. Matthew McDermott
“I have to put $300 to $400 on the credit card every month but luckily I can pay it off in full. A lot of people can’t. The AOC should get out of here and talk to people and see how bad it is.
“Prices have gone crazy and someone has to do something about it. The economy is messed up and just calling it ‘propaganda’ is ridiculous.”
In East Elmhurst and the Jackson Heights section of Queens, which the AOC also represents, its constituents echo the Bronx.
Bronx resident Sergio Acevedo, 51, said he disagreed with the AOC’s downplaying of the government’s role in inflation. Matthew McDermott
Karma, 20, migrated from Bhutan with her family and now has to use credit cards to make ends meet. “It’s very strange to see this in a rich country,” he said. Matthew McDermott
Ranu Debi, 33, a mother of two, said her family had to use credit cards to pay for necessities such as groceries.
“Interest can be very high, 25 or 30 percent,” said Debi while playing with her children at the playground. “Rent and food are killing us. Before we went to Costco and $200 would buy what we needed. Now we have to spend $400 to get the same stuff we got for $200 just a few years ago. It was very difficult.”
A 20-year-old College of the Atlantic student who gave her name as Karma and moved to Corona with her family a few years ago from Bhutan told The Post she’s seen a rapid spike in inflation in just the past two years.
“We don’t have credit cards in Bhutan but here I have to use them to make ends meet,” says Karma. “I use a Visa card from Chase. It’s crazy to see prices go up so much in such a short time. Everything is expensive now. It is very strange to see this in a rich country.”
Manny Grima, 55, seen here shopping in Corona, said he had to cash out his 401K to make ends meet.Matthew McDermott
Manny Grima, 55, is American-born but he also said he was shocked by the recent increase in the cost of living.
“I had to cash out my 401K,” Grima said while shopping in Jackson Heights Thursday. “The last few years have been very difficult. You go to the store with $100 and it barely buys anything. I don’t understand why (AOC) doesn’t take this more seriously.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
