From Newsgroup: nyc.politics

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was called out for her claim that
an individual "can't earn a billion dollars," as critics rejected the
idea and accused the progressive "Squad" member of lying.

Appearing on comedian Ilana GlazerrCOs podcast, "ItrCOs Open," Ocasio-Cortez suggested the very existence of a ten-figure net worth is a policy
failure rather than a personal achievement.

"You canrCOt earn a billion dollars," she told Glazer. "You can get market power. You can break rules. You can do all sorts of things. You can
abuse labor laws. You can pay people less than what theyrCOre worth.

"But you canrCOt earn that, right? And so you have to create a myth. ...
You have to create a myth of earning it."

The New York Post's Miranda Devine posted a facepalm emoji in response
to AOC's suggestion.

Daily Wire co-founder Ben Shapiro called Ocasio-Cortez's claims a lie.

"Lies. Billionaires get rich by innovating and risk-taking, offering new
and better goods and services at prices people are willing to pay," he
wrote on social media. "Government makes cash through confiscation.
AOC's conspiratorial, envious view of the world leads to impoverishment
and tyranny."

Paul Graham, an author and entrepreneur, wrote, "Sure you can earn a
billion dollars. I've been teaching people how to do it for 20 years.
The way you do it is to start a company that grows fast. You don't have
to do anything bad to make a company grow fast. You just have to make
something people want."

Mark Hemingway, a senior writer at Real Clear Politics, said the full conversation was much worse than the clip that has gone viral.

"AOC is rightfully getting roasted for this, but itrCOs so much worse than
this short clip. The amount of empty-headed lefty buzzwords and whining
about 'genocidal frameworks' on this podcast is just astounding," he
said on X.

During the interview, Ocasio-Cortez framed economic insecurity not as a
result of individual choices, but as a byproduct of a system that forces working-class Americans to internalize financial hardship.

"ItrCOs not that Walmart pays less than a living wage," Ocasio-Cortez
said, mimicking the mindset she believes is forced upon the public.
"ItrCOs that IrCOm poor, and I didnrCOt work hard enough, so I didnrCOt earn a better station in my life."

She further tied the wealth gap to the country's current cultural
divisions, suggesting that economic anxiety is being redirected toward marginalized groups.

"In an era of extreme income inequality, I donrCOt think itrCOs a
coincidence that this xenophobia and anti-immigrant feeling is happening
at the same time," she said.

ELIZABETH WARREN CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO REJECT BILLIONAIRE DONORS AHEAD
OF 2026 AND 2028 ELECTIONS

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez walking down House steps at U.S. Capitol
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., walks down the House steps after
a vote at the U.S. Capitol on April 23, 2026. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call,
Inc)

Noah Smith, the author of an economically focused Substack, expressed
concern about the Democratic Party's direction in reaction to the clip
about Ocasio-Cortez.

"I am concerned that the Dems are becoming the party of 'millionaires
who resent billionaires,'" he wrote. "'I made my millions fair and
square, but you cheated and exploited the workers to make your billions,
you capitalist pig!'"

Jennifer Sey, founder and CEO of XX-XY Athletics, asked, "So how do
these ladies feel about billionaire Tom Steyer trying to buy the CA governorrCOs race with his unearned billions? Or Daniel Lurie buying the
SF mayoral race? Those billions are ok?"

Reason editor Robby Soave wrote, "This is just abjectly false from
beginning to end. What she's doing here is trying to provide a moral justification for mass wealth confiscation, since in her view it is
never earned legitimately."

The Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf wrote, "There are billionaires who
accrue wealth via theft or rent-seeking, and they should be stopped. But
others can and do generate more than a billion in real value for others.
In different realms, Bill Gates and Jay Z both did. Incentivizing that
sort makes all of us better off."

RILEY GAINES AND OCASIO-CORTEZ TRADE BARBS AS CONSERVATIVES DEFEND THE
FORMER SWIMMER IN ONGOING DISPUTE

Twitch founder Michael Seibel also said he disagreed with AOC's
messaging.

"I strongly do not agree. This populist messaging is counterproductive.
AOC teaching people that wealth = immorality is in opposition to the
American dream," he wrote.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez speaking at a rally outside the U.S.
Capitol in Washington, D.C. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.,
speaks during a rally advocating for immigration provisions in the Build
Back Better Act outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 7,
2021. (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Ocasio-Cortez addressed some of the reaction she was getting to the
claim and doubled down.

"Some people get enraged that I draw attention to this," she wrote on X,
in addition to a lengthy explanation about her remarks. "ThatrCOs on them.
Let them call me shrill, dumb, inexperienced, girly, uneducated rCo these
folks will say anything to distract from or undercut the truth that
working people are getting screwed, and giving people a fair shake means
we must have a grown conversation about reigning in abuse of power."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/aoc-called-out-claim-billionaires-cant-earn -wealth-she-doubles-down-remarks
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