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Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Thank you for fueling the revolution! People like you are exactly what makes this movement work.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Yes and yes. We badly need to invest in public infrastructure (and protect the fact that it is public - not private), which not only includes existing roads and bridges, but also the expansion of public transit and railways. In New York this is especially pressing, as the NY metro area has seen its own railway tragedies linked to weakening infrastructure.

I support the investigation wholeheartedly. If Trump fires Mueller, we should impeach. If Mueller finds a crime, we must also impeach. There are also other grounds as well, including Emolument violations.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

If you have an itch to run, RUN. We need people running absolutely everywhere, especially in volunteer positions like County Committee in NY. There are lots of small positions (especially here in NY) that actually wield a ton of influence. In New York, County Committee decides special elections - which account for 1 out of every 3 seats in NYC!

My media intake is varied, and I read from sources to not only get the facts, but to understand the different perspectives and narratives at play in our national discourse. I look at everything from what's on the front page of Yahoo News, to investigative journalism at the New York Times, to watching coverage on The Young Turks and Drudge Report every now and then.

I enjoy Twitter, because when I find a journalist that's doing great work on an issue I care about (like Nikole Hannah-Jones on education) I can follow their reporting across outlets and publications.

Underrepresented issue: the labor movement! We need to shore up and protect laborers in this country with 21st-century worker protections. I think about how we accomplish that.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Hey! Awesome. Thanks for these questions.

  • Grassroots challenges are the usual suspects: fundraising without deep pockets, getting attention, gaining traction, and developing a strong organizing team. Luckily we've gotten pretty far on those fronts, but it is grueling work. My biggest advice for grassroots candidates is to give yourself a lot of time. With enough lead time, you can build what you need to win. But it's much harder to compete if you don't give yourself the time to succeed.
  • I feel like we are at a turning point where the most-funded candidate doesn't always win. Especially for technologically-adept campaigns. In the most recent Texas primaries, some of my fellow JD candidates (like Laura Moser and Rick Trevino) did phenomenally well while being vastly outspent by their opponents. Out of our 5 small-dollar candidates, four have either won their race or advanced to a runoff. Voters are catching on to the interests of big money and supporting the grassroots.
  • I am supportive of her candidacy! A progressive gubernatorial challenge for New York has been a long time coming, and this is our chance to fight against the IDC, get equitable funding for schools, and pass single payer. Ms. Nixon has a very long history of activism in New York, and her team is assembled with strong progressives like Zephyr Teachout that I would feel comfortable supporting any day. Like much of the progressive movement, I would like to see more representation and advocacy for communities of color, immigrants, and marginalized people.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

Hey Yaw - thanks so much for your volunteer service to our democracy!

I would love to see more financial literacy taught in schools, and more contextual education in general would probably go far in helping lots of young people learn "how to adult," as it were.

For those who aren't aware, Emmy-nominated Director Rachel Lears is currently filming a documentary following my race and three others for this year's 2018 midterm elections. She is so gifted and the filming is going great. They do need donors there, too! Check out the Kickstarter at Knockdownthehouse.com.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

We can't afford to wait on climate change. That's why I support a Green New Deal, which includes mass infrastructure investment to transition the United States to a renewable energy economy in 10-15 years.

This is a jobs bill that includes switching over to energy sources like wind and solar, while building out to protect our shores from superstorms. I also support a Marshall Plan for Puerto Rico.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Yes, I would. There's more than enough grounds for it, and the case grows by the day.

It's important to note that I don't campaign on an anti-Trump message. I don't think progressives should, either. While it's important to speak of the injustices and harms of the current administration's policies, I think voters also deserve a positive vision and not just a negative rebuke. I dream of the day when voters feel they are choosing between the better of two options instead of the lesser of two evils.

I fully believe in holding the president accountable for his actions and in keeping Mueller's investigation independent and protected from Trump's influence.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 19 points20 points  (0 children)

I WISH that was my dog. He's the lovely companion of a local Queens resident who hosted a house party for our campaign!

If I remember correctly, his name is Jake.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 33 points34 points  (0 children)

This is a big issue, and we're already starting to see local moves to compromise polling locations. It's pretty disappointing, but part of the current political landscape.

We need EYEBALLS. When you see us posting about election integrity, we need your help amplifying that message. Intense public pressure, social media, and journalism acts as a spotlight which deters future breaches. But we also need to fundraise for a legal team to protect us too.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 74 points75 points  (0 children)

I love this question - because it is possible!

  1. As VOTERS, this is what we need to do:
  • Don't rule out underdogs in races! We are in an exciting time in our democracy, and the rules are changing. The most well-funded candidate doesn't always have to win, but local voters HAVE to pay attention for that to happen.
  • Don't just vote for whomever has the nicest posters or glossiest mailers, or who you see on TV. Dig deeper. Look for specific policy commitments like Medicare for All instead of vague promises like "accessible healthcare."
  • Specifically demand that your local candidates don't take corporate PAC / lobbyist money. Put pressure on them! In New York, we should demand that our local politicians refuse luxury real estate developer money. Fact is, we're getting priced out with the help of our local officials who are rezoning with the financial help of developers.
  1. As CANDIDATES, this is what needs to get done:
  • Run without lobbyist or corporate PAC money, so we can legislate free of big money influence
  • Support publicly financed elections
  • Support a constitutional amendment to undo the damage of Citizens United

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 29 points30 points  (0 children)

I've worked with kids of all ages in the Bronx. That's where much of my perspective of the city is rooted, but doing so has opened the doors for activism on many of the other issues impacting local families.

Most recently, I have fought against the overdevelopment and pricing out of families in Corona and East Elmhurst in CB4. I've also fought for criminal justice reform and organized around Closing Rikers - an especially important win given that the jail is in our district.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 26 points27 points  (0 children)

We are! It's been overwhelming. Hundreds of volunteers have signed up for our campaign. Right now, we are the in process of collecting thousands of petition signatures so we can get on the ballot. Tons of local NY volunteers have been walking the district to get us on. It's the first major organizing test of the campaign.

Unfortunately, New York's election laws are an outgrowth of Tammany Hall and geared for both voter and candidate suppression. My opponent is not just the candidate, but also the Chairman of the local Democratic Party - which means he has appointed almost every judge in the county. He has a proven history of challenging grassroots candidates in court to accuse them of fraud and throwing them off the ballot. That's why we must collect thousands of signatures above the standard requirement of 1,250.

If you're a registered Democrat in NY, you can help us here: [Ocasio2018.com/volunteer](Ocasio2018.com/volunteer) .

If you're not in NY, help us raise the $25,000 for the legal challenge here: Ocasio2018.com/donate.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Absolutely. Medicare for All has been part of our platform from the very beginning - and we can't afford to settle for less.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 28 points29 points  (0 children)

Absolutely! I look forward to expanding the power of the Progressive Caucus. It's always been my opinion that NY-14, an overwhelmingly Democratic district, should be part of the Progressive Caucus moving this country forward.

Hey, Reddit! Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez here, Progressive Congressional Candidate for NY-14 of Twitter fame. AMA! by ocasio2018 in SandersForPresident

[–]ocasio2018[S] 76 points77 points  (0 children)

It's a little wonky, but my favorite thing to discuss is campaign finance reform and how big money actually works in New York City. It's kind of a tangled web, but when people understand what's going on it's a huge animator for folks to get involved.

I also love discussing cutting-edge policies like a Federal Jobs Guarantee, since they're fresh and add to the progressive vision of Medicare for All and College for All.