Boy-oh-boy! If you wanted to see socialism backfire before your eyes – proof that anti-capitalist sentiment leads no place good – I think we just saw it. In one of the oddest chapters in recent American politics, an avowed socialist and Democrat congresswoman, Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, just spiked 25,000 to 50,000 jobs and tens of billions of dollars of revenue for New York City. She single-handedly vaporized one of the most sought-after economic opportunities in a decade – with strident, ill-informed, and ill-timed words.
That’s right, first Amazon canvased the country, creating an open and competitive process (that is how capitalism works) among dozens of hopeful US cities – for the second of two big headquarters. The promises made by this high-octane engine of American innovation, revenue and prosperity were large – but the Amazon track record for fulfilling such promises is also large.
So highly competed was this opportunity for upward mobility that 238 cities entered the competition. When the field was thinned to 20, those standing included Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Miami, Montgomery County MD, Nashville, Newark, New York City, Northern Virginia, Philadelphia Raleigh, Washington DC, and even Toronto.
With a long-awaited drumroll, New York City then won. The stakes were high and The Big Apple was understandably ecstatic. Then, like some nightmare, the November 2018 elections occurred – and Representative Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, who styles herself a force of nature, shot off her mouth. She and a handful of leftist Democrats lambasted the company, Amazon.
As if she did not understand basic economics, or power of government incentives and infrastructure to leverage growth for jobs to pay for food, homes, children and wealth creation, she attacked the company – for lining up three billion dollars in tax incentives. These incentives would have bought teachers, infrastructure, construction and jobs that she claimed to want – but she let her leftist vitriol fly: Socialism over capitalism, personal ambition over people’s lives, jobs and growth.
In one fell swoop, she killed the Amazon project, upending years of preparation and destroying the hopes of hundreds of thousands of workers and businesses in fellow-Democrat Carolyn Maloney’s (D-NY) district. This self-impressed 29-year-old socialist triggered a straight-forward response: If you don’t want our efforts, innovation, growth, jobs and revenue, we are out of here. Amazon is gone.
And there we have it. Personal ambition and aggrandizement delivered a socialist outcome – an economic dead-end street. Congresswoman Maloney was stunned, along with thousands of New Yorkers. The dumbfounded New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, last Sunday, decried the outcome. The proud-as-a-peacock Socialist, with no life experience, depth in history or economics, was apparently pleased to have triumphed over the American spirit of life, liberty, free markets and capitalist economics.
The actual news account: “Ocasio-Cortez was wrong to have claimed the collapse of the Amazon deal would free up $3 billion to fix the city’s subways and hire more teachers.” As New York’s stunned and glum Mayor explained to the prophet: “The three billion dollars would go back in tax incentives, only after we were getting jobs and … revenue [from the company]… There’s not three billion in money … there’s no money” – until capitalists make it.
And that is the socialist fallacy in a nutshell. If you do not make any wealth, there is no wealth to tax and redistribute. If you kill creators of wealth, you bankrupt the system – ala Venezuela and the former Soviet Union.
In the former Soviet Union, citizens indoctrinated to be good socialists would sometimes discover a community member had purchased a cow. What did they do? For the sake of assuring socialist equality, they would kill the cow – rather than ask how they might all get cows.
And so, well done “AOC.” Truth is simple: Socialism backfires, always does. The New York Democrat just did us a favor, demonstrating how socialism kills jobs, destroys businesses, impoverishes lives, and under-cuts everything from privately-inspired infrastructure and education to basic human self-worth and prosperity. These come from giving hard-working people jobs, just an honest day’s work and pay. Socialists are – collectively and individually – a piece of work. Socialism is about bringing people down, as they just did to tens of thousands of New Yorkers. But we also got an invaluable lesson: Socialism fails, and always will. Thank you Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez.
HUZZAH !!
Comrade Bernie has just announced that he is running for POTUS – LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN !
GBA/MALL/MAGA#45 !
“Socialists are-colletively and individually- a piece of” s**t.
I COULD say that what AOC did was a textbook case of being hoist on her own petard, but given her disdain for cows and any kind of air travel…well, I’ll just leave it at that.
This is THE example that conservative candidates over the next two years should point out as reason enough to refute any claims of socialism’s superiority moronically uttered by AOC, Warren, Harris, Beto, and Spartacus.
Socialism didn’t ‘Backfire’ here. It simply did what it always does. Destroy and re-distribute until there is nothing left to give away. Why is anyone surprised?
“Whatever Leftism / Socialism touches, ROTS!
AOC is nothing, has never done or achieved anything. She is the perfect example of what our liberal universities are turning out. She flat does not get it. She is the media’s sweetheart. She has nothing of value for our country.
AOC God help her.
Great article!
Thanks for the information
It is refreshing to see her honest, although uninformed view of socialism on display. Unlike some of the other socialist in D.C. who try to sell us this lie disguised as universal health care, Medicare for all, etc.
Of the 238 competing cities, all the 20 “winners” are liberal/leftist. Amazon is allowing ideology to colour it’s decisions. A conservative right-to-work state provides a better, steadier workforce. Amazon needs better management.
When will the leftist media forget this socialist?
Define the term “fail”. If you define “success” as “acquiring and keeping power”, socialism and communism are as successful as hell since in the long haul we’re all dead and since ill-educated millennials see as far ahead as the average lemming. If you define “success” as “the prosperity of people who work for a living”, however, socialism and communism are failures. But I do give AOC credit for having had an honest job once in her life, as a beer tender. That’s more than can be said for most politicians, left or right.
A true example of the failure of, secondary and post secondary education in modern America. The sad thing
is, she is clueless to how to just how stupid she looks and sounds. That red lipstick makes her big mouth look even bigger
Conservatives should rejoice in AOC! Amazon was the perfect demonstration of how Socialism works!
AOC is living proof of what my grandfather used to say 50 years ago: You can send a damn fool to the best college in the world and what you’ll end up with every time is a damn fool with a diploma.
I agree. Thank You!
This is what happens when History is not taught in our schools anymore. There are certain subjects that should be mandatory, elementary school, high school and college.
The full story how different financial systems treat the farmer with the bull and cow is very worthwhile and worth retelling!
Just what we need “more teachers for the empty classrooms” For the children…has always been the alibi of tyrants.
“The welfare of the people in particular has always been the alibi of tyrants,
and it provides the further advantage of giving the servants of tyranny a good conscience.”
― Albert Camus
She is brain washed and stupid. Obviously no real world experience. The media is obviously just as bad. Full of arrogant, “know it all” socialist morons who think they will escape all the horrors associated with it.
The 2020 election is still more than a year away and it’s up to us to remember this because the media will not! The media will find many other reasons to adore AOC between now and then.
Her new nick name is: “NOSTRADUMASS!!!”
“Free cheese can only be found in a mouse trap.”
“When you subsidize poverty and failure, you always get more of
both.” – James Dale Davidson, National Taxpayers Union
You hit the preverbally nail right on the head with this article, just like AMAC does on all their other recent articles. Keep up the good work.
If and when these idiots gain control of the country, every worker and company in the USA should shutdown for a month and let the communist see how that works for them. Redistribution of wealth? There will be no wealth except for our Czars that are in control. When will we get the point across to the stupid people in our country that socialism IS communism. Socialism only benefits the rulers. People who want to have a family with a nice home and be able to do things with their families and friends do not want socialism. The only ones who do, are the ones who want someone else to do all the work and GIVE them their part. Socialism will fail when people refuse to be slaves to the government. These people have to be educated about cutting their nose off to spite their face.
Websters is changing the picture under “complete moron” to a picture of this idiot!
You all just don’t understand. The only problem with socialism in Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and all the other failures is that American Democrats weren’t in charge. When the American Democrats impose socialism here, then everything will be just peachy!
Let’s send all the Democrat congressmen and -women to Venezuela to learn how to really run an economy—into the ground.
The Dems need badly to spin this one! Like wolves eating their own Miz Ocasio-Cortez brilliantly directed another Democrat SNAFU. If these people win ANYTHING in 2020, then the American public has been thoroughly brainwashed.
Simple minds create simple life styles! This is all due to the educations of the socialist professors teach in our schools.
The stupid congress woman yaps like a Chihuahua and makes the Democrats look foolish to give her camera time.
Democrats are an extinct species. Those who inhabit the party that carries that name are, at a minimum Socialists, and more likely full blown communists. I fear for what awaits my grandchildren.
This is what you get when you do not research the list of candidates you are voting for, you get what you vote for………….
While I agree with the overall point of the article I take umbrage at calling what Amazon did capitalism. Pitting *city governments* against each other is not capitalism. Yes, in today’s business environment its a smart move and probably even a necessary one, but it is not capitalism, it is *crony* capitalism.
It raises barriers to entry for any potential Amazon competitor, no one else will be able garner such deals. Amazon was using city governments’ greed to strengthen their own position *against* competition.
The irony is the Dems created the incentive for companies to do such things — then they have the gall to complain that it happens?
Could not have happened to a better state. Congratulations on craping on New York again!
I don’t know what it takes for a recall election in New York, but I would say the people in AOC’s district would be well served to find out. Although she does provide a number of “OMG” moments followed by laughter and the shaking of heads.
Thank you for a good article. One of the many reasons I left the educational system. The product we received from the public school system every fall – they couldn’t read, write a coherent sentence, and couldn’t grasp a simple concept, etc. I was spending most of my time doing remedial work and handling disciplinary problems. If you want real change we have to get the government out of the business of trying to educate our children. They do a horrible job, turn out a lousy product and overcharge us too.
Nice job libs.
Cortez is an idiot and don’t belong here
Well done Robert Charles! Thanks for your illuminating rationale on socialism using the current defection of Amazon from that bastion of democratic socialism–NY. What echoed loudly in my reading though was that Jeff Bezos and Amazon are liberals. But acting as Capitalists. Long ago I read that most liberals live as capitalists–indeed I personally know a few who exemplify this adage exactly. Vote, and always have, a straight democratic ticket. Uphold all the leading popular democratic causes, and work within the economic system to create wealth and amass it for themselves and their children–definitely not a democratic principal!
It seems to me that we once had laws on the books against trying to overthrow the government. Maybe it’s time to start enforcing them. Mr President?
Stopping feeding her PR frenzy. Don’t use the cute “OAC” handle given to her by the left. Just call her Cortez (the Socialist.)
What always shocks me about this is that people in New York state voted her into office. So do we blame AOC for this, or the folks who got her into office. I’m wondering how they are feeling about it now.
I believe Dennis Prager said “If we continue to teach tolerance and intolerance instead of good and evil, you will have tolerance of evil.” We are so close in every aspect of our American lives. We must stay awake and ready.
Socialism never works, but there always seem to be people who think that there socialist predecessors just went about it the wrong way, but THIS TIME we new and enlightened socialists will get it right. They just never do.
Everyone here seems to be taking a similar, simplistic point of view, congruent with the article. I’m not sure reality comes in such a simple flavor, though. Even an Occasional Cortez can be right… occasionally. (Even if for all the wrong reasons.)
I’ve been watching this whole ridiculous circus unfold for the past months, stupid municipalities and regions making fools of themselves to win… I’m not sure just what. They are offering all sorts of tax incentives to a newcomer with uncertain objectives (vis a vis this project, anyway; Amazon’s ultimate objective it to rake in ever more cash). What about the citizens, the businesses, that have worked tirelessly and diligently for decades to make the community what it has become? What sort of tax breaks are they getting? Did the taxpayers have an opportunity to vote yea or nay on this giving frenzy?
Then there’s Amazon. The article glowingly describes Amazon as “this high-octane engine of American innovation, revenue and prosperity.” Reading here at on other sites, this project supposedly will entail 25,000 jobs with a quoted average salary of $150K/yr. Some articles I read claim this should rise to 38,000 jobs. What are all these people going to DO? And as to the pay, will this be 24,500 grunt jobs at $9/hr and the rest of the pay lavished on executives, bringing the average to a highly misleading $150K/yr? We do not know, and probably have no right to, except for the fact that Amazon is looking for special, preferential treatment. We can ask whatever we want.
However you look at it, this is a massive payroll. How long will this “high-octane engine of American innovation” continue to pay these salaries before they find a way to automate them, displacing these workers to the breadline? That is the immediate outcome of much innovation, after all. How good will the whole proposition look when the unemployment offices are clogged with 25,000 out-of-work tech stooges, assuming employment ever even approaches that mythical number? It’s true the tax breaks will only be doled-out incrementally, probably as pre-defined milestones are met, but not having to grant those breaks in no way offsets the negative implications of that place shutting down or scaling back massively. Not many companies work on a scale where they need a 25,000 employee facility, no matter what they do in there. When/if Amazon moves out or scales back operations drastically, a massive white elephant facility will be left behind, probably with no one who wants it. What then?
I’m looking at what there is to see and developing some realistic worst case scenarios. They are my speculation, just like this article (and all of these municipalities) are speculating on what Amazon is going to do. One reasonable speculation is just as good and probable as another. There are plenty of examples to prove the point that businesses change objectives in midstream and on the fly in response to changes in the marketplace or other realities. One need look no further than Fox Conn’s foxy con in Wisconsin to see I am right.
All of this is predicated on one major assumption, one I am not on board with. That is, internet shopping is the wave of the future. Clearly it appears to be, in the short term, but how long will that last, before people start seeing it for the costly, cumbersome, often dissatisfying and frustrating and time consuming approach it really is? Don’t doubt me, Amazon and others are spending tons of cash and devoting massive intellectual resources to stave off this very likely ultimate outcome. Why else concoct idiotic and farfetched nonsense like self-driving cars, delivery drones and robots? This thing is a flash in the pan and it too will run its course, just like the medicine shows of the late 1800’s. All that remains to be seen is how long it will take and how big a bunch of fools we become in the meantime.
AOC does not see herself as a “useful idiot” and she believes that, should socialism win in America, she would remain it’s beloved poster child. Dreams, dreams, dreams.
This “woman” is the most dangerous person to ever become a part of Congress. Her stupidity is amazing! What is even worse is to think that New Yorkers voted her into office. Wake up New York (and other liberal locations) before it is too late.
The problem we face is thinking that AOC has the ability to care about what she has done, and the complete lack of understanding of how things actually work. But as an example of how the far left Socialists think, it’s wonderful.
The unbiased media, backing Occasional Cortex as it did ObeyMe, will bury this story.