On Thursday’s episode of “The Ben Shapiro Show,” Shapiro rebuts Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet against his “plutocratic” ideas. In response to her post about the “manipulative tactics of plutocrats,” Shapiro counters, “One of the most manipulative tactics used by socialists is suggesting that free decision-making by individuals is actually the result of systemic pressures that cannot be avoided other than by people like AOC running your life.” Video and partial transcript below:
We are now in what — year two — of AOC (Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-NY) sniping at people and then refusing to talk to them. So, there is an open invitation to AOC anytime she wants to discuss this, or any other issue, she can come on the show. This is not “catcalling” as she put it, but she sort of “catcalled” me yesterday by her own standards. She tweeted out, “One of the most manipulative tactics plutocrats use is convincing people that the systemic issues we face are a character flaws instead of policy flaws.”
Stop there for one second. Ok, “plutocrats,” like what, rule by the rich. Let me explain something, I was middle class the vast majority of my life — the vast majority of my life. I know people like to make up kind of fake histories about where I came from and all … . I was born in a two-bedroom small house in Burbank, on Ontario Street, and that small house had one bathroom and six people in it. I shared a bedroom with three sisters until I was 11 years old; we were middle middle class. We were certainly not upper class — we were certainly not rich. And you know what, my parents worked their a** off to make it so that our life was better and good for them. And they did so by working multiple jobs. They did so by making personal decisions.
“It is one of most manipulative tactics plutocrats use.” So, I am a plutocrat because, I guess, it’s plutocracy if I wish to preserve free exchange between people. But it is not hierarchical rule from above if AOC wants to take a gun, run by the government, and put it to the heads of employers. So top-down centralized control by people like AOC is not tyranny, it’s tyranny if I say that there should be free exchange between people, and how they choose to do jobs.
She says that, “One of most manipulative tactics plutocrats use is convincing people that the systemic issues we face are character flaws instead of policy flaws.” Well no, I’m not saying it’s a character flaw to take two jobs. Obviously, I’m saying in fact that very often it’s a character benefit, it’s an attribution of great character. What I am saying is that it’s a “you decision,” it’s a “you problem.”
She is saying, “Working people aren’t dumb or inferior.” Obviously, no one is saying they are — except for AOC — who apparently believes they’re not capable of negotiating their own salary. They’re not capable of creating income mobility. They’re not capable of working two jobs to get ahead.
[AOC says,] “Nor are they why insulin costs three hundred dollars and huge companies pay starvation wages.”
I’m always confused by AOC’s bizarre understanding of economics. She says corruption is responsible for huge companies paying quote-unquote “starvation wages.” Really? Is that corruption or is that people choosing to take a job with Wal-Mart because that is a free exchange. You may not like what Wal-Mart pays. Good news, you don’t have to work there. Again, that would not be Wal-Mart’s problem, that would be a you problem. It doesn’t mean a character flaw in you. It means that you’re not wanting to work at a place, in a free country, is something that is your choice.
When I say “you problem,” I mean a choice made by you. One of the most manipulative tactics used by socialists is suggesting that free decision-making by individuals is actually the result of systemic pressures that cannot be avoided other than by people like AOC running your life. The tactic that the Left likes to use is that there is no income mobility. You can never rise. You’re being crammed into this job against your will, and that you’re a victim of circumstance, therefore give me all the power. It’s manipulative, it’s garbage, and it makes people’s lives worse. It’s just gross.
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