via Washington Examiner here > Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says 'Medicare for all' could be paid for by Pentagon waste
Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested that “Medicare for all" costs be covered by money allocated to the Department of Defense.
The New York Democrat over the weekend referenced a Nation magazine report about problems with a Pentagon audit due to bookkeeping deficiencies, irregularities, and errors.
“In all, at least a mind-boggling $21 trillion of Pentagon financial transactions between 1998 and 2015 could not be traced, documented, or explained,” the progressive publication reported.
“$21 TRILLION of Pentagon financial transactions ‘could not be traced, documented, or explained.’ $21T in Pentagon accounting errors. Medicare for All costs ~$32T. That means 66% of Medicare for All could have been funded already by the Pentagon. And that’s before our premiums,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, citing the Nation article.
via Town Hall here > Backfire: How a Stupendously Ignorant Tweet From Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Undermines Single Payer Healthcare
Before we delve into her new "argument," I'd like to make a point about why the conservative commentariat sometimes seems fixated on Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. First, she entered the national spotlight as a media fascination and darling -- a young woman of color who shook up the Democratic Party from the left by defeating an establishment fixture. She wasn't randomly plucked from relative obscurity by right-wing writers or pundits for sport; she was elevated by a mainstream media that loves covering, and sympathizes with, rising liberal stars. And please recall the DNC Chairman referring to her as "the future of our party." Second, because of the attention lavished upon her, she has built a massive online platform. Among the dozens of newly-elected Democrats arriving in DC to serve in the next Congress, Ocasio-Cortez has, by far, the largest social media following.
via Washington Examiner here > Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Impeach Trump now
Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez suggested Democrats, who take power in the House next month, should not wait to begin impeachment proceedings against President Trump because “we have far surpassed” the “standard” that the Republican Party used to impeach former President Bill Clinton.
Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., during comments to reporters Friday on Capitol Hill, was asked if seeking impeachment is premature. “Not to me,” she replied. Democratic leaders during the 2018 campaign sought to play down the prospect that they would try to remove the president from office.
Ocasio-Cortez also said a plea deal reached by former Trump attorney Michael Cohen and special counsel Robert Mueller buttresses the case the Trump should be impeached. Cohen admitted to making false statements about the timing of discussions surrounding the "Moscow Project," an effort by Trump to construct a tower in Russia's capital.
“I’ve been supportive of impeachment for some time now so I think it just adds to the case,” she said. “I mean, it’s just, this is ridiculous. This is outrageous. In 1998, the entire Republican Party decides to impeach Bill Clinton over what standard? And the fact that they have to raise that standard to go above and beyond.”