Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) lost another battle to definitions on Monday after claiming her private shop does not use capitalism and then describing the system used using various facets of capitalism.
Former White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer prompted Ocasio-Cortez to flex her economic knowledge by accusing her of using capitalism to push socialism.
“Using capitalism to push socialism Branding the U.S. left: @AOC makes a push into political merchandise,” Spicer wrote on Twitter, attaching a Reuters article discussing Ocasio-Cortez’s private business success.
Ocasio-Cortez responded by claiming she’s not using capitalism, but instead the “economic system” used by her privately owned business is based on voluntary transactions determined by private decisions. She cited “tutoring, food programs, & local organizing” as examples of the investments the private business makes with its profits.
“Not sure if you know this Sean, but transactions aren’t capitalism,” Ocasio-Cortez responded. “Capitalism is a system that prioritizes profit at any & all human/enviro cost.”
“But fwiw our shop is unionized, doesn’t operate for profit,& funds projects like free tutoring, food programs, & local organizing,” she added.
Spicer, ostensibly having the unfair advantage of having a dictionary on hand, pointed out to Ocasio-Cortez that capitalism is “based in private (not gov) ownership.”
Other Twitter accounts also responded to Ocasio-Cortez's statements.
“AOC has discovered a secret formula where you take money and make something and sell it without making a profit then take the money and fund other projects with it. She’s a genius,” political Twitter account Matt’s Idea Shop wrote.
The Daily Wire’s Emily Zanotti wrote, “If the shop doesn’t make a profit, then how does it fund those programs…”
