Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shuts down Donald Trump Jr.'s trolling: We'll soon "have subpoena power"

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Salon


The president’s son said socialism will lead to Americans eating dogs

SUMMER CARTWRIGHT
DECEMBER 7, 2018 9:32PM (UTC)

It seems as though Donald Trump Jr. hasn’t quite outgrown playground smack talk, what with his constant social media posts berating democrats and Trump opposers, publishing an offensive meme online targeted at Democratic congressperson-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The photo pictures Ocasio-Cortez asking, “Why are you so afraid of a socialist economy?” with President Trump responding, saying “Because Americans want to walk their dogs, not eat them.”

. . .

While more than 65,000 have liked the photo, which is captioned “It’s funny cuz it’s true!!!” the majority of comments are negative, questioning what the meme even means, and calling out how problematic it is that the son of the president is posting such content.

. . .

I have noticed that Junior here has a habit of posting nonsense about me whenever the Mueller investigation heats up,” she tweeted. “Please, keep it coming Jr - it’s definitely a “very, very large brain” idea to troll a member of a body that will have subpoena power in a month. Have fun!”

Read more: https://www.salon.com/2018/12/07/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-fires-back-at-trump-jr-for-offensive-meme/

[GWC58]

1. With no disrespect to Representative-elect

Ocasio-Cortez “You go Gurrrllll!” Yes indeedie!! 👍🏻😃

[enough]

2. An elected Member of the Congress of the United States should probably refrain from

throwing around the idea of subpoena power in a trolling exchange. That power of the government is too serious to be bragged about this way. It’s not something to be used to goad your adversaries.

[JudyM]

3. Right. He can pull that veiled threat back up as evidence of a vendetta against him and his father.

[True Blue American]

25. Is that Mitch

Third man back?

[JudyM]

40. Yes.

Hard to tell with his distorted face and chin covered up.

[ProfessorGAC]

4. It's In A Language That Punk Understands

Former concepts of decorum do not work against that gang!

[enough]

50. If and when the subpoena is real, they will understand.

[R B Garr]

5. Exactly. She should not have made that connection just because of his snotty

Tweet.

[ZeroSomeBrains]

6. Others have already brought up bring in Jr cuz of his lies

Last edited Fri Dec 7, 2018, 10:57 PM - Edit history (1)

If he had not lied to Congress on at least two times and others like Adam Schiff and others in the intel committee had not already said they plan on subpoenaing him then maybe it would be problematic. But since he was gonna get subpoenaed whether she tweets this or not makes it not as big a deal.

[Qutzupalotl]

11. *Schiff

[ZeroSomeBrains]

13. My bad

Fixed it.

[True Blue American]

27. Remember the old

” Jawarski!” Like a Raid Commercial during Nixon? Now we have,” SCHIFF!”

[PDittie]

34. I simply don't understand why

two posters would rather fault the Democratic Congress-woman-elect for her Tweet here.

What's the point of defending Trump Jr. in this exchange? The legal rationale cited is nonsensical. He has lied to Congress.

[blue cat]

36. I didn't see anyone not faulting him

But she said something that can be used against her.
Subpoena power isn’t something to troll back with in a text.

[Tom Rinaldo]

37. Threstening to subpoenor someone who has lied to Congress used against her?

Good lord. Lots of Democrats are calling for the use of subpoena's against those who arguably testified falsely before Congress, and Don Jr. is one of those who has already been named in that regard. A subpoena is not the same as prosecution. In this context it is a tool used to compel testimony, nothing more, nothing less.

News flash. To the extent that AOC gets trolled by the Right regarding this, it will hurt Don Jr,. not help him, as it brings his likely crime into further focus. And to the extent that AOC is trolled regarding this, it will only win her more grudging respect over it from some percentage of Trumpers who only respect strength. The rest are a lost cause anyway, I don't think AOC is going to lose any additional sleep over them. She is already on their enemies list. And they have that part right.

[reACTIONary]

43. She didn't mention lying to Congress...

.... she accused him of trolling, not lying. The house is not going to to subpoena someone as punishment for trolling - nor should it.

She should elevate her rhetoric and not imply a willingness to abuse the powers of her office.

[blue cat]

47. She is on their enemies list

That’s why she needs to be more careful. You explained it better than her. I’m glad that she did a follow up tweet.

[hueymahl]

51. Oh please

Let's cower in the corner and be super duper careful about what we say, because . . . . well, you just never know.

[reACTIONary]

41. Criticizing her is not the equivalent of . ...

.... Defending him. Who defended him?

[George II]

10. Especially since, not being named to any committee, "we" is not yet "her".

[Tarc]

14. Your "concern" is noted.

[3Hotdogs]

15. Agree

[PDittie]

35. Excuse me

Three.

[jpak]

19. Ummm...where have you been the last 2 years?

[ck4829]

24. +1

[KG]

20. I lulz'd

[Sparky 1]

7. How refreshing she is!

This lady is a breath of fresh air, something congress (and the country) definitely needs. She's got a heart of gold, an agile mind, and the ability to give even more than she received. Go get 'em, Alexandria!

[ck4829]

26. Yep

[Astraea]

8. why eat dogs...

when you can eat the rich?

[SCVDem]

12. I hear they taste like

KFC !

[House of Roberts]

9. Oscar Mayer is BOGO at Publix.

I like the long Angus ones that come eight to the pack and match the number in the bun packs.

[Firestorm49]

16. Now this one tough cookie!

[ck4829]

23. Indeed

[Honeycombe8]

17. She's too chatty on social media, esp for a freshman.

As Judge Judy says, people have two ears and only one mouth for a reason.

Her response comes off as schoolyard taunting. Best not to mention subpoena power in that context, or it looks like a revenge tactic, which it is not. It's a serious tool to use to save the democracy. (The Democratic Party is also not a socialist party, so she's giving the wrong impression.)

She made a good point with that orientation being a corporatization of the House members. But tweeting back and forth on that level is best left to the more experienced House members, IMO. But she has the right.

[SergeStorms]

18. Agree.

She has to learn not to respond to the goading of a silver-spoon punk who's never done an honest day's labor in his entire life. You shut spoiled little rich boys up by using the tools of your office. Getting into a flame war with him accomplishes nothing. She's a quick study. She'll be a force to be reckoned with by republicans for decades to come. Republicans thought Nancy Pelosi frosted their flakes? Ocasio-Cortez is going to drive them full-tilt bozo!

[Tom Rinaldo]

38. The more they attack her, the higher her profile, and...

the more active support she helps Democrats win from younger voters who feel she (and those like her) represent their generation

[frazzled]

42. And the more they attack her ...

and she attacks back, the quicker she will flame out. Remember Alan Grayson, Anthony Weiner, and all the other vocal "fighters" once so lauded here and elsewhere who went down in flames.

Engaging in Twitter wars may amuse millennials, but it is not a winning game, and it is not befitting a Congressperson, much less an incoming freshman who has not yet held any office and who has a lot to learn and hard legislative decisions to make.

[Tom Rinaldo]

45. Both Alan Grayson and Anthony Weiner had serious personal flaws

I was always wary of Grayson, in the same sort of way that Michael Avenatti sometimes rubs me wrong - too much arrogance and macho male energy. I liked Anthony Weiner though. He didn't flame out over anything he said or did politically. In that realm he was a rising star. It was his personal sexual misdeeds that did him in.

I am not "amused" by how AOC uses Twitter, nor I suspect are many millennials. I, and I suspect they, are heartened by it.

[frazzled]

46. Just saying ...

she should be careful about her newbie status and keep her nose to the grindstone. We all have character flaws of some sort, whether small or large. Women have the disadvantage of their small flaws being blown out of all proportion, whereas it takes a whopper to bring down a Weiner. Look at how Elizabeth Warren's small claim about Native ancestry, which the Republicans tried to exploit, led to her publish a DNA test that has had major blowback from both Native Americans and many progressive groups alike. You cannot win these wars, and it is better to push on with real work rather than engage with the enemy. That is where one finds heartening behavior.

As for myself, I am more "heartened" by the politicians who work (often behind the scenes) on crafting successful strategies for implementing positive change than I am by those who merely speak loudly. Remember it is the sticks and stones (the legislation and committee work) that will harm them, not the words. I truly hope she is effective in crafting legislation and doing committee work to achieve the changes we need. I feel that, in the end, that will be far more useful than trying to win a Twitter war with Trump.

[Tom Rinaldo]

48. I agree that you have a point

Hillary Clinton is the classic example of how the Right keeps coming against a strong woman who opposes them. So some caution is warranted, and I am confident experience will help serve her as a guide, once she has more experience.

But when for too long it seemed to too many that the willingness to stand firm against intimidation was insufficient within our party (whether or not that perception is or was always fair in every case) it can be electrifying to see a strong young woman who will not be cowed. And that lends a spark to all of our efforts to resist and then transform our society.

Those of us who can no longer call ourselves young can still remember when we were. That is especially true of those of us who came of age in the sixties with civil rights and anti-war struggles seemingly all encompassing. Our fire had to be tempered by some of the experience of elders, but our elders then also needed to feel the energy instilling warmth of that fire. The age balance in Congress overwhelmingly tilts toward elder generations in general. We made strides toward making that less extreme with the new Democratic Congressional freshmen class, which is excellent.

But we need more people like AOC who insist on talking about topics that rarely are fervently addressed in public from within those hallowed halls. There are times when bold speech itself is the missing ingredient standing in the way of action. We can't judge AOC on her effectiveness as a legislator yet since she has not yet been sworn into office, let alone acclimated to those duties. But overall I am heartened by how she is doing what she can be doing now. No she is not perfect but no one can ever rise to that standard.

[ck4829]

22. What does "socialist" even mean though?

If you listen to Republicans, one gets the impression that compassion or you know... being against school shootings makes one a socialist.

[rampartc]

29. a non privatized fire department is "socialist" to these bozos

but their "right" to drill in a national park is sacred.

[samnsara]

31. good point. i dont follow her on social media at all..I find her exhausting..

….shes going to burn out soon or ppl will burn out on her. We already have one whirlwind w/trump.. im looking for calmer people to take the lead and with adult-like precision to get us back on course.

[blue cat]

33. I didn't like it at all

I hope that she learns how to keep her powder dry.

[ck4829]

21. K&R

[samnsara]

28. lots of folks felt this was a veiled threat..she may have to watch out or she...

...may find herself needing to recuse or worse yet having to offer a public apology.

[RelativelyJones]

30. Why is she bringing subpoena power into a Twitter flame war?

[Vinca]

32. It's so nice to have a Democrat come out of the gate fighting.

A spine has been located.

[WhoWoodaKnew]

39. I don't mind her talking, she just needs to make sure she's not like Trump.

[Jake Stern]

44. Torn

She seems to have a spine and is bringing the fight to them. However, wielding the power of the subpoena like a cudgel in front of millions on social media might just set us up to look petty and vengeful.

[murielm99]

49. A lot of people here seem to equate having a spine with

having a mouth.

She is not in a leadership position. Let's see how she behaves when she has to put her head down and work.

[hueymahl]

52. I love what she is doing

Too many people on this board clutching their pearls because she says something that is not carefully focus tested. You know what, screw that. I love the fact she is speaking out and I think she is taking exactly the right tone for her role and for her position. Not being part of leadership gives her a lot of leeway to be creative and speak truth.