Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), also known as AOC, took a Democratic presidential candidate to the woodshed on Thursday night for using a Republican talking point to attack free universal public college education.
In a new ad promoting his campaign, South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg attacked free public college by claiming the proposal would “alienate half the country” because the children of millionaires would benefit as well from plans put forward by Senators Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.).
The problem is that Buttigieg is using a GOP talking point meant to divide Americans on a policy for his own benefit. And AOC was having none of it when she called him out and explained why free public college is a good thing, even for the kids of millionaires.
This is a GOP talking point used to dismantle public systems, & it’s sad to see a Dem candidate adopt it.
Let’s talk about why Republicans are wrong on this.
Just like rich kids can attend public school, they should be able to attend tuition-free public college.
Here’s why. https://t.co/pWprP0qrhG
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019
1. Universal public systems are designed to benefit EVERYBODY! Everyone contributes & everyone enjoys. We don’t ban the rich from public schools, firefighters, or libraries bc they are public goods.
2. Universal systems that benefit everyone are stronger bc everyone’s invested!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019
3. When you start carving people out & adding asterisks to who can benefit from goods that should be available to all, cracks in the system develop.
4. Many children of the elite want to go to private, Ivyesque schools anyway, which aren’t covered by tuition-free public college!
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019
5. Lastly, and I can’t believe we have to remind people of this, but it’s GOOD to have classrooms (from pre-k through college!) to be socioeconomically integrated.
Having students from different incomes & backgrounds in the same classroom is good for society & economic mobility.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019
Indeed, AOC is right. Denying public benefits to the children of rich people would backfire because they would argue that they should not have to pay taxes on something they are not allowed to use. In order for the free college to work, we will need everyone to chip in. There’s an argument to be made that the wealthy should have to pay more, but telling them they have to pay without being able to use what they are paying for is the definition of class warfare, which Republicans will use for their own political gain. Buttigieg is currently leading in Iowa, but this blunder should cost him. Because the last thing Democrats need is a candidate that spouts GOP talking points to attack good and popular progressive policies.
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