It’s never a good idea for a person with no experience with poverty to weigh in on what the working poor needs and wants. Somehow, trust fund baby and sweatshop owner thought it would be a great idea, and no one was impressed, least of all Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
As a person who actually worked for tips & hourly wages in my life, instead of having to learn about it 2nd-hand, I can tell you that most people want to be paid enough to live.
A living wage isn’t a gift, it’s a right. Workers are often paid far less than the value they create. https://t.co/P5FsQuhCTW
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 26, 2019
In fact, wages are so low today compared to actual worker productivity that they are no longer the reflections of worker value as they used to be.
Productivity has grown 6.2x more than pay:https://t.co/Zh5n46EfPQ pic.twitter.com/J7ctQ8TXPO
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 26, 2019
The idea of a guaranteed minimum wage is not new but raising it to a living wage is something that hasn’t happened in decades. Ocasio-Cortez worked as a bartender for tips and recognizes how devalued workers are in today’s economy, but Ivanka decided she knew better.
‘People want to work for what they get. So, I think that this idea of a guaranteed minimum is not something most people want.’
No one is suggesting giving people money for not working, the idea is to pay workers enough to afford rent, groceries, and utilities. It’s not that much to ask, but the woman who has a high-powered job solely because of who her father is doesn’t think so.
Ocasio-Cortez was quick to fire back, reminding Ivanka that some of us have actually had to work for a living and struggled to support ourselves on low wages that haven’t kept pace with economic growth and productivity.
‘As a person who actually worked for tips & hourly wages in my life, instead of having to learn about it 2nd-hand, I can tell you that most people want to be paid enough to live. A living wage isn’t a gift, it’s a right. Workers are often paid far less than the value they create.’
Twitter had mixed feelings about the idea of a living wage, but most saw Ocasio-Cortez’s tweet as necessary and timely. Read some of their comments below:
Featured image screenshot via YouTube
