Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has perfect response to Republicans ‘freaking out’ over her gender-neutral ‘tax the rich’ sweatshirt
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has dropped a ‘Tax The Rich’ sweatshirt. (Getty/Twitter)
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unveiled new gender-neutral merchandise that is American-made, Union-printed and, yup, it profoundly annoyed conservatives who once again missed the glaringly obvious.
The progressive New York congressperson, 31, revealed the new line-up of sweatshirts and tees Tuesday (2 December) which includes a “Drink Water and Don’t Be Racist” t-shirt and a “Green New Deal dad hat”.
But it was a crewneck sweatshirt reading “Tax The Rich” that drew curdled fury from conservatives.
Several pundits, including Fox News contributors Sara Carter and Lisa Boothe among others, hounded Ocasio-Cortez for selling the clothing for $65, which has since been reduced to $58.
As always, made in the US with dignified, union jobs paying living wages ✨
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 2, 2020
“Still laughing about AOC selling ridiculously expensive swag that says ‘Tax the rich’,” Boothe said.
“AOC selling $65 “Tax The Rich’ sweatshirt. No, this isn’t The Babylon Bee,” Carter tweeted, referring to the Christian news satire website.
The tweets came despite Fox News selling a $23.20 “Proud American Hat” that bears the American flag on it. Although, it has five rows of five stars and four rows of four stars – totalling 41 stars.
Moreover, neither Carter nor Boothe, both journalists, actually explained why the clothing was sold for such a price, instead exploiting it for a playground power-grab.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hits out against Fox News pundits who missed the obvious.
As one former apparel designer sought to stress, there’s a reason for the attire’s pricing.
Noting his experience in mass-market apparel design, Stephen Punwasi said: “Made in America. Union printed. Sounds about right.
“That’s what it costs to pay everyone a decent wage along the way.”
Everyone: @AOC is selling a "tax the rich" sweatshirt for $58! That's way too expensive.
Me, a former mass market apparel designer: Made in America. Union printed. Sounds about right. That's what it costs to pay everyone a decent wage along the way. #TaxTheRich pic.twitter.com/afPZ6quQmZ— Stephen Punwasi 🏚️📉🐈☃️ (@StephenPunwasi) December 3, 2020
Later in the thread, he noted that Ocasio-Cortez had made the sweatshirt in a factory in Vietnam “that pays workers a fair wage, after import and duties” the retail price would have been slashed to $35.
Moreover, if she had it made in a “foreign sweatshop” with dangerous working conditions, the sweatshirt could be flogged for around a mere $12.
“One person’s spending is someone’s income,” he concluded.
Ocasio-Cortez herself waded into the debate, appearing unstung by criticism.
She retweeted Punwasi’s thread and added: “Republicans are freaking out because we don’t use slave-wage labour for merch that funds grassroots organizing.
“But what’s the difference between Trump’s merch and ours? Ours is made in the US.”
Oh, and by the way: Tax the Rich.— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) December 3, 2020
“Wait until they zoom in and see ‘gender neutral fit’,” tweeted Chasten Buttigieg. “Phew! RIP your mentions.”
The product page for the sweatshirt has since been updated to add: “As complained about on Fox News.“
