- Already did that part. What's this?
- DAN OLSON, MODERATOR: Oh, there we go. There we go.
- ALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ: Hello?
- CASEYEXPLOSION, MODERATOR: Hi.
- CHELSEA MANNING, GUEST: Hey, how's it going?
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Hey, I'm well, how are you all?
It's— Hello, it's fantastic to meet you.
Would you like to introduce yourself, in case some people don't know who you are?
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Hello? Oh, I got you.
- [CROSSTALK]
- What's up? What time is it over there?
- OLSON: Would you like to introduce yourself? I'm sure— Chat is going wild. They know who you are, but...
- [CROSSTALK]
- Just— I want it on the record. I need to know.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Of course, everyone. My name is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
I am the congresswoman for New York's 14th congressional district.
OLSON: Thank you so, so much for coming out today.
- It's a pleasure to meet you!
- [CROSSTALK]
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Likewise. Thank you to Chelsea, for giving me the heads up and inviting me.
- Oh, gosh...
- MANNING: Yeah.
I committed so much voter fraud for you!
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Pardon?
- [LAUGHING] Nothing.
It's amazing, it's, it's— Wow.
How's it going over there? The government is, like, shut down? Longest shutdown in history?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: The government is currently shut down. It's the longest shutdown in American history.
Our TSA airport workers are not getting paid,
our FDA food inspectors are not getting paid.
We have folks showing up to NASA that are not paid and they're showing up for free just to keep, you know,
basic vital systems to keep our astronauts alive continuing,
and so, it's kind of a mess right now, and we're— we're doing everything that we can.
Well, keep— keep fighting. I think what you're doing is phenomenal.
And I'm glad that the Democrats haven't caved, because it's a big thing to cave on and it's...
It's good.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Yeah, absolutely, and it's an issue because regardless of whether it's for a wall or for anything else,
the whole point is that if we caved on this, no matter what the request was,
then we're basically legitimizing the tactic of holding people's paychecks hostage.
- Then they can do it again whenever they want.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Exactly. For any agenda point.
MANNING: I mean, it's not only that, but now kids are yelling, you know, "build the wall" at, like, indigenous people,
and it's clear that you know, it's just— this whole wall notion is just a symbol for something else.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Absolutely. That's absolutely right.
- It's a gigantic monument to white supremacy, effectively.
- MANNING: Exactly.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Exactly. And it's just, you know,
I— I applaud you all for the organizing that you're doing, because
the best way that we fight against tactics like that is not just resistance,
but by actively supporting and advancing the communities that need advocacy the most,
so I really appreciate you and everyone who's joining you today.
MANNING: Yeah, and Hbomb. Like, did you think that it was gonna get to this point?
I couldn't— I...
maybe have fantasized about anything remotely like this ever happening in my life,
and even they have not compared to what has happened. It's been amazing, and...
Just, wow. Could I get you to say trans rights?
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Pardon? Me?
- Yes.
- Could I get you to say trans rights, please. I know there's a lot of people in the chat who would love to hear it.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Oh, of course.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Trans rights, absolutely. It's a no-brainer. Trans rights are civil rights are human rights.
- MANNING: Woo!
- CASEYEXPLOSION: Thank you so much for saying that.
- Thank you so much.
- OLSON: I've actually got a question to kind of bounce off of that.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Sure.
- OLSON: So, you have done an absolutely stellar job over the last few weeks, you know, barely a month,
taking the 70% tax rate and turning it from an abstract concept into a specific policy that the public understands, and...
Is there anything on the docket in terms of trans policy, making use of that same momentum to
help the public understand actionable policy goals for trans rights?
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Mm-hmm. I think that's an excellent question.
It's an interesting one as well, because
when we're talking about actually just fighting for equal protection,
it's not as though we're trying to advance a specific policy as much as it is...
It's more of— I feel like a lot of the times, the war that we're having is a cultural one.
Much more than just— more than a marginal tax rate is.
So what we really need to do and show, I think, which I think we're starting to do,
is have this conversation a lot more in our culture.
You know, for so long, I always heard that Democrats in the United States have operated from a defensive place for a very, very long time,
and what we're doing is just kind of going on the offensive.
Like, I just tweeted today that in the United States, we wouldn't have to talk about bathrooms at all
if everyone just washed their hands and minded their own business.
HBOMB: Amazing. What an idea.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: And so, I think that a lot of what we need to do is put things into perspective,
but also continue to reassert that equal rights means equal rights.
It doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, it doesn't matter how you identify.
And, you know, in terms of legislation, we can legislate protections, or legislate—
And this is actually a question that we've had recently, not just specifically to the trans community,
but there was legislation that a Democrat was trying to propose that was essentially protection for our immigrant community,
but it was a constitutional protection, I believe.
We actually didn't co-sponsor it, and we actually pushed back on it, because introducing legislation
that pretty much already reasserts what's in the constitution makes it feel like it's up for debate.
- OLSON: Well said.
- [CROSSTALK]
OCASIO-CORTEZ: If they voted down the law, it would almost make the constitutional guarantees seem less valid.
And so we actually pushed back against it,
even though it may seem kind of like twisted logic or counterintuitive of sorts,
but we actually pushed back against it because we said, "we don't want to have a debate about what is already settled."
HBOMB: Once you put that stuff up for discussion, that's bad.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Exactly. And so, really, what I think we have to reassert is that when we say equal rights for all,
we mean equal rights for all; no asterisks, exceptions, fine print, nothing.
HBOMB: This is so fantastic to hear, and I'm glad we got you on.
I'd like to talk more about trans rights and the marginal tax rate,
but I would also— Do you— I need to ask.
Do you know how to turn on the power in Frantic Factory in Donkey Kong 64?
Because I've been here for hours, and I don't know how to do it.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: I do not, I'm sorry. Donkey Kong 64 is outside of my wheelhouse.
Well, that's okay. Your wheelhouse is really, really good. I just, you know— you've lost my vote! No, no.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: I never owned an N64, though I do think it's probably the best system out of all of them.
Yes! Yes! Yes!
OCASIO-CORTEZ: I never owned an N64, but I used to go to my cousin's house all the time,
and she had Super Mario 64, Pokémon Snap, and probably a handful of other things.
- Yes!
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: And that's probably all I know how to play.
Pokémon Snap was fantastic.
Please— What you're saying was really important. I said that— that was a poor taste joke. Please, do continue.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Oh, no worries.
- [CROSSTALK]
MANNING: I just want to say that one of the biggest things that I find with the trans community, for me personally,
is, like, the issues— the biggest issues that we face are housing and healthcare.
And those are not just trans-specific issues, those are everybody's.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Absolutely.
- HBOMB: Yeah, the trans community isn't uniting behind single-issue things that only affect them.
It's a single-issue thing that affects absolutely everyone.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Yeah, that's right. And that's why we have these conversations about intersectionality that are so important,
because the trans community does face a crisis when it comes to housing and health care, like most people, especially most Americans, do.
Except when you have the added layer of discrimination, it makes these issues much more acute in their crises
than they usually are on average for other people,
and so it's important that we do talk about these issues in the economic frame,
but not let go of the fact that discrimination is a core reason for the economic hardship.
Well said.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Well, that said, I'm sorry I'm here so quickly, but I just wanted to pop in and say hello. I do need to head out.
- OLSON: I actually have one extremely short question just before you go.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Sure.
- OLSON: Have you seen the @aoc_dances Twitter account?
- AOC: I have seen the @aoc_dances Twitter account!
We had them on earlier.
- MANNING: We had the maker on in our channel.
- HBOMB: Yeah.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Oh, that's amazing!
I've seen it, it's great. I haven't seen all the tweets, but there was one... I mean, it's a classic.
What's the song? What's the song? I'm trying to remember. It's the 80's song. "You can dance if you want to?"
Oh, "Safety Dance."
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Exactly, the "Safety Dance" one. That one's great.
- OLSON: Yeah, Men Without Hats.
OLSON: Well, chat is losing their minds. Thank you so, so, so much for stopping by.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Of course, of course.
- OLSON: You've made it a phenomenal weekend for many.
- CASEYEXPLOSION: Thank you so much.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: I'm so glad. Thank you for doing this work. I really appreciate it. Everyone appreciates it.
- Thank you for doing your work.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Thank you.
- CASEYEXPLOSION: Can I just say that, um, so...
- I'll see you on TV.
CASEYEXPLOSION: I've been a bit quiet now, but I just... Alexandria, you are giving a lot of people a lot of hope right now.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Thank you.
- CASEYEXPLOSION: And... I really don't have anything to ask, but I just wanted to say that. I'm kind of shaking right now.
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Aw, no reason to shake!
- CASEYEXPLOSION: Thank you.
OCASIO-CORTEZ: Thank you. Thank you so, so very much, and I'm so happy that...
that, you know, the movement isn't all just about one person, either. It's that we can have these spontaneous
joyous and supportive moments, and any one of us can be responsible and be the source of it.
So thank you all so much, and have an amazing day.
- You too. Thank you.
- MANNING: Woo! [CLAPPING]
- OCASIO-CORTEZ: Bye-bye.
- Trans rights!
OCASIO-CORTEZ: That's right, trans rights!
Bye!
