Last year, the world's top scientists warned the United Nations that we have twelve years to address the climate change crisis, or the planet could suffer catastrophic consequences. In addition, America's top scientists released a 'dire' report, warning that if we don't address the climate change crisis, it could significantly damage both the environment and the US economy. In response, President Donald Trump said he 'doesn't believe' the report. Nor does he appear to believe climate change is real and humans are causing it, despite consensus from an overwhelming majority of climate scientists.
Earlier this month, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) proposed the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan to address the climate crisis and income inequality. The resolution aims to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, upgrade all buildings to maximum energy efficiency, invest in renewable energy technologies, protect the environment, strengthen trade unions, provide higher education for all and provide universal health care for all - just to name a few of the progressive goals. (Yeah. It's very ambitious.)
During an interview with Fox News' Steve Hilton, Ivanka Trump criticized Ocasio-Cortez' plan to give every person in America a guaranteed job with a living wage. "I don’t think most Americans, in their heart, want to be given something," said the 37-year-old former fashion mogul, who was given the job of White House Senior Advisor by her father, President Donald Trump. "I’ve spent a lot of time traveling around this country over the last four years. People want to work for what they get."
The heiress continued: "So, I think that this idea of a guaranteed minimum is not something most people want. They want the ability to be able to secure a job. They want the ability to live in a country where’s there’s the potential for upward mobility." In response, several Twitter users roasted the First Daughter, pointing out how she and her family appear to have tremendously benefitted from nepotism.
Trump started his business with a yuuuuge loan from his father, plus three trust funds, per The Washington Post[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/scottsantens/status/1100462474590064640]]
Meanwhile, 78% of American workers live paycheck to paycheck, according to a 2017 report by CareerBuilder.[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/PadmaLakshmi/status/1100416784178573317]]
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has a working class background and worked as a bartender and waitress before becoming a Congresswoman.[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/AoDespair/status/1100407068782034950]]
Is she going to give up her inherited wealth?[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/MikeDrucker/status/1100420574696955905]]
A recent poll shows a majority of Americans support increasing the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour from the current rate of $7.25, which was established in 2009[[twitterwidget||https://twitter.com/amahnke/status/1100423228424708096]]
Well, maybe Ivanka Trump has truly changed her tune on unearned wealth, and is willing to relinquish her vast riches to start from the bottom and claw her way back to the top? Probably not.
This afternoon, Ocasio-Cortez responded to Ivanka's interview, tweeting, "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."
