For the first time ever, Fox News star Tucker Carlson conceded on his show Tuesday that he agreed with Democratic Representative-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
Carlson was discussing the news that Amazon will receive up to $2 billion in tax incentives for opening its new headquarters in Queens, New York and Arlington, Virginia — a deal that was announced on Tuesday.
Extending the narrative beyond Amazon’s pledge to “invest $5 billion and create more than 50,000 jobs across the two new headquarters,” Ocasio-Cortez spoke out in a long Twitter thread about the exchange and the possible community consequences of it for the community that she will represent.
We’ve been getting calls and outreach from Queens residents all day about this.
The community’s response? Outrage. https://t.co/Jl4OIfa4gC
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
Amazon is a billion-dollar company. The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
“Amazon is a billion-dollar company,” she wrote. “The idea that it will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in tax breaks at a time when our subway is crumbling and our communities need MORE investment, not less, is extremely concerning to residents here.”
When we talk about bringing jobs to the community, we need to dig deep:
– Has the company promised to hire in the existing community?
– What’s the quality of jobs + how many are promised? Are these jobs low-wage or high wage? Are there benefits? Can people collectively bargain?— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
Displacement is not community development. Investing in luxury condos is not the same thing as investing in people and families.
Shuffling working class people out of a community does not improve their quality of life.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
“Displacement is not community development. Investing in luxury condos is not the same thing as investing in people and families,” Ocasio-Cortez continued. “Shuffling working class people out of a community does not improve their quality of life.”
We need to focus on good healthcare, living wages, affordable rent. Corporations that offer none of those things should be met w/ skepticism.
It’s possible to establish economic partnerships w/ real opportunities for working families, instead of a race-to-the-bottom competition.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
Lastly, this isn’t just about one company or one headquarters. It’s about cost of living, corps paying their fair share, etc.
It’s not about picking a fight, either. I was elected to advocate for our community’s interests – & they‘ve requested, clearly, to voice their concerns.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 13, 2018
Instead, the progressive politician argued that New York needed to prioritize quality health care, livable wages and affordable rent for its constituents and be wary of “corporations that offer none of those things.”
“Hate to admit it,” Carlson declared on “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” “but Tucker Carlson just agreed with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for the first time ever: “Hate to admit it”
“That’s the only time I’ve ever agreed with Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, but it’s hard to argue with the internal logic of her point,” he continued. “The richest man in the world just got $2 billion in taxpayer subsidies? How does that work?”
The rare positive review of Ocasio-Cortez by Fox News tallied up against the extensive negative coverage that she received from the conservative news network in the last day. Parker Molloy, editor-at-large of Media Matters, created a montage of all of the different Fox hosts and correspondents who name-dropped the congresswoman-elect in the past 24 hours:
But Ocasio-Cortez was not alone in her criticism of Amazon. Queens City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer and State Senator Mike Gianaris released a statement expressing skepticism about the Amazon deal for New York.
Joint statement from @SenGianaris & I regarding Amazon #HQ2 LIC deal: pic.twitter.com/Ipj9L2kMJW
— Jimmy Van Bramer (@JimmyVanBramer) November 11, 2018
“Offering massive corporate welfare from scarce public resources to one of the wealthiest corporations in the world at a time of great need in our state is just wrong,” it read. “The burden should not be on the 99 percent to prove we are worthy of the 1 percent’s presence in our communities but rather on Amazon to prove it would be a responsible corporate neighbor. Corporate responsibility should take precedence over corporate welfare.”
The statement concluded: “We were not elected to serve as Amazon drones. It is incumbent upon us to stand up on behalf of the people we represent and that is what we intend to do.”
Similarly, Democratic Assemblyman Ron Kim said he plans to introduce legislation to halt the Amazon deal and redirect New York’s economic development subsidies to buying up and canceling student debt, Splinter first reported. “Giving Amazon this type of corporate welfare is no different – if not worse – than Donald Trump giving trillions in corporate tax breaks at the federal level,” Kim said.
