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babylonsister

(171,639 posts)
Tue Dec 4, 2018, 05:01 PM Dec 2018

'This is a disgrace': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams her future colleagues in Congress... [View all]



'This is a disgrace': Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slams her future colleagues in Congress for employing unpaid interns and failing to pay staffers a 'living wage'
Eliza Relman


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected US House representative, called out her future colleagues in Congress for paying their low-level staffers salaries below the "living wage" and for employing unpaid interns.

"This week I went to dive spot in DC for some late night food. I chatted up the staff. SEVERAL bartenders, managers, & servers *currently worked in Senate + House offices,*" she wrote. "This is a disgrace."

The message may have pressured Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to announce on Monday that he'll pay his interns a stipend in the new congress.


Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a newly elected US House representative, called out her future colleagues in Congress, including Democrats, for paying their low-level staffers salaries below the "living wage" and for employing unpaid interns, even as members of Congress are paid multiple times more than the average American.

The incoming New York Democrat, who took service industry jobs to support herself and her family in the years before she ran for office, tweeted on Monday that she's met congressional staffers who wait tables to supplement their government wages.

"This week I went to dive spot in DC for some late night food. I chatted up the staff. SEVERAL bartenders, managers, & servers *currently worked in Senate + House offices,*" she wrote. "This is a disgrace."


Ocasio-Cortez said Congress should raise wages for staffers so they can afford to continue living in Washington, one of the most expensive cities in the country. The 29-year-old elected lawmaker has said she can't afford a DC apartment before her $174,000 congressional salary kicks in in January.

"It is unjust for Congress to budget a living wage for ourselves, yet rely on unpaid interns & underpaid overworked staff just bc Republicans want to make a statement about 'fiscal responsibility,'" she added in another tweet.


more...

https://www.businessinsider.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-slams-future-colleagues-congress-for-employing-unpaid-interns-living-wage-2018-12?utm_content=buffer21dd8&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer-bi&fbclid=IwAR0XD4_bkfwaJ_WmDNlNMolHRxhFHgri3tKOkFTLKXnvTOTRr2dkHMO1UIU
142 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Right On AOC! leftieNanner Dec 2018 #1
WOW! She is everything we hoped she would be Power 2 the People Dec 2018 #7
We need her to adress another disgrace: academic apartheid DemocracyMouse Dec 2018 #21
That's why our graduate student TIs in UC Berkeley unionized in the 1990s lunatica Dec 2018 #33
The adjunct prof. system is a huge rip off of the talent and labor of adjunct profs. brush Dec 2018 #36
I spent three semesters as an adjunct. Fortinbras Armstrong Dec 2018 #107
Many professors contemptuous of their free labor pool delisen Dec 2018 #111
I spent seventeen years as a teaching assistant, adjunct tomg Dec 2018 #112
Absolutely. We should value our intellectuals as much as our football players. Financially. Midnight Writer Dec 2018 #62
Someone needs to Lordquinton Dec 2018 #130
Damn Straight. Unpaid interns mean that only wealthy families can fund their kids as interns. TheBlackAdder Dec 2018 #61
Such a good point. Class issues haven't gone away DemocracyMouse Dec 2018 #69
i had a friend who was an unpaid intern and she considered it a privledge...and she.. samnsara Dec 2018 #106
While some might find the means, it is very difficult to find lodging, transport, food & entertain. TheBlackAdder Dec 2018 #114
Absolute BS Lordquinton Dec 2018 #131
Frankly I agree Sanity Claws Dec 2018 #2
Unpaid internships shut a lot of people out of certain jobs, and many unpaid internships, under the WhiskeyGrinder Dec 2018 #3
About friggin time Wellstone ruled Dec 2018 #4
She's 100% right. lilactime Dec 2018 #5
She's right Bettie Dec 2018 #6
She's picking some good battles here. Good for her. ancianita Dec 2018 #8
Isn't the cue for Fox to tell us her opinion is invalid because of her shoes? knightmaar Dec 2018 #9
I haven't nicknamed her "Cardi A Plus" for nothing rocktivity Dec 2018 #10
Oh geez, here we go again. She might want to discuss this with her mentor. George II Dec 2018 #11
Who is her mentor? babylonsister Dec 2018 #13
I think we all know who her mentor is. There's a reason why these people are interns.... George II Dec 2018 #18
The main issue is that if even college kids do not get paid enough to afford DC rents. Blue_true Dec 2018 #20
Right-f*ckin-on! thewhollytoast Dec 2018 #38
Your veiled attempt to take down "her mentor" is both wrong and childish Ccarmona Dec 2018 #23
Par for the course. Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2018 #29
Wrong. Blue_true Dec 2018 #41
This message was self-deleted by its author Hassin Bin Sober Dec 2018 #43
Brava ! pangaia Dec 2018 #59
+1 melman Dec 2018 #98
Talk to Schumer-he agrees with her. babylonsister Dec 2018 #24
I had to forego an internship in the State Department in 1989 because I couldn't afford it. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2018 #113
Internships aren't a barrier - they're an opportunity that otherwise would not be available EffieBlack Dec 2018 #117
Internships are not a barrier. Unpaid internships most assuredly can be and frequently are. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2018 #119
Mostly only kids from wealthy families can afford to be interns HopeAgain Dec 2018 #128
This sounds an awful lot like the Con's "No one makes a career out of Walmart or McDonalds." nt MadDAsHell Dec 2018 #132
Where are you witnessing a government crackdown on speech here? WeekiWater Dec 2018 #44
Yep! And get her mentor (whomever that is) on board. Gore1FL Dec 2018 #19
I believe they are referring to senator Sanders green917 Dec 2018 #57
The best mentorships are symbiotic relationships Politicub Dec 2018 #124
In other words, get that uppity woman in line Tarc Dec 2018 #127
Rather presumptuous of you, don't you think? George II Dec 2018 #139
tell it! Hermit-The-Prog Dec 2018 #12
AOC Is Not Taking Any Prisoners PaulX2 Dec 2018 #14
Based on a consumer report I heard on the radio when I was in junior high school rocktivity Dec 2018 #15
"shouldn't be"? shanny Dec 2018 #26
But she has to maintain 2 domiciles TexasBushwhacker Dec 2018 #30
Housing costs in D.C. are a burden on many summer_in_TX Dec 2018 #55
Is sharing housing so bad? TexasBushwhacker Dec 2018 #63
It depends. summer_in_TX Dec 2018 #134
I read about 40 sleep in their offices TexasBushwhacker Dec 2018 #137
That's an interesting rule of thumb. PatrickforO Dec 2018 #35
I remember when the figure was 25% of net pay, including utilities.... CozyMystery Dec 2018 #54
Yep. Exactly. It's a matter of perspective. KPN Dec 2018 #94
I'm at 59% of income... DAMANgoldberg Dec 2018 #68
She's right. Garrett78 Dec 2018 #16
She's got Fire....I like her. spanone Dec 2018 #17
See how great it is to have someone speak up instead of "business as usual" ! pdsimdars Dec 2018 #22
But she's a Democratic Socialist! We're supposed to hate them! DRoseDARs Dec 2018 #25
Guess who else works 2 jobs to support their families, Alexandria? leftofcool Dec 2018 #27
She has made it clear that she is concerned about such people. Blue_true Dec 2018 #42
give it time. Caliman73 Dec 2018 #47
Sounds like a good reminder for the whole Democratic leadership. BlueWI Dec 2018 #79
No worries. She is. nt KPN Dec 2018 #95
I like AOC more every day. n/t PatrickforO Dec 2018 #28
Congressional interns should be paid much more than a "stipend" MichMan Dec 2018 #31
They are there for only a short time. Blue_true Dec 2018 #45
Ridiculous and distorting title from capitalist rag fearing the power of social democracy. Fred Sanders Dec 2018 #32
She's scoring points with me ... aggiesal Dec 2018 #34
I agree with her. Ppl deserve a living wage iluvtennis Dec 2018 #37
RIGHT ON Firestorm49 Dec 2018 #39
unpaid internships allow only the wealthy to gain access and entry into elite businesses TeamPooka Dec 2018 #40
I am afraid that you are right. Blue_true Dec 2018 #48
In large, you are spot on. NT WeekiWater Dec 2018 #50
Unpaid internships are an abusive scam ... KPN Dec 2018 #46
No, they're not scams EffieBlack Dec 2018 #81
Yeah, pay them more. That's the right thing KPN Dec 2018 #99
Unpaid internships are a form of class privilege Politicub Dec 2018 #125
A bit shocked she is learning this at a bar. WeekiWater Dec 2018 #49
shes kinda turning me off..... samnsara Dec 2018 #51
Not me! She's turning me on! And I wasn't a big supporter of hers, didn't think she had it. SharonAnn Dec 2018 #65
Same here, she could be a great leader Quixote1818 Dec 2018 #73
Why? ChubbyStar Dec 2018 #67
I disagree with your interpretation RandySF Dec 2018 #52
Slams the government. Slams the Congress. EndGOPPropaganda Dec 2018 #53
k&r n/t lordsummerisle Dec 2018 #56
Almost thought the OP slammed AOC as a "disgrace" wellst0nev0ter Dec 2018 #58
It's more complicated than the article and AOC suggest EffieBlack Dec 2018 #60
Tsk tsk tsk Stinky The Clown Dec 2018 #75
I sorry ... EffieBlack Dec 2018 #77
Differences of opinion are always welcome. BlueWI Dec 2018 #80
I hear you, but still think you're being too simplistic EffieBlack Dec 2018 #86
Makes some sense, I replied below. BlueWI Dec 2018 #89
Thank you for the information, didn't know that. betsuni Dec 2018 #82
Great posts Effie+++ JHan Dec 2018 #133
Kudos to AOC for this. Now... did Bernie Sanders also use unpaid interns? ecstatic Dec 2018 #64
She's right. MarvinGardens Dec 2018 #66
I'm still looking for the disgrace. Finding nothing Pisces Dec 2018 #70
She is winning me over nt Quixote1818 Dec 2018 #71
👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾 BlancheSplanchnik Dec 2018 #72
"When you whine about minimum wage.." linuxuser3 Dec 2018 #74
More power to her! I'm liking this a lot. Guilded Lilly Dec 2018 #76
Another example of why fresh perspective is needed. BlueWI Dec 2018 #78
One of the reasons that unpaid internship are prevalent in DC EffieBlack Dec 2018 #85
It would take political will to change this practice BlueWI Dec 2018 #88
People see the world through their own perspective and youth. Yavin4 Dec 2018 #91
Agreed. BlueWI Dec 2018 #141
Sounds good but EffieBlack Dec 2018 #92
Finally. This is what American spirit looks like realmirage Dec 2018 #83
This one hits home for me. Yavin4 Dec 2018 #84
I often worked for free to get in the door. EffieBlack Dec 2018 #87
You were lucky to be in a position where you could work for free. Yavin4 Dec 2018 #90
I was in a position where I could work for free but it wasn't easy EffieBlack Dec 2018 #96
Unpaid internships give rich kids and their rich parents unique access to our policy makers. Yavin4 Dec 2018 #93
You'd be surprised how diverse the internship pool is EffieBlack Dec 2018 #97
the point of an internship is slave labor. Its a brilliant scam. It doesn't have to be the way it is JCanete Dec 2018 #101
Just because there's some diversity does not obviate my point Yavin4 Dec 2018 #110
Good for her! bobGandolf Dec 2018 #100
"It is unjust for Congress to budget a living wage for ourselves" ucrdem Dec 2018 #102
Good point. betsuni Dec 2018 #103
My rep isn't much older than her ucrdem Dec 2018 #104
Great point. By these standards, she was rich/privileged R B Garr Dec 2018 #109
why does it foreshadow that. that makes no bloody sense. It foreshadows her promoting a living wage JCanete Dec 2018 #135
"My candle burns at both ends It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends - samnsara Dec 2018 #105
I'm hoping she knows how to use people rather than being used. betsuni Dec 2018 #108
She's fighting liberal values. Gore1FL Dec 2018 #116
Doesn't Congress still exempt itself from all labor legislation? malthaussen Dec 2018 #115
No, not all labor legislation. But they are exempt from some provisions. Pacifist Patriot Dec 2018 #120
My parents wouldn't allow me to take internships, I had to wash dishes in a restaurant IronLionZion Dec 2018 #118
Looks like Congress may actually have done something about intern salaries namahage Dec 2018 #121
Good catch EffieBlack Dec 2018 #122
Yes! Democrats should set an example and abolish unpaid internships. Politicub Dec 2018 #123
Agreed! AllyCat Dec 2018 #126
This young woman is really starting to grow on me. calimary Dec 2018 #129
She's a hard charger who just needs a bit of seasoning. Her potential is extraordinary. VOX Dec 2018 #136
Does she realize that Congress included pay for interns in this year's budget? George II Dec 2018 #138
AOC, what can you say... disillusioned73 Dec 2018 #140
I like her, a lot. Not bad for a days complaint: BeckyDem Dec 2018 #142
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