NEW YORK, NY – Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has come under fire for selling a “Tax the Rich” sweatshirt on her official campaign website for a price that only the rich may be able to afford. The sweatshirt, retailing for a whopping $58 – presumably not including tax and shipping – comes with a “Tax the Rich” logo emblazoned on the front in a hand-drawn font, followed by an “AOC” logo – Ocasio-Cortez’s popular nickname – underneath.
Originally the sweatshirt was being sold for $65 before the price was lowered. The AOC shop notes that their products “are proudly made in the USA and union printed.” Other AOC-branded merchandise available includes “Abolish ICE” t-shirts and stickers that say “Drink Water & Don’t Be Racist.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who often champions herself as an advocate for economic equality and a proponent of a marginal tax as high as 70% on income above $10 million to pay for the proposed $93 trillion Green New Deal, was roundly criticized and mocked on social media for her pricey sweatshirt gaffe, which many saw as tone-deaf as it relates to her base.
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro chimed in on Twitter, noting that “Only the rich can afford this idiotic sweatshirt.”
Another Twitter user claimed that AOC’s merchandise was nothing more than a mere cash-grab, referencing the “Tax the Rich” sweatshirt’s original $65 price.
“Genius. Lets make new clothing that will end up in another landfill, charge $65 for a sweatshirt, and have the audacity to use “The Green New Deal” as a logo. REAL GREEN, making more clothing. But alas, it’s about virtue SIGNALING, not ACTUALLY having virtues.”
Another Twitter user called out the alleged hypocrisy of Ocasio-Cortez for being anti-capitalism… except when it seems to benefit her.
“AOC is selling $65 dollar sweatshirts that say ‘tax the rich’ that only rich ppl can afford. Should just say ‘Tax Me.’ When you’re aiming for socialism but you hit capitalism.”
Ocasio-Cortez, who was recently re-elected to a second term this November, responded to the criticism via a tweet.
“Republicans are freaking out bc we don’t use slave-wage labor for merch that funds grassroots organizing. But what’s the difference between Trump’s merch and ours? Ours is made in the US.”
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