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U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) during a news conference in front of the U.S. Capitol February 7, 2019 in Washington, DC. Sen. Markey and Rep. Ocasio-Cortez held a news conference to unveil their Green New Deal resolution. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
'Ah, Yes,' Says Ocasio-Cortez of Trump After Jab at Green New Deal, 'A Man Who Can't Even Read Briefings Written in Full Sentences'
New York Democratic shows no tolerance for presidential ignorance surrounding visionary plan designed to help save humanity and planet
Feb 11, 2019
Responding to a comment President Donald Trump reportedly made to Breitbart News denigrating the Green New Deal resolution she introduced to Congress last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) late Monday night offered no quarter to buffoonery of the president and reminded people on Twitter the president is a person who famous for not reading things and someone who fails to prove basic comprehension of complex (and simple) subjects on a near constant basis.
\u201cAh yes, a man who can\u2019t even read briefings written in full sentences is providing literary criticism of a House Resolution.\n\n(\u201cReading the intelligence book is not Trump\u2019s preferred \u2018style of learning,\u2019 according to a person with knowledge of the situation.\u201d\n- @washingtonpost)\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
It has been widely reported, as Ocasio-Cortez notes, that Trump dislikes written intelligence briefings and prefers all his briefings from staff and advisors to be submitted in easy-to-read format or provided verbally.
Though perhaps a low blow, Trump--despite making claims he's "like, really smart" and a "stable genius" with a "very, very large brain"--is notoriously heckled for not being that bright. As Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman wrote in 2017: "Trump has many serious flaws, including incorrigible dishonesty, rampant narcissism, contempt for women and a fashion sense that makes him think that hairstyle of his is flattering. But nothing compares to his most prominent, crippling and incurable defect: He's dimmer than a 5-watt bulb."
In response to AOC, journalist David Pakman tweeted:
\u201c@AOC @washingtonpost Yep. Have been talking about this for LITERALLY YEARS NOW: https://t.co/WnRT8XwCE2\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
As Dr. Paul Breen, a senior lecturer at the Westminster Professional Language Center, wrote for HuffPost UK on Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez has continued to reshape the political landscape in the U.S. precisely because of her ability to reframe conversations and an uncanny way with social media.
"Through an astute campaign built on a political communication style tailored towards her audience, she energised the young," Breen wrote. "More so, she energised the disenchanted. Having taken her place in Congress, she continues to do the same - expressing a determination to change the system and not be changed by it."
Meanwhile--and the retort at Trump over the Green New Deal stands as a good example--Jesse Jackson argues in his Chicago Sun-Times column this week that the New York congresswoman is effective not only because she's "charismatic," but because she's "exactly right" on a number of issues.
"The political class is running scared because more and more people understand that the rules have been rigged to benefit only the few," argued Jackson.
The good news, he said, is that people like Ocasio-Cortez are showing other lawmakers how to fight back and not be "cowed" by right-wingers like Trump.
"A new generation of leaders is rising that just may be ready to take on the fight [against Trump and the Republicans]," Jackson wrote. "Like AOC, they will come under intense fire. They will succeed only if we build a popular movement strong enough to overcome the resistance."
An Unconstitutional Rampage
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
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Responding to a comment President Donald Trump reportedly made to Breitbart News denigrating the Green New Deal resolution she introduced to Congress last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) late Monday night offered no quarter to buffoonery of the president and reminded people on Twitter the president is a person who famous for not reading things and someone who fails to prove basic comprehension of complex (and simple) subjects on a near constant basis.
\u201cAh yes, a man who can\u2019t even read briefings written in full sentences is providing literary criticism of a House Resolution.\n\n(\u201cReading the intelligence book is not Trump\u2019s preferred \u2018style of learning,\u2019 according to a person with knowledge of the situation.\u201d\n- @washingtonpost)\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
It has been widely reported, as Ocasio-Cortez notes, that Trump dislikes written intelligence briefings and prefers all his briefings from staff and advisors to be submitted in easy-to-read format or provided verbally.
Though perhaps a low blow, Trump--despite making claims he's "like, really smart" and a "stable genius" with a "very, very large brain"--is notoriously heckled for not being that bright. As Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman wrote in 2017: "Trump has many serious flaws, including incorrigible dishonesty, rampant narcissism, contempt for women and a fashion sense that makes him think that hairstyle of his is flattering. But nothing compares to his most prominent, crippling and incurable defect: He's dimmer than a 5-watt bulb."
In response to AOC, journalist David Pakman tweeted:
\u201c@AOC @washingtonpost Yep. Have been talking about this for LITERALLY YEARS NOW: https://t.co/WnRT8XwCE2\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
As Dr. Paul Breen, a senior lecturer at the Westminster Professional Language Center, wrote for HuffPost UK on Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez has continued to reshape the political landscape in the U.S. precisely because of her ability to reframe conversations and an uncanny way with social media.
"Through an astute campaign built on a political communication style tailored towards her audience, she energised the young," Breen wrote. "More so, she energised the disenchanted. Having taken her place in Congress, she continues to do the same - expressing a determination to change the system and not be changed by it."
Meanwhile--and the retort at Trump over the Green New Deal stands as a good example--Jesse Jackson argues in his Chicago Sun-Times column this week that the New York congresswoman is effective not only because she's "charismatic," but because she's "exactly right" on a number of issues.
"The political class is running scared because more and more people understand that the rules have been rigged to benefit only the few," argued Jackson.
The good news, he said, is that people like Ocasio-Cortez are showing other lawmakers how to fight back and not be "cowed" by right-wingers like Trump.
"A new generation of leaders is rising that just may be ready to take on the fight [against Trump and the Republicans]," Jackson wrote. "Like AOC, they will come under intense fire. They will succeed only if we build a popular movement strong enough to overcome the resistance."
Responding to a comment President Donald Trump reportedly made to Breitbart News denigrating the Green New Deal resolution she introduced to Congress last week, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) late Monday night offered no quarter to buffoonery of the president and reminded people on Twitter the president is a person who famous for not reading things and someone who fails to prove basic comprehension of complex (and simple) subjects on a near constant basis.
\u201cAh yes, a man who can\u2019t even read briefings written in full sentences is providing literary criticism of a House Resolution.\n\n(\u201cReading the intelligence book is not Trump\u2019s preferred \u2018style of learning,\u2019 according to a person with knowledge of the situation.\u201d\n- @washingtonpost)\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
It has been widely reported, as Ocasio-Cortez notes, that Trump dislikes written intelligence briefings and prefers all his briefings from staff and advisors to be submitted in easy-to-read format or provided verbally.
Though perhaps a low blow, Trump--despite making claims he's "like, really smart" and a "stable genius" with a "very, very large brain"--is notoriously heckled for not being that bright. As Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman wrote in 2017: "Trump has many serious flaws, including incorrigible dishonesty, rampant narcissism, contempt for women and a fashion sense that makes him think that hairstyle of his is flattering. But nothing compares to his most prominent, crippling and incurable defect: He's dimmer than a 5-watt bulb."
In response to AOC, journalist David Pakman tweeted:
\u201c@AOC @washingtonpost Yep. Have been talking about this for LITERALLY YEARS NOW: https://t.co/WnRT8XwCE2\u201d— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1549941470
As Dr. Paul Breen, a senior lecturer at the Westminster Professional Language Center, wrote for HuffPost UK on Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez has continued to reshape the political landscape in the U.S. precisely because of her ability to reframe conversations and an uncanny way with social media.
"Through an astute campaign built on a political communication style tailored towards her audience, she energised the young," Breen wrote. "More so, she energised the disenchanted. Having taken her place in Congress, she continues to do the same - expressing a determination to change the system and not be changed by it."
Meanwhile--and the retort at Trump over the Green New Deal stands as a good example--Jesse Jackson argues in his Chicago Sun-Times column this week that the New York congresswoman is effective not only because she's "charismatic," but because she's "exactly right" on a number of issues.
"The political class is running scared because more and more people understand that the rules have been rigged to benefit only the few," argued Jackson.
The good news, he said, is that people like Ocasio-Cortez are showing other lawmakers how to fight back and not be "cowed" by right-wingers like Trump.
"A new generation of leaders is rising that just may be ready to take on the fight [against Trump and the Republicans]," Jackson wrote. "Like AOC, they will come under intense fire. They will succeed only if we build a popular movement strong enough to overcome the resistance."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
LATEST NEWS
'Absolutely Shameful': Critics Slam Latest Law Firm to Cave Amid Trump's Revenge Threats
Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP—where former Vice President Kamala Harris' husband is a partner—investigated the Capitol insurrection and successfully represented Georgia election workers defamed by Rudy Giuliani.
Apr 01, 2025
In the latest capitulation to his retributive attacks on Big Law, U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday announced that his administration struck a deal with a law firm that took part in the investigation into the January 6, 2021 Capitol insurrection and whose partners include the husband of former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris.
"Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP proactively reached out to President Trump and his Administration, offering their decisive commitment to ending the Weaponization of the Justice System and the Legal Profession," Trump said on his Truth Social network. "The President is delivering on his promises of eradicating Partisan Lawfare in America, and restoring Liberty and Justice FOR ALL."
According to Trump, Willkie—whose partners include former Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff—will provide a total of at least $100 million in pro bono services to veterans, active duty U.S.en troops, and Gold Star families; law enforcement and first responders; to "ensuring fairness in our justice system;" and combating antisemitism.
The firm also agreed to commit to "merit-based hiring" and refrain from "illegal" diversity, equity, and inclusion hiring, promotion, and retention. It must also "not deny representation to clients, such as members of politically disenfranchised groups... who have not historically received legal representation from major national law firms... because of the personal political views of individual lawyers."
Willkie said in a statement that "we reached an agreement with President Trump and his administration on matters of great importance to our firm. The substance of that agreement is consistent with our firm's views on access to legal representation by clients, including pro bono clients, our commitment to complying with the law as it relates to our employment practices, and our history of working with clients across a wide spectrum of political viewpoints."
"The firm looks forward to having a constructive relationship with the Trump administration, and remains committed to serving the needs of our clients, our employees, and the communities of which we are a part," the statement added.
The agreement averts what could have been a ruinous executive order from Trump targeting the firm. Willkie drew Trump's ire for actions including employing a top investigator for the House committee that examined his role in fomenting the attack on the U.S. Capitol and for representing two Georgia election workers who sued his former attorney and adviser, Rudy Giuliani, for defamation. In December 2023, the former New York City mayor was ordered to pay $148 million to the workers for falsely accusing them of engaging in a nonexistent conspiracy to "steal" the 2020 U.S. presidential election from Trump.
According to The Associated Press, "Emhoff made it known internally that he disagreed with this deal and told firm leadership they should fight, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations."
Tuesday's deal outraged democracy defenders.
Absolutely shameful. Doug Emhoff of all people should understand the danger that will come from lawyers capitulating to a man hell-bent on destroying our democracy. Emhoff and other partners need to show they stand on the side of the rule of law by quitting—there’s absolutely no other option.
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— Molly Coleman ( @mollycoleman.bsky.social) April 1, 2025 at 2:19 PM
"Emhoff and other partners need to show they stand on the side of the rule of law by quitting—there's absolutely no other option," argued Molly Coleman, executive director of the People's Parity Project and PPP Action and a St. Paul, Minnesota City Council candidate.
The Willkie agreement follows
similar surrenders by white-shoe law firms including Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom. Trump accused these and other law firms of weaponizing the judicial system, and last month, he issued a memo directing U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to "seek sanctions" against firms and lawyers that the administration says have engaged in "frivolous, unreasonable, and vexatious litigation against the United States."
Dems Wouldn't 'Ignore' Parliamentarian to Raise Minimum Wage, But GOP Plans to for Massive Tax Giveaway to the Rich
"They are deciding that the way we're gonna do this is break the Senate and make up our own rules," said Sen. Cory Booker.
Apr 01, 2025
During 2021 battles to raise the minimum wage and advance the Build Back Better agenda, congressional Democrats refused to "ignore" the unelected U.S. Senate parliamentarian—but Republican lawmakers are now planning to do just that, so they can give the wealthy trillions of more dollars in tax cuts, at the expense of programs that serve working people.
GOP Senate leadership and the White House want to make permanent tax cuts that President Donald Trump signed into law in 2017, "without having to account for how much it would add to the deficit," Axios reported Tuesday. "Now, they're saying all they need is for Budget Chair Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) to decide that's what they're going to do."
"Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) backed the argument, laid out by Graham, that Republicans don't need the Senate parliamentarian to bless the current policy approach during Tuesday's Senate GOP lunch," Axios detailed. "Graham is expected to release the language of the budget resolution as soon as Tuesday, according to GOP Whip John Barrasso (R-Wyo.)."
As a trio of experts at the Center for American Progress—including economist Lawrence Summers—wrote Tuesday: "The majority is attempting to force the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) to say the fiscal impact is instead zero dollars by using a 'current policy' baseline rather than the 'current law' baseline that is defined in statute. This approach is unprecedented in the 50 years since the CBO was formed and Congress acted within the current budget framework."
"Whether one believes the United States should be cutting taxes or increasing spending, there should be no question that forcing the CBO and JCT to pretend that policies have no fiscal impact would allow Congress to make major tax and spending decisions with no arithmetic recognition of the cost," they argued. "This would be the epitome of fiscal irresponsibility. Congress needs to responsibly bring down deficits. Establishing principles that make it possible to incur huge costs without recognizing them would be an egregious and dangerous error."
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)—who has faced calls to resign from his leadership post after caving to congressional Republicans during last month's shutdown fight—spoke out against the plan on Tuesday, as NBC News reported.
"That would be going nuclear," Schumer said. "And it shows that Republicans are so hell-bent on giving these tax breaks to the billionaires that they're willing to break any rules, norms, and things they promised they wouldn't do."
While Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) was in the midst of holding the chamber's floor in remarks that began Monday night and were ongoing as of press time, to protest Trump's sweeping attacks on government, Schumer also informed him of the GOP plan.
Booker read in full a Center on Budget and Policy Priorities report from February titled, House Republican Budget's $4.5 Trillion Tax Cut Doubles Down on Costly Failures of 2017 Tax Law, as well as recent reporting in The New York Times about what the newspaper called "a maneuver so wonky that it might be best explained with sports cars and anime streaming."
"They found a way around the parliamentarian. They found a way around the rules of the Senate. They found a way around the ideals of reconciliation," Booker said of congressional Republicans. "They are deciding that the way we're gonna do this is break the Senate and make up our own rules. This is how they're gonna get a bill through that gives trillions [of] dollars of tax cuts to the wealthiest in our country who are doing very well."
While refusing to "hate on" wealthy Americans, Booker also had a message for them: "You don't need tax cuts, especially not that are gonna be given to you on the backs of the poor, on the backs of our elders, on the backs of our children, on the backs of expectant mothers, on the backs of my mom's, your mom's Social Security."
Booker's historic stunt—which set a new record for the longest Senate floor speech in history—came as polls show Democratic voters are frustrated with the party's failure to effectively stand up to Trump and fight for working people.
Trump Cuts, NATO Withdrawals Weakening Landmine Treaty and Endangering Lives
"The Trump administration's deep cuts to foreign aid are now disrupting mine clearance operations," one campaigner said ahead of International Day of Mine Action.
Apr 01, 2025
International Day for Mine Action on April 4 is typically an occasion to take stock of humanity's progress toward eradicating the scourge of landmines; however, with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump dramatically slashing foreign aid and several European Union and North Atlantic Treaty Organization members withdrawing from the landmark Mine Ban Treaty, campaigners say there's little worth celebrating this Friday.
Mary Wareham, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Crisis, Conflict, and Arms program, said Tuesday that International Day of Mine Action "is a moment to highlight the work of the thousands of deminers around the world who clear and destroy landmines and explosive remnants of war."
"They risk their lives to help communities recover from armed conflict and its intergenerational impacts," Wareham—a joint recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize for her work with the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL)—continued. "But due to devastating developments driven largely by two countries that have not banned antipersonnel landmines, the United States and Russia, this Mine Action Day does not feel like much of a celebration."
"For over three decades, the U.S. has been the world's largest contributor to humanitarian demining, mine risk education, and rehabilitation programs for landmine survivors," Wareham noted. "But the Trump administration's deep cuts to foreign aid are now disrupting mine clearance operations. Thousands of deminers have been fired or put on administrative leave pending the completion of so-called reviews. It's unclear if this crucial support will continue. The price of Trump administration cuts will be evident as casualties increase."
Responding to the Trump cuts, Anne Héry, advocacy director at the Maryland-based group Humanity & Inclusion—a founding ICBL member—said:
Any delay in clearance prolongs the danger of contamination by explosive ordnance for affected populations. Clearance operations save lives, especially children, who are often victims of explosive devices. They also enable communities to use land for agriculture, construction, and other economic activities. This funding cut will further displace vulnerable populations who cannot return home due to contamination. It will also result in limited access to schools, healthcare facilities, and water sources in contaminated areas.
The Trump administration's seeming disdain for Ukrainian—and by extension much of Europe's—security concerns, combined with Russia's ongoing invasion and occupation of much of Ukraine, has some E.U. and NATO members looking for other ways to defend against potential Russian aggression.
Earlier this month, Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania said they would withdraw from the 1997 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production, and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction, also known as the Ottawa Treaty and the Mine Ban Treaty.
In a joint statement, the four countries' defense ministers explained that "military threats to NATO member states bordering Russia and Belarus have significantly increased" and that "with this decision we are sending a clear message [that] our countries are prepared and can use every necessary measure to defend our security needs."
As Wareham also noted: "Russian forces have used antipersonnel landmines extensively in Ukraine since 2022, causing civilian casualties and contaminating agricultural land. Ukraine has also used antipersonnel mines and has received them from the U.S., in violation of the Mine Ban Treaty."
In another blow to the Mine Ban Treaty, Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo announced Tuesday that Finland is preparing to quit the pact, a move he said "will give us the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way."
#Estonia #Latvia #Lithuania #Finland #Poland – DO NOT EXIT the Mine Ban Treaty! Your choices shape the future. "Young people are watching, and we’re counting on you" to uphold the ban on landmines! #MineFreeWorld #ProtectMineBan
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— International Campaign to Ban Landmines (@minefreeworld.bsky.social) April 1, 2025 at 7:04 AM
Wareham said that "the proposed treaty withdrawals raise the question of what other humanitarian disarmament treaties are at risk: chemical weapons? cluster munitions? The military utility of any weapon must be weighed against the expected humanitarian damage."
"To avoid further eroding humanitarian norms, Poland and the Baltic states should reject proposals to leave the Mine Ban Treaty," she added. "They should instead reaffirm their collective commitment to humanitarian norms aimed at safeguarding humanity in war."
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