AOC Lectures Pete Buttigieg for Pushing ‘GOP Talking Point’ Against Public Education: ‘Sad to See a Dem Adopt It’

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) lectured South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg on Thanksgiving evening for pushing Republican talking points in a new campaign ad airing in Iowa.

Video showing the ad was posted by Politico’s Alex Thompson, who said the ad was Buttigieg “taking aim” at Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).

“This is a GOP talking point used to dismantle public systems, and it’s sad to see a Dem candidate adopt it,” Ocasio-Cortez, posted on Twitter.

“Let’s talk about why Republicans are wrong on this,” she continued. “Just like rich kids can attend public school, they should be able to attend tuition-free public college.”

Ocasio-Cortez, also known as AOC, listed five points to back up her contention.

“Universal public systems are designed to benefit EVERYBODY! Everyone contributes and everyone enjoys. We don’t ban the rich from public schools, firefighters, or libraries bc they are public goods,” she explained.

“Universal systems that benefit everyone are stronger [because] everyone’s invested!” she noted.

“When you start carving people out & adding asterisks to who can benefit from goods that should be available to all, cracks in the system develop,” she explained.

“Many children of the elite want to go to private, Ivyesque schools anyway, which aren’t covered by tuition-free public college,” she noted.

“Lastly, and I can’t believe we have to remind people of this, but it’s GOOD to have classrooms (from pre-k through college!) to be socioeconomically integrated,” Ocasio-Cortez explained. “Having students from different incomes & backgrounds in the same classroom is good for society & economic mobility.”

This is a GOP talking point used to dismantle public systems, & it’s sad to see a Dem candidate adopt it.

Let’s talk about why Republicans are wrong on this.

Just like rich kids can attend public school, they should be able to attend tuition-free public college.

Here’s why. https://t.co/pWprP0qrhG

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019

1. Universal public systems are designed to benefit EVERYBODY! Everyone contributes & everyone enjoys. We don’t ban the rich from public schools, firefighters, or libraries bc they are public goods.

2. Universal systems that benefit everyone are stronger bc everyone’s invested!

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019

5. Lastly, and I can’t believe we have to remind people of this, but it’s GOOD to have classrooms (from pre-k through college!) to be socioeconomically integrated.

Having students from different incomes & backgrounds in the same classroom is good for society & economic mobility.

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) November 29, 2019