Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Mermaids, 'farting cows' and free money

By Brandon Showalter, Opinion writer and social commentator Saturday, February 09, 2019

3. The Green New Deal: Economic security for those unable or 'unwilling' to work

As part of this resolution is a proposal to provide "economic security" for those who are both unable and "unwilling" to work. This includes vacations, a monthly salary and a lifetime pension.

A visitor plays with a 'Playstation' at an exhibition stand at the Gamescom 2009 fair in Cologne August 22, 2009. | REUTERS/Ina FAssbender

A frequently-asked-questions document that accompanied the bill reads: “The Federal Reserve can extend credit to power these projects and investments and new public banks can be created to extend credit. There is also space for the government to take an equity stake in projects to get a return on investment.”

The "unwilling to work" aspect was roundly disparaged on social media by conservative commentators.

The Daily Wire's Matt Walsh weighed in: "So @AOC wants to provide a living wage to everyone who is 'unwilling to work,' thereby removing any incentive to work. She also wants a massive railway system built. Who exactly is going to build it? Why would anyone go build a railroad if they can sit at home and get paid?"

In his analysis of Ocasio-Cortez's Green New Deal, the National Review's senior writer David French quipped: "To fight climate change, we have to make sure that Bubba never has to leave his Xbox."

As of late Thursday, Ocasio-Cortez's office had taken down the page on her website describing the Green New Deal.