“The American Revolution was against the billionaires of their time.”
—-Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, talking nonsense, as usual
I don’t care too much if the Congresswoman is historically ignorant. I do mind that she keeps spouting false-history in public, because most of the American public is also historically ignorant, and they might assume that because she is an elected official of some status, she must know more than they do. She doesn’t. AOC epitomizes the Dunning-Kruger Effect, where stupid people don’t realize that they are dolts.
It also is infuriating that the Congresswoman made this statement on a stage at the Institute of Politics, and no one corrected her. I view that as the equivalent of ratifying fake history. Donors take notice!
Her latest garbage is particularly egregious. The American Revolution was fought against a monarchy, a nation and its Parliament, not “billionaires.” To characterize the Revolution as a revolt of peasants against the rich is typical Communist propaganda. John Hancock, one of the instigators of the rebellion, was considered the richest man in New England, a multi-millionaire in today’s dollars. Robert Morris, probably the richest man in the colonies, and worth nearly a billion dollars in today’s currency, contributed millions to fund the war. Another one of the richest Americans, probably in the $500-$600 range (again in today’s dollars) was the “Indispensable Man” who led the colonial forces on the battlefield, George Washington.
A cardinal sin to Ethics Alarms is making Americans dumber, and the sin is central to AOC’s political existence. I highlighted some earlier a-historical blather in this post, but a narrative distorting the nature of the American Revolution is particularly unforgivable.
Ethics Alarms 
AOC probably also thinks Robin Hood “stole from the rich to give to the poor” when he actually was just recovering repressive taxes from the government and returning them to people.
About 23 of the signers were attorneys, 12 were merchants, and 9-12 were plantation owners. And let’s not forget Charles Carroll, like Robert Morris, one of the wealthiest men in the colonies at the time. Also, like it or not, just under 75% of them were slaveowners. That said, Samuel Adams actually didn’t own a decent suit and had to have one provided by Hancock. Howard Zinn, who I’m sure AOC must be VERY familiar with, said the Revolution was ALL about these wealthy folks preserving their wealth. You’d think she’d jump right on that. I refuse to believe she’s that complete of an idiot, she graduated cum laude from Boston University with a double major in international relations and economics. She’s a manipulator, I think, and is happy to play the fool as long as it advances her cause. Of course, there’s always the chance that the quality of her education at BU sucked.
Steve-O-in-NJ wrote, “About 23 of the signers were attorneys, 12 were merchants, and 9-12 were plantation owners.”
At least one signer was a member of the Clergy and the President of College of New Jersey which is now Princeton University, John Witherspoon, who happens to be one of my great uncles.
“The American Revolution was against the billionaires of their time.” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
That is unadulterated gaslighting propaganda! She’s not smart enough to come up with this bull shit herself, so who is feeding this crap to this moron so she can parrot it as fact?
Only a complete moron would utter such obvious nonsense in public. People actually vote for this embarrassing moron? This is another moronic statement from a delusional moron.
These continued blatant attempts at rewriting the history of the United States of America for civilly illiterate citizens by the completely delusional progressive wing of the Democratic Party has got to be stopped. Free speech is one thing but this kind of gaslighting is obviously attempts to intentionally undermine the core foundations of the United States of America has got to be openly challenged with facts by every sane person in the USA.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has proven beyond a shadow of doubt that she is a moron.
AOC doesn’t appear in any forum that isn’t completely under the control of the Axis of unethical conduct. She was hired at an audition to play the role of mouthpiece for them. She isn’t even glib, she can barely speak the lines provided to her.
Christopher Patrick Kohls, who goes under the handle “Mr Reagan” did an excellent video breakdown years ago about AOC. The entire video goes into the process of selecting AOC and who the brains are behind her.
Isn’t there something in Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Revolutionaries” about contorting history to one’s purposes? I think this quote is simply coloring by the numbers stuff. You take the 1619 Project and the current lefty push against billionaires and the idea of taxing away parts of their net worth, shake well, and what pops out: The American revolution was a rebellion against billionaires!” Ta Dah. I doubt even she believes it, but it’s just a Social Democrats of America talking point that was handed to her.
I am really convinced the only reason anyone takes her seriously is because she is charismatic and attractive. That gives her a significant following in the Democratic Party. The halo effect is real.
She has a famous quote she once said on 60 minutes:
“I think that there’s a lot of people more concerned about being precisely, factually, and semantically correct than about being morally right.”
That seems to be her operating principle. Besides that it is incoherent, it also leads her to be loose with the facts.
The folks on this blog seem to be well educated, erudite, often quite funny. What I don’t think you all realize is how badly the public education system has deteriorated, and the trickle-up effect that has had on all colleges and universities. It is shocking and appalling, and I wouldn’t be at all surprised if she believes all the moronic drivel that leaks from her face.
Sorry to be late – Mother’s Day and Danny’s birthday celebrations yesterday.
Now now, GL….you know this site harps on the education apocalypse almost as frequently as the journalism implosion.