Can libertarians flip Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez?
It is highly unlikely that a socialist who is guaranteeing government jobs or Medicare for all can be flipped to libertarianism or even the right.
Plus, she was elected based on these socialist ideas, too, so she would risk losing power if she suddenly abandoned the Bernie Sanders playbook.
And the media love her. Just imagine if she started advocating to abolish the Federal Reserve or cut taxes or slash spending!
But Robert Wenzel of Economic Policy Journal and Target Liberty is holding out hope.
He wrote on Thursday:
In other words, libertarians, we have a problem. She campaigned on a platform of Medicare for All, a federal jobs guarantee, and tuition-free public college.
With her skills and media appeal, she is going to be a big-time influencer, a major second-hand dealer in ideas.
We need to attempt to flip her away from wacky socialist ideas and show her the pitfalls of central power in any sector. At her young age, she is probably still susceptible enough to truth and honesty to listen to libertarian views.
Thus, I propose a version of the Burgundy Circle, The Committee to Flip Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, if you will.
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Ocasio-Cortez has the potential to be a future 8-year king of the U.S. Empire, but it is an error to just focus on her not only because she may not take to heart #PPS principles but it is not as clear that she will gain the 8-year throne. Thus, I propose that The Committee to Flip Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, issue open letters to Ocasio-Cortez here at Target Liberty and at EPJ outlining the many confusions and contradictions in her socialist policy views. By being open letters, they will have the potential to reach far beyond Ocasio-Cortez and thus not get caught in the trap that doomed the Burgundy Circle.
I am going to monitor closely the policy statements of Ocasio-Cortez and issue open letters, in the name of the Committee, to explain the fatal conceit, as Nobel Prize recipient Friedrich Hayek would put it, in her central planning thinking.
I invite strong writers to join mean at the Committee and submit essays for publication at Target Liberty or EPJ that address Ocasio-Cortez socialist policy statements.
Is it wishful thinking? Perhaps. But it’s worth a shot.
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