Watching young Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a little like watching a young Wayne Gretzky, all the tools are there and the joy is in watching the timing and the vision catch up to the skill level (She is closing in). AOC – as I have written before, has limitless talent and sensitive intellectualism, she could be the governor of New York, the next Senator, NYC Mayor, or President – if the country ever caught up to her progressive passions. She is just magnificent as a truly professional politician, putting her constituents first, over and over. And, just a couple of days ago and as would be typical of her commitment, AOC hosted a webinar that gave many immigrants (Her constituents and others) legal tips on their Constitutional rights and how to assert them against the Trump mass deportations.
Learning about the law and then using the law to protect your interests is one’s civic obligation. The “nation of laws” cliche is a cliche because it’s never been in question, at least not until recently. Regardless, sometimes it seems as though 50% of the citizens in this country have their law degree, and the entire point is to best safeguard one’s interests. That’s a thing. It is assumed. AOC didn’t assume anything – she’s a pro – and made sure the information got out.
Over on Fox News, it was Laura Ingraham who noted that Ocasio-Cortez posted the webinar explaining migrants’s rights and how they might be able to avoid being deported. Ingraham said AOC was showing migrants “how to game the system.” And, of course, Ingraham would call it such because only undocumented people would “game” systems, unlike the wealthy and the tax code (Never “gamed” only “known”). The only way that immigrants could fairly use the system is to ‘game it,’ right? Language matters (I’m semi-pro.)
As he has done nearly every single other night of the administration, ICE’s Thom Homan was on Fox (Ingraham’s Show) and was able to hear the comments. Homan had some fascist questions for AOC because it sounds like he believes that teaching migrants the law hurts his mission over at ICE – which is deport, deport, deport. Homan even wondered if teaching the law to migrants was a crime.
What level is that impedement [sic]? Is that impedement [sic]? I’m not an attorney, I’m not a prosecutor. Is that impedement [sic]? Is that impeding our law enforcement efforts? And if so, what are we gonna do about it? Is she crossing the line? So, I’m working with the Department of Justice and finding out. Where is that line that they cross? So, maybe AOC’s gonna be in trouble now.”
Well, we know who should be attending our next webinar on the law. Homan needs a refresher course because even though he doesn’t have a law degree (The other 50%), he has plenty of experience in criminal justice such that this ought to come far more naturally. So, after his inane comment about getting AOC “in trouble now,” AOC did that thing she does and took to the Bluesky to let loose on Homan. This is why you don’t go after a professional like AOC unless you can back it up. Homan can’t, and he should’ve known better given that he’s become a professional agitator. As she posted:
“MaYbe shE’s goiNg to be in TroUble nOw”Maybe he can learn to read. The Constitution would be a good place to start
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@aoc.bsky.social) 2025-02-14T01:31:34.088Z
Yes, the Constitution would be a great place to start but the Trump administration is also wholly prepared to ignore it, too. It certainly raises the stakes when it comes to AOC’s criticisms. The Trump administration is such that they like to make politics even more personal. One can envision “especially tough” enforcement proceedings in AOC’s district in response to AOC providing legal clinics and tips on civil rights.
But do note that AOC managed to hit the perfect note in that she took the allegations damned seriously, but then mocked them to a near perfect degree, thus pulling everything back from the brink.
It is worth hearing Homan’s initial critique. His interpretation, that AOC may have been committing a crime by spreading… the law (?) around, informs us as to how he sees the world. It is terrifying how quickly and naturally many in the Trump administration jump to any invitation to criminalize being “others” or non-loyalists (Dems, liberals, Never Trumpers… ). It is this rush toward criminalizing politics that gets so terrifying.
Leave it to AOC to dEfLatE the matter with some with humor. As said above, she has rare talent and it is on display in her response. She knows it is serious business but it wasn’t time for a very serious response, the mocking element allowed the message to get through with minimal damage or risk. It is fun watching her work people over, almost as much fun as watching her effectively lead in the House, hopefully for a long time, until she finds her “next job” – which will be even bigger.
I’m going to leave this right here. Not quite yet, but soon… Soon… Find a bit, tiny bit, tiny bit, more centered, then “go”:
Seriously, you need to take over the Dem party. Don’t ask for permission. Don’t wait for a vote. Just take it. The current leadership is so weak, they’ll fold like a house of cards. Just show up and be in charge.
— Rick Gualtieri (@rickgualtieri.bsky.social) 2025-02-14T01:55:59.586Z
God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter ‘X’ at @JasonMiciak and now on Bluesky where people ought to be.
Thank you, Jason. That last comment from Rick Gaultieri is spot on!
Some people can’t be intimidated…by the way this ‘nation of laws’ isn’t the same as a nation of JUST LAWS. The traitor/criminal Nixon placed cannabis in Schedule one in 1970, for no justifiable reason other than create laws to arrest Vietnam War and civil rights protesters! FACT. Since then, an average of 700,000 citizens are criminalized, many thrown into the private prison industry, who’s profits go into the pockets of those who made and KEEP the law in place. This from a country of alcohol/tobacco users, two substances that kill millions, and should be considered dangerous drugs. Instead the lawmakers use these drugs and get rich off their stock in these industries. The Sacklers have killed millions from their false marketing of their synthetic opiods, yet they haven’t spent a day in jail. I won’t bother with the laws that destroyed the American Indians or enslaved black folk. The idea of this being a nation of laws IS FUNDAMENTALLY A LIE. Thanks God…er…Trump for exposing what bullshit this culture tolerates and believes in. Phucking amoral morons. We deserve Hell…and it’s finally here.
If informing people of their rights is a criminal.offense, than every defense and tax attorney is guulity, especially the ones who tell billionaires how to game taxes, and every billionaire who follows their advice should be sharing cell.with them. And U.S. marshals should be arresting right now.