Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

Absolutely, absolutely. You know, it's really interesting. So you kind of mentioned this oversight race. So I didn't win the race. But one thing that did happen is that I've moved, I've been assigned to a very powerful committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee. And they're kind of known as one of four money committees in Congress.

Absolutely, absolutely. You know, it's really interesting. So you kind of mentioned this oversight race. So I didn't win the race. But one thing that did happen is that I've moved, I've been assigned to a very powerful committee, the Energy and Commerce Committee. And they're kind of known as one of four money committees in Congress.

So the four committees are financial services. That's kind of governs Wall Street. You've got ways and means, which is taxes. You have appropriations, which is like government financing all these programs. And then you have energy and commerce. So basically all of the regulation of energy, of healthcare- of tech, of all of it goes through this committee.

So the four committees are financial services. That's kind of governs Wall Street. You've got ways and means, which is taxes. You have appropriations, which is like government financing all these programs. And then you have energy and commerce. So basically all of the regulation of energy, of healthcare- of tech, of all of it goes through this committee.

And I've served in several other committees before. The day that the news came out that I got assigned to Energy and Commerce, my staff's email boxes blew up with lobbyists, just blown. tons of lobbyists just flooding our emails. Wow. And it is literally because of this assignment that I got.

And I've served in several other committees before. The day that the news came out that I got assigned to Energy and Commerce, my staff's email boxes blew up with lobbyists, just blown. tons of lobbyists just flooding our emails. Wow. And it is literally because of this assignment that I got.

Just checking in. It's very like, hello, fellow kids. Like, oh, I was at the Bernie rally like back in the day. Like, I'd love to chat. And the thing is, is like, I am afforded Because I am supported by everyday people, like the average donation to my campaign is like 17 bucks or something like that.

Just checking in. It's very like, hello, fellow kids. Like, oh, I was at the Bernie rally like back in the day. Like, I'd love to chat. And the thing is, is like, I am afforded Because I am supported by everyday people, like the average donation to my campaign is like 17 bucks or something like that.

I don't take a dime of lobbyist money because I am afforded that independence because everyday people support me. I don't have to. I'm under no pressure or obligation to take a single one of these meetings, not one. And I don't meet with lobbyists. It's just not really something that I do. And if my constituents or if everyday people are organizing and coming to my door, I'll open it.

I don't take a dime of lobbyist money because I am afforded that independence because everyday people support me. I don't have to. I'm under no pressure or obligation to take a single one of these meetings, not one. And I don't meet with lobbyists. It's just not really something that I do. And if my constituents or if everyday people are organizing and coming to my door, I'll open it.

If I have policy, you know, like I will go and find the answers that I need for certain things. But I don't make these kinds of decisions. But these compromises that you mentioned, how they happen along the way, it is important for people to understand how Congress is structured. Like every bill that gets proposed gets assigned to a committee. That committee has a chair.

If I have policy, you know, like I will go and find the answers that I need for certain things. But I don't make these kinds of decisions. But these compromises that you mentioned, how they happen along the way, it is important for people to understand how Congress is structured. Like every bill that gets proposed gets assigned to a committee. That committee has a chair.

That chair is the head honcho.

That chair is the head honcho.

That's right. And people don't really know that. But if you have, for example, this majority right now, especially because Trump is appointing some people, there's only two more Republicans or so right now in the House. then there are Democrats. But if you just have one more or two more, you gain control of all the House committees. You decide what legislation gets voted on. You do all of it.

That's right. And people don't really know that. But if you have, for example, this majority right now, especially because Trump is appointing some people, there's only two more Republicans or so right now in the House. then there are Democrats. But if you just have one more or two more, you gain control of all the House committees. You decide what legislation gets voted on. You do all of it.

Yeah. And like the minority party just has to basically sit there for two years. And maybe you can rename a post office if a Republican is going to throw you a bone. But like, you know, it's pretty, pretty limited. And, and so that's how those compromises happen because you need to win that vote.

Yeah. And like the minority party just has to basically sit there for two years. And maybe you can rename a post office if a Republican is going to throw you a bone. But like, you know, it's pretty, pretty limited. And, and so that's how those compromises happen because you need to win that vote.

Like I think about back when Biden was trying to build back better and we had these like, we had this massive prescription drug pricing thing. provision in there that was going to make so many prescriptions more affordable for people. And there was like one Democrat and that bill went through energy and commerce. There was like one Democrat, maybe two very beholden to industry.

Like I think about back when Biden was trying to build back better and we had these like, we had this massive prescription drug pricing thing. provision in there that was going to make so many prescriptions more affordable for people. And there was like one Democrat and that bill went through energy and commerce. There was like one Democrat, maybe two very beholden to industry.