Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Skimmed
on Monday, March 11, 2019Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Money Quote saying most wages are set based on employees least objectionable rate they can justify and remaining value is skimmed for corporate owners. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez said:
“We’re paid on how little we’re desperate enough to accept. And then the rest is skimmed off and given to a billionaire” — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
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In this quote, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seems to be criticizing how some workers’ wages are determined in the current economic system. Some key points:
- She suggests that for many jobs, pay is set based on how little compensation employees are willing to accept out of desperation or need, rather than being a fair livable wage.
- Once that minimum salary is established, AOC says the profits generated from workers’ labor beyond that amount are then “skimmed off” and disproportionately funneled to wealthy executives and shareholders, especially billionaires.
- This implies that hard work is not adequately rewarded and an inequitable distribution of wealth occurs where those at the top attain vast fortunes while frontline employees struggle on low salaries.
Overall, the quote portrays AOC’s view that some business practices exploit workers by paying only as much as they can get away with under the circumstances, then reaping huge profits derived from others’ toil to enormously enrich those at the very top of companies. She sees this as an unfair system that does not properly value ordinary laborers’ contributions and efforts.