Referenced Resources

Here are the resources mentioned in the interview, categorized by type:

People

• Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez - Guest on the podcast, representative of the 14th District of New York State.
• Bernie - Host of the podcast, asked questions and provided commentary.
• Robert Moses - Mentioned in the context of building the Cross Bronx Expressway, which impacted the Bronx.
• Hillary - Mentioned by Bernie as someone he ran against in his presidential campaign.
• Joe Biden - President of the United States, discussed in the context of his reelection and policies.
• Donald Trump - Former President of the United States, discussed as an alternative to Biden and his impact on democracy and climate change.
• Bobby Kennedy - Mentioned as a previous presidential candidate who visited the Bronx.
• Ronald Reagan - Mentioned as a president who visited the South Bronx and compared it to Dresden.
• Rosa Luxemburg - Quoted for her statement about “socialism or barbarism.”
• Henry Gonzalez - Mentioned as a strong progressive with whom Bernie served on committees.
• John Conyers - Mentioned as a progressive with whom Bernie served on committees.
• Raul Grijalva - Mentioned in the context of the early days of the Progressive Caucus.
• Barbara Lee - Mentioned in the context of the early days of the Progressive Caucus.
• Noam Chomsky - Mentioned in relation to the early days of the Progressive Caucus being like a “book club.”
• Franklin Donald Roosevelt - Former President of the United States, referenced for his ideas on economic rights.
• Jamal Bowman - Mentioned as a progressive member of Congress facing corporate money.
• AIPAC - Mentioned as a super PAC working against progressive candidates.

Organizations

• The Bronx - The district represented by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and a significant location in her personal history and political career.
• Puerto Rico - The birthplace of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s parents, and a place of origin for her family’s struggles with poverty.
• New York State - The state represented by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
• The United States - The country where the interview and political discussions take place.
• Boston University (BU) - The alma mater of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
• The Obama presidency - Referenced in the context of the extension of the Bush tax cuts.
• The Bush tax cuts - Mentioned as a radicalizing event for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
• The National Hispanic Institute - An organization Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez worked with.
• The Democratic Party - The political party discussed in relation to current politics and the upcoming election.
• The Republican Party - Implicitly contrasted with the Democratic Party in the political discussion.
• The Progressive Caucus - A group within the U.S. House of Representatives, discussed in historical context.
• The U.S. House of Representatives - The legislative body where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie serve.
• The Democratic establishment - Discussed as a powerful force in politics, which Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez challenged.
• The Queens County Democratic Party - A political machine in New York City, previously led by Joe Crowley.
• The New York City political elite - Mentioned in relation to Joe Crowley’s power base.
• The New York City real estate - Mentioned as a source of power for Joe Crowley.
• The Democratic Caucus - The group of Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives, where Bernie initially faced challenges.
• The American Medical Association (AMA) - Implicitly referenced through the discussion of healthcare costs and access.
• The NLRB (National Labor Relations Board) - Mentioned for issuing pro-labor policies under the Biden presidency.
• AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) - Mentioned as a super PAC spending money to defeat progressive candidates.
• Black Lives Matter - An organization Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez became involved with.
• The Keystone XL pipeline - An issue Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez protested at Standing Rock.
• The Civil Rights Movement - Mentioned as a significant historical movement influencing left politics.
• The Catholic Church - Mentioned in relation to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s family background.
• Pentecostalism - Mentioned in relation to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s mother’s family.
• The Democratic leadership - Referenced in Bernie’s early interactions upon being elected to the House.

Documents

• The Bill of Rights - Referenced by Bernie in relation to political rights.
• The Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Implicitly referenced through discussions of human rights and dignity.

Tools

• Clipboard - Used by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez when collecting signatures for her ballot petition.
• Paper grocery bag - Used by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to carry her clipboard and petition materials.
• Cell phone - Used by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s mother to receive election results.

Technologies

• AI (Artificial Intelligence) - Discussed in the context of technology, economic gains, and potential productivity increases.
• Television - The medium through which Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez first heard someone state that everyone deserves healthcare.
• Internet - Implicitly used for research and communication in political organizing and information dissemination.
• Social Media - Implicitly used for political campaigns and grassroots organizing, though not explicitly named.

Concepts/Ideas

• Democratic Socialism - The political ideology espoused by both Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders, defined and discussed in detail.
• Economic Exploitation - A concept linked to the history of the Bronx and the struggles of working-class families.
• Material Hardship - A consequence of economic exploitation experienced by families.
• Public Education - A key factor in Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s upbringing and a central theme in her political advocacy.
• Zip Code Destiny - The idea that one’s place of residence significantly impacts life opportunities, a realization for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez from a young age.
• Injustice - A feeling experienced by children when they perceive something is wrong, even without the language to articulate it.
• Class Differences - Observed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her school and community, impacting perceptions of status.
• Racial Differences - Observed by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in her school and community, leading to feelings of being “othered.”
• Bourgeois Suburb - The evolving nature of the town where Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lived, highlighting class and racial shifts.
• Hand-me-downs - Clothing passed down from older siblings or others, a symbol of economic limitations.
• Post-recession economy - The economic climate around 2011 when Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez graduated college.
• Mass Movement Politics - The effectiveness of large-scale public action in influencing political outcomes.
• War Machine - A term used to describe the operations of war and its impact on innocent lives.
• Pro-labor policies - Policies enacted by the NLRB under the Biden presidency.
• Picket line - A demonstration by workers, which Joe Biden was the first president to walk on.
• Pro-union - Support for labor unions.
• Right of women to control their own bodies - A key issue discussed in relation to the upcoming election and potential Trump presidency.
• Climate change - A significant issue discussed, with contrasting views between Trump and Biden.
• Energy system transformation - Policies and investments aimed at changing how energy is produced and consumed.
• American democracy - The system of government discussed in relation to its fragility and potential threats.
• Authoritarian form of government - A potential alternative to democracy, contrasted with the current political landscape.
• Grassroots organizing - Building political power from the ground up, emphasized as a key strategy.
• Super PACs - Political action committees that can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money.
• Billionaire funding - The influence of wealthy individuals in political campaigns.
• Lesser of two evils - The difficult choice voters sometimes face between two undesirable options.
• Heroes in our democracy - Individuals who stand up for important causes and inspire others.
• Corporate money - Financial influence exerted by corporations in politics.
• Progressive movement - The political movement advocating for social and economic reforms.
• Marginalization - The process of being excluded or pushed to the periphery, discussed in the context of political careers.
• Rent control - Government regulation of rent prices.
• Anti-Semitism - Prejudice or discrimination against Jewish people, mentioned in Bernie’s family history.
• Economic rights - Rights related to economic well-being, such as healthcare and housing.
• Utopian fantasy - An idealized and unrealistic vision of society, contrasted with achievable goals.
• Income and wealth inequality - The disparity in earnings and assets between different groups in society.
• Paycheck to paycheck living - The financial state of struggling to cover basic needs with each paycheck.
• Special interests - Groups that seek to influence political decisions for their own benefit.
• The status quo - The existing state of affairs, which powerful interests often seek to maintain.
• Barbarism - A state of extreme cruelty, violence, or lack of civilization, presented as an alternative to a cooperative society.
• Cooperative society - A society based on mutual assistance and shared goals.
• Greed as religion - A metaphor for the excessive pursuit of wealth by a select few.
• Unions - Organizations of workers formed to protect their rights and interests.
• Endless war - The concept of prolonged and seemingly perpetual military conflict.
• Spiritual undercurrent of left politics - The moral and ethical motivations behind left-wing political movements.
• Liberation theology - A theological movement that emphasizes the liberation of the oppressed.