Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez questioned an adviser to Joe Biden who suggested that the Democratic presidential nominee’s policy options may be limited by the federal spending deficit.
The New York Democrat, who has said she’ll vote for Biden, said she found it concerning that former Delaware Sen. Ted Kaufman, who is leading Biden’s transition team, said on Thursday that new spending under a Biden administration could be limited because of the spending deficit left by President Trump.
“When we get in, the pantry is going to be bare,” Kaufman told the Wall Street Journal. “When you see what Trump’s done to the deficit … forget about COVID-19, all the deficits that he built with the incredible tax cuts. So, we’re going to be limited.”
Ocasio-Cortez denied that the national debt left the federal government bare. She said it would be irresponsible for Biden’s team to follow some Republican leaders in becoming advocates for cutting the deficit.
“This is extremely concerning. The pantry is absolutely not bare,” Ocasio-Cortez tweeted. “We need massive investment in our country or it will fall apart. This is not a joke. To adopt GOP deficit-hawking now, when millions of lives are at stake, is utterly irresponsible. Hold the line. Win. Lead.”
[Opinion: Biden couldn’t keep AOC off the stage, and he won’t keep her agenda out of the White House]
This is extremely concerning. The pantry is absolutely not bare.
We need massive investment in our country or it will fall apart. This is not a joke. To adopt GOP deficit-hawking now, when millions of lives are at stake, is utterly irresponsible.
Hold the line. Win. Lead. https://t.co/UsCYddHv15
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 20, 2020
Ocasio-Cortez has been critical of Biden’s campaign promises since he announced his candidacy. She originally endorsed Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders for president, but she supported Biden after he became the presumptive nominee.
Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez have advocated for some exceptionally expensive programs, including the Green New Deal and Medicare for All. Biden grilled Sanders on how he planned to pay for such programs during primary debates earlier this year.
