Due to the rise in inflation and skyrocketing oil and gas prices, life is getting more difficult for most people. And for those who live in cities where the cost of living is already very high, the situation is even more dire. Even liberal Congress members such as New York city's Alexandria Ocasio Cortez seem to be having a hard time.
The only difference, naturally, is that she earns more money per year than the majority of us see in three or more years.
According to a post on her Instagram account, renting a house that is located in NYC as well as Washington DC, as is necessary for her job, isn't easy to do.
“It’s insanely expensive, there is no stipend or per diem for it, and you’re not allowed to write it off even though your job forces you to have it. This creates real class dynamics in the House. Many sleep in their offices, but if you are caught, it could get bad for many reasons.”
She added, “I rent in both cities. It’s so so much. We have to find a new apartment in NYC soon and I’m STRESSED. Rent is wild and the idea of (apartment) searching and moving while legislating and campaigning is yikes.”
To be precise, rent in DC and New York City is high and has been for many years. This is the reason Congress members get paid the amount they get. According to the Washington Examiner, congressional pay is determined by the cost of living.
However, it should be noted that even though the cost of living has risen significantly recently, Congress has not agreed on any raises in the members’ salaries since 2010.
But then again, someone who earns $174,000 in a year wouldn't need a raise, right?
If you missed it, AOC makes well over $150,000 in a year. This places her among the upper 20 percent of income earners across the United States. According to Statista, only 18.3 percent of Americans make more than $150K per year.
So, why can't she afford to live in both NYC and DC?
In reality, as many users on social media mentioned, it's likely that she doesn't have a good budget and spends excessive amounts on frivolous items.
It's things like the $10,000 dress she wore to an event which cost her $30,000 to attend, according to the Associated Press. Or maybe it is because she is paying around $24,000 per month to rent her apartment in NYC.
It's true that this is not the standard rental rate within the metropolis. Evidently, she has very high standards.
It is no surprise that this led to a “perception,” as AOC says, that she is disconnected from her constituents and all other Americans.
As she told the AP, “It’s always been a concern that that’s a perception I’ve never had any control over the fact that that kind of phenomenon started the moment I was elected. If anything, that’s why it’s really important for me to continue to be here in the community.”
To be honest, she's out of touch with her constituents… How many individuals do you know who are paid as much as she is and complain that paying rent is a struggle?
Maybe she can speak with some residents of the Bronx to find out how dire things are for most of us. For instance, getting to work and back in a car is virtually impossible due to the high gas costs. Also, due to the rise in inflation, many people can't even pay for food, let alone buy costly dresses for formal events.
She's worried about the prospect of finding a luxury house in the middle of campaigning, while the majority of us worry about how we'll travel to and from work or how we can pay school costs for our children over the next few months.
So, it's not surprising that she removed that Instagram posting…
