THREAD/ As a Progressive, living in a deep red county in a deep red state, let me tell you how Rep. @AOC understands my own state better than its Senator. https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1326969135826427906

2/ I live in the city where 8 years ago, a very conservative Mayor cleaned out the Police Dept, provided them with access to more training, and lobbied successfully for body cameras - we were the first city in the state to have them.

3/ Yet somehow, "defund the police" becomes a bad thing in the area that did just that. We reformed our police dept, and now it's one of the best in the nation.

4/ We have a Republican county prosecutor, who in conjunction with local addiction rehab programs, will work on getting first time offenders charged with possession into those programs instead of jail.

5/ He is very popular and very good prosecutor, whose goal is to help addicts become productive members of the society, instead of simply throwing them in jail, and racking up county jail bill. It's a win/win situation.

6/ Yet somehow, my state still can't figure out how to establish medical cannabis program, 4 years after passing the law, let alone decriminalize possession of drugs (which we demonize as a bad thing, even though we are literally doing it in practice).

7/ In my red state, people freak out over the idea of "free college" even though we have successfully established Promise scholarship program, funded by the taxpayers, which gives $5000/yr toward college tuition.

8/ Funny part about it is that the Gov. who established the program is now our Dem. Senator who rails against "socialism" and "free college" even though he literally did it in our state. And you won't find any Republican voters opposing the program.

9/ We cringe at the idea of "wealth redistribution" even though our cities and counties depend heavily on something called "coal severance funds" where the big coal corporations have to give parts of their profits with the communities.

10/ Our communities would bankrupt in months if it wasn't for this program, but yet voters get all up in arms about taxing high-profit corporations, and it makes zero sense to me.

11/ We complain about "socialism" and giving "free stuff," yet we celebrate when the federal government gives money to lay down broadband lines and increase internet connectivity in the most rural and remote areas.

12/ Fed. gov't using everyone's tax money to provide internet for those who don't have it is a definition of socialism, yet the same people who don't want to "give free anything to anyone" are happy to accept "free" broadband lines funded by everyone.

13/ We live in the state where we don't want to give people "free healthcare" yet I just yesterday had a free mammogram, funded by the state's breast cancer prevention program - that is paid by everyone pitching in with their taxes.

14/ We live in the state where we despise the idea of "free healthcare," yet we provide free contraceptives, including Plan B, free women's health clinics, and free pre-natal and post-natal clinics, including any and all immunization.

15/ I live in the area where the idea of "nationalized utilities" is cringed upon, yet I literally live in one of the two cities in the state where the city itself runs its electric and water and sewer, and until recently, for decades had its own cable and internet system.

16/ Our utilities (minus gas) are quite literally run by our local gov't, yet the same people who enjoy those benefits and don't want them changed are arguing that others shouldn't have it.

17/ I live in the state where each and every child is entitled to free meals in schools, regardless of family income, yet we scream against every child in the nation being able to have it, too.

18/ I live in the state where we raised minimum wage on the state level, but argue it shouldn't be raised on the national level, too, because "People who flip burgers" don't deserve living wage, even though fast food is the most predominant diet where I live.

19/ So, in conclusion, Rep. @AOC understands people in my state way better than our own representatives. And it blows my mind that the state which already benefits from progressive and "socialist" polices and doesn't want them changed is deep red. How?

20/ The answer is in the messaging of Rep and Dem parties, in their leadership, in their involvement (or lack of) on every level - from local to federal - and to both sides demonizing "socialist" policies in public, while passing "socialist" laws at the delight of the same public

21/ It is a disconnect between the politicians and people on the ground. If any of the politicians would actually speak to people, they would find out that progressive policies are way more popular, because the are designed to help people themselves. /END