Kristen González, the Democrat primary winner for NYC's newly-drawn Senate District 59, spent time on Univision's Linea de Fuego praising the marvels of 'democratic socialism' on Monday, only to be schooled by anchor Luis Carlos Velez on what it really means to millions of Hispanics fleeing from socialist countries in Latin America, including those tuned-in to the political analysis program.
The segment, which ran a full seven minutes, revealed the degree of González's disconnect from the very community that she claims, inspired her: The millions of Hispanics risking their lives, and that of their families, to escape the poverty, loss of civil rights, and violence instituted by socialist and communist regimes like those in Venezuela and Cuba, which, as revealed, Gonzalez doesn't consider to be examples of ‘democratic socialism’.
In this clip of the Al Fuego interview, which begins with a video of Gonzalez yelling “Socialism wins!”, as she celebrated her August 23 victory, the aspiring politician stays on her sponsor's script - The Democratic Socialists of America - repeating 'democratic socialism' over and over as a mantra, that in the absence of policies truly relevant to the Univision audience:
GONZALEZ: I know we're saving the speeches for later, but today we really proved that socialism wins!
VELEZ: Socialism wins! That's a very strong phrase. What does socialist mean to you?
GONZÁLEZ: I am a proud democratic socialist because for me it means building a world that works for working families like my own. It means building the black and brown immigrant communities.
VELEZ: A question, about, let's see: China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, are socialist countries. Do you think those countries have a better economic model than we have here in the United States?
GONZÁLEZ: I'm not talking about China, or Cuba or Venezuela. I'm talking about democratic socialism
(....)
GONZÁLEZ: Democratic socialism in the American context is a strict set of moral and policy values that ensure that we are taking care of the most vulnerable among us. And so, being democratic socialists is different from what we see in all of the countries that are socialist
(....)
GONZÁLEZ: And again, not to get it completed, democratic socialism is different from socialism, is different from communism.
VELEZ: What I'm seeing here, immigrants fleeing from socialist countries in Latin America, are arriving here, at the U.S., by the thousands. What would you say to a Venezuelan, to a Cuban that are listening to you right now, and I was thinking, you know, probably, probably, they're coming to the wrong country? Is this the wrong country for them?
GONZÁLEZ: I would say that I am working for building a democracy that welcomes immigrants from all the world. That we are a country that is built on immigrants.
(....)
GONZÁLEZ: I am working towards a world that welcomes everyone, that ensures that the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of. And that we're not building a system that privileges a few at the cost of many, that we all have the capability to stay at home and have health care and that we do things to address the climate crisis. That is a global crisis, not just here in New York, but across the world and affects all of the countries you mentioned. That's what I would say to them.
In what has now become the standard for progressives attempting to empathize with constituents of color, the candidate packaged herself as the product of a working class, single-parent household from Queens, who just happened to find herself studying in an elite private school of Manhattan's Upper East Side. The experience made her want “to make sure that every single New Yorker had every resource available”; right on cue with the teachings of her sponsor, the Democrat Socialists of America, and her mentor, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes.
“I am a proud Democratic Socialist because for me it means building a world that works for working families like my own. It means building the black and brown immigrant communities,” González stated, insisting that her brand of socialism differs from the socialism/communism of Cuba or Venezuela -much like Jorge Ramos did did during a Facebook Live where he attempted to soft-sell democratic socialism.
“A question, about, let's see: China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, are socialist countries. Do you think those countries have a better economic model than we have here in the United States", Velez asked the radical leftist. In all honesty, her answer seemed fit for an idealistic, starry-eyed, beauty contest finalist:
I'm not talking about China, or Cuba or Venezuela. I'm talking about democratic socialism. Democratic socialism in the American context is a strict set of moral and policy values that ensure that we are taking care of the most vulnerable among us. And so, being democratic socialists is different from what we see in all of the countries that are socialist...[D]emocratic socialism is distinct from socialism, is distinct from communism.
Velez's last question exposed the lack of concern for the actual situation of many Hispanic immigrants: “What would you say to a Venezuelan, to a Cuban that are listening to you right now, and I was thinking, you know, probably, probably, they're coming to the wrong country? Is this the wrong country for them?”
Gonzalez replied:
I would say that I am working for building a democracy that welcomes immigrants from all the world. That we are a country that is built on immigrants. I am working towards a world that welcomes everyone, that ensures that the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of. And that we're not building a system that privileges a few at the cost of many, that we all have the capability to stay at home and have health care and that we do things to address the climate crisis. That is a global crisis, not just here in New York, but across the world and affects all of the countries you mentioned. That's what I would say to them.
In other words: a world populated by submissive, servile people who stay at home, live off welfare, and worship their privileged few leaders.
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Press on Expand to read the complete transcript of the segment aired:
Univision's Línea de Fuego
August 29, 2022LUIS CARLOS VÉLEZ: A young Latina newcomer to politics, backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, as well as prominent politicians on the left, including Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, surprised everyone. She won this week's state senate election to represent a swath of west Queens/Brooklyn, and a portion of Manhattan's west side. Her name is Kristen González, and with her we talked here, in Línea de Fuego.
Congratulations Kristen. You won with a large margin. Did you expect it?
KRISTEN GONZÁLEZ: Thank you so much for the congratulations. We're incredibly excited. You know, we were confident about my victory, we had the largest field operation in the campaign. We had maybe 700 volunteers, thousands of unique donors. But winning by a 26-point margin definitely was an added treat because it showed that overwhelming our district was excited to back a 27 year-old Latina for office.
VÉLEZ: That's very good. You are very young. Why did you decide to enter politics?
GONZÁLEZ: That is a great question. I started very young, when I was in High School. I started organizing, and really it comes from my life experience growing up in Elmhurst, Queens, in a single parent household. My mom was from Puerto Rico, my dad from Columbia, he died when I was very young. And, when I was in my sixth grade, I got the opportunity to go to a private school in the Upper East Side. And so, the majority of my childhood, from six to twelve, I lived between two entirely different New Yorks. The New York I knew which was immigrants, working class, multiracial community, and the New York for the rich where I saw all those resources and opportunities available. And I wanted to make sure that every single New Yorker had every resource available, it is why I started organizing at High School. And that led me from college to work at Obama's White House, the Consumers Office. And then eventually I was asked to run for office, this office, when people got organized.
VÉLEZ: I want to show a video and let's get your reaction. Let's see it.
GONZÁLEZ: I know we're saving the speeches for later, but today we really proved that socialism wins! Our purpose wins!
VELEZ: Socialism wins! That's a very strong phrase. What does socialist mean to you?
GONZÁLEZ: Yeah. So, I'm part of the Democratic Socialists of America, the same organization that elected congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. I am a proud democratic socialist because for me it means building a world that works for working families like my own. It means building the black and brown immigrant communities. We live in a world right now that serves a wealthy few. When I was working in Washington, D.C., when I was working for the council, I saw career politicians that were bought out by a lot of special interest money and they weren't accountable. And being a democratic socialist is about being accountable.
VELEZ: A question, about, let's see: China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Vietnam, are socialist countries. Do you think those countries have a better economic model than we have here in the United States?
GONZÁLEZ: Yeah. That's not going to complete it. I'm not talking about China, or Cuba or Venezuela. I'm talking about democratic socialism in the same way that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortes is a democratic socialist, in the same way that senator Bernie Sanders is a democratic socialist. Democratic socialism in the American context is a strict set of moral and policy values that ensure that we are taking care of the most vulnerable among us. And so, being democratic socialists is different from what we see in all of the countries that are socialist
VELEZ: I clearly understand that but socialism is socialism, right? It's not necessarily the definition that you want to give it. Socialism is socialism. And
GONZÁLEZ: Yes, and democratic socialism is democratic socialism
VELEZ: Let me finish here. The economies that have actually put that model into play are the countries that I just told you. So, socialism is what I just told you, those are the countries that operate under socialism. Do you think that socialism is the best way to do things here in the United States?
GONZALEZ: I think democratic socialism is the best way to do things in the United States. And again, not to get it completed, democratic socialism is different from socialism, is different from communism. When we talk about democratic socialism it is – I'm a democrat. But I also believe that
VELEZ: Let me interrupt you
[CROSS TALK]
VELEZ: None of those countries that I just mentioned worked as democracies. Those are not democracies. So -- [INAUDIBLE CROSSTALK] -- Try to explain to me why those are democracies that we need to follow.
GONZÁLEZ: I'm not saying that those are democracies that we need to follow. What I'm saying is that democratic socialists of America, right, again, the democratic socialists of America organization, I believe has specific policies that
CROSSTALK
VELEZ: That's not what we saw in the video. In the video you said that socialism won. You didn' say democratic socialism won ---
CROSSTALK
GONZÁLEZ: --- democratic --- well, I was speaking to a group of democratic socialists who understood exactly what I mean, especially, they were members of the Democratic Socialists of America.
CROSSTALK
VELEZ: Let me ask you a last one. And maybe because I'm Colombian and probably I don't understand much, but what I'm seeing here, immigrants fleeing from socialist countries in Latin America, are arriving here, at the U.S., by the thousands. What would you say to a Venezuelan, to a Cuban that are listening to you right now, and I was thinking, you know, probably, probably, they're coming to the wrong country? Is this the wrong country for them?
GONZÁLEZ: I would say that I am working for building a democracy that welcomes immigrants from all the world. That we are a country that is built on immigrants. We are, as someone who grew up in an immigrant community, who is the daughter of a Puerto Rican and Colombian family. So on one side I'm the daughter of immigrants, I am working towards a world that welcomes everyone, that ensures that the most vulnerable in our society are taken care of. And that we're not building a system that privileges a few at the cost of many, that we all have the capability to stay at home and have health care and that we do things to address the climate crisis. That is a global crisis, not just here in New York, but across the world and affects all of the countries you mentioned. That's what I would say to them.
VELEZ: Thanks so much for the explanation. We really appreciate it. Thank you for your time.
GONZALEZ: Thank you for having me.
