represent the potential future economic maximization of the portion of The Bronx and Queens circumscribed by the borders of her congressional district.

She represents the current residents of that district, and her job is to a) comprehend and b) actuate their vision for their neighborhood.

The reason she has her current job, instead of pouring Other Half farmhouse saisons for overpaid millennials, is that those residents felt her predecessor understood and actuated the vision of someone external to their neighborhood, more than he understood and actuated their vision.

The health of the public fisc of NYC or NY State, or even the property owners, real estate developers, and landlords of the congressional district is not congruent with the best interests of the majority of the citizens of said congressional district, in the currrent collective mind of that majority, ergo we are where we are. A different community may, and undoubtedly will, feel differently and will welcome Bezos.

But my point isn’t that either community (hers, or the hypothetical one that ends up with Amazon) is “right” or “wrong.” My point is that those who paint AOC as stupid or naive understand her community less than she does.

It’s really that simple, and it always is.