Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lashed out at Republican critics who she says have “the social intelligence of a sea sponge” to think that she literally meant that the world will end in 12 years if the U.S. doesn’t do something about cutting emissions:

This is a technique of the GOP, to take dry humor + sarcasm literally and “fact check” it. Like the “world ending in 12 years” thing, you’d have to have the social intelligence of a sea sponge to think it’s literal. But the GOP is basically Dwight from The Office so who knows. https://t.co/pmkwrdeAnq — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 12, 2019

Here’s the quote that we’re supposed to take seriously, but not literally:

I’m going to have to call @AOC bluff on “the world is gonna end in 12 years if we don’t address climate change” — also, WWII already happened… pic.twitter.com/PZ6612CMgo — Madison Gesiotto (@madisongesiotto) January 22, 2019

Where have we heard this one before?

It’s cool that AOC has embraced the Trump ‘can’t take him literally’ standard. — Josh Offenhartz (@Johartz) May 12, 2019

And the reason we take her literally is that time and time again she’s repeated this. For example:

And from her buddy, Ilhan Omar:

I can't wait for the day we have a President who believes in science and understands the difference between weather and climate. ??‍♀️ We have 12 years to avoid irreversible climate catastrophe. We need a #GreenNewDeal! https://t.co/QYKmGPqIdd — Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) January 29, 2019

And from Rep. Barbara Lee:

.@AOC is right, we have an expiration date when it comes to climate change. The @UN’s newest report gives us 12 years to turn things around before environmental catastrophe. We need to take climate change seriously. Now. pic.twitter.com/M3BM11wA1d — Barbara Lee (@BLeeForCongress) April 5, 2019

And from Beto O’Rourke:

Democrat Beto O’Rourke takes a page from AOC’s playbook: We have only “12 years in which to act” on climate change. pic.twitter.com/0k8pb4RsRc — Kyle Morris (@RealKyleMorris) March 22, 2019

We’ve found AOC’s proverbial sea sponges and it’s her and her supporters who have parroted her ever since she said it:

Found the sea sponge pic.twitter.com/hyIaYJavwb — Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) May 12, 2019

AOC should apologize!

Just gaslight a bunch of little kids and then call them stupid for believing you. Nice job, @AOC! — Mo Mo (@molratty) May 12, 2019

Remember these girls? She’s now insulting them:

Hey @sunrisemvmt, AOC just said these girls have the "intelligence of a sea sponge." https://t.co/lYVI15zeps pic.twitter.com/tDeRwWwPPZ — Mo Mo (@molratty) May 12, 2019

We’ll also note that scientists called her out on her BS as soon as she said it but that didn’t stop libs from adopting it:

Climate scientists are pushing back against the view promoted by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez that we only have 12 years to act on global warming or face an existential threat to humanity: "Climate change isn't a cliff we fall off — it's a slope we slide down"https://t.co/wG1CQgF8Sj — Axios (@axios) January 22, 2019

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