Ezra Levin
Appearances
Morning Wire
Tariffs Trigger Turmoil & Anti-Trump Protests Erupt | 4.7.25
One of the beautiful things about this is it's meeting people where they are. We are all coming to this for a different reason. We can say hands off the Department of Education, hands off our Social Security, hands off our Medicaid, hands off trans kids, hands off our communities, hands off our civil rights, hands off our democracy.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
Really?
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
Great to see you, Rachel.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
I gotta say, I love to see the previous segment with all of those people at town halls, and then the Republicans seeing them, being surprised, and then slightly, as you said, slightly moderating their positions. Look, as we say in the streets, this is what democracy looks like. Now, I'm a former congressional staffer. I can tell you what's going on in those offices. Here's what they're thinking.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
They're saying, oh my gosh, there are a lot of people here. Oh my gosh, we might lose the majority over this. Oh my gosh, I might lose my seat over this. Oh my gosh, we've got to do something about this. We've got to tell them to stop. We've got to tell the White House. We've got to tell Senate leadership. We've got to tell House leadership. We've got to put the brakes on this.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
This could really endanger us. But they don't say, gosh, they have a lot more expletives behind the scenes. But that's Good. That means they're getting the message. What I would say is our lesson from the first month or so is that pressure is working. That should be the main takeaway. Pressure is working. But as you said, they haven't changed their tune entirely. They've changed a few notes.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
It's working, but the pressure can't stop. We're not done yet.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
Absolutely. Look, it's one thing when you're asking Republicans to vote for a messaging bill, a piece of legislation that has no chance of becoming law and most people will never hear about it. It's an entirely different political matter when you're actually considering legislation.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
that is going to negatively impact your constituents' health care, your constituents' schools, your constituents' families. You're playing with fire there. And when you've got a margin in the House of Representatives of three votes, when you've got a margin in the Senate of four votes, you've got to be really concerned about skittish members.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
The way we make them more skittish, though, for those of us who oppose that agenda, is by showing up and putting on this pressure.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Busted: DOGE humiliated by brutal fact-checking, walks back bogus savings claims
Great to see you.
The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
Gosh, Rachel, it's been incredible. Can I just say it has been incredible? We knew when we announced three weeks ago on the show that this was going to be the week where we saw an election in Wisconsin. We were cautiously optimistic about that election in Wisconsin for the Supreme Court. We didn't know we were going to kick.
The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
Elon Musk's butt all across the state, but we were cautiously optimistic. We also didn't know that Cory Booker was going to give this incredible speech inspiring all of us and telling us that he was taking a stand in response to pushes from his own constituents.
The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
We also didn't know that Donald Trump was going to launch a global attack on the economies of not just, not our economy, but the global economy. This confluence of events Thank you. , , , , P P P P P P P pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas Puğ pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas pas P pas , , , , , ,.
The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
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The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
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The Rachel Maddow Show
The ridiculous real story behind the tariff plan that turned Donald Trump into a global disaster
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The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
Of course, Rachel. Great to be here.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
Look, we're going through what's known as a wave moment in organizing circles at Indivisible. We had more local Indivisible groups join. These are volunteers. Start local Indivisible groups in their community in November than any months in 2017. We beat the November month in December, beat the December month in January, beat the January month in February. It's mid-March.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
We've had over 100 local indivisible groups join, and these are peaceful protesters shown up to make their voices heard in red states, purple states, blue states. So how's it going? Well, the opposition has taken note and criticized us, so I think it's going pretty darn well.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
So for the last several weeks, we've been hearing from old and new Indivisible group leaders, hey, we're all getting together. We're doing these actions locally. But when do we actually really hit the streets? When do we all show up in mass? That's what this is. I want to be clear. This is not just Indivisible.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
We're partnering with the brilliant folks over at 5051, with Labor, with lots of other folks. But this is an organic, energy-fed moment. Anybody, anybody who is watching this can sign up. and register an event in their community to say, look, hands off our jobs, hands off our democracy, hands off our volcano observatories.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
My God, we need to show up because Doge and this administration is negatively impacting all of us in all of our communities. So, yes, there's going to be a big presence in D.C., But it's not just D.C. I want to see this in rural areas, in suburban areas, in urban areas, in red states, purple states, blue states. And it's going to take all of us.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
So this is an opportunity for all of us to stand up together and demonstrate the power, the people power that is against Doge, against Musk, against Trump.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Trump reportedly keen on law at root of disgraceful chapter in American history
Thanks, Rachel.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
Thank you. I have the best constituents in America, Rachel.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
Well, I can only speak for myself, but I can tell you I'm incredibly disappointed. I think this is the wrong move. And I'm really proud of House Democrats. We stood together. This was a tough circumstance. There is no perfect answer here.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
But I think it's very clear to me that if Trump and Musk are given six more months to run a rough shot over our agencies, to have cuts that, you know, maybe are not able to be defended against with with the Impoundment Control Act lawsuits maybe being undercut. You know, with this CR maybe validating some of that, I thought that, look, this wasn't that close of a call.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
And as far as the government shutdown, big chunks of the government are being shut down right now before our eyes. We see it at the VA. We see it the Social Security Administration. We see it across the board, the Department of Education. You know, and at the end of the day, we have to stand up and we have to fight against all of this.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
And I'm proud that virtually all of my House Democratic colleagues did that. And I know that at least my two senators, Adam Schiff and Alex Padilla, are fighting back. And look, there's still time before the vote tomorrow. I hope that Chuck Schumer hears loud and clear that so many of us think this is the wrong decision.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
It's really sad. I have a huge veteran population in my district, so we know that roughly a third of the federal workers are veterans, and a lot of the people who are getting let go are veterans. I think it's all about the personal stories, whether it's the veteran that loses their job or
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
no longer can get the health care the way that they're used to, or whether it's the senior who doesn't have access to Social Security the way that they used to, or the children that don't have the nutrition assistance that they need to have enough to eat. The real world toll that this is taking on people, I think, is the most important thing.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
It's not even about Democrats and Republicans as much as it is the people that we represent. And it's just a tragic, tragic situation. And my hope is that we can continue to tell those stories, Rachel, ultimately the people that are impacted by this.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
I'm very concerned. And, you know, I'm pleased that the Biden administration was able to get 200 judges in there in their four years. But this is one of the reasons that I am so adamantly opposed to the Republican CR, because it could be seen as validating a lot of what Trump and Musk have been doing.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
It could be seen retroactively as validating a lot of these actions, which I think are clearly in violation of the Impoundment Control Act, along with other federal laws like the Anti-Deficiency Act. And we have to do everything we can to fight back. And the reality, Rachel, is we have an alternative. There is a real alternative.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
And that is a one month clean continuing resolution so that appropriators like me can actually come to the table. There was no effort by Republicans whatsoever to try to get a single Democratic idea incorporated into that bill.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
There was there were no meetings to to talk about things, for example, like the California wildfire aid that's needed or for all the community project funding that we need for our districts. It was Republicans controlling the White House, House and Senate jamming this through on a party line vote.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
And I hope that the Senate will have courage tomorrow because the alternative is six more months of this mess.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
Thank you, Rachel.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
Next time I'm in California, I owe you.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
I'll take it. Come moderate our town hall one of these days. We'd love to have you.
The Rachel Maddow Show
'A sham': Federal judge blasts Trump admin on improper firings of federal workers; orders rehiring
All right. We're going to take you up on that. All right. Thank you, Rachel.