Hakeem Jeffries
Appearances
Consider This from NPR
Can democrats find their way out of the wilderness?
Republicans have repeatedly lectured America. They control the House, the Senate, and the presidency. It's their government. What leverage do we have?
Consider This from NPR
Will New York's mayor survive widening scandal?
It's a deeply disturbing development. Mayor Adams has a responsibility to decisively demonstrate to the people of New York City that he has the capacity to continue to govern New in the best interest of New Yorkers, as opposed to taking orders from the Trump administration.
Consider This from NPR
Fentanyl deaths are plunging, but it's just the first step
A couple months ago, here at Planet Money, we stumbled across our favorite kind of economic mystery. Oh!
Consider This from NPR
Fentanyl deaths are plunging, but it's just the first step
A deal that seemed way too good to be true.
Global News Podcast
Mike Johnson survives razor-thin vote to remain US House Speaker
The American people need us as their elected representatives in this season to put down our partisan swords and pick up bipartisan plowshares. It's time for us to come together not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans.
NPR News Now
NPR News: 12-18-2024 8PM EST
House Republicans... will now own any harm that is visited upon the American people that results from a government shutdown or worse. An agreement is an agreement. It was bipartisan. And there was nothing more to say.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
It's correct. We had an opportunity to meet yesterday. It was a very good meeting where we talked about how we move forward, House Democrats and Senate Democrats working together to strongly oppose the extreme things that Donald Trump and his administration are trying to jam down the throats of the American people. In particular,
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Our immediate focus is going to be on pushing back aggressively against the Republican efforts to enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history. That, of course, will hurt children and families and women and people with disabilities, and certainly it will devastate older Americans in nursing homes all across America. On Tuesday, House Democrats are holding a Medicaid Day of Action.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
We'll have town halls and site visits and rallies and roundtables all across America in blue states, purple states, and red states to lay out our defense of the healthcare of the American people and contrast that with what Republicans are trying to do in taking away Medicaid and ending it as we know it in this country.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Our view as House Democrats was that we were not going to support any partisan Republican spending bill that visited devastating cuts on families, on veterans, on and on everyday Americans across the country, including older Americans who rely upon a variety of different healthcare programs that they've earned as a result of their work throughout their journey in this country.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And so once the partisan Republican spending bill was released, we as House Democrats made the decision that we were gonna strongly oppose it, whip hard against it, and do everything that we could to stop it in the House of Representatives, because substantively, it was not something that we could ever support.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
In addition, we came to the conclusion that one of the problems with the spending bill was that it could open the door by providing a possible blank check to Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and the purveyors of the extreme Project 2025 agenda and give them a blank check to continue to devastate the American people.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Now, we were in agreement that the best alternative was a four-week spending agreement that would allow for continued discussions led by the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee in the House, Rosa DeLauro, on our side, and Patty Murray on the Senate Democratic side,
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
to try to see if we can actually arrive at a place where there was an actual permanent spending agreement that met the needs of the American people in terms of their health, their safety, our national security, and our economic well-being. And so the Senate Democrats met with each other, you know, based on the public timeline, of course, on Wednesday.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And the position that was articulated on Wednesday was that the votes don't exist. in order to break the filibuster related to the partisan Republican spending bill. That was on Wednesday. And on Thursday, obviously, there was a change in position amongst some.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Well, there's sort of what's in front of us in the immediate term, stopping the Republican budget that is designed to really accomplish two things, enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history in order to fund massive tax cuts for Republican MAGA billionaire donors and wealthy and well-off and well-connected corporations.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
I mean, it is a toxic scheme that the Republicans are trying to visit upon the American people, and we've got to stop it and work hard against it with everything that we have. And that of course includes House Democrats, Senate Democrats, governors whose states will be devastated, and of course, advocacy groups and concerned citizens.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Now we have the Republicans on the run, in my view, on three issues, the economy, healthcare, and taxes. And we have to continue over the next several weeks and next several months, press our advantage in those three areas. Donald Trump and Republicans last year promised to lower the high cost of living. and create an affordable economy.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
We as Democrats believe that the cost of living for far too many Americans is too high. And there are too many people who are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck in this country of every race in every region. And that's unacceptable in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. Now, instead of costs going down under Donald Trump and complete control of government
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
that the Republicans now have, it's going up. Inflation is going up. What's going down is the stock market. What's going down is consumer confidence. What's going down are the retirement savings accounts of everyday Americans. And it's all because despite these promises made by Donald Trump and Republicans to focus on the cost of living, they're doing the exact opposite.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Not a single bill has been introduced with respect to lowering costs. Not a single administrative action and not a single executive order issued by Donald Trump. Instead, they're focused on this budget scheme, the GOP tax scam, to enact massive tax cuts for their billionaire donors. We have to press our advantage on that issue.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
The economy, which also relates to their efforts to cut healthcare, which also relates to their efforts to pass these massive tax cuts, all of which are unpopular with the American people.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And in the context of the end of the fiscal year, which, as you pointed out, will approach on September 30th, I think we just have to be very clear from the outset, we are not going to support a partisan Republican spending bill.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
I think that that is an important objective, but But substantively, we can't give up the fight as it relates to actually trying to stop this budget from ever becoming law. And if we take a step back, when Donald Trump took office in 2017, he had lost the popular vote, but there were 241 Republicans in the House of Representatives and only 194 Democrats.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
This time around, he won the popular vote, but at the moment, there are 218 Republicans Republicans. And when we're at full strength, there will be 215 Democrats. Now, in the prior term, their chief objective was to repeal the Affordable Care Act. And as you recall, the Affordable Care Act wasn't even popular at the time. They had a 241 vote majority.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And because of public sentiment, initially in the House and then finally with John McCain, joining Democrats in the Senate, we were able to stop them from repealing the Affordable Care Act. Now, things are a bit different in this particular instance. They are much more cult-like in their behavior this time around, but their margins are also much narrower.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
This is the smallest majority that any party has had since the Great Depression. And because we are on the right side of these issues, the economy, healthcare, taxes, and making sure that the wealthy, the well-off, and the well-connected pay their fair share. That's our position. Pay your fair share. They don't need a tax cut. Elon Musk doesn't need a tax cut.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
I think we have to substantively try to make our case to the American people and do everything we can to stop them. But as you point out, to the extent that they ram the budget through the Congress, either in the House or the Senate, sign it into law,
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Just like the GOP tax scam that they passed in 2017 was unpopular and helped to cost them the majority, the same thing could happen this time around.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Thank you for raising this issue. It's been One of the conversations that we've had both internally in the context of our rapid response and litigation working group that we stood up a few weeks ago, led by Congressman Joe Neguse, the assistant Democratic leader, and co-chaired by Jamie Raskin, a brilliant lawyer, brilliant constitutional scholar.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And we've charged them with coming up with a forceful response to the possibility that the Trump administration would skirt and or outwardly defy court orders. And to make sure that we are in close coordination with a lot of the democracy reform groups that have been litigating these cases to make sure that there is both a judicial strategy, that's important, but also a public strategy.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And as we've seen in other democracies across the country, across the world, I should say, When you actually start to see defiance of court orders, then the public uproar has to be intense, immediate, and impactful in terms of the forcefulness by which the disagreement is communicated around the constitutional issues. That's nonviolent, of course, but it also requires
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
a significant presence to make it clear that this is unacceptable, that we are a nation anchored in the rule of law. And we expect that the president and we expect that his administration will comply with the law at all times, particularly when there are court orders. And to the extent that that does not occur, that the public interest
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
outcry has to reflect the manner of the constitutional crisis that such defiance would provoke.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Yeah, you know, it was a really strong few days together, uh, where we were able to look back and look forward at the same time. I think it's important for us to look back so that we can draw lessons from what happened in November of 2024, figure out why some of those things happened and how do we put Democrats in the best possible position moving forward.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
We have an all important midterm election next year, laying the foundation to end this national nightmare. that Donald Trump is visiting upon the American people and bring the American dream to life for everyone. So, you know, there's the substance of it. Okay. Why were we unable to connect with certain Americans on issues?
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
Largely, I think around the economy and the high cost of living and the view amongst many working class Americans throughout the country that Donald Trump was better positioned on the economy than to turn things around than Democrat. We can never allow that to happen again. When at the end of the day, really authentic to us as Democrats, we want to make life better for everyone across the country.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
That's who we are. And the fact that there was a disconnect in that regard is deeply troubling. And we've got to figure out how we regain the narrative on the economy and on driving down the high cost of living and other issues like, of course, securing the border while defending dreamers and farm workers and keeping law-abiding immigrant families together.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And of course, making sure that the American people are clear that we want to keep them safe. I grew up in central Brooklyn in the late 80s, early 90s. Things were dangerous. I understand that the American people want safety in every community. And Democrats need to make it clear that we're strong
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
in those areas, it's Donald Trump and the Republicans who have become the party of lawlessness and disorder, particularly as it relates to pardoning violent felons who brutally beat police officers and then unleashing these people all across the country to make communities less safe. So we have to make clear that we are connected with the American people on these core issues.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
And then of course, make sure that we are communicating through new media platforms like this, Pod Save America, all of you, the network, do a tremendous job. And one of the clear lessons for us is that you have legacy media, and that will still have a role to play.
Pod Save America
A Lawless Trump and Aimless Dems
But so many everyday Americans actually get their news through the new forms of media, and whether that's social media or podcasts, YouTube shows, messaging apps, chat groups. We have to be present in those spaces, authentically communicating with the American people. And we have launched a massive effort to do just that.
The Ben Shapiro Show
Ep. 2153 - The Democratic Collapse CONTINUES!
I haven't seen his comments. What Democrats opposed was unleashing sexual predators on girls throughout the United States of America.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Trump Threatens Third Term, Admin Admits Deportation Mistake
In America, we don't have a king. We don't have a monarch. We don't have a dictator. In our democracy, we have separate and co-equal branches of government.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Biggest FBI Scandal In History Is Unfolding (Ep. 2395)
It's okay. There are no election deniers on our side of the aisle.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Biggest FBI Scandal In History Is Unfolding (Ep. 2395)
January 6th, 2021 is a day that will forever live in infamy.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Explosive White House Meeting That Changed Everything (Ep. 2434)
So our condolences go to the individual who was killed tonight.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Explosive White House Meeting That Changed Everything (Ep. 2434)
from the Trump administration over the last several weeks is just a flood of unprecedented extremism and a parade of horribles that continue to be unleashed on the American people. While at the same time, the Trump administration is not focused on solving the problems of everyday Americans. We're continuing to make sure that We focus on trying to make life better for everyday Americans.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Explosive White House Meeting That Changed Everything (Ep. 2434)
Fundamentally, that's why we were sent to Washington, D.C. We have to drive down the high cost of living. We have to secure the border. We have to keep communities safe. We have to protect our dreamers and farm workers and families. These are the things that matter.
The Megyn Kelly Show
Schumer on the Rocks, Trump Admin vs. DC Judge on Deportations, Trump Polling Highs: AM Update 3/17
Look, Chuck and I disagreed as it relates to the approach and outcome relative to what we viewed as a reckless Republican spending bill. At the same period of time, Chuck and I agree on the overwhelming majority of issues moving forward.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
Well, great to be with you, Ben. Our theory of the case from the very beginning is that we've got to make sure Trump's biggest strength as of January 20th, which was the economy, turned into his greatest weakness because we knew from the very beginning that Donald Trump had no intention of trying to lower the high cost of living in the United States of America.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
He promised that costs were going to drop on day one. But we know, of course, that costs aren't going down. They're going up. Grocery prices are going up. Inflation is going up. What's going down are the retirement savings of the American people because Trump is plummeting the stock market and crashing the economy in real time. And we're going to stay on this issue.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
House Democrats... were strongly opposed on the floor to this partisan Republican Trump-Musk-Johnson spending bill because it's an attack on families, an attack on seniors, an attack on veterans.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
It would cut veterans' benefits, cut nutritional assistance, cut healthcare programs, cut investments in cancer research, cut investments in Alzheimer's, and just be devastating to people all across America. And so the consequences of the extreme MAGA Republican ideology are being unleashed on the American people in real time.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
I gave five reasons when I talked to the caucus yesterday about why we should oppose this partisan spending bill. And one of those reasons is the fact that this bill would give Elon Musk a blank check in terms of trying to continue the process of unraveling the federal government as we know it in ways that are going to hurt the American people.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
Well, the fundamental scheme that is underway in terms of what we're seeing from Republicans is that they want to take a chainsaw to Social Security, a chainsaw to Medicare, as Elon Musk recently confirmed, and a chainsaw to Medicaid, where they are trying to set in motion the largest cut to Medicaid in American history.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
Every single Democrat in the House voted against that budget resolution, and we're going to continue to stand strong against it, but they are unraveling these incredibly important priorities for everyday Americans because they want to provide a massive tax cut to their billionaire donors and puppet masters like Elon Musk. That's what the Republicans are all about at the end of the day.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
We saw this same playbook repeatedly during the Reagan presidency. during the presidency of George W. Bush, during the presidency of Donald Trump, the first time around, and now he's running the same playbook as it relates to the GOP tax scam. And so we're gonna push back strongly against it and make sure that these House Republicans all across the country are held accountable.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
That's the reason why they are running scared, but they can run from their extremism. They can try not to hold town hall meetings. We're gonna make sure they cannot
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
Absolutely. I just had this conversation with several members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, and we all recognize it's an all hands on deck effort. We have to, of course, communicate with our constituents. And next week, we will be having a National Day of Action on Medicaid where we are encouraging,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
every single member to hold a town hall meeting or an in-person event, a press conference, visit a hospital, visit a nursing home, visit a community health center, and lift up the fact that we are defending Medicaid, this critically important health care program for tens of millions of Americans, approximately 90 million Americans. all across the country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
And Republicans are trying to end Medicaid as we know it, which will be devastating for children, for pregnant women, for people with disabilities, for seniors. And of course, the Republican Medicaid cuts are going to close your hospital in urban America or in rural America. or in small town America. And certainly, nursing homes are going to close all across the country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
We're going to continue to lift this up, both as it relates to what we do next week with this Medicaid Day of Action, but every week, every month, this year, next year, until we get this national nightmare ended, and we can turn this thing around for the American people.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
Yeah, no, it's a great question, Ben. And we launched our first hearing yesterday. Last week, it was a steering and policy hearing convened by Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Congresswoman Robin Kelly, and Congresswoman Nanette Barragan. That was on the Hill, lifting up the stories of everyday Americans who will be impacted by these Medicaid cuts.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
The week after next, when we're back on the Hill, we're going to have another hearing that will feature everyday Americans who can tell their stories related to nutritional assistance and how the cuts will impact their ability to put food on the table for their children. or for their elderly parents.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
But the Steering and Policy Committee, to your point and question, is also going to be hitting the road in blue states, purple states, and red states, so we can hear from everyday Americans across the country about how they are struggling to make ends meet, how they are struggling to live paycheck to paycheck, which should not be the case.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world. We have to build an affordable economy where everyone when you work hard and play by the rules, can provide a comfortable living for yourself and for your family. That is the democratic objective as it relates to the type of country we should be living in. Donald Trump is actually taking things in the other direction.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
He's crashing the economy in real time and leading us to a Republican recession in all likelihood, and that will be devastating.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
We understand that people are anxious, scared, concerned, upset at the state of affairs as a result of the flooding of the zone and the unleashing of this extremism from the Trump administration and the failure of House Republicans or Senate Republicans to actually serve as a check and balance on an out of control executive branch.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Trump Plummeting Approval
We hear you, we see you, but most importantly, we are committed to making life better for you. We're gonna turn this national nightmare around and make sure we can bring the American dream to life for every single person in this great country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
In moments of turbulence, in moments of crisis, there have always been just enough of us who have come together to show up, stand up, and speak up for what is right and ensure that America can continue to be the best version of herself. And that is exactly what is required at this moment. And if we channel that same level of engagement that prior generations have done,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
this time around, at the end of the day, will be successful.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
So from my vantage point, we can't let them get away with it. We have to hold them accountable. It's one of the reasons why we've been trying to make the point in the House that on any given issue,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
It only takes three House Republicans to break with the MAGA extremists and join all 215 House Democrats to stop bad things from happening and get some good things to happen for the American people, individuals all across the country, in every community, in every corner of America. It only takes three House Republicans. What I'm asking for a mass example of profiles in courage. Only three.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
And we can't let them off the hook. And as House Democrats, we won't let them off the hook.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
It's a very important question. And look, the flood of extremism and the parade of horribles that has been unleashed on the American people is an intentional strategy by Donald Trump and the MAGA extremists to try to disappoint, discourage, and disorient the American people. It's an intentional strategy. Now, we're not going to be intimidated. We're not going to be cowed by it.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
We certainly will not bend the knee. Donald Trump is not a king. We don't have kings In the United States of America. So my view has been it's an all hands on deck effort that requires us pushing back aggressively on multiple fronts. We, of course, have to push back in the Congress, in the House and in the Senate. And we'll continue to do that.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Every single Democrat on the House Budget Committee last week. opposed the GOP tax scam and spent 12 hours battling the extreme MAGA Republicans to make sure that we expose their scheme and their betrayal of working class Americans to people all across the country. We have to push back in the Congress.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
We will continue to push back aggressively in the courts, working with our allies, democracy reform groups, organized labor, civil society, and of course, the Democratic Attorney General, shout out to Tish James, my attorney general, who's doing her thing, will continue to work with them.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
There have been more than 75 different lawsuits that have been filed and counting related to at least 35 of the unconstitutional and unlawful executive orders from Donald Trump and his administration. And Ben, as you know, we're not losing in court, we're winning.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
We have to keep our foot on the gas pedal, but you're talking about dozens and dozens of lawsuits that have been filed that are righteous and necessary. And we're pushing back against Donald Trump and the extremism in the courts. And of course, it's gonna require everybody stepping up
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
In communities all across the country, we're urging members to continue to hold town hall meetings, telephone town hall meetings, in-person events, show up in churches and synagogues and mosques and beauty salons and barbershops and schools and hospitals and everywhere that we can to bring along the American people as part of this multi-pronged effort that includes
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
What's your response, Congressman? Zelensky is not a dictator. He was a duly elected president of Ukraine. It's just stunning that Donald Trump continues to just lie so effortlessly to the American people. We know that President Zelensky is a champion for democracy, freedom, and truth, and an important ally to the United States of America.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
pushing back on the ground in the community and bringing the American people along with us in this fight.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Listen, I think the American people understandably see all of what I would call diabolical intensity coming from the other side of the aisle. We have to not simply match that intensity, but exceed it by enlightened and righteous intensity. We have the high ground on these issues. The American people do not wanna see Medicaid devastated. They want us to protect social security and Medicare.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
They don't wanna see massive tax cuts for Republican billionaire donors and wealthy corporations, which is the whole objective behind the Republican budget scheme. And then they want to stick working class Americans with the bill. I think the American people actually want to see us do something meaningful to drive down the high cost of living in the United States of America.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
That was the central promise that Republicans made to the American people all of last year while they ran away from Project 2025. acted like it didn't exist. But this year, they're doing everything they can to implement the most extreme parts of Project 2025.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
And as part of that bait and switch, doing nothing, zip, nada, nothing at all, no plan, no bill, no legislation, no ideas, no initiatives to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. And we, of course, as Democrats have to expose that, expose the hypocrisy,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Expose the lies that were told to the American people and use every tool available to us in the legislative toolbox, in the litigation toolbox, and in the mobilization toolbox in order to get America through this moment and make sure that we can come out stronger on the other side.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Well, it's going to be incredibly important to mobilize in the same way that the American people mobilized in 2017. to work with members of Congress in the House and the Senate to stop Donald Trump and extreme MAGA Republicans from repealing the Affordable Care Act. And what's important to remember is that in 2017, Donald Trump lost the popular vote, and then he came to Congress.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
There were 241 Republicans and only 194 Democrats. We were buried deep in the minority at that particular point in time. And yet the American people collectively rose up, worked with Democrats in the House and the Senate, and we were able to successfully stop the Republicans from repealing the Affordable Care Act. That was a tremendous victory for the American people.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
It's shocking, but I guess not surprising, that Donald Trump continues to play footsie with Vladimir Putin, a sworn enemy of the United States of America.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
At the same time, they did successfully pass the GOP tax scam, where, as you know, 83% of the benefits were set aside for the wealthiest 1% in America, raised the debt by $2 trillion and then stuck everyday Americans with the bill. And what they're trying to do right now is the GOP tax scam part two.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
As I mentioned, every single Democrat in the most recent budget committee markup of this GOP tax bill voted against it, spent hours debating it. And we're gonna intensify that effort when we get back to Congress and come back into session next week, and we'll debate this bill on the floor.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
And we're gonna make plain for the American people what they are trying to do, not simply massive tax cuts for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations, as well as the well-off and well-connected, but at the same period of time, they wanna devastate Medicaid. That is going to hurt children, hurt women, hurt seniors in nursing homes,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
and who need the long-term care and of course hurt people with disabilities. They want to hurt veterans. They want to hurt older Americans who are on Meals on Wheels. They want to hurt children who receive nutritional assistance and rely on that nutritional assistance for their only meals in a given day. This is America. This is the wealthiest country in the history of the world.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
We have to do better and we have to hold the Republicans accountable for the devastation that they are going to try to bring to the American people.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
I mean, it's a great question. First of all, what does any of this have to do with making life better for everyday Americans with improving the quality of life, with driving down the high cost of living in this country? Absolutely nothing, because Their true objective, it appears, is to raid the federal government.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
There's no reason in the world why Elon Musk should need access to our names, our addresses, our bank account information, our birth dates, and our social security numbers. There's no reason in the world why Elon Musk needs access to the tax returns of the American people. Look, we've introduced legislation to block him. from getting this access.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Lawsuits have been filed to stop him from accessing this data. And we've got to use every tool in the toolbox to push back against it and make sure the American people understand what's happening. Elon Musk has emerged as one of the most unpopular figures at this juncture connected to the Trump administration.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
As you pointed out, Donald Trump's poll numbers are moving in the wrong direction, and it hasn't even been a month at this point in time. And so, the real question for all of us is going to be, what is the corrupt bargain that has been struck between Donald Trump and Elon Musk? What is he really after in this regard.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
It certainly has nothing to do with protecting the best interests of the American people. And we're going to have to continue to drive that narrative home, and we will.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
MAGA extremists want us to step back. We have to continue to aggressively push back. It is an all hands on deck effort and it's going to require everyone. And we have to lean in with a level of intensity every day, every week, every month, get through the first 100 days, get through the year, get to the midterm elections, and then cut Donald Trump's presidency in half legislatively and begin
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
to turn things around in the United States of America. We were successful during the first Trump administration in blocking the Affordable Care Act from being repealed, which was their signature legislative objective, and in stopping other bad things from happening. Now they're back for a second. It's going to be an epic struggle between those of us who want to move the country forward
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
and the extreme mega Republican forces who want to turn back the clock. Those of us who want to bring the country together, the best of what a democracy should represent, and those who are trying to tear us apart. But in the history of this country, we're not a perfect country, but we've continued to march toward a more perfect union. And the reason is,
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Democratic Leader Jeffries on Democratic Plans
Part of the problem is that we're dealing with a group of people in the House Republican Conference. and over in the Senate, where for far too many of them, facts don't matter. Hypocrisy is not a constraint to their behavior. They'll say one thing and then do something entirely different. And many of them have actually come to the conclusion that their shamelessness is a superpower.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dems Finally Smack Down the GOP Over Trump Disaster
Here's what he had to say. We understand that people are anxious, scared, concerned, upset at the state of affairs as a result of the flooding of the zone and the unleashing of this extremism from the Trump administration and the failure of House Republicans or Senate Republicans to actually serve as a check and balance on an out of control executive branch.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dems Finally Smack Down the GOP Over Trump Disaster
We hear you, we see you, but most importantly, we are committed to making life better for you. We're gonna turn this national nightmare around and make sure we can bring the American dream to life for every single person in this great country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
MAGA Mike Gets Humiliated by His Own Party on Vote
How late will you stay? How late will you stay tonight?
The MeidasTouch Podcast
MAGA Mike Gets Humiliated by His Own Party on Vote
And the Republican budget proposal that would enact the largest Medicaid cut in American history in order to pass massive tax breaks. for your billionaire donors like Elon Musk. Mr. Speaker, I'm ready to yield. I'm ready to debate one-on-one on this House floor. And I promise not to rebuke you in the name of Jesus. Here in America, we were told, we were told by Donald Trump and House senators
The MeidasTouch Podcast
MAGA Mike Gets Humiliated by His Own Party on Vote
Republicans, that you were going to lower the high cost of living for everyday Americans. In fact, we were told that you were going to do it on day one. And it hasn't happened.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
To be with you, man, you know, Donald Trump is a complete and total disaster on all the things. But at this moment, as it relates to the economy, this is someone who spent all of last year promising to address the high cost of living in the United States of America. In fact, he said that costs are going to go down on day one of his presidency. That's not happening.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
In fact, costs aren't going down. They're going up. Inflation is going up. As you pointed out, what's happening is that the stock market is collapsing. And what that means is that the retirement savings of everyday Americans are disappearing by the hour. And this is all because of Trump's reckless mismanagement of the economy. And now these tariffs are
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
that are being imposed are going to raise the cost of goods on everyday Americans by some estimates by thousands of dollars per year. This is out of control in terms of this guy who should be leading us to a better place in terms of an affordable economy, but instead is crashing the economy in real time. Liberation Day, it's recession day because that's where we're headed.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Niagara Republicans can't be trusted with a thing other than trying to take away your healthcare and your social security. These are people who spent all of their time on the campaign trail, promising to address the high cost of living while at the same time, acting like project 2025 did not exist. And then this year, now they've got majorities in the house, the Senate and the presidency.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
have done nothing to drive down the high cost of living and instead are talking about inflicting pain on the American people. Where was that talk before the election? This is why people in the country are so cynical about their elected leaders because MAGA Republicans just lied.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
And by the way, what they've been doing is every day trying to implement the most extreme parts of Project 2025, which they claim they did not know anything about This is why the American people we're starting to see all across the country are holding them accountable electorally. And we are going to keep the pressure on every single one of them.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Absolutely. There is a through line what we've seen. Uh, in the special elections that have taken place throughout this entire year, culminating of course, with the crescendo of what occurred in Wisconsin is incredible democratic energy amongst the base and swing voters, independent voters, and even some moderate Republican voters supporting us.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
And that is why we've seen in January, we won a special election in Iowa. in the state Senate seat that Donald Trump had previously won that November by 21 points. We won that race by four, 25 point democratic over performance. We had a special election for the Westchester County executive seat in February. It's a seat that has been held within the last 10 years by a Democrat and by a Republican.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
It can go in either direction, Donald Trump endorsed The Republican candidate, the Democratic candidate won by 30 points. And then of course, last week we saw in Pennsylvania in a state Senate district that Donald Trump had won in November by 15 points that the Democratic candidate wins in Lancaster County.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
By the way, a county that in the history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, one of the original 13 states has never elected a Democrat to represent it in the state Senate from Lancaster County. And then it all culminates with the results that occurred in Florida, massive overperformance.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
And of course, in Wisconsin, a 50-50 state that Donald Trump just won, which was a significant repudiation in the results. The enlightened candidate prevailed and prevailed decisively. It was a 10-point victory. Nobody saw that coming. It was stunning. The people rejected Donald Trump.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
rejected Elon Musk and rejected the extreme mega Republican brand, which is rapidly deteriorating across the country.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
That's absolutely right. And the notion that everyday Americans need to absorb pain brought to us by Donald Trump and his group of mega billionaires is ridiculous. It's outrageous.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Every single one of the House Republicans and Senate Republicans supporting this kind of reckless approach, this unnecessary trade war, need to be thrown out of office and held accountable for the pain that they are intentionally inflicting on the American people. We have to ask the question. This is probably the first time in our history that an American president
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
is intentionally crashing the economy and driving us toward a recession. He didn't tell us about this when he was on the campaign trail last year. They have no mandate for any of this, no mandate to cut Medicaid, no mandate to try to take away Social Security.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Certainly, they don't have any mandate to drive this country into a recession, which is going to hurt hardworking American taxpayers and families all across the land.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
It does appear to me that this is what Donald Trump does. He somehow sold himself to significant numbers of Americans as a businessman, but he's a failed businessman, bankrupted multiple companies, and now Donald Trump is trying to literally Bankrupt America. And we do have to ask the question, is there some financial gain involved here?
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Because we've seen significant corruption coming out of this administration. I mean, they're peddling Teslas on the White House lawn. You've got the cryptocurrency schemes that are underway. He's even trying to sell Easter. And so all of these things are happening. This is the most corrupt administration already in American history. They are going to be held accountable.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
I can promise that to the American people. And we are gonna get to the bottom of why these reckless tariffs have been put into place, which are spiraling us toward economic collapse.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Definitively. And this has got to continue. It's every hour. It's every day. It's every week. It's every month. It's this year. It's next year. We get to the midterm elections. And then, of course, we can try to begin to end this national nightmare and redeem the American dream for people all across the country. And the fight has to continue.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
And we've maintained it's in the Congress, it's in the courts, and it's in communities all across the country to win the hearts and minds of the American people.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
And that does require, as we've been doing, getting on the road in districts represented by Democrats, in districts represented by Republicans, in blue states, in swing states, in red states, town hall meetings, days of action, telephone town hall meetings, in-person events, rallies.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
Iconic speeches delivered on the floor of the United States Senate, strong democratic opposition in the House to the things that the MAGA Republicans are trying to do, including defeating a bill on the House floor yesterday, or a rule that they brought to try to block expectant mothers and new mothers from being able to vote. Outrageous stuff, strong democratic opposition.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
that stopped that bill and forced the Republicans to actually cancel votes for the rest of the week and run home. But we're going to continue to intensify these efforts while at the same time winning over the hearts and minds of the American people. This lawsuit, it was brought by myself, by House Democrats, Senate Democrats, the Democratic Governors Association, and the DNC, all hands on deck.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
captioned in part Jeffries versus Trump, but it's all of us. And we're suing him in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia around his unconstitutional and unlawful executive order that relates to voter suppression. Donald Trump is not a king and we're not going to bend the knee to this guy. And he issued an executive order as if he can change how elections are governed.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
No, you can't. And the courts are going to rule in our favor. That executive order will never go into effect. And it's only the state legislatures or the Congress or voters who have an ability through referendums to decide how elections are governed in a particular state. And I'm confident that the federal court will see it our way
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dem Leader Hakeem Jeffries Reacts to Trump Crashing Markets
and that Donald Trump's unconstitutional and unlawful voter suppression executive order will never, ever see the light of day.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
House Republicans TANK Trump and Musk Bill and SHAME THEM
The Musk Johnson proposal is not serious. It's laughable. Extreme MAGA Republicans are driving us to a government shutdown.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
Dems CALL Trump’s BLUFF… Trump SURRENDERS FAST
This reckless Republican driven shutdown can be avoided if House Republicans will simply do what is right for the American people and stick with the bipartisan agreement that they themselves negotiated.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
GOP Leaders Nuke Congress on Live TV... Dems Strike Back
Democrats are committed to driving down the high cost of living. for working class Americans, middle class Americans, and everyday Americans all across the land. Our Republican colleagues are not serious about lowering the high cost of living. They've done nothing, introduced not a single bill, not put forth a single policy proposal.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
GOP Leaders Nuke Congress on Live TV... Dems Strike Back
They've done nothing as it relates to lowering the high cost of living.
The MeidasTouch Podcast
GOP Leaders Nuke Congress on Live TV... Dems Strike Back
We've been waiting for this so-called budget proposal for weeks. When is it coming? And what's the problem? What's the problem? We've been lectured for months by Republicans that they have a big mandate. Where is your bill? Where's your budget proposal? What we've seen from Republicans in terms of the budget
The MeidasTouch Podcast
GOP Leaders Nuke Congress on Live TV... Dems Strike Back
is that they want to end Medicaid as we know it, are considering eliminating the mortgage interest deduction, and want to take away veterans benefits and nutritional assistance from children and families. Is that something that Democrats will support? No.
The NPR Politics Podcast
Dems Face Pressure To Fight Trump
I'm trying to figure out what leverage we actually have. What leverage do we have? Republicans have repeatedly lectured America. They control the House, the Senate, and the presidency. It's their government.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
There have been more than 75 different lawsuits that have been filed by democracy reform groups, civil rights reform groups, by attorney generals like Tish James and others. And we're winning in court. They're losing. More than 35 different unconstitutional and unlawful executive orders and administrative actions have been challenged.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And they're not winning those cases in terms of the Trump administration. They're losing over and over and over again. That's been a forceful pushback. And that, of course, will continue. The congressional battles will continue. And the mobilization in the communities will continue.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Well, listen, public sentiment is everything. As Abraham Lincoln once said, with it, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed. I don't think anyone needs additional steel put in their spine. Let's be clear about that.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And I think, you know, the House Democrats under the leadership of Nancy Pelosi during the prior Trump administration, continuing to where we are at this moment, are going to continue to push back forcefully using every tool available. I think it does help, for instance, that our House Republican colleagues are held accountable.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Rachel, you appropriately mentioned we've got the narrowest majority that any party has had in the Congress since before the Great Depression. Narrowest majority. 218 Republicans, 215 Democrats. The Democrats are holding together.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
We're holding together, for instance, on this reckless Republican budget, which is a betrayal of working class Americans, and cuts to Medicaid, cuts to SNAP, cuts to veterans benefits. That's not theoretical. That hurts real people. that I represent and that every single member of the House Democratic Caucus represents. That's not a theoretical fight. That's a real fight. But here's the thing.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
On any given issue, like the budget, we only need three. Not all 218 Republicans. We only need three to do the right thing for their constituents. And so the activity that we've seen over the last few days, over the last week or so, I think is going to let the Republicans know that no one is going to remove the spotlight from them. They shouldn't be able to escape accountability.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And as Democrats, we're going to make sure that they don't.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Thank you so much.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Good evening. Great to be with you.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Well, I think we understand the passionate outcry that we are seeing all across the country as it relates to the flood of extremism that's being unleashed on the American people by this administration, by this president, by his allies like Elon Musk. And of course, it's creating chaos and confusion and crisis. And there's corruption that's connected to it as well.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And so we're going to continue to operate in an all hands on deck way. That's what we've said from the beginning.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
It means that we've got to push back aggressively in the Congress, as we're doing, and certainly we'll have a budget fight that will be on the floor as early as tomorrow, where every single Democrat, I believe, is going to stand in firm opposition to this GOP tax scam, which is all about rewarding their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations and undermining working class Americans by sticking it
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
to them and cutting Medicaid and things that are important to their health, their safety and their economic well-being. It's all hands on deck in the Congress. It's all hands on deck in the courts. And it's certainly all hands on deck in communities across the country. And you are seeing that kind of mobilization take place, as you've illustrated.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Well, one of the things that's important is we have to tell the story of the everyday Americans who are at risk of dealing with the pain and the suffering that these extreme MAGA Republican proposals and cuts will unleash on them and the American people. If you just take, for instance, the proposal to cut as much as $1 trillion from Medicaid, if not more,
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
in connection with the Republican budget resolution proposal, that's going to hurt children, hurt everyday Americans with disabilities. It's going to hurt seniors. It's going to close hospitals, including in rural America. It's going to shut down nursing homes. It's going to hurt veterans and others who rely on Medicaid benefits.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And so we've got to be able to tell that story, of course, with urgency, of course, on the floor of the House, certainly in committees. But we also have to take the case directly to the American people. And tomorrow at 12, that's exactly what we're going to do. Having stories told through the voices of those Americans impacted the most.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Listen, I represent neighborhoods in central Brooklyn and beyond. I'm in those neighborhoods. I was there over the last few days, of course, and in other parts of the country. And so I understand that there's a lot of anxiety that has been caused. Communities that I represent in many ways have been dealing with trauma and anxiety for a long period of time.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And this is a moment where that anxiety, of course, has been heightened across America. And so we're going to continue to rise to the occasion to meet the moment. The next three weeks will be critically important because we have the budget fight this week. And then, of course, Donald Trump will be on the Hill next week.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
And then after that, we'll have to figure out where we're going to land in advance of the March 14th funding deadline. Three critical weeks.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
to push back against the extremism and also to define ourselves as a party that actually wants to make life better for everyday Americans, drive down the high cost of living, solve problems for those hardworking American families who want us to give them a real shot at the American dream.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
Well, it's certainly the case that we understand the scale of the threat. That can't be doubted. The CBC, which I'm a part of, definitively understands the scale of the threat. Our communities have been under siege, as you pointed out, since before the Civil War. I'm a direct descendant of those very communities.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
So we understand the struggle, the history, the strength of people like John Lewis, which we're going to channel. That's my experience. That's my personal experience. That's my family's experience. And so we understand that. And as a caucus, it's definitively the case that we understand that. Listen, we launched a rapid response task force and litigation working group.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Democrats not immune from voter wrath as pressure to impede Trump mounts
It's going to be led by Joe Neguse and, of course, a brilliant constitutional lawyer, Jamie Raskin, to be able to respond to and work with our allies like Tish James and others in part of what we are responding to. Listen, Elon Musk and Donald Trump, they're flooding the zone in part to create distress, to create a sense of invincibility and inevitability. But the reality is,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Where have we been? So politically, I think one of the reasons why we've seen the pendulum swing back and forth It went from George H.W. Bush to Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, George W. Bush to Barack Obama, Barack Obama to Donald Trump, Donald Trump to Joe Biden, Joe Biden back to Donald Trump. You're getting me dizzy. It's a dizzying swing of the pendulum.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
with very different people who have very different ideologies, what's consistent? The American people have a constant desire for change. Why? Because no one has solved the fundamental problem. That's interesting. All right, quick break, and then we're right back. We are back, Leader Jeffries. Now here's the thing about Democrats.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Under Barack Obama, we did deal with the healthcare affordability crisis. The Affordable Care Act has been transformational. It has ensured that tens of millions of people who otherwise would not have had access to high quality healthcare, have it. That's progress for the American people, but we of course have to do more.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Under Joe Biden, you did see steps that were taken to try to bring down costs, particularly in the area of prescription drug pricing and steps to bring jobs back to the American people through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, the CHIPS and Science Act, all designed, how do we bring domestic manufacturing jobs back home to America enough with our jobs going in the other direction?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So we were doing the work. Perhaps we were not speaking as forcefully as necessary to say, you know what? We understand that y'all have been getting jammed up in the communities that I represent. It's been happening. And John, here's the thing. You can actually point to several different ways in which the deck has been stacked against everyday Americans.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Poorly negotiated trade deals, the outsourcing of good paying American jobs, the dramatic decline in unionization and the rise of automation. And yes, the innovation economy is important and we have to continue to lead. developments in the innovation economy, but automation has cost good paying American jobs. No question.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
You add those factors together and you have a middle class that has been in decline in relative terms. And the American people are smart enough to know, wait a second, my life was supposed to be better the lives of my parents, whose lives were better than their grandparents', and my children's lives, consistent with the American dream, should be better than mine. But that appears to be broken.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So we have to fix it. And we have to fix it decisively. But in order to convince the American people that we're prepared to fix it, we have to be very clear that we understand that this has been a problem for a long period of time, and we haven't yet collectively been able to turn around this dynamic with the comprehensive, decisive action necessary.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, I think the Affordable Care Act has been an interesting opportunity journey. I like that. I like that phrase. No, and a very important one. Yes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
In terms of what has happened, transformationally, you're talking about more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing health care conditions who now have coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, who otherwise would be left to the public market, the insurance market, and health care insurers, many of whom would have no intention
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
of allowing them affordable access to the healthcare that they need to live. That's more than 100 million Americans. Young people who have transitioned out of college or hit age 21, but were in the workforce since high school, at that point, they would generally have lost their insurance coverage. They could not continue to be on their parents' plan. Now that was extended to the age of 26.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
That's been transformational. We've made the point through the Affordable Care Act that being a woman is not a pre-existing condition. It is not a reason to deny healthcare coverage. And before the Affordable Care Act, it had been. But I think the biggest...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Success in some ways of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans for eight years obsessed about taking down until finally politically the American people said enough. And we took the House back in 2018 and they've pretended not to want to touch the Affordable Care Act ever since. But if they got a chance, they would.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
is that when that battle was being waged, and I wasn't in Congress at the time, it was still unclear, John, in America, whether healthcare was a right or a privilege. That was an open question. It's no longer an open question. We at least understand that access to high quality, affordable healthcare is a right in the United States of America.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Now we have to continue to bring that right fully to life.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I think it's a fair question, certainly, that you're asking. But the way that healthcare has developed in the United States of America has been a far too cumbersome and complicated system. And what we've seen is a series of steps that have been taken to try to make it as equitable as possible.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
You've got Medicare and then Medicaid and then the child health insurance program that was put into place during the Clinton era. And then the transformational work of the Affordable Care Act and then the subsidies that were enhanced during the Biden administration. Now, this is a long journey.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But that's taken us to a place where about 90% to 95% of the American people now have access to insurance, in addition to, of course, what takes place in the private market with employer-based health care. But there are still gaps. There are still flaws.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah, well, I think that point that you make about leveraging the ability of the government to bring about the best possible result for the American people is something that certainly we have to continue to lean into in the healthcare space and in every other space as it relates to improving the quality of life for the American people.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I will say that one of the most important things that was accomplished in the previous administration is to give the federal government the ability to negotiate drug prices on behalf of the American people using the federal government's bulk price purchasing power. Right. The idea was, now it's limited to Medicare recipients. Right. That's tens of millions of people, and we got to expand it out.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Right? We got to expand it out. Yes. But here was the theory, John. Wait a second. Walmart- And Target and Best Buy are able to use their bulk price purchasing power to negotiate lower prices that they then present to the consumers and it increases their profitability because they can get a broader share of the market.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Shouldn't the federal government be able to use that same market-based principle on behalf of the American people? No. So that is what we're working on. We have made progress in that direction because now the federal government can do it for Medicare recipients. The Republicans rejected expanding out that power to everyone. We'll continue to press forward for it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
We definitely got to make the system as clean as possible and continue to build upon the work that has been done. I will say that given the flood of outrageous behavior, extreme behavior, you know, thinking about 2028 at this moment for me is a luxury. Yeah. It's a luxury.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Was that the House and the Senate or just the House? That was just the House. That was last week. It was a virtual meeting because we were all spread out across the country, back home in our districts. And that was in response to the unlawful, illegal Office of Management and Budget so-called funding freeze that was clear overreach. The American people rose up.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I think it was announced on January 27th, this funding freeze. By January 29th, it was rescinded.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah, well, I think what they were referring to is that the blanket freeze is gone. Now, it's temporarily gone, and we're going to continue to press forward to make sure that it's permanently gone. What has not been rescinded were some of the executive orders that froze precise funding in certain areas that he issued on day one and day two. For example, the freeze as it relates to foreign aid.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's a reasonable question to ask. Who's actually running things right now? Because Elon Musk seems to have an extraordinary amount of power. And certainly my colleagues on the other side of the aisle, House Republicans, are bending over backwards to do his bidding. And they...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's an all hands on deck effort. We got to make sure that we push back in the Congress, push back in the courts, and push back in the community, particularly as it relates to shaping public sentiment, which we have seen can be decisive. Abraham Lincoln once made the observation that public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail. Without it, nothing can succeed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Public sentiment rose up in response to the funding freeze. They backed off. Public sentiment rose up in response to the overly broad tariffs related to our North American allies, the market also weighed in and all of a sudden they backed off two days later. So we are seeing that public sentiment can be an important vehicle, but we also have to push back in Congress.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And by the way, at the end of last year, when both the incoming president at the time and Elon Musk tried to tank a spending agreement that had been negotiated in a bipartisan way because they demanded the nerve of these people. They demanded that we give the president a $4 or $5 trillion blank check by suspending the debt ceiling for the entirety of his presidency-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So he could pass massive tax cuts for his billionaire friends and wealthy corporations. Our response was not simply no, politely, it was hell no. And the Congress defeated that bill. The Democrats... and a handful of Republicans, but Democrats could have done it on our own. And we showed that in that context. And so there will continue to be legislative pushback.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And I think it's also important, John, to understand that, listen, Donald Trump won the popular election vote this time around. He lost the popular vote in 2016. He lost the popular vote in 2016. He comes into Congress. There are 241 Republicans in the House, only 194 Democrats. This time around, so-called mandate, he wins the popular vote.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And currently there are 218 Republicans in the House and 215 Democrats. It's the narrowest majority since the Great Depression.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Not a good sign. And then what happened immediately thereafter was FDR's election bringing about a true golden age for America or the beginnings of it as he battled through the Great Depression. So I think we certainly are going to stick together. Listen, we'll work with anyone in order to solve the core problems, which how do we drive down the high cost of living? for the American people.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
How do we bring the American dream to life? But we're going to push back against far-right extremism whenever necessary. The courts will do that as well. I think that executive order related to birthright citizenship was issued either on January 20th or January 21st, two or three days later. A judge appointed by Ronald Reagan Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you very much. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, I definitely think that People feeling safe and secure in their community shouldn't be an ideological issue. It's the reality of how real Americans think about their life. Listen, I grew up in central Brooklyn, Crown Heights, went to church in Bedford-Stuyvesant, came of age in the mid to late 80s into the early 90s, golden era of hip hop music, but also
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
In the midst of the crack cocaine epidemic, the streets were hot. It was violent. You're talking about 2,000 plus homicides. And you never knew when you left your home or left school or left church or left work whether you'd get struck down by a bullet as a result of some gang turf war that was taking place.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And every single person in those predominantly black communities that I grew up in cared about public safety. And nothing has changed. And so, of course, that has to be a foundational principle that we're committed to keeping communities safe. And there's got to be some semblance of order, of course, in the context of what we're dealing with right now, order at the border.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But at the same period of time, also make clear that dreamers add amazing value to our communities. Farm workers add amazing value to our country and our communities. Why are we breaking up families when we should actually be going after violent felons? And that's what we're going to hold the administration to account. as it relates to some of the activity that we're seeing.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
There's work to be done as it relates to making sure the American people understand we're committed to securing the border and we're committed to fixing our broken immigration system. But we need to do it right in a bipartisan way. We also are committed to a criminal justice system that doesn't just lock people up, that has unleashed mass incarceration on the American people. And that's hurt.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Communities of color, Black and Latino communities, poor white communities who have been swept up into the failed war on drugs and mass incarceration. And by the way, John, during the first Trump administration, I worked with Doug Collins. who is now a member of the Trump cabinet. Georgia. From Georgia.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
VA secretary. Yeah. I think, you know, you'll probably be interacting with him a lot and you may disagree with him on some issues, but he's a very thoughtful individual in my experience. I worked with him on criminal justice reform. We passed the First Step Act. It brought together the left and the right, progressives and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans, the NAACP and the Koch brothers,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
on a bill that was ultimately signed into law by Donald Trump. And so we can find common ground on the issue of public safety and on criminal justice reform. We've done it. In the past, and we're committed to it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But we do have to make sure that the American people don't think that Republicans have some monopoly on keeping people safe, particularly when we've seen a Republican Party, by the way, that has signed off on pardons that were issued. to violent felons who brutally beat police officers and have now been unleashed on communities all across the country where they're continuing to commit crime.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah, I think that we should have this conversation that America is both a nation of immigrants. That's our story. That's our journey. That's been a big part of American exceptionalism. And it's one of the reasons why we remain in the envy of the world. But at the same time, we're also a nation anchored in the rule of law and we should be able to do both.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And that's why we have to have a broader discussion legislatively. And we're going to lean into this around fixing our broken immigration system. And we've got to do it in a comprehensive and a bipartisan way that recognizes the value of pathways toward citizenship.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
for people who are simply trying to come here, be part of the continuing American journey, and based on what we've seen for centuries, will add value to our communities.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, listen, I think on the policy, you got to deal with nuance, but we definitely have to lean in in terms of the messaging in an aggressive way, in a clear way. We say often in these parts, if you're trying to break through with a message... You gotta deal with simplicity and repetition, a simple message that you repeat over and over and over again.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
At this moment at least, we're committed to making clear to the American people, we're gonna drive down the high cost of living, The Republicans talked about it. They haven't been about it. Right. Because they are all about rewarding their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And if they are allowed to continue to do that, they're simply going to continue to jam up the American people, which has been happening for decades. And we've got to bring an end to it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yes, that's right. Listen, a lot of my constituents ride for the Nets. I'm all day, every day for the Knicks.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I appreciate you. And yeah, no, listen, I'm all day, every day. I didn't get one of my favorite Nick quotes in, but maybe next time. Oh, let's hear it. The great Michael Ray Richardson, the ship be sinking. I think at the end of the day, that's what's going to go on with the Trump administration. The ship be sinking.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah, it's intense, probably as intense as I've experienced during my time here in Washington, D.C., which included the first Trump administration, included serving as an impeachment manager during the first impeachment trial, included being here during the violent attack on the Capitol on January 6th. But this is a flood the zone strategy that's very intentional.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And they are trying to overwhelm the American people with a parade of horribles. And we've got to push back. We've got to be strategic.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But we also have to be relentless in how we push back and define what's happening for the American people, why it's wrong, why it will hurt them, and of course, offer a positive vision for what life could be like if you had more enlightened policies in Washington, D.C.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's a great observation. It's a great question. I think there are three periods of time that many far-right Republicans or even some traditional Republicans would like to roll back. There's the FDR New Deal period. There's the civil rights slash Great Society moment in the 1960s. And then there's the Obama era. And there's a real effort, I think, to try to strike back at all of those things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
The Republicans have had a problem with Social Security for decades. They have a problem with Medicare and Medicaid, which came out of the Great Society era in the 60s, the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act for decades.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And they certainly are trying to do everything that they can to either launch a frontal assault against those issues to end Social Security as we know it, end Medicare as we know it. Certainly they want to end Medicaid as we know it, as well as rolling back the progress that has been made in society.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, there's definitely a strategy, which is... Demonize, downsize, privatize, right? They want to demonize the functions of government, local government, state government, federal government. And look, of course, can we find additional efficiencies? Yes. Do we need to make sure government is effective in every possible way? Yes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
We need an efficient government, an effective government, and an equitable government. But they want to attack government, and in this case, civil servants. demonize the government as part of their effort to then downsize the government.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
When they downsize the government so that it can't function properly, so that it can't deliver services that the American people rightly deserve and need, then you make the argument, well, because government is so ineffective and inefficient, because we downsized it, now we should privatize it. So it is definitively a scheme. It's a scheme. Now, What's at the root of the scheme?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
What's at the root of all that we're seeing, the effort to steal taxpayer dollars, to freeze funds, right, to shrink these agencies? At the core of it, I believe, is that the Republicans in the House, the Senate, the administration, They want to enact massive tax cuts for their billionaire donors and wealthy corporations. Follow the money. That's the reality of what's taking place.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And in the process, they want to stick working class Americans with the bill. And this is a continuation of an effort where there have been people in this country in power who've been jamming working class people, middle class people, and those who aspire to be part of the middle class, jamming them up for decades. And so, as you've indicated, John, consistently,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
The American people are understandably frustrated. They are understandably upset. They know that the deck has been stacked against them. Now, as Democrats, we probably have to do a better job of explaining that we understand that, and we certainly have a plan to tackle and dismantle it so we can bring economic opportunity to life for every single American.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, I think there's a few things going on here in terms of how we better communicate with the American people. Maya Angelou said it best. People won't remember what you say. They may not even remember what you do, but they will always remember how you make them feel. And I think what we have to do a better job of is making the American people feel that we understand them.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
the pain that they've been in economically for a long period of time. Now, this moment, you have a situation where you have post-pandemic inflation that hit everyday Americans hard. And of course, many Americans are gonna see the economy not through the lens of macroeconomic numbers. What am I paying for food or groceries or gas or housing? And the cost of living in America is too high.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And we've got to be clear that our top objective is to do something about it, to make life more affordable for the American people, to bring down housing costs and food costs and gas prices and childcare costs and utility costs and the cost of insurance, where it's out of control and it's robbing people of the ability to own homes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But we also have to zoom out a little bit because there's been a decades-long march to sticking it to working class people. And I think as a result, you have every now and then people who can come along the political scene and exploit the pain economically that people are in for their own political gain. But you make a great point.
Verdict with Ted Cruz
Bonus Episode: Daily Review with Clay Travis and Buck Sexton
I haven't seen his comments. What Democrats opposed was unleashing sexual predators on girls throughout the United States of America.