Rep. John Larson
Appearances
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
Men and women on this committee are good people. They're honest and caring people. And that's why I do not understand why you would relegate this committee to no longer being of significance and resort to saying you will do whatever Elon Musk and Donald Trump tell you to do. Where's the independence of the committee? Where's the legislature? We're an equal branch of government.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
And you start off with a blather? And yet, look at the empty seats here. Where's Elon Musk? I'm sure he's a genius and is a very credible person because of the wealth he's accumulated. But that does not put him above the law or the responsibility to come before this committee and this Congress.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
If he's so great, if these plans and all the fraud and abuse that he's found are so eminent, why isn't he here explaining it? You know why. Because he's out to privatize Social Security. He's been on television the last couple of days talking exactly about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and what he intends to do. Privatize it.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
The American people, some of them may have been born at night, but not last night. People are aware of this. Every single one of your districts. Now you have someone coming in to privatize a system, something you have longed to do going back to 1982. Because Elon Musk thinks that this is the best thing to do. President Trump has called Social Security a scam.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
Elon Musk, as Mr. Neal said, called it a Ponzi scheme. Ask that of the people in your district. Ask that, Mr. Smith, of the more than 198,000 people in your district who rely on Social Security, and you won't even let the person who's planning to privatize it, who's telling the big lie in front of everyone. in bold as he possibly can, saying, this is what we're going to do.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
The Congress is in our back pocket. We don't even have to come before them and testify, because we control the House, we control the Senate, and we control the presidency. And it's the tyranny of the executive. It's why these revolutions were first adopted back in 1789, because the founding fathers knew
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
that the executive branch does not have total authority over the legislature unless you have a willing party that says, no, we're going to do exactly what you tell us to do, Mr. Musk and Mr. President. It doesn't matter to our constituents. It doesn't matter how much money they are not going to receive. We're not even going to tell them the truth about what's going to happen to them.
The Rachel Maddow Show
Outrage and exposure halts Trump's plans for Social Security service cuts
They administer to over 70 million people in the nation's number one anti-poverty program for the elderly and children. Shame! Shame! Can't bring people in front of this body. If he's right, if they're so good, if they're so just, why aren't they here telling the American people about it? They're not because you know the truth. It's about privatization. I yield back.