WEBVTT - And, This Is Trump's Shutdown With Senator Chris Murphy 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.960 So salitarianism and monopoly go in and don't make the 0:00:02.960 --> 0:00:05.720 healthcare system any worse, don't jack up premiums on people 0:00:05.760 --> 0:00:07.200 by seventy five percent, and. 0:00:07.200 --> 0:00:08.320 Don't act lawlessly. 0:00:08.680 --> 0:00:11.639 History tells us that when the people stand up, something 0:00:11.720 --> 0:00:12.840 magical happens. 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:14.760 Well, I don't need to remind everybody that the government 0:00:14.920 --> 0:00:18.239 is shut down, but we are not shut out from 0:00:18.280 --> 0:00:22.520 getting a deeper understanding of what's going on in Washington, DC, 0:00:22.960 --> 0:00:26.400 because we have one of the most prominent democratic voices, 0:00:26.520 --> 0:00:30.200 someone who has been a fierce defender of democracy and 0:00:30.320 --> 0:00:32.839 free speech, who is one of the leaders in the 0:00:32.880 --> 0:00:36.800 resistance against Trump and trump Ism, that can unpack and 0:00:36.920 --> 0:00:39.840 unveil what's going on with healthcare in this country, what's 0:00:39.880 --> 0:00:42.600 going on in terms of negotiation with the government shut down, 0:00:42.640 --> 0:00:44.919 but also broad in the aperture to what's going on 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:50.879 in American cities with the increasing militarization with our National Guard, 0:00:51.080 --> 0:00:58.800 and what's happening to the state of our democracy. This 0:00:59.280 --> 0:01:06.520 is Gavin Newson. This is Senator Chris Murphy. Senator Murphy, 0:01:06.520 --> 0:01:08.560 it's great that you took the time to be with 0:01:08.680 --> 0:01:12.000 us today. I continue to make this point behind your 0:01:12.040 --> 0:01:14.759 back anytime I'm asked, they said, who do you admire 0:01:14.840 --> 0:01:18.240 out there in the Democratic Party? Who from your perspective, 0:01:18.240 --> 0:01:22.080 particularly in Washington, TC stands out And every single time 0:01:22.600 --> 0:01:25.520 first name comes out of my mouth is you, sir. 0:01:25.600 --> 0:01:27.840 And so I'm grateful for this opportunity to check in 0:01:27.880 --> 0:01:31.800 and check up on what's going on in this country, 0:01:31.840 --> 0:01:35.199 including just what happened as we're taping this. Just an 0:01:35.240 --> 0:01:38.360 hour or so ago Pam Bondy, the Attorney General of 0:01:38.360 --> 0:01:43.720 the United States, at an oversight hearing that sounded more 0:01:43.800 --> 0:01:47.560 like cross examination coming from Pam Bondy doing op research 0:01:47.960 --> 0:01:49.200 on Democratic senators. 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:53.240 So what was your reflection of that, Well, Governor, awesome 0:01:53.560 --> 0:01:57.240 to be with you, man, The compliment is turned straight 0:01:57.280 --> 0:01:57.760 back around. 0:01:57.800 --> 0:01:59.200 What you're doing out in California is. 0:01:59.200 --> 0:02:03.280 Absolutely a central People need to feel like we are powerful, 0:02:03.400 --> 0:02:06.400 not powerless right now, and you're delivering people that sensation 0:02:06.520 --> 0:02:09.359 that there's still things we can do to save our democracy. Yeah, 0:02:09.400 --> 0:02:12.560 I mean I watched some clips of that hearing. You know, 0:02:13.040 --> 0:02:15.240 she acts like, you know, somebody who works for a 0:02:15.240 --> 0:02:18.000 guy who believes he's a king, right it, believes that 0:02:18.000 --> 0:02:22.000 they're accountable to no one. She clearly showed zero deference 0:02:22.120 --> 0:02:27.000 for the United States Congress and Senate. That's probably understandable 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:29.600 given her combative boss and how you know what she 0:02:29.760 --> 0:02:34.680 wants folks out there making news and creating viral clips. 0:02:34.760 --> 0:02:38.400 But you know, it just is representative of the way 0:02:38.440 --> 0:02:41.519 the entire administration operates. They're not bound by the law, 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:44.400 they're not bound by the Constitution. They don't believe they're 0:02:44.440 --> 0:02:47.080 accountable to the people. They certainly don't believe they're accountable 0:02:47.160 --> 0:02:50.880 to the Senate. And I think that's wearing thin on folks. 0:02:51.200 --> 0:02:53.280 You know, eighty percent of Americans now say that we're 0:02:53.280 --> 0:02:56.360 in the middle of a political crisis. More than fifty 0:02:56.360 --> 0:02:58.840 percent of the country is worried about losing their right 0:02:58.880 --> 0:02:59.440 to free. 0:02:59.240 --> 0:02:59.919 Speech and the show. 0:03:00.720 --> 0:03:04.360 So I don't think she does her boss any favors by, 0:03:04.720 --> 0:03:09.480 you know, acting so childish representing the Department of Justice 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:11.320 in front of the United States Senate. I don't know 0:03:11.360 --> 0:03:12.200 if you think differently. 0:03:13.160 --> 0:03:14.920 It's interesting, and you know, I want to unpack that 0:03:15.280 --> 0:03:17.240 because I think the point you're making is an important 0:03:17.280 --> 0:03:21.160 point about how quote unquote unpopular so many of the positions, 0:03:21.240 --> 0:03:24.680 not just the president's overall popularity itself, but a lot 0:03:24.720 --> 0:03:28.720 of the positions he has been promoting, including members of 0:03:28.720 --> 0:03:31.079 his own administration. But I wonder if just in the 0:03:31.120 --> 0:03:35.520 administration of oversight, did you reflect on that and reflect 0:03:35.520 --> 0:03:38.440 on the fact that Democrats may need to change their 0:03:38.480 --> 0:03:42.320 tactics in terms of how they even begin to, you know, 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:45.640 prepare for subsequent oversight hearings. 0:03:46.280 --> 0:03:49.880 Yeah, I mean, these hearings are becoming jokes because she's 0:03:49.920 --> 0:03:54.880 not even attempting to answer these questions. You know, when 0:03:54.920 --> 0:03:59.920 we send basic oversight letters to these agencies to ask 0:04:00.080 --> 0:04:03.720 questions about how they're spending money, they never ever respond. 0:04:05.040 --> 0:04:07.680 And so yeah, I do think you need to understand 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:11.320 that right now, they perceive these hearings to be reality 0:04:11.400 --> 0:04:15.520 TV shows, and you're, unfortunately, whether you like it or not, 0:04:15.720 --> 0:04:18.719 going to have to approach the hearings in that way. 0:04:19.040 --> 0:04:21.240 But I also think Governor, you know that we've got 0:04:21.279 --> 0:04:25.200 to make clear that the oversight here, especially when it 0:04:25.200 --> 0:04:29.960 comes to the illegality, is permanent, right because someday Democrats 0:04:29.960 --> 0:04:32.479 are going to be back in charge of the House 0:04:32.640 --> 0:04:34.479 and the Senate. Someday we're going to have the power 0:04:34.480 --> 0:04:36.200 of subpoenas. Someday there's going to be people in the 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:40.440 Department of Justice who actually want to administer the law 0:04:40.480 --> 0:04:43.600 on its face, and so I just think we're going 0:04:43.680 --> 0:04:46.400 to need to say to these folks and save your records, 0:04:46.920 --> 0:04:50.400 because if any of you have committed actual, real illegality, 0:04:51.520 --> 0:04:53.760 you know you are ultimately going to have to be 0:04:53.880 --> 0:04:57.800 held accountable for that, either by being hauled before Congress 0:04:58.120 --> 0:05:01.159 and be forced to swim in and tell the truth 0:05:01.680 --> 0:05:04.440 and be held accountable for perjury, or before a court 0:05:04.480 --> 0:05:08.080 of laws. So the oversight is going to be much 0:05:08.120 --> 0:05:11.640 more real and much more forceful when Democrats are back 0:05:11.839 --> 0:05:13.320 in charge. 0:05:13.480 --> 0:05:15.359 And we'll get to getting back in charge. 0:05:15.360 --> 0:05:17.719 Talk a little bit about redistricting in twenty twenty six, 0:05:17.800 --> 0:05:20.080 particularly as it relates to not just the Senate but 0:05:20.200 --> 0:05:22.480 obviously the House. But first I want to sort of 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:26.320 paint the picture of where we are today where now 0:05:26.600 --> 0:05:30.040 this government shut down. We haven't broken any records, but 0:05:30.080 --> 0:05:32.520 were not necessarily break in any new ground in terms 0:05:32.520 --> 0:05:37.320 of breakthroughs based upon at least what I'm reading and 0:05:37.480 --> 0:05:40.520 understanding and hearing, as it relates to the prospects of 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:44.120 a deal, where you think things stand at this stage, 0:05:44.120 --> 0:05:47.159 and how do you think we have positioned ourselves the 0:05:47.160 --> 0:05:50.440 Democratic Party, and how do you think we get out 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:51.279 on the other side. 0:05:52.640 --> 0:05:54.640 Well, I mean, I think it's first of all important 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:58.160 to understand that Trump is rooting for a shutdown, right 0:05:58.320 --> 0:06:02.920 because he does believe that he has these extraordinary powers. 0:06:02.960 --> 0:06:05.279 He's come to believe that those powers get bigger in 0:06:05.320 --> 0:06:09.480 a shutdown. That's not true. He also roots for chaos, 0:06:09.520 --> 0:06:11.800 and the fact of the matter is there's more chaos 0:06:12.160 --> 0:06:15.400 when the government is shut down. Cruelty is the point 0:06:15.520 --> 0:06:19.040 to this administration, and things get crueler when head start 0:06:19.600 --> 0:06:23.479 centers don't open and federal employees don't get their paycheck. 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:29.520 But what Democrats' priorities are here are pretty damn reasonable. 0:06:30.440 --> 0:06:31.480 What are we asking for. 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:36.080 We're saying, listen, the healthcare system isn't fair and it's 0:06:36.080 --> 0:06:38.520 a mess. We just don't want it to get worse 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:42.080 this fall, when premiums are scheduled to increase on people 0:06:42.120 --> 0:06:46.600 who have Affordable Care Act plans by seventy one hundred percent. 0:06:46.720 --> 0:06:48.800 So let's just make sure that those premium increases don't 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:51.240 go into effect. And then second, let's make sure that 0:06:51.320 --> 0:06:53.120 if we write a budget that says you have to 0:06:53.120 --> 0:06:55.359 spend money in all fifty states, the president is actually 0:06:55.440 --> 0:06:57.960 required to spend money in all fifty states instead of 0:06:58.000 --> 0:07:00.520 not spending money in places like California, in New York 0:07:00.560 --> 0:07:03.320 and Connecticut that are represented by Democrats and spending money 0:07:03.320 --> 0:07:06.480 in states represented by Republicans. So I mean our asks 0:07:06.480 --> 0:07:10.000 are pretty minimalist. Just don't make the healthcare system any worse, 0:07:10.080 --> 0:07:12.560 don't jack up premiums on people by seventy five percent, 0:07:12.800 --> 0:07:17.760 and don't act lawlessly. If we get those two things 0:07:17.760 --> 0:07:19.440 included in this budget, then I think you're going to 0:07:19.480 --> 0:07:22.680 see democratic votes, and I think increasingly the American publicers 0:07:22.720 --> 0:07:25.120 are beginning to see that, you know, what we're asking 0:07:25.200 --> 0:07:29.760 for is pretty damn popular and not terribly piggish. 0:07:30.240 --> 0:07:32.800 And it seems to have been reflected in the president's 0:07:32.840 --> 0:07:36.240 own comments, where it seemed at least politically attuned to 0:07:36.320 --> 0:07:39.840 the popularity of healthcare and the imperative to actually figure 0:07:39.880 --> 0:07:43.600 this out, suggesting that he's quote unquote a Republican but 0:07:43.800 --> 0:07:47.640 likes healthcare and thinks he can quote unquote make a deal, 0:07:47.720 --> 0:07:52.040 but doesn't seem to me there's any substantive conversations, or 0:07:52.120 --> 0:07:54.200 are there substantive conversations being held? 0:07:55.120 --> 0:07:59.240 There are not, and the clearest evidence of how unseerious 0:07:59.320 --> 0:08:02.880 Republicans are about negotiating is the fact that they're not here, 0:08:03.120 --> 0:08:06.800 so the House of Representatives is not in session. This 0:08:06.920 --> 0:08:09.400 is the third week that they've been on kind of 0:08:09.440 --> 0:08:13.080 an unscheduled recess. Part of that is that they don't 0:08:13.080 --> 0:08:15.360 really want to negotiate away out of the shutdown. Part 0:08:15.360 --> 0:08:18.200 of that we can talk about it is that they're 0:08:18.240 --> 0:08:22.720 about to vote on the Epstein resolution, and a minute 0:08:22.720 --> 0:08:25.560 they come back into session, a new Democrat will be 0:08:25.560 --> 0:08:29.800 sworn in, giving them the magic number of votes on 0:08:29.840 --> 0:08:32.480 a resolution that would force a debate and vote on 0:08:32.480 --> 0:08:36.559 the Epstein resolution. But no, there are no real negotiations 0:08:36.559 --> 0:08:40.920 happening right now. But you know, those premium increases are 0:08:40.920 --> 0:08:43.520 getting closer and closer and closer, And as more Americans 0:08:43.559 --> 0:08:47.000 get their notices that they're about to see a five thousand, 0:08:47.520 --> 0:08:50.960 ten thousand dollars increase in premiums, the pressure is going 0:08:51.000 --> 0:08:53.160 to mount on Republicans to come to the table and 0:08:53.480 --> 0:08:56.640 reopen the government while also making sure that people don't 0:08:56.640 --> 0:08:59.360 get hurt from a healthcare perspective. And I mean, you 0:08:59.440 --> 0:09:02.280 know the real world consequences yere. We're not talking about numbers. 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:04.840 This isn't about politics. This is you know, people who 0:09:04.920 --> 0:09:06.640 are going to have to make a really hard decision 0:09:06.800 --> 0:09:09.520 about whether to keep their healthcare or let it lapse 0:09:09.559 --> 0:09:13.840 and potentially based bankruptcy, or pay the increased premium and 0:09:14.160 --> 0:09:16.720 just you know, have their kids go without lunch three 0:09:16.800 --> 0:09:20.040 days a week, or just not have Christmas presents under 0:09:20.040 --> 0:09:23.960 the tree this winter. I mean, their real consequences to 0:09:24.000 --> 0:09:27.600 these premium spiking for middle class families all across the country. 0:09:28.240 --> 0:09:28.720 Yeah, I think. 0:09:28.760 --> 0:09:32.120 I mean the magnitude of those those premium increases are 0:09:32.120 --> 0:09:35.120 pretty jaw dropping. Did we just put out in California, which, 0:09:35.160 --> 0:09:38.360 of course we provide more coverage than any other state 0:09:38.440 --> 0:09:40.360 just by the dairy nature and size and scope and 0:09:40.360 --> 0:09:44.000 scale of our state. But we have very familiar here 0:09:44.040 --> 0:09:47.000 on the exchange in California what they call the Bronze Plan, 0:09:47.040 --> 0:09:50.480 which is the Middle Plan for folks and anthem. And 0:09:50.520 --> 0:09:52.439 you got premiums that will go from three hundred and 0:09:52.480 --> 0:09:56.839 seven dollars to nine hundred and sixty four dollars a month. 0:09:56.920 --> 0:09:58.880 I mean, it's just so it's on average, we talk 0:09:58.880 --> 0:10:01.280 about the agurate, but people will see tripling in some 0:10:01.360 --> 0:10:04.160 cases up to three hundred and eighty eight percent and 0:10:04.240 --> 0:10:07.920 an average of ninety seven percent of those increases, and 0:10:07.960 --> 0:10:10.520 we expect six hundred thousand people to lose insurance because 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:13.079 they can't afford it in California, and I know we're 0:10:13.120 --> 0:10:17.120 talking four plus million across the United States. So I 0:10:17.120 --> 0:10:20.840 appreciate the painting of that picture with clarity and sticking 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:27.439 to two easy issues to understand. Congressionally approved appropriations. Congress 0:10:28.040 --> 0:10:31.880 the purse, here's where money. We both approved the legislative 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:34.120 and executive branch where it needs to go. And the 0:10:34.160 --> 0:10:39.319 President shouldn't utilaterally change that course, that commitment, that direction 0:10:39.480 --> 0:10:41.920 and healthcare. But I'm curious if I could just step 0:10:41.960 --> 0:10:47.240 back center what was without breaking confidence. But I'm curious 0:10:47.960 --> 0:10:53.440 the Democratic Caucus the determination last time not to move 0:10:53.480 --> 0:10:58.640 forward with the government shut down. Lessons learned the expectation 0:10:59.000 --> 0:11:02.240 that you needed to prepare for this moment, particularly with 0:11:02.320 --> 0:11:05.000 someone as you suggest, it was more interesting in golfing 0:11:05.720 --> 0:11:08.240 before the shutdown, and obviously had no interest in meeting 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:10.880 with the leaders because he canceled that first meeting and 0:11:10.920 --> 0:11:13.880 then in that last meeting just trolled those leaders in 0:11:13.920 --> 0:11:16.520 the Oval Office with a twenty twenty eight Trump Patty 0:11:16.600 --> 0:11:20.040 was never serious to your point about negotiating, but knowing 0:11:20.080 --> 0:11:23.080 that was what was the journey since the last time, 0:11:23.080 --> 0:11:27.559 we decided to continue to allow government to stay open 0:11:27.880 --> 0:11:30.720 to the determination this time to get a little bit 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:32.000 tougher in terms of the approach. 0:11:32.559 --> 0:11:36.120 Yeah, you know, we have so few moments of leverage, 0:11:36.160 --> 0:11:40.080 moments where we have power as a minority. Right Republicans, 0:11:40.320 --> 0:11:42.480 whether we like it or not, they run the White House, 0:11:42.520 --> 0:11:46.160 the House, and the Senate, and so when they do 0:11:46.280 --> 0:11:49.559 need our votes, I mean, it's really our moral responsibility 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:52.440 on behalf of the people we represent to stand up 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.400 for things we believe, you know, not to you know, 0:11:55.640 --> 0:11:58.680 be pollyannish about what we're ultimately going to get, but 0:11:58.800 --> 0:12:01.160 to stand up for a few things that will help people. 0:12:01.800 --> 0:12:05.240 You know, I disagreed with the decision backing in the 0:12:05.320 --> 0:12:09.600 fall to vote for a budget that was essentially written 0:12:09.640 --> 0:12:12.040 only by Republicans that didn't solve any of the problems 0:12:12.080 --> 0:12:12.480 that they. 0:12:12.320 --> 0:12:13.520 Were in the midst of creating. 0:12:14.000 --> 0:12:17.280 But you know, a few things are different that I think, 0:12:17.440 --> 0:12:20.240 you know, allows Democrats to be right now really united 0:12:20.480 --> 0:12:22.800 around using our leverage. 0:12:22.880 --> 0:12:23.080 You know. 0:12:23.160 --> 0:12:25.800 One, you know, people see Trump I think more clearly 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:28.040 now than they did back then. As approval ratings are 0:12:28.320 --> 0:12:31.760 you know, ten points lower too. The pain is you know, 0:12:31.800 --> 0:12:34.439 more real now that that big beautiful bill has passed. 0:12:35.400 --> 0:12:38.800 Premiums are about to go up on millions of Americans. 0:12:38.800 --> 0:12:41.640 So the pain is acute right now in a way 0:12:41.679 --> 0:12:44.280 that maybe it wasn't in March. And then, you know, 0:12:44.360 --> 0:12:45.520 back in March, I think there were a lot of 0:12:45.559 --> 0:12:48.560 folks who were worried about his attacks on democracy. But 0:12:48.640 --> 0:12:51.040 maybe we're sort of hoping for the best case. Now 0:12:51.080 --> 0:12:53.840 they see that we are in the middle of a 0:12:53.960 --> 0:12:58.520 totalitarian takeover. If it's not arrested, if it's not stopped, 0:12:58.559 --> 0:13:01.040 they are trying to rig the rules, and thank goodness 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:03.839 for you and what you're doing in California, they are 0:13:03.880 --> 0:13:06.440 trying to you know, create a state run media. 0:13:06.640 --> 0:13:07.840 They are trying to use. 0:13:07.679 --> 0:13:11.080 The Department of Justice to suppress dissent and lock up 0:13:11.120 --> 0:13:13.880 their critics. So you know, that level of alarm is 0:13:13.960 --> 0:13:16.320 much higher. And I just think, you know, it's not 0:13:16.360 --> 0:13:20.360 just Democrats who want us to fight and draw a line. 0:13:20.520 --> 0:13:22.079 You know, it's a big part of the middle of 0:13:22.120 --> 0:13:25.840 the country too. So the demand for us to show power, 0:13:26.559 --> 0:13:30.000 I just think is a lot more amplified today that 0:13:30.120 --> 0:13:32.920 it was back in the Spring, which is also why 0:13:33.559 --> 0:13:35.960 so many people all around this country, left, middle, and 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:39.320 center are cheering what you're doing to show that we 0:13:39.360 --> 0:13:42.240 are not powerless against his efforts to try to rig 0:13:42.280 --> 0:13:42.720 the rules. 0:13:45.160 --> 0:13:47.120 So where do you see? I mean, is this we 0:13:47.160 --> 0:13:50.120 look at another week, two month? I mean, you're going 0:13:50.160 --> 0:13:51.920 to be back at this in seven, six and a 0:13:51.960 --> 0:13:54.920 half weeks or six weeks. Isn't there another this sort 0:13:54.920 --> 0:13:58.200 of date with destiny in terms of just extending this 0:13:58.320 --> 0:14:01.280 narrative even be I know we're talking about this continuing 0:14:01.360 --> 0:14:04.200 resolution seven weeks, but that just gets us to another 0:14:04.240 --> 0:14:07.560 point where we're going to have another potential shut down. 0:14:07.840 --> 0:14:11.040 I mean, is this the bond markets that ultimately we're 0:14:11.040 --> 0:14:13.880 going to determine that we're going to break this chill? 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:17.080 Is it the stock market that ultimately is going to 0:14:17.120 --> 0:14:19.280 force everybody to come to the table. 0:14:19.880 --> 0:14:22.000 What's your gut? Yeah? 0:14:22.240 --> 0:14:26.120 I mean my gut is that Republicans are already starting 0:14:26.240 --> 0:14:30.920 to sweat a little bit. Something interesting happened just about 0:14:31.080 --> 0:14:34.200 ten minutes ago. So we had our lunches today, the 0:14:34.240 --> 0:14:37.840 Republicans all huddle for lunch, Democrats all huddle for lunch, 0:14:38.240 --> 0:14:40.200 and the Republicans came out of their lunch with a 0:14:40.240 --> 0:14:43.800 brand new message, one that we hadn't heard before. Their 0:14:43.880 --> 0:14:47.680 message today was, well, Democrats have this big protest coming up. 0:14:47.720 --> 0:14:51.560 This is the No King's Rally on October eighteenth, and 0:14:51.640 --> 0:14:54.280 so they want to keep the government shut down until 0:14:54.360 --> 0:14:59.000 the No King's Rally, which I've never heard from them before. 0:14:59.040 --> 0:15:03.480 They clearly knew what they were saying yesterday was working, 0:15:03.680 --> 0:15:06.080 and they're scrambling to come up with some new message. 0:15:06.400 --> 0:15:09.000 And I think it's just all a sign Governor that 0:15:09.400 --> 0:15:11.880 you know, they are feeling the heat because they're getting 0:15:11.920 --> 0:15:14.960 more and more calls and emails from constituents who are like, hey, 0:15:15.080 --> 0:15:16.600 what the hell are you going to do about this 0:15:16.680 --> 0:15:20.680 seventy five percent increase. So my guess, if I had 0:15:20.720 --> 0:15:22.720 to put money out of today, is that this isn't 0:15:22.800 --> 0:15:26.880 another month that Republicans come to the table sometime soon 0:15:27.080 --> 0:15:33.120 and say, listen, help help us, help ourselves. Let's get 0:15:33.200 --> 0:15:35.680 rid of these premium increases and listen. That would that 0:15:35.680 --> 0:15:37.240 would help a lot of people, and it would show, 0:15:37.480 --> 0:15:39.840 you know, for the first time all year that you know, 0:15:39.880 --> 0:15:43.600 the Democratic Party has fight and has relevance, and so 0:15:43.760 --> 0:15:44.800 I love the optimism. 0:15:44.840 --> 0:15:47.600 I mean, it would be a hell of a victory 0:15:48.000 --> 0:15:51.320 for millions and millions of Democrats, Republicans, independence. To your point, 0:15:51.920 --> 0:15:55.160 the twenty plus million people that are directly impacted, millions 0:15:55.160 --> 0:15:59.680 more indirectly impacted. It's not Democrats or Republicans. These are Americans, 0:15:59.720 --> 0:16:03.800 and that would be that would be extraordinary outcome. Let 0:16:03.800 --> 0:16:06.600 me ask you just you know, in terms of you've 0:16:06.680 --> 0:16:09.360 used the word totalitarian. We started as it relates to 0:16:09.400 --> 0:16:12.800 the oversight conversation about use the word Kings, not just 0:16:12.840 --> 0:16:16.520 in relationship to the October eighteen NOME King's rally. I mean, 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:19.400 I remember the old Chris Murphy. You know, it was 0:16:19.440 --> 0:16:23.840 the bipartisan you're working across the aisle, actually producing real results. 0:16:24.200 --> 0:16:27.280 You know, I'm old enough to remember the most significant 0:16:27.280 --> 0:16:30.720 at least in my lifetime thirty plus years, safer Communities Act, 0:16:30.760 --> 0:16:33.600 the work you did mental health and gun safety in 0:16:33.600 --> 0:16:34.640 a bipartisan way. 0:16:35.160 --> 0:16:38.640 But I've noticed much more well, I don't. 0:16:38.440 --> 0:16:41.240 Want to say strident, but I see a Democrat who's 0:16:41.320 --> 0:16:44.760 leading the resistance that has more clarity on free speech 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.360 in terms of more conviction perhaps and expression around it, 0:16:48.840 --> 0:16:51.920 as well as democracy and using language that I understand 0:16:51.960 --> 0:16:54.640 that I think is very resident. I'm curious your own 0:16:54.680 --> 0:16:57.920 evolution in that respect, and was there a moment that 0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:00.800 sort of hit you where you said, I'm going to 0:17:00.840 --> 0:17:02.320 I'm going to dial things up a little bit. 0:17:03.000 --> 0:17:06.320 Well, I mean, I appreciate that coming from you, because 0:17:06.960 --> 0:17:10.359 we have also watched you at a moment where this 0:17:10.440 --> 0:17:15.440 party has been desperate for leadership, bold leadership. We've seen 0:17:15.520 --> 0:17:20.240 you step out and frankly take risks, which is which 0:17:20.280 --> 0:17:22.960 is what I think this country is desperate for us 0:17:23.040 --> 0:17:26.200 to do, to show that we understand the gravity of 0:17:26.240 --> 0:17:28.480 this moment and show that we are willing to take 0:17:28.560 --> 0:17:30.440 risks on behalf of saving the democracy. 0:17:30.480 --> 0:17:33.840 And probably fifty is a risk, right, not. 0:17:33.800 --> 0:17:37.240 Destined to succeed, but but can and will if we 0:17:37.320 --> 0:17:41.280 put our work behind it. So I appreciate you saying that. Yeah, listen, 0:17:41.320 --> 0:17:44.960 I just see these guys, and I saw these guys early. 0:17:45.400 --> 0:17:48.639 They are not Democrats, small d you know, inside the 0:17:48.680 --> 0:17:52.000 Republican Party, they have come to believe over the last 0:17:52.000 --> 0:17:54.400 four years that democracy is just not worth it any 0:17:54.440 --> 0:17:56.000 longer if it elects Democrats. 0:17:56.480 --> 0:17:57.760 They have come to believe. 0:17:57.480 --> 0:18:02.479 That, you know, our support for multiculturalism and civil rights 0:18:02.480 --> 0:18:06.760 and human rights and feminism is you know, an assault 0:18:06.840 --> 0:18:10.480 on the very idea of Americanism, and their version of 0:18:10.520 --> 0:18:16.520 Americanism is a Christian, white male dominated America. So they 0:18:16.720 --> 0:18:18.879 want to get rid of us at any cost, and 0:18:19.119 --> 0:18:22.680 if that cost is the erasure or the weakening of democracy, 0:18:22.760 --> 0:18:25.439 then they're willing to live with that. So to me, 0:18:25.680 --> 0:18:28.800 this is all a plan. I mean, a really well 0:18:28.840 --> 0:18:32.919 thought out plan to capture the media, to use the 0:18:33.000 --> 0:18:39.040 doj to, which hunts to rig the rules, to change 0:18:39.040 --> 0:18:45.080 the facts, as an attempt to just try to suffocate 0:18:45.119 --> 0:18:46.320 the opposition so that. 0:18:46.200 --> 0:18:47.720 We don't have enough room to operate. 0:18:47.800 --> 0:18:50.359 And last thing I'll say is that, you know, I 0:18:50.359 --> 0:18:52.959 think some people say, well, as long as there's you know, 0:18:53.480 --> 0:18:56.200 no cancelation of elections, we're in good shape. Well I 0:18:56.200 --> 0:18:58.639 don't think they're canceling the elections. I think they're just 0:18:58.680 --> 0:19:00.719 going to, you know, do what they've done in Turkey 0:19:00.760 --> 0:19:04.320 and Hungary and other countries like that, where the opposition 0:19:04.400 --> 0:19:07.200 party still exists, but they just you know, don't have 0:19:07.480 --> 0:19:10.800 enough space to operate, or the rules are are changed, 0:19:10.960 --> 0:19:13.240 like the shape of districts, so that even if the 0:19:13.280 --> 0:19:16.240 president is wildly unpopular, we can't win. I just see 0:19:16.240 --> 0:19:19.560 these guys, and I know it sounds extreme to suggest 0:19:19.600 --> 0:19:23.680 that Republicans are actually trying to engineer an erosion or 0:19:23.720 --> 0:19:26.320 a destruction of our democracy. And I don't think every 0:19:26.359 --> 0:19:29.080 Republican believes that there's still a lot of Republicans in 0:19:29.119 --> 0:19:32.720 the Senate who want to protect democracy, but there are some, 0:19:33.160 --> 0:19:36.160 there are some real radicals inside the White House who 0:19:36.200 --> 0:19:39.320 do have plans to convert America to something different than 0:19:39.400 --> 0:19:41.840 liberal democracy. And I just think we have to see 0:19:41.880 --> 0:19:44.760 it and understand it so that we recognize, as you are, 0:19:45.240 --> 0:19:47.639 you know, how loud our fight has to be. 0:19:48.320 --> 0:19:52.399 How do we overstate or do we understate the influence 0:19:52.560 --> 0:19:55.160 of the omb director rest vote. 0:19:56.560 --> 0:19:58.439 I mean, I think he's just you know, one of 0:19:58.520 --> 0:20:03.119 many in that White House who who's operationalizing this plan 0:20:03.359 --> 0:20:06.960 to you know, constrict the space that the opposition has 0:20:07.040 --> 0:20:10.080 to to operate. I mean, what he's doing recently is 0:20:10.119 --> 0:20:13.920 another tried and true tactic of would be authoritarians. He's 0:20:14.320 --> 0:20:18.919 you know, pausing funding for democratic states, and he's you know, 0:20:19.040 --> 0:20:24.520 hoping that Democrats will essentially bend or self censor themselves 0:20:24.920 --> 0:20:27.199 so that they get their money turned back on. It 0:20:27.240 --> 0:20:29.360 wasn't lost on any of us in the Democratic Caucus 0:20:29.400 --> 0:20:32.600 that when they canceled a whole bunch of energy projects. 0:20:32.920 --> 0:20:37.200 One of the states that was exempted was Nevada. One 0:20:37.200 --> 0:20:40.480 of the two Democratic centers from Nevada voted for Trump's 0:20:40.480 --> 0:20:43.119 continuing resolution. So it's a very clear signal. If you 0:20:43.200 --> 0:20:45.399 vote with me as a Democrat, your money will continue. 0:20:45.440 --> 0:20:47.280 If you don't vote with me, the money's turned off. So, 0:20:47.760 --> 0:20:51.119 you know, I just think he's he's playing his role, 0:20:51.760 --> 0:20:54.760 But I tend to think that it's more, you know, 0:20:54.800 --> 0:20:57.280 Stephen Miller and that crowd out of the White House 0:20:57.280 --> 0:21:00.879 that's orchestrating a lot of the day to day operations 0:21:00.920 --> 0:21:02.520 of trying. 0:21:02.280 --> 0:21:04.679 To on your mind our democratic norms, and. 0:21:04.720 --> 0:21:08.800 Those democratic norms now include the militarization of American cities. 0:21:09.200 --> 0:21:12.359 We saw that obviously firsthand here in California, not just 0:21:12.440 --> 0:21:15.560 with the federalization of the National Guard thousands and thousands, 0:21:15.800 --> 0:21:18.879 but seven hundred active duty Marines that were sent to 0:21:19.600 --> 0:21:21.240 a US city. We said it at the time, this 0:21:21.320 --> 0:21:24.280 is a preview of things to come. Obviously Washington, DC 0:21:24.680 --> 0:21:28.520 has its own criterion conditions, but clearly takes shape there 0:21:28.560 --> 0:21:32.320 and now taking shape in cities large and small, Portland 0:21:33.440 --> 0:21:37.280 attempting to militarize those streets with a federal judge appointed 0:21:37.280 --> 0:21:41.920