1 00:00:02,520 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Audio Studios, podcasts, radio news. You're listening to the 2 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. Catch us live weekdays at 3 00:00:13,880 --> 00:00:17,119 Speaker 1: noon and five pm Eastern on Apple, Cocklay and Android 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,520 Speaker 1: Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. Listen on demand wherever 5 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:25,040 Speaker 1: you get your podcasts, or watch us live on YouTube. 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 2: The government runs out of money in eighteen days. I 7 00:00:28,400 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 2: know no one's talking about a shutdown yet, but I'm 8 00:00:30,920 --> 00:00:33,520 Speaker 2: reminding you of this as there's no agreement on top lines, 9 00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:35,839 Speaker 2: and you are going to hear the shutdown clock and 10 00:00:35,880 --> 00:00:38,080 Speaker 2: all that stuff coming in the next couple of weeks. 11 00:00:38,200 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 2: House Republicans are set to vote tomorrow though on a 12 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 2: budget resolution. This brings us back to the whole reconciliation plan, 13 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:46,479 Speaker 2: the Trump tax cuts and so forth. They may not 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:49,159 Speaker 2: have the numbers for that either. And I will just 15 00:00:49,240 --> 00:00:50,760 Speaker 2: let you know. An hour from now, we're going to 16 00:00:50,800 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 2: be talking with New York Congresswoman Nicole Malia Takis, who 17 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:58,080 Speaker 2: is a Leen's no according to reporting, with concerns about 18 00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 2: potential cuts to Medicaid. Just keep that in your pocket 19 00:01:01,160 --> 00:01:04,200 Speaker 2: until next hour. Big doings at the White House. French 20 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:08,200 Speaker 2: President Emmanuel Macron at the White House today as we 21 00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:10,960 Speaker 2: mark the third year of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The 22 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:15,240 Speaker 2: President just kicked off a truth social about that, saying 23 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:18,640 Speaker 2: that I am in serious discussions with Vladimir Putin concerning 24 00:01:18,720 --> 00:01:22,080 Speaker 2: the ending of the war and also major economic development transactions, 25 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:24,880 Speaker 2: he says, which will take place between the US and Russia. 26 00:01:24,920 --> 00:01:27,240 Speaker 2: Talks proceeding very well. Would love to know more about 27 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: this if you're with us on YouTube looking at the 28 00:01:30,160 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: truth post. He says, everyone expressed their goal of seeing 29 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 2: the war end when they had their meeting of the 30 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,080 Speaker 2: G seven this morning. Emmanuel Macron even crossed the street 31 00:01:40,080 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: from Blairhouse to sit in the Oval for this conversation. 32 00:01:43,959 --> 00:01:46,800 Speaker 2: I emphasized, he says, the importance of the vital critical 33 00:01:46,840 --> 00:01:49,880 Speaker 2: minerals and rare Earth's deal between the US and Ukraine, 34 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,360 Speaker 2: which we hope will be signed very soon. A big 35 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: pressure play going on there that we'll talk about a 36 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 2: little bit more later on this hour. We do expect 37 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 2: to see Emmanuel Macron make a formal arrival, if I 38 00:02:00,960 --> 00:02:03,760 Speaker 2: can call it that, at the White House. He's staying 39 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 2: really just truly across the street at Blairhouse, ran over 40 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,360 Speaker 2: for the meeting. Now the real formal arrival will take place, 41 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:12,440 Speaker 2: and they'll be in the Oval Office for a bilateral 42 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,480 Speaker 2: meeting later this hour. We'll bring you to the White 43 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:19,200 Speaker 2: House for that. There's one more I haven't mentioned. Federal 44 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:23,320 Speaker 2: workers have until midnight to prove that they should have 45 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 2: their jobs. Elon Musk first went on Twitter with this 46 00:02:27,360 --> 00:02:30,440 Speaker 2: idea that an actual memo from the Office of Management 47 00:02:30,520 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 2: Budget went out. Yep, you got to send an email 48 00:02:33,480 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 2: with I believe five bullet points to suggest what you 49 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,360 Speaker 2: accomplished last week and why you should keep your job. 50 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:41,400 Speaker 2: Which is where we start our conversation with Laura Davison, 51 00:02:41,840 --> 00:02:45,320 Speaker 2: Bloomberg Politics editor. She runs our political coverage here in Washington. 52 00:02:45,639 --> 00:02:47,679 Speaker 2: You ever send an email like that to an employee, 53 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 2: give you to the close of business five bullets. I mean, 54 00:02:50,200 --> 00:02:52,760 Speaker 2: this is kind of blowing some minds around here. 55 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:54,800 Speaker 3: Well, it's one thing to send it to one employee, 56 00:02:54,840 --> 00:02:57,720 Speaker 3: it's another to send it to two plus million employees, 57 00:02:57,840 --> 00:02:59,720 Speaker 3: which really raises the question of what are they going 58 00:02:59,800 --> 00:03:02,320 Speaker 3: to do with all these responses. But the guidance from 59 00:03:02,320 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: agencies across the board has been totally different. At DoD, 60 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 3: at the State Department, some other places, they said do 61 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: not respond. Department of Homeland Security said we will respond 62 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:16,040 Speaker 3: on your behalf. Other agencies were sending out guidance saying, hey, 63 00:03:16,040 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 3: do respond, and here's some tips about how to talk 64 00:03:17,880 --> 00:03:21,120 Speaker 3: about what you've been doing. It is really unclear what 65 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,920 Speaker 3: happens the OPM, the officer Personnel and manage it. 66 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:26,200 Speaker 1: Basically the HR for the federal government o PM thank 67 00:03:26,200 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: you for gving me. 68 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:31,399 Speaker 3: Yes says that agencies will decide what the next steps are. 69 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:33,800 Speaker 3: Musk says, if you don't respond, you'll be fired. So 70 00:03:33,840 --> 00:03:36,080 Speaker 3: there's just a lot of uncertainty and a lot of 71 00:03:36,280 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 3: angst in the federal workforce. 72 00:03:38,040 --> 00:03:42,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, I guess there were some pretty tough sessions 73 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 2: over the weekend with people sitting down to write emails 74 00:03:44,480 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 2: only to hear from their boss that they shouldn't send them. 75 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,080 Speaker 2: So is this midnight deadline real or not? 76 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 3: It's as real as far as we know. But there 77 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:54,400 Speaker 3: was you know, as one person put it to me, 78 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 3: every single cabinet secretary's weekend was ruined as they. 79 00:03:57,080 --> 00:03:58,440 Speaker 2: Tried to deal with all of this. 80 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,120 Speaker 3: It just it was unclear exactly what the authority is, 81 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 3: what they're going to do, and you know, for the 82 00:04:04,760 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 3: case of a lot of agencies, they're dealing with classified information. 83 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 3: They're dealing with you know, personal sensitive information that shouldn't 84 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,160 Speaker 3: necessarily go out to just you know, a random inbox 85 00:04:13,160 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 3: over at o PM. 86 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:19,000 Speaker 2: Yeah. So, Elon Musk, when challenged over this whole idea, 87 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:23,520 Speaker 2: said on Twitter that he was essentially following the direction 88 00:04:23,760 --> 00:04:28,600 Speaker 2: of the president here, consistent with President Trump's instructions, and 89 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:32,160 Speaker 2: that followed we're presuming a tweet or a truth from 90 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 2: Trump who said that Elon is doing a great job 91 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:38,040 Speaker 2: all caps, I would like to see him get more aggressive. 92 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:39,200 Speaker 2: Were those of the instructions. 93 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:42,000 Speaker 3: That's what he said, But of course Trump didn't say specifically, 94 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,760 Speaker 3: email everyone and ask them what they're doing. There's a 95 00:04:44,760 --> 00:04:48,120 Speaker 3: really interesting dynamic that's playing out here where Trump is 96 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:50,080 Speaker 3: essentially kind of having Musk do a lot of the 97 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 3: dirty work. You know, we're starting to see and pulling 98 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,960 Speaker 3: that Musk is becoming less popular. People think he's overstepping 99 00:04:55,040 --> 00:04:57,279 Speaker 3: his authority here. So there could be a little bit 100 00:04:57,320 --> 00:05:00,000 Speaker 3: of you know, Trump says, go do more, Musk does it, 101 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,560 Speaker 3: but Trump doesn't have to take the political political fall 102 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 3: for it. 103 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,480 Speaker 2: So please reply to this email, well, the approximately five 104 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 2: bullets of what you accomplished last week and c see 105 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:12,359 Speaker 2: your manager says the email, This is coming from the 106 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 2: HR division of OPM. As you just mentioned with the 107 00:05:16,480 --> 00:05:19,600 Speaker 2: heading what did you do last week? Please do not 108 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 2: send classified information links or attachments. Do you wonder how 109 00:05:23,520 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: many actually wrote the email. 110 00:05:25,240 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 3: It's really unclear that there are dozens of agencies who 111 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:32,159 Speaker 3: have said, yes, go ahead and reply. Certain agencies said 112 00:05:32,160 --> 00:05:34,480 Speaker 3: we'll be reviewing this at the agency level. You're also 113 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: supposed to see see your manager on your response. So 114 00:05:37,680 --> 00:05:39,280 Speaker 3: one thing that has been pointed out is maybe this 115 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 3: is a way that the dog is trying to put 116 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:44,120 Speaker 3: together a tree, sort of a list of all the 117 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 3: people in the federal workforce and how it all fits together. 118 00:05:47,200 --> 00:05:48,800 Speaker 3: You could use AI, you could use a bunch of 119 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:51,440 Speaker 3: tools to examine all of these, but people are really 120 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:52,960 Speaker 3: worried about sort of what it means if they respond, 121 00:05:52,960 --> 00:05:54,080 Speaker 3: and what it means if they don't respond. 122 00:05:54,120 --> 00:05:57,000 Speaker 2: Well, we should know. Federal Labor Union say the OPM 123 00:05:57,080 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 2: email was illegal. Does that mean that this then goes 124 00:05:59,839 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 2: to court and we have yet another case that we're 125 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 2: waiting on it. 126 00:06:02,680 --> 00:06:06,520 Speaker 3: It is already in court. Multiple multiple cases have already 127 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:08,440 Speaker 3: been filed. So we could expect to see you know, 128 00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,000 Speaker 3: potentially a restraining order even before the deadline at midnight 129 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: to night. 130 00:06:11,400 --> 00:06:13,800 Speaker 2: Wowee, it's just amazing. You can almost see it coming 131 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,000 Speaker 2: to your point. Pentagon State Department Justice, FBI, n I 132 00:06:17,240 --> 00:06:20,559 Speaker 2: H Energy, I ran out of fingers, DHS, HHS Officer 133 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 2: of the d on I Noah, and the nssay have 134 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 2: all told employees they either should not or do not 135 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 2: need to respond. So I'm guessing that Elon Musk is 136 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,640 Speaker 2: going to be kind of disappointed by what he gets here. 137 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:33,200 Speaker 3: It's interesting. He even had an early morning tweet saying 138 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 3: that this has a little bit, a little bit of 139 00:06:34,920 --> 00:06:37,800 Speaker 3: a mess, sort of acknowledging the issue that was created here. 140 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 3: He also sort of just sought to defend his actions 141 00:06:41,120 --> 00:06:43,880 Speaker 3: by saying, look, you know, this was essentially a pulse check. 142 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 3: You know, this would be very normal in the private sector, 143 00:06:45,920 --> 00:06:48,400 Speaker 3: but we're really seeing sort of those private sector management 144 00:06:48,400 --> 00:06:52,320 Speaker 3: techniques really run into loggerheads. What is typical and legal 145 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:54,360 Speaker 3: and you know, considered to be normal within the public. 146 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,560 Speaker 2: Is the doose bros like reading these emails deciding whether 147 00:06:57,600 --> 00:06:58,800 Speaker 2: people keep their jobs. 148 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,760 Speaker 3: No know, this even this this email address that sent 149 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 3: out the email. This is the same email address that 150 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 3: no one had really ever seen before until it set 151 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 3: the buyout email a couple of weeks ago saying hey, 152 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:10,880 Speaker 3: you know, take this buyout and we'll get you out 153 00:07:10,920 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 3: of the government. Only about seventy five thousand people took that. 154 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:16,080 Speaker 3: They wanted a lot more, you know, potentially three to 155 00:07:16,120 --> 00:07:17,960 Speaker 3: four times as many people to take that. So now 156 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:20,840 Speaker 3: we're seeing the repercussions of sort of sure as they 157 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:21,440 Speaker 3: dig deeper. 158 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:27,560 Speaker 2: More specifically, Laura Davison US aid is essentially shuttered as 159 00:07:27,600 --> 00:07:30,400 Speaker 2: of today. Is that does that agency exist anymore? All 160 00:07:30,440 --> 00:07:32,040 Speaker 2: of the workers are on leave? Is that true? 161 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 3: Essentially all of the workers are on leave. There are 162 00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,320 Speaker 3: a handful of people in top administrative roles that are 163 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 3: that are there. They still have some folks overseas who 164 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,559 Speaker 3: they said will keep access to their systems and their 165 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,040 Speaker 3: things so they can get home safely, but essentially all 166 00:07:44,080 --> 00:07:48,160 Speaker 3: the work has stopped. They even want a sort of 167 00:07:48,200 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: an injunction in illegal battle this weekend. We'll see where 168 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,240 Speaker 3: that continues as the courts go here. But this is 169 00:07:54,320 --> 00:07:56,320 Speaker 3: if you know, DOGE wants a success story, they can 170 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:57,880 Speaker 3: point to that and say, look, here's how we were 171 00:07:57,920 --> 00:08:00,160 Speaker 3: in within less than a month able to dismay into 172 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 3: an entire agency. 173 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:02,800 Speaker 2: Can I ask you if we could just lift the 174 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: veil for a second here on covering DOGE. This is 175 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 2: your purview. Your team is trying to cover this. But 176 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:13,680 Speaker 2: it's not a government agency in the traditional sense. It 177 00:08:13,680 --> 00:08:15,880 Speaker 2: doesn't have like a pr office, does it. How do 178 00:08:15,960 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 2: you track all of these headlines and figure out what's 179 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:22,240 Speaker 2: real because you see something on Twitter, truth social and 180 00:08:22,240 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 2: then a memo and they're all different. 181 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:26,120 Speaker 3: It is really sort of a game of triangulation and 182 00:08:26,120 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 3: going and checking with multiple people, you know. So DOGE 183 00:08:29,200 --> 00:08:32,400 Speaker 3: what it really officially is is what's called a temporary organization. 184 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 3: It's an office that sits in the White House complex. 185 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 3: There are some employees that were there beforehand, many of 186 00:08:37,640 --> 00:08:40,160 Speaker 3: those have been laid off. New people have come into 187 00:08:40,200 --> 00:08:42,559 Speaker 3: the fold, and then they've fanned out across all the agencies. 188 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 3: We're seeing a lot of the DOGE bros that go 189 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 3: into certain agencies are popping up at other agencies in 190 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 3: the following week. You know, there's about three dozen or 191 00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:50,960 Speaker 3: so names that we've tracked. There could be more, but 192 00:08:51,000 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 3: it's a relatively small group of people who are sort of, 193 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:58,000 Speaker 3: you know, flitting about Washington, you know, accessing data, compiling 194 00:08:58,040 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 3: list of people that they think should be laid off, 195 00:08:59,520 --> 00:08:59,920 Speaker 3: et cetera. 196 00:09:00,040 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 2: And then you have to scrub any number of social 197 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 2: media posts to get to an actual headline before you 198 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: realize what's real. That's the hard part of the job, right. 199 00:09:07,160 --> 00:09:09,760 Speaker 3: And it's really confusing even to people inside the agency. 200 00:09:09,760 --> 00:09:11,640 Speaker 3: They just don't know what's happening, even the leaders. 201 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, wow, you should hear it in the newsroom. When 202 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:15,680 Speaker 2: the truth or the tweet goes out, people start running, 203 00:09:15,720 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 2: the phone calls start happening. That's Laura's team, and thank 204 00:09:18,440 --> 00:09:20,680 Speaker 2: you as always Laura Davison with us here on the 205 00:09:20,720 --> 00:09:23,640 Speaker 2: fastest show in Politics. You know it's real if Laura 206 00:09:23,679 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 2: says that, you can at least take that to the bank. 207 00:09:25,559 --> 00:09:26,920 Speaker 2: And we're going to talk a little bit more about 208 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 2: what's happening on the other end of Pennsylvania Avenue with 209 00:09:29,400 --> 00:09:33,160 Speaker 2: regard to crafting a budget, never mind reconciliation. It's all 210 00:09:33,200 --> 00:09:34,560 Speaker 2: ahead with Ron Bonjin. 211 00:09:34,679 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: Next on Bloomberg, you're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of 212 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:41,440 Speaker 1: Power podcast. Catch us live weekdays at noon and five 213 00:09:41,480 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 1: pm Eastern. 214 00:09:42,400 --> 00:09:45,839 Speaker 4: On Apple, Cocklay and Android Auto. With the Bloomberg business app. 215 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:48,880 Speaker 1: You can also listen live on Amazon Alexa from our 216 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:54,120 Speaker 1: flagship New York station. Just say Alexa play Bloomberg eleven thirty. 217 00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:58,839 Speaker 2: Important stuff going on on Capitol Hill all the while 218 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:02,760 Speaker 2: House lawmakers are streaming back into town. So then we'll 219 00:10:02,760 --> 00:10:04,280 Speaker 2: be with us over the course of the day, including 220 00:10:04,360 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 2: Nicole Malia Takis right at the top of our second 221 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 2: hour at one o'clock, all leading up to a rules 222 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,520 Speaker 2: committee vote today that's expected to take place in a 223 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,280 Speaker 2: floor vote at least. Look, this is what they're saying. 224 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:19,959 Speaker 2: I'm not telling you it's actually going to happen, but 225 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:22,960 Speaker 2: a floor vote tomorrow. This is like make or break 226 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:26,199 Speaker 2: time all over again for Mike Johnson, because not everyone 227 00:10:26,240 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 2: appears to be on board. This is the big stuff, 228 00:10:29,040 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 2: the big budget resolution that would include Trump tax cuts 229 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 2: and all the rest. Stakes are high right now and 230 00:10:36,520 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 2: they're awfully busy working on all this stuff on K Street, 231 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:41,080 Speaker 2: which is why we wanted to spend some time with 232 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 2: Ron Bonjing. Of course, a legend on Capitol Hill, now 233 00:10:44,720 --> 00:10:48,720 Speaker 2: an icon on K Street. He's co founder partner Rock Solutions. 234 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 2: Ron Bonjing, welcome back to Bloomberg. It's great to have you, sir, 235 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,840 Speaker 2: just right off the top. What do we think is 236 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:00,719 Speaker 2: happening when we've got this Senate versus House situation, one 237 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:03,040 Speaker 2: big beautiful bill versus this idea of doing it a 238 00:11:03,120 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 2: couple times, and everyone seems to think they have the 239 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: answer to this. Can Mike Johnson even get this out 240 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,679 Speaker 2: of the blocks and say that he's got a Republican 241 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:12,640 Speaker 2: conference behind him. 242 00:11:13,840 --> 00:11:16,960 Speaker 5: Well, it's definitely crunch time, Joe. On Capitol Hill. You've 243 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 5: got the budget resolution that is supposed to come up 244 00:11:19,679 --> 00:11:23,640 Speaker 5: for a vote sometime after six o'clock tomorrow. This leaves 245 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:28,920 Speaker 5: House Republican leadership with absolutely no wiggle room for maneuver. 246 00:11:29,080 --> 00:11:32,640 Speaker 5: That's why I'm skeptical that the vote actually happens tomorrow night. 247 00:11:33,360 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 5: You have a number of Republicans that are very skeptical 248 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:40,960 Speaker 5: or very concerned about the cuts. You know, a number 249 00:11:41,000 --> 00:11:45,319 Speaker 5: of House Republican moderates have already signed a letter indicating 250 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:49,400 Speaker 5: their concern about all sorts of cuts, including Medicaid. One 251 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,359 Speaker 5: of your guests coming up, you know, Melia ta Congresswoman 252 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 5: Melia Takis is alean No. It only takes one member 253 00:11:58,559 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 5: right now of House Republicans to vote no to bring 254 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 5: down the whole thing. So they're usually when you have 255 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 5: a big monstrosity, you know, a huge bill like this, 256 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 5: you're gonna want to take the whole week, maybe Thursday 257 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 5: or Friday for a vote. And that may be very 258 00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,880 Speaker 5: well when happens, and that helps you really, you know, 259 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,679 Speaker 5: fine tune and get these members back on board. 260 00:12:23,840 --> 00:12:26,440 Speaker 2: There's your reality check. Then from Ron Bonjing, a lot 261 00:12:26,440 --> 00:12:28,599 Speaker 2: of people to saying, do not hold your breath or 262 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,040 Speaker 2: stay up all night. So marku is the vote simply 263 00:12:31,080 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 2: isn't going to happen. This House Resolution run includes instructions 264 00:12:34,320 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 2: for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find eight 265 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 2: hundred and eighty billion dollars in cuts, and the idea 266 00:12:41,600 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 2: is he can't do that without raiding Medicaid. Is that 267 00:12:44,640 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 2: a fair synopsis of what's going on. That's why the 268 00:12:48,320 --> 00:12:51,480 Speaker 2: Malia Takises of Washington are concerned about this. 269 00:12:52,320 --> 00:12:55,319 Speaker 5: Yeah, that's right. Look, the Bunisher resolution doesn't say where 270 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 5: the cuts come from. They don't dictate that, but it's 271 00:12:58,679 --> 00:13:00,720 Speaker 5: pretty obvious where they need to come from. You're going 272 00:13:00,800 --> 00:13:04,160 Speaker 5: to go to the social service programs like Medicaid, and 273 00:13:04,200 --> 00:13:09,079 Speaker 5: that carries a huge political risk for Republicans like Malataki's 274 00:13:09,120 --> 00:13:12,600 Speaker 5: for it. Like a moderate from California and David Valdeo 275 00:13:13,559 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 5: and others who have are really in purple districts, and 276 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 5: this could be a vote that if they take and 277 00:13:21,520 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 5: these cuts are in there, this could be a huge, 278 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:28,320 Speaker 5: huge problem for them, you know, with all the advertising 279 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,480 Speaker 5: that's unleashed to motivate voters to go to the polls 280 00:13:31,520 --> 00:13:35,080 Speaker 5: and to vote against them come November this early on too, 281 00:13:35,960 --> 00:13:39,280 Speaker 5: so they're going to have to figure this out. The 282 00:13:39,360 --> 00:13:43,160 Speaker 5: one big beautiful bill has to be made shinier, has 283 00:13:43,200 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 5: to be made with sparkles it or something for these 284 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:48,560 Speaker 5: members of Congress to really think it's beautiful. 285 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 2: Well, so where are you on that whole idea? I 286 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:54,160 Speaker 2: mean you just pointed out this majority of one. It's 287 00:13:54,240 --> 00:13:58,040 Speaker 2: kind of ridiculous. Does that necessitate one big beautiful bill, 288 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:00,800 Speaker 2: as some say, because you're not possible going to pass two, 289 00:14:00,800 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 2: will be lucky to get one. Is what folks in 290 00:14:03,559 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 2: the House would tell you. The Senate would say, look, 291 00:14:05,360 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 2: we need to get a win on the board now, 292 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:08,880 Speaker 2: so do what you can and we'll come back around 293 00:14:08,880 --> 00:14:12,079 Speaker 2: on the tax cuts. Ron Bonjin, it's the existential question 294 00:14:12,160 --> 00:14:13,240 Speaker 2: of the moment in Washington. 295 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 5: Yeah. No, look, I would say this. The fact that 296 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 5: there the Senate's already passed there, so the House is 297 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,720 Speaker 5: working on theirs is positive motion for President Trump. He 298 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,240 Speaker 5: has made this a signature part of his first year. 299 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:28,160 Speaker 5: I mean, he has a whole host of other priorities 300 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 5: of the scene that you've been broadcasting, but the fact 301 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,640 Speaker 5: that he's getting this in motion, getting this put forward, 302 00:14:35,040 --> 00:14:38,280 Speaker 5: something is going to happen here with this bill and 303 00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,080 Speaker 5: the amount of political capital that's putting put into it, 304 00:14:42,640 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 5: I can't see this vote failing, I mean his vote. 305 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:48,400 Speaker 5: If this vote were to fail, then you have to 306 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,120 Speaker 5: look at other alternatives, like the Senate bill. That's not 307 00:14:51,240 --> 00:14:54,000 Speaker 5: something they want to do. By the way, the government 308 00:14:54,080 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 5: needs to also be funded this month, so you're putting 309 00:14:56,520 --> 00:14:59,560 Speaker 5: in all this political capital on the front end, and 310 00:14:59,560 --> 00:15:01,840 Speaker 5: you're going to need some on the back end for 311 00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 5: that funding bill too. It's just a really difficult situation. 312 00:15:06,000 --> 00:15:09,359 Speaker 5: While at the same time, they are putting the momentum 313 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,880 Speaker 5: forward and making members flashing the members out, where are 314 00:15:12,880 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 5: the members standing? Okay, they've got a handful of members 315 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 5: that are really concerned about it. What can they do? 316 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:22,800 Speaker 5: What can the leadership do to modify their concerns? What 317 00:15:22,840 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 5: can they do to make them, you know, vote yes. 318 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 5: If that were to happen, then the bill moves forward, 319 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:31,840 Speaker 5: and you know, the political risks are what they are, 320 00:15:33,000 --> 00:15:34,800 Speaker 5: and then Trump gets what he needs. I don't think 321 00:15:34,800 --> 00:15:37,120 Speaker 5: Trump cares what you know, he may call it the 322 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:40,280 Speaker 5: big Beautiful Bill. I don't think he cares what gets 323 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:43,440 Speaker 5: to his desk, as long as his priorities get there eventually, 324 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:46,280 Speaker 5: in in a timely manner. This is just the resolution. 325 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 5: By the way, this is not even the beginning of reconciliation, 326 00:15:50,800 --> 00:15:52,120 Speaker 5: which is going to take all year. 327 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:56,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, the hard part follows this. Ron Bondrey and I 328 00:15:56,840 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 2: just want to mention that Emmanuel Macron has made his 329 00:15:59,120 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 2: way back to the West Wing, crossing over from Blair House, 330 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:05,040 Speaker 2: and there you see on YouTube a live image of 331 00:16:05,520 --> 00:16:08,960 Speaker 2: President Macron and President Donald Trump as they prepare to 332 00:16:08,960 --> 00:16:12,440 Speaker 2: go inside. They will retire to the Oval office for 333 00:16:12,720 --> 00:16:16,520 Speaker 2: some pretty hard conversations as they make their way into 334 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:18,760 Speaker 2: the mansion. Right now, they will emerge a little bit 335 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:21,000 Speaker 2: later on. We will have a pool spray at the 336 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 2: top of their sit down on the Oval, so we 337 00:16:22,520 --> 00:16:24,400 Speaker 2: might get a couple of words. Once they play that back. 338 00:16:24,480 --> 00:16:26,880 Speaker 2: You see the press pool now running behind them into 339 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,760 Speaker 2: the West Wing and then an actual formal bilateral news 340 00:16:29,760 --> 00:16:32,760 Speaker 2: conference will follow. I want to remind everybody Ron Bonjean 341 00:16:33,440 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 2: was chief of staff to the Senate Republican Conference. In 342 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:38,280 Speaker 2: one life he was also Comms director of the Speaker, 343 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 2: a Republican Speaker of the House, Denny Hastard, and another life. 344 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:43,120 Speaker 2: So listening to you talk about the push and pull 345 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,880 Speaker 2: between these two chambers, Ron is really interesting and kind 346 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:48,040 Speaker 2: of figuring out who's actually going to win here. But 347 00:16:48,080 --> 00:16:50,720 Speaker 2: you just pointed us to something that very few people 348 00:16:50,760 --> 00:16:52,840 Speaker 2: are talking about in Park because I don't know how 349 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,720 Speaker 2: everyone even understands all this stuff taking place at once. 350 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: You've got a budget resolution reconciliation fight in waiting, but yeah, 351 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 2: have to fund the governments and in eighteen days we're 352 00:17:02,480 --> 00:17:04,960 Speaker 2: about to run out of money. We know how the 353 00:17:04,960 --> 00:17:07,800 Speaker 2: Freedom Caucus feels about this. A lot of Republicans who 354 00:17:07,880 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 2: have a real allergy to continuing resolutions, they have an 355 00:17:11,600 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 2: allergy to raising the debt ceiling. And you wonder, to 356 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:16,919 Speaker 2: your point, how much political capital is going to be 357 00:17:16,960 --> 00:17:20,200 Speaker 2: burnt here before we have to take another difficult vote 358 00:17:20,200 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 2: on keeping the government open in March. 359 00:17:22,760 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 5: A tremendous amount is going to be burned over the resolution. However, 360 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 5: they're going to have to dig deep to find to 361 00:17:30,080 --> 00:17:32,640 Speaker 5: find a way on funding the government. And there could 362 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:37,600 Speaker 5: be another extension. There could be an agreement between Republicans 363 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:41,720 Speaker 5: who have serious problems over this or funding to kick 364 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:43,680 Speaker 5: the can down the road once again. You very well 365 00:17:43,720 --> 00:17:47,159 Speaker 5: could because you're not going to have one Democrat on 366 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,439 Speaker 5: the side of Republicans. I just can't see it. With 367 00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:53,440 Speaker 5: the fact that you know, we have a president who 368 00:17:53,440 --> 00:17:55,159 Speaker 5: is on leached d Elon Musk and cutting in the 369 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,600 Speaker 5: federal agencies and really frustrating House Democrats, why would they 370 00:17:59,640 --> 00:18:02,679 Speaker 5: want to be helpful? Why would House and Senate Democrats 371 00:18:02,680 --> 00:18:06,240 Speaker 5: want to be helpful to helping President Trump govern the 372 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 5: way he's the way he's leading. In their view, they 373 00:18:08,640 --> 00:18:12,240 Speaker 5: don't like it. So I can you know, not to 374 00:18:12,280 --> 00:18:15,080 Speaker 5: mention you're you know, within this funding resolution, we're also 375 00:18:15,119 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 5: talking about raising the debt ceiling, which is a tremendous 376 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:24,479 Speaker 5: ask as well. So I think you know, could they 377 00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 5: fund it? 378 00:18:25,040 --> 00:18:25,359 Speaker 2: Yes? 379 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:27,240 Speaker 5: Will they need to have more time? 380 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:31,120 Speaker 2: Probably, So you've got folks like Tim Burchett just say 381 00:18:31,119 --> 00:18:33,719 Speaker 2: they won't even consider raising the debt ceiling or at 382 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 2: least have always voted no. Can I ask you, Ron, 383 00:18:35,880 --> 00:18:39,359 Speaker 2: what's what does a thin majority like this mean for 384 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 2: K Street? Is it better for business the tighter things 385 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:45,840 Speaker 2: get or is it the opposite because some members are 386 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 2: less willing to be influenced by outside forces. 387 00:18:50,000 --> 00:18:53,320 Speaker 5: I think that the more confusing things are, the more 388 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:56,800 Speaker 5: chaotic they are, the better it is for K Street 389 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 5: because they are view look to to help solve these 390 00:19:01,600 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 5: type of problems, to help to help companies and organizations 391 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:12,600 Speaker 5: groups navigate this traverse terrain. It's at with certainty comes 392 00:19:13,680 --> 00:19:17,480 Speaker 5: you know, comes clarity, and without that, you know, without that, 393 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:22,760 Speaker 5: you really need the best minds of KSE straight, you know, 394 00:19:23,359 --> 00:19:26,280 Speaker 5: helping you out, helping you guide yourself, helping guide your 395 00:19:26,320 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 5: organization through this maze. 396 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,560 Speaker 2: Well, that's why we're talking to you right now. And 397 00:19:30,600 --> 00:19:34,119 Speaker 2: if I heard you correctly at the outset run, it'll 398 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 2: likely if this budget resolution passes the House, it'll likely 399 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 2: come at the end of this week. Is that what 400 00:19:38,680 --> 00:19:40,000 Speaker 2: our audience should expect? 401 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:45,880 Speaker 5: I would think conventionally, Yes, conventionally, that's what usually occurs. 402 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:50,640 Speaker 5: Anything can happen in this unpredictable environment. I just don't 403 00:19:50,680 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 5: see how you can convince these members on the floor 404 00:19:56,119 --> 00:19:58,600 Speaker 5: of the House when you put this down that this 405 00:19:58,760 --> 00:20:01,120 Speaker 5: is going to be, that this is going to work 406 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 5: out well, there has to be much more of a 407 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,600 Speaker 5: dialogue in order to bring some of these questionable members 408 00:20:07,600 --> 00:20:10,879 Speaker 5: on board. So could you see it now, yes, but 409 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,400 Speaker 5: I think it's more likely later on this week. 410 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 2: Makes a heck of a lot of sense and always 411 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:18,399 Speaker 2: a pleasure to spend some time with Ron Bongie and 412 00:20:18,440 --> 00:20:22,240 Speaker 2: thank you Ron for the insights. Rock Solutions partner, co founder, 413 00:20:22,840 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 2: republican influencer here in the nation's capital. Macron's in the building. 414 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 2: Will assemble our panel next. Rick Davis Adam Hodge with 415 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 2: us as we prepare for an important day in geopolitics. 416 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:39,880 Speaker 1: On Bloomberg, you're listening to the Bloomberg Balance of Power podcast. 417 00:20:40,119 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: Catch us live weekdays at noon and five pm Eastern. 418 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 4: On Apple, Cockley and Android Auto with the Bloomberg Business App. 419 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:50,200 Speaker 4: Listen on demand wherever you get your podcasts, or watch 420 00:20:50,320 --> 00:20:52,960 Speaker 4: us live on YouTube Totally. 421 00:20:54,400 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 6: Back in Washington this week after the President's Day recess 422 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,119 Speaker 6: is the House of Representatives and they return to work 423 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:02,760 Speaker 6: on Capitol Hill today with a big to do list 424 00:21:02,880 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 6: this week, all supposed to culminate in a vote tomorrow 425 00:21:06,000 --> 00:21:08,880 Speaker 6: evening on the budget resolution that would give the Ways 426 00:21:08,880 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 6: and Means Committee four and a half trillion dollars of 427 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 6: headway to make the Trump tax cuts permanent, but has 428 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:16,920 Speaker 6: to come with a lot of spending cuts to keep 429 00:21:16,920 --> 00:21:19,119 Speaker 6: conservatives in the conference happy. And it seems that there 430 00:21:19,119 --> 00:21:21,679 Speaker 6: are enough members who are unhappy with the way this 431 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 6: is all laid out that it's no guarantee this thing 432 00:21:23,560 --> 00:21:24,600 Speaker 6: can pass on the floor. 433 00:21:24,520 --> 00:21:26,399 Speaker 2: Or at least concerned I guess. Yeah. Look, we're going 434 00:21:26,440 --> 00:21:28,439 Speaker 2: to have a committee a vote of an important one 435 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 2: a little bit later on today, then we talk about 436 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:32,879 Speaker 2: the potential for a floor vote as early as tomorrow. 437 00:21:33,000 --> 00:21:36,719 Speaker 2: Ron Bonjin, the Republican strategist on K Street, told us earlier, 438 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,199 Speaker 2: don't hold your breath. If this happens, it'll likely be 439 00:21:39,240 --> 00:21:41,520 Speaker 2: toward the end of the week for the very difficult 440 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:43,880 Speaker 2: math that you're referring to here, Kley, And it's where 441 00:21:43,920 --> 00:21:47,480 Speaker 2: we start our conversation with Congresswoman Nicole Malia Takis, the 442 00:21:47,520 --> 00:21:50,240 Speaker 2: Republican from New York, is with us live from Capitol 443 00:21:50,320 --> 00:21:53,280 Speaker 2: Hill right now with this looming vote, congress Woman, welcome 444 00:21:53,320 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 2: back to Bloomberg TV and Radio. It's great to have 445 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,439 Speaker 2: you reports say that you are a lean no on 446 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:03,400 Speaker 2: this over concerns about potential Medicaid cuts. Is that accurate 447 00:22:03,480 --> 00:22:05,359 Speaker 2: and what would need to happen to make you a yes? 448 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 7: Well, I would say right now I've moved a little 449 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:13,399 Speaker 7: bit toward yes. I'm still between undecided and LEO and 450 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 7: the reasons why or because I still need to get 451 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:20,480 Speaker 7: a better understanding and some assurances that we're not going 452 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:24,439 Speaker 7: to have impacts on Medicaid recipients in my district and 453 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,960 Speaker 7: the hospitals that I represent that are already struggling safety 454 00:22:28,040 --> 00:22:31,240 Speaker 7: net hospitals and any cuts that could affect them. The 455 00:22:31,280 --> 00:22:34,439 Speaker 7: reality is, if you want to achieve what they've put forward, 456 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:38,320 Speaker 7: they've only given us four and a half trillion dollars 457 00:22:38,359 --> 00:22:41,840 Speaker 7: for tax cuts, and that has to include an extension 458 00:22:42,000 --> 00:22:44,720 Speaker 7: of all the existing provisions that are in the Tax 459 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:47,760 Speaker 7: Cut Jobs Act, Right, So your child healthcare, a child 460 00:22:48,080 --> 00:22:51,240 Speaker 7: tax credit, your standard deduction that was doubled, the lower 461 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 7: personal income, as well as the corporate tax rate, the 462 00:22:54,520 --> 00:22:57,880 Speaker 7: bonus deduction R and D. All of that is going 463 00:22:57,920 --> 00:22:59,600 Speaker 7: into that four and a half trillion, So it doesn't 464 00:22:59,680 --> 00:23:03,080 Speaker 7: leave a lot of room to add the president's additional 465 00:23:03,119 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 7: tax priorities, which happen to also be priorities of mind, 466 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:10,920 Speaker 7: restoring the salt deduction to an extent, lowering taxes for seniors, 467 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,919 Speaker 7: no tax on tips. So what happens then we'd have 468 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:19,399 Speaker 7: to find additional savings. They're already proposing about one and 469 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,240 Speaker 7: a half trillion dollars in savings, and they want to 470 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:28,320 Speaker 7: do another half a trillion to increase those tax cuts anymore. 471 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,600 Speaker 7: So that begs the question where will those savings and 472 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:33,959 Speaker 7: cuts come from? And I have a big problem if 473 00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,840 Speaker 7: it's going to be in the medicaid space. We've already 474 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 7: said no Social Security cuts, no Medicare cuts. But with 475 00:23:40,880 --> 00:23:44,760 Speaker 7: the Medicaid, if we focus on true waste, fraud, and 476 00:23:44,840 --> 00:23:47,480 Speaker 7: abuse and mismanagement of the program, that's one thing. If 477 00:23:47,520 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 7: we want to ensure that only US citizens receive Medicaid, 478 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:53,520 Speaker 7: that's another thing. I can support those making sure able 479 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:57,360 Speaker 7: bodied Americans eighteen to sixty four without dependents are working 480 00:23:57,520 --> 00:24:00,520 Speaker 7: to receive their benefits. I can also support that. But 481 00:24:00,760 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 7: those are the questions I have at this moment, and 482 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 7: they have not been addressed, and so until they're addressed, 483 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:06,720 Speaker 7: I'm aleno. 484 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,480 Speaker 6: Okay, Well, we are understanding, at least Congressoman, is that 485 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:15,880 Speaker 6: leadership has a limited amount of time to address those concerns. 486 00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:18,560 Speaker 6: If they do want this on the floor tomorrow night, 487 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,000 Speaker 6: what odds do you put on this getting delayed as 488 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,240 Speaker 6: they try to work to address your concerns and that 489 00:24:23,280 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 6: of other colleagues you might have them. 490 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:27,480 Speaker 7: Well, well, those of us who have the concerns on 491 00:24:27,600 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 7: where this eight hundred and eighty billion within the energy 492 00:24:30,880 --> 00:24:35,399 Speaker 7: and commerce space, which includes medicaid, just have a simple question, 493 00:24:35,880 --> 00:24:38,640 Speaker 7: where is it eight hundred and eighty billion dollars going 494 00:24:38,680 --> 00:24:41,600 Speaker 7: to come from? Are we going to be repealing additional 495 00:24:41,720 --> 00:24:45,919 Speaker 7: IRA energy tax credits, Are we going to be ending 496 00:24:46,160 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 7: electric vehicle get mandates? Are we going to be like 497 00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:52,160 Speaker 7: where is it coming from? That's those you know, that's 498 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,600 Speaker 7: our question, and we need an answer to that before 499 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:57,480 Speaker 7: the vote. I know that the President has made very 500 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 7: clear he also does not want to see cuts to 501 00:25:00,720 --> 00:25:04,080 Speaker 7: beneficiaries on Medicaid. That's great. I'm glad to hear that 502 00:25:04,440 --> 00:25:06,600 Speaker 7: from the President of the United States. I've heard it 503 00:25:06,600 --> 00:25:08,639 Speaker 7: also from the Speaker. I had a good conversation with 504 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 7: him last night, and he also has a very large 505 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:17,919 Speaker 7: Medicaid population in his district, so he also shares these concerns. 506 00:25:18,040 --> 00:25:20,320 Speaker 7: So the question begs, then how are we going to 507 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:22,399 Speaker 7: get to that eight hundred and eighty billion by not 508 00:25:22,520 --> 00:25:24,920 Speaker 7: touching it. I'm glad that everyone agrees that you don't 509 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:27,359 Speaker 7: want to affect the beneficiaries. I have people who are 510 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:31,879 Speaker 7: senior citizens who are developmentally disabled or have other disabilities 511 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:34,800 Speaker 7: in my district and they rely on this Medicaid healthcare 512 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:37,959 Speaker 7: and I don't want to see them be impacted by it. 513 00:25:38,040 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 7: So we just need to see that. Look, look, I 514 00:25:39,760 --> 00:25:41,479 Speaker 7: come from New York, and we also know that New 515 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,480 Speaker 7: York State mismanages a lot. Let's be honest, and there's 516 00:25:44,520 --> 00:25:47,600 Speaker 7: a lot there that could be that is abused by 517 00:25:47,640 --> 00:25:50,040 Speaker 7: the State of New York, certain loopholes that they're taking 518 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:53,480 Speaker 7: advantage of to take more Medicaid money. And the expansion 519 00:25:53,560 --> 00:25:58,080 Speaker 7: of Medicaid after COVID actually led to the federal government 520 00:25:58,119 --> 00:26:00,720 Speaker 7: picking up ninety percent of the share and the state 521 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:03,440 Speaker 7: only kicking in ten percent. Maybe the state needs to 522 00:26:03,520 --> 00:26:06,000 Speaker 7: kick in a little more and that would help us 523 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:09,600 Speaker 7: reduce the debt that we have here on the federal level. 524 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,119 Speaker 7: Those are all conversations I'm open to having. I just 525 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 7: want to make sure that my beneficiaries are not impacted 526 00:26:14,600 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 7: in the process. 527 00:26:16,440 --> 00:26:18,560 Speaker 2: Well, and of course that that is your job to 528 00:26:18,560 --> 00:26:21,639 Speaker 2: ask those questions, congresswomen, and you're not the only member 529 00:26:21,760 --> 00:26:25,119 Speaker 2: asking them. This idea of a vote tomorrow seems to 530 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:27,560 Speaker 2: be like a bit of a reach. What's the real 531 00:26:27,640 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 2: timeline as you consider the days ahead? Maybe by the 532 00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:33,520 Speaker 2: end of this week, when do you think Speaker Johnson 533 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,719 Speaker 2: and to Emmer will know that they have the numbers 534 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:36,399 Speaker 2: to move forward. 535 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:39,920 Speaker 7: Well, we'll be a group of us that are particularly 536 00:26:40,000 --> 00:26:42,480 Speaker 7: concerned about the medicaid issue. We're going to be meeting 537 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,320 Speaker 7: with the Speaker in a little while this afternoon, and 538 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:48,280 Speaker 7: so hopefully we can get some additional clarity and assurances 539 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 7: and we'll see. We'll see what happens in that conversation 540 00:26:51,280 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 7: and what kind of insurance assurances that we receive. But yeah, 541 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:56,040 Speaker 7: I mean, look, if they don't have the votes, it 542 00:26:56,080 --> 00:27:00,480 Speaker 7: would make more sense to either amend the resolution or 543 00:27:00,760 --> 00:27:04,600 Speaker 7: to wait until we have more conversations with the White 544 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:06,960 Speaker 7: House and our colleagues. Now, the other thing is people 545 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:09,760 Speaker 7: need to recognize this is a budget resolution that the 546 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:13,360 Speaker 7: Senate already passed a different version that includes no money no, 547 00:27:13,359 --> 00:27:16,359 Speaker 7: no money for tax cuts. So we have two different 548 00:27:16,400 --> 00:27:18,280 Speaker 7: versions here, so eventually we're going to have to get 549 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:21,679 Speaker 7: to one version that passes both houses. So really, in 550 00:27:21,680 --> 00:27:24,840 Speaker 7: a way, we're taking this vote and even if it passes, 551 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 7: it most likely is not the final version because I 552 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:29,240 Speaker 7: don't see the Senate taking that up, which means we'd 553 00:27:29,280 --> 00:27:32,439 Speaker 7: have to come together and hash out something that's in 554 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,920 Speaker 7: the middle, hopefully one that will address all the President's 555 00:27:36,600 --> 00:27:40,200 Speaker 7: priorities of the of the savings, rooting out the fraud 556 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 7: wasting abuse, as well as the money for the tax 557 00:27:42,320 --> 00:27:45,640 Speaker 7: cuts to implement the additional tax provisions for the middle class. 558 00:27:46,119 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 7: And then we have to go forward as a team 559 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,080 Speaker 7: on both sides in the House and the Senate and 560 00:27:51,200 --> 00:27:54,720 Speaker 7: pass that before we can actually unlock the legislative process 561 00:27:55,000 --> 00:27:58,120 Speaker 7: of getting into the details and which which provisions will 562 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,240 Speaker 7: be included in the overall conciliation package. So there's still 563 00:28:02,280 --> 00:28:04,879 Speaker 7: a long way to go in this process. I know 564 00:28:04,920 --> 00:28:08,520 Speaker 7: that this vote is important tomorrow, but you know, if 565 00:28:08,520 --> 00:28:11,080 Speaker 7: it does not pass, there's still an opportunity for the 566 00:28:11,080 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 7: House and the Senate to get together based on these 567 00:28:13,280 --> 00:28:17,119 Speaker 7: two frameworks and pass that one package. It's going to 568 00:28:17,119 --> 00:28:19,840 Speaker 7: be done regardless of whether we passed this tomorrow or not. 569 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:23,840 Speaker 6: Well, and of course the timeline you're working with here 570 00:28:24,040 --> 00:28:27,400 Speaker 6: does have the ability, at least the flexibility to be extended, 571 00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:30,640 Speaker 6: as it's really the tax cuts that are expiring at 572 00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:32,919 Speaker 6: the end of the year, and that seems to be 573 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:35,000 Speaker 6: the deadline. I'd like to ask you, though, Congressoman, about 574 00:28:35,000 --> 00:28:37,720 Speaker 6: a deadline that is much closer. Mid March. We're just 575 00:28:37,760 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 6: eighteen days away from government funding running out, and it's 576 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:43,000 Speaker 6: still unclear to us here at Bloomberg, and I wonder 577 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:44,880 Speaker 6: if you can provide some clarities to whether or not 578 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,360 Speaker 6: forward progress is being made on talks with Democrats to 579 00:28:48,440 --> 00:28:51,480 Speaker 6: avert a shutdown. Are we going to see the lights 580 00:28:51,520 --> 00:28:53,880 Speaker 6: turn off? Or will there be a continuing resolution or 581 00:28:53,920 --> 00:28:56,840 Speaker 6: actually appropriations bills getting across the floor. 582 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:00,920 Speaker 7: Well, I'm hoping we will once ay again at a 583 00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,600 Speaker 7: government shutdown. This is I mean, I've only been here 584 00:29:03,680 --> 00:29:06,320 Speaker 7: for two terms and I've already been through this about 585 00:29:06,360 --> 00:29:09,240 Speaker 7: five times, but thankfully each and every time we did 586 00:29:09,240 --> 00:29:13,680 Speaker 7: avert the shutdown. But this does require cooperation and bipartisanship, 587 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:17,320 Speaker 7: and I'll explain why. Under unlike the budget resolution, where 588 00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:19,640 Speaker 7: you can do this with just a simple majority, which 589 00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:24,720 Speaker 7: the Republicans have. The funding mechanism has to be done 590 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:27,160 Speaker 7: with sixty votes in the Senate, which means you need 591 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:30,560 Speaker 7: seven Democrats to come along in the Senate. You can't 592 00:29:30,600 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 7: achieve that if you're just going to have a Republican 593 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:36,160 Speaker 7: only a piece of legislation that moves forward. So regardless 594 00:29:36,160 --> 00:29:38,880 Speaker 7: of having the trifecta, we need to engage the Democrats 595 00:29:38,880 --> 00:29:41,720 Speaker 7: in this process. Now, once you negotiate with the Democrats, 596 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:45,320 Speaker 7: what happens you lose a few dozen in the House 597 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 7: because the Freedom Caucus guys don't believe we should negotiate. 598 00:29:48,480 --> 00:29:50,160 Speaker 7: They don't you want to negotiate with us and the 599 00:29:50,160 --> 00:29:53,360 Speaker 7: other Republicans in the conference forget about the Democrats on 600 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 7: the other side of the aisle. So this does present 601 00:29:55,840 --> 00:29:58,640 Speaker 7: a little bit more of a complication this year. So 602 00:29:58,680 --> 00:30:02,080 Speaker 7: we do need, you know, the moderates in particular on 603 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,880 Speaker 7: the Democrat side, to recognize that we need to avert 604 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 7: a shutdown. Hopefully they will come and join us to 605 00:30:09,080 --> 00:30:11,320 Speaker 7: vote to avert a shutdown. And you know, that's the 606 00:30:11,320 --> 00:30:13,360 Speaker 7: reason why I'm a member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, 607 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 7: because I think it is important for Republicans and Democrats 608 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,840 Speaker 7: to get together and have these conversations, and this is 609 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:21,840 Speaker 7: an opportunity where they can actually help. They were not 610 00:30:21,960 --> 00:30:25,120 Speaker 7: there for us when the far right tried did kick 611 00:30:25,160 --> 00:30:27,600 Speaker 7: out our Speaker Kevin McCarthy. They went along with the 612 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:29,600 Speaker 7: far right to do that. This is another opportunity for 613 00:30:29,640 --> 00:30:32,360 Speaker 7: the Problem Solvers Caucus to show that they truly want 614 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 7: to work together and avert a government shutdown. And I 615 00:30:35,200 --> 00:30:37,920 Speaker 7: hope that's exactly what happens. But I'm going into this knowing. 616 00:30:38,440 --> 00:30:40,440 Speaker 7: You know, in government you're not gonna get everything you want, 617 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,640 Speaker 7: just like in business, just like in relationships, just like 618 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,160 Speaker 7: in life. But certain unfortunately there are some members that 619 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,800 Speaker 7: want all or nothing. And that's just the way, not 620 00:30:47,840 --> 00:30:48,240 Speaker 7: the way it. 621 00:30:48,200 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 6: Is here, not the way the cookie crumbles. All right, Congressoman, 622 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:54,360 Speaker 6: thank you so much, joining us live from Capitol Hill. 623 00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:57,600 Speaker 6: That's Republican Congressoman Nicole Mally Taucus of New York. And 624 00:30:57,640 --> 00:30:59,760 Speaker 6: as she told us, she and others of her colleagues 625 00:30:59,760 --> 00:31:02,160 Speaker 6: who are concerned about potential cuts to medicaid. We'll be 626 00:31:02,200 --> 00:31:04,840 Speaker 6: meeting with the House Speaker later on today. And we 627 00:31:04,880 --> 00:31:09,400 Speaker 6: actually heard from Speaker Johnson earlier speaking about this process. 628 00:31:09,600 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 6: This is what he said. 629 00:31:11,040 --> 00:31:13,880 Speaker 8: If we get the budget resolution passed this week, which 630 00:31:13,920 --> 00:31:17,240 Speaker 8: is the plan, then it's possible that Elistophonic would go 631 00:31:17,320 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 8: ahead and move on to her assignment at the UN 632 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 8: as the ambassador there once she gets through the confirmation 633 00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 8: process and a Senate, which I think would go quickly, 634 00:31:24,520 --> 00:31:26,840 Speaker 8: and then that would start the clock. And so let's 635 00:31:26,880 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 8: hope that we can get it filled in time and 636 00:31:29,080 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 8: hope that the law is respected by Democrats in New York. 637 00:31:33,640 --> 00:31:35,640 Speaker 6: So referring to a few things here, won the potential 638 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,000 Speaker 6: passage over this budget resolution in the House, which he 639 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,520 Speaker 6: said could mean that another congresswoman from New York, Alista Phonic, 640 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:45,560 Speaker 6: who has been tapped to be the ambassador to the UN, 641 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:48,680 Speaker 6: would actually leave the chamber. She's trying to juice the 642 00:31:48,840 --> 00:31:51,280 Speaker 6: majority as much as possible given how thin it is. 643 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 6: So on that note, we turn to our political panel today. 644 00:31:53,920 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 6: Rick Davis is with US Republican Strategist and Stone Court 645 00:31:56,400 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 6: Capital Partner, also Bloomberg Politics contributor, together with Adam Hodge 646 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,720 Speaker 6: for spokesperson for the National Security Council at the White House. 647 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 6: Now with Bully Pulpit International and Democratic Strategist. Welcome to you, 648 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 6: both Rick. Obviously, we just heard from Congressman Maliya Takis 649 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 6: that she has not yet sold on this budget resolution. 650 00:32:13,320 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 6: If you had to put odds down, is this thing 651 00:32:15,200 --> 00:32:16,360 Speaker 6: going to get a vote tomorrow night? 652 00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:17,800 Speaker 2: Yeah? 653 00:32:17,840 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 9: I just don't know how if you're concerned about the 654 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 9: medicaid portions of this reconciliation bill, how you can actually 655 00:32:25,480 --> 00:32:28,640 Speaker 9: go forward. Because eighty eight billion dollars a year, eight 656 00:32:28,760 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 9: hundred and eighty billion in ten years the term of 657 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:35,080 Speaker 9: the reconciliation package, and that's off the four point five 658 00:32:35,840 --> 00:32:40,680 Speaker 9: billion in tax cuts. The Freedom Caucus once an additional 659 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,800 Speaker 9: five hundred million in or billion in tax cuts, which 660 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:49,240 Speaker 9: means they got to get five hundred million additional cuts, which, 661 00:32:49,280 --> 00:32:52,640 Speaker 9: by the way, brings the medicaid portion already in a 662 00:32:52,800 --> 00:32:56,080 Speaker 9: formula from the Energy and Commerce Committee to one point 663 00:32:56,120 --> 00:32:59,400 Speaker 9: one seven trillion. Now you go back and campaign for 664 00:32:59,480 --> 00:33:04,400 Speaker 9: reelection on having just cut one point one seven trillion 665 00:33:04,520 --> 00:33:08,520 Speaker 9: dollars from the Medicaid bill. I'm sorry, but there is 666 00:33:08,560 --> 00:33:11,240 Speaker 9: a lot of waste frauden abuse, and she's absolutely right 667 00:33:11,280 --> 00:33:15,560 Speaker 9: about New York and it's inefficiency, But that one point 668 00:33:15,560 --> 00:33:18,400 Speaker 9: one seven trillion is a lot more than waste fraud 669 00:33:18,520 --> 00:33:22,360 Speaker 9: abuse and politically untenable to anybody running for reelection. 670 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:25,720 Speaker 2: Adam, your thoughts on this? And I just want to 671 00:33:25,720 --> 00:33:28,000 Speaker 2: mention quickly that we are waiting for video from the 672 00:33:28,040 --> 00:33:30,720 Speaker 2: Oval Office that is just about to start rolling here 673 00:33:30,760 --> 00:33:34,800 Speaker 2: of President Trump's meeting with Emmanuel Macrone. First of all, 674 00:33:34,840 --> 00:33:38,320 Speaker 2: will there be a vote tomorrow on this on the 675 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:41,320 Speaker 2: floor of any sort, Adam? And when you listen to 676 00:33:41,360 --> 00:33:43,760 Speaker 2: someone like Nicole Malia Takas, do you think it can pass? 677 00:33:45,040 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 10: But I think if you look at Speaker Johnson's past history, 678 00:33:48,760 --> 00:33:51,360 Speaker 10: things get kicked down the road a little bit, so 679 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:53,640 Speaker 10: it wouldn't be surprise me if this slips just a 680 00:33:53,640 --> 00:33:58,120 Speaker 10: little bit. What you're hearing from the congressman there is 681 00:33:58,160 --> 00:34:01,240 Speaker 10: what and Rick also said perfectly. I mean the math 682 00:34:01,280 --> 00:34:04,280 Speaker 10: has no opinion here. It is really hard to imagine 683 00:34:04,280 --> 00:34:07,680 Speaker 10: them getting the huge cuts to Medicaid without a bunch 684 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:11,120 Speaker 10: of members or Congress jumping off the ship. And it 685 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:15,799 Speaker 10: reminds me of in tw twenty ten when Democrats tried 686 00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:18,680 Speaker 10: to pass the big cap and Trade bill, and there 687 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,600 Speaker 10: was a House members and took a bunch of big votes, 688 00:34:21,840 --> 00:34:25,280 Speaker 10: including one on Captain trade that they ended up paying 689 00:34:25,320 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 10: for dearly in the midterms, and many members of Congress 690 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:32,360 Speaker 10: said that vote not Obamacare was the thing that cost 691 00:34:32,480 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 10: me my seat in the House and cost the Democrats 692 00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 10: their majority. So you're asking a lot of members to 693 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,080 Speaker 10: walk the plank and vote for something that, as the 694 00:34:40,120 --> 00:34:43,520 Speaker 10: congress woman said, may not even be the bill that 695 00:34:43,560 --> 00:34:46,160 Speaker 10: they vote for in the end. That is a really 696 00:34:46,280 --> 00:34:49,239 Speaker 10: really hard pill for them to swallow, and I think 697 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:51,600 Speaker 10: that's why you're going to see them really struggle to 698 00:34:51,600 --> 00:34:53,240 Speaker 10: get the votes to pass this this week. 699 00:34:55,719 --> 00:35:01,239 Speaker 2: Adam, thank you so much, and Rick Davis our panel today. 700 00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,799 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to the Balance of Power podcast. Make 701 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:09,759 Speaker 2: sure to subscribe if you haven't already, at Apple, Spotify, 702 00:35:09,840 --> 00:35:12,439 Speaker 2: or wherever you get your podcasts, and you can find 703 00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:16,200 Speaker 2: us live every weekday from Washington, DC at Noontimeeastern at 704 00:35:16,200 --> 00:35:18,080 Speaker 2: Bloomberg dot com.