Act now.
>>
THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SAID REPEATE
THAT THIS IS A VERY POPULAR LAW.
IF THAT’S THE CASE, WHY IS IT
IMPORTANT TO GET OUT AND SELL
IT?
>> IT’S NOT SELLING IT.
IT’S LITERALLY LETTING PEOPLE
KNOW THEIR RIGHTS, RIGHT?
IT’S KIND OF LIKE YOU BUY A
PRODUCT.
YOU’VE ALREADY BEEN SOLD ON THE
PRODUCT, BUT YOU NEED SOME
DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX.
STUART: THERE YOU GO.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS PROMOTING
THE $1.9 TRILLION STIMULUS BILL.
SENATOR BILL HAGERTY,
REPUBLICAN, TENNESSEE, JOINS US
NOW.
SIR, THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN TENNESSEE, MILLIONS WHO ARE
GOING TO GET A CHECK FROM THE
GOVERNMENT AS PART OF THE
PACKAGE RELIEF HERE.
IT’S VERY POPULAR.
WHY DID YOU OPPOSE IT?
>> WELL, THE REASON I OPPOSED
IT, STUART, IS THERE’S SO MANY
OTHER THINGS IN THIS BILL THAT
HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE
PANDEMIC AND HAD EVERYTHING TO
DO WITH THE DEMOCRATS’ SOCIALIST
WISH LIST.
THEY’RE BAILING OUT BLUE STATES.
I DON’T THINK TENNESSEANS SHOULD
BE PAYING FOR THE POOR
MISMANAGEMENT OF THESE LARGE
CITIES AND STATES.
THAT’S WHAT REALLY IS AT THE
HEART OF THIS BILL.
AND THE REASON THAT THEY’RE OUT
SELLING IT, SORT OF LIKE NANCY
PELOSI SAYING YOU’VE GOT TO PASS
THE BILL BEFORE YOU FIND OUT
WHAT’S IN IT.
PEOPLE DIDN’T KNOW WHAT’S IN IT,
AND I THINK IF THEY DID, THEY’D
BE APPALLED.
VICE PRESIDENT HARRIS OUGHT TO
BE STANDING IN FRONT OF A
PENITENTIARY BECAUSE INMATES ARE
GOING TO GET THESE CHECKS.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ARE GOING TO
BE ENTITLED TO THESE CHECKS.
I THINK IT’S SENDING ALL THE
WRONG MESSAGES AND INCENTIVES.
STUART: I MEAN, IT’S PASSED, AND
THE CHECKS ARE ALREADY GOING
OUT.
ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO 2022
THE?
BECAUSE THE BILL IS POPULAR NOW.
ARE YOU SUGGESTING IT WON’T BE
POPULAR IN 2022 FOR THE
ELECTIONS?
>> WELL, STUART, I THINK WHAT’S
GOING TO HAPPEN IS THE IMPACT OF
POURING ALL THIS ECONOMICS INTO
THE ECONOMY, THE NEGATIVE
IMPLICATIONS OF THIS WILL BE
FELT.
IT’S PUTTING MORE DEBT ON THE
BACKS OF OUR CHILDREN, AND
THAT’S REALLY SOMETHING THAT I
THINK MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE
TROUBLED BY.
STUART: OKAY.
YOU ARE ON THE SENATE FOREIGN
RELATIONS COMMITTEE.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE
OLYMPICS IN 2022 SCHEDULED TO BE
HELD IN CHINA.
SHOULD WE BOYCOTT THOSE
OLYMPICS?
>> WELL, CHINA CERTAINLY
WOULDN’T BE MY CHOICE FOR THE
OLYMPIC.
THE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS
THERE, THE GENOCIDE THAT’S
TAKING PLACE IS VERY DISTURBING.
I THINK WE SHOULD USE EVERY BIT
OF PRESSURE AND EVERY LEVER THAT
WE CAN TO GET THE CHINESE TO
CHANGE THEIR BEHAVIOR.
THE CHINESE COMMUNIST PARTY ARE
OPPRESSING THEIR OWN PEOPLE IN
INCREDIBLY NEGATIVE WAYS.
WE SHOULD USE THE OLYMPICS AND
EVERY OTHER LEVER WE HAVE.
I TELL YOU WHAT I AM FOR, AND
THAT’S FOR THE OLYMPICS TO TAKE
PLACE THIS SUMMER IN JAPAN.
THAT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY,
SOMETHING I WANT TO SEE HAPPEN.
AND AS JAPAN RECOVERS FROM THE
PANDEMIC, I REALLY HOPE OUR
ATHLETES WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COMPETE IN JAPAN
THIS SUMMER.
STUART: SENATOR, I’M JUST
GETTING WORD OF THIS.
YOU’VE WRITTEN A LETTER TO THE
PRESIDENT WARNING ABOUT, QUOTE,
INCREASING AGGRESSION FROM IRAN.
WHAT WORRIES YOU MOST?
>> WELL, THE BIGGEST CONCERN I
HAVE ABOUT IRAN IS THAT WE’RE
GOING TO SEE THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION TAKE STEPS TO
APPEASE THEM THAT’S ONLY GOING
TO ACCELERATE THEIR MALIGN
BEHAVIOR IN THE ENTIRE MIDDLE
EAST REGION.
THE ADMINISTRATION IS VERY EAGER
TO PARTNER UP WITH EUROPE TO
BRING IRAN TO THE TABLE, BUT
IRAN WANTS TO ATTACK AMERICANS
AND OUR ALLIES IN THE MIDDLE
EAST, AND I THINK WE OUGHT TO
TAKE THAT INTO ACCOUNT.
WE NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OUR
ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST
INCLUDING ISRAEL, SAUDI ARABIA
AND THEIR CONCERNS BEFORE WE
LEAP TO THE SIDE OF EUROPE AND
DO THINGS JUST THAT THEY WANT
JUST BECAUSE THEY WANT TO BE
BACK IN BUSINESS WITH IRAN.
STUART: THE PRESIDENT IS
SUGGESTING CHANGES IN THE
FILIBUSTER RULE WHICH MEAN
YOU’VE GOT TO TALK, TALK, TALK.
ARE YOU PREPARED TO STAND UP ON
THE FLOOR OF THE UNITED STATES
AND TALK AGAINST ENDLESSLY
TALKING, AGAINST THE
INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE WITH TAX
INCREASES?
>> LISTEN, WE’VE GOT A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF ECONOMIC
STIMULUS THAT WE’VE ALREADY
POURED INTO THIS ECONOMY.
MOST OF IT UNTARGETTED AND
UNDIRECTED.
WITH RESPECT TO THE
INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE, I THINK
WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO SEE WHAT
IS MOVING DOWN THE PIKE IN OUR
DIRECTION, BUT WE’VE GOT TO TAKE
INTO ACCOUNT OUR ECONOMY AND
PROGRESS, AND I THINK WE’RE
VERY, VERY CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT
MAY BE INCLUDED IN THIS BILL.
SO, INDEED, I’M PREPARED TO DO
WHATEVER IT TAKES TO STAND UP
AND FIGHT AGAINST WASTEFUL
SPENDING IN ANY TERM.
STUART: SENATOR, FIRST HOUR ON