COMMUNITIES AND THE SPIKE IN
CRIME IN MANY PLACES ACROSS
COUNTRY.
>> KELLY ODONNELL, THANK YOU SO
MUCH.
JOINING US FOR REACTION TO THE
WHITE HOUSE AND VERMONT
INDEPENDENT SENATOR AND BUDGET
COMMITTEE CHAIRMAN BERNIE
SANDERS.
ITS GREAT TO SEE YOU.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR BEING
WITH US.
>> I WANT TO START WITH
INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT ALSO SHOULD BE ACCOMPANIED BY
A LARGER, MORE PROGRESSIVE, AND
A MUCH MORE EXPENSIVE BILL.
DO YOU THINK THE MORE MODERATE
MEMBERS IN THAT CAUCUS WILL GO
FOR THAT TWO-STEP APPROACH?
>> I DO, ANDREA.
EVERY AMERICAN OF THE CAUCUS AND
TODAY WE ARE LIVING IN A SOCIETY
WITH A VERY, VERY RICH,
PHENOMENALLY RICHER, JEFF BEZOS
IS WORTH $200 BILLION.
ONE PERSON.
MEANWHILE, THE WORKING CLASS OF
THIS COUNTRY IS STRUGGLING.
YOUVE GOT 600,000 PEOPLE WHO
ARE HOMELESS.
YOU HAVE PARENTS WHO CANNOT
AFFORD CHILD CARE AND ON TOP OF
ALL OF THAT, WE HAVE TO DEAL
WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS WHICH I
THINK EVERY SCIENTIST IS TELLING
US IS GOING TO BE DEVASTATING
FOR THIS COUNTRY AND THE ENTIRE
MANET.
WE HAVE TO INVEST IN
TRANSFORMING OUR ENERGY SYSTEM
AWAY FROM FOSSIL FUEL TO
SUSTAINABLE INJURE AND INJURE
EFFICIENCY.
SO WE HAVE AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF
WORK TO BE DONE AND AT A TIME
WHEN THE VERY RICH AND LARGE
CORPORATIONS ARE OFTEN NOT
PAYING ANYTHING OR VERY LITTLE
IN TAXES, THEYLL HAVE TO PAY
THEIR FAIR SHARE SO THAT WE CAN
PROTECT WORKING FAMILIES IN THIS
COUNTRY AND DEAL WITH CLIMATE
CHANGE.
>> CAN WE DO IT WITHOUT A GAS
TAX?
A FOSSIL FUEL TAX THAT IT HAS
RULED OUT.
>> OF COURSE, WE CAN.
>> HOW DO WE DO IT?
IS IT JUST THROUGH THE CHANGES
IN THE TAX LAW AND HOW DO YOU
MAKE CHANGES IN THE TAX LAW AND
BRING MODERATES ALONG.
>> IF THERES ANYBODY IN AMERICA
THAT THINKS IT IS A GOOD IDEA
THAT MULTIBILLIONAIRES DO NOT
PAY A NICKEL IN FEDERAL INCOME
TAX ID LOVE TO HEAR FROM THEM.
IS IT OKAY THAT LARGE,
PROFITABLE CORPORATIONS MAKING
BILLIONS A YEAR IN PROFIT DONT
PAY ANYTHING IN TAXES.
WHAT WE NEED IS A PROGRESSIVE
TAX SYSTEM THAT SAYS TO THE
WEALTHY AND LARGE CORPORATIONS
PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE.
WELL INVEST IN ROADS AND
BRIDGES AND INVEST IN THE SYSTEM
AND WELL INVEST IN EXPANDING
MEDICARE.
RIGHT NOW, UNBELIEVABLY, YOU
HAVE MEDICARE NOT COVERING
DENTAL CARE, VISION OR HEARING
AIDS AND WE HAVE TO DO THAT, AS
WELL.
ALL THAT IM SAYING AND I THINK
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AGREE, AFTER
YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS ABOUT
WORRYING ABOUT BILLIONAIRES AND
THE RICH NOW THERES A BUDGET
THAT SPEAKS TO THE NEEDS OF
FAMILIES THAT WE FACE.
THATS WHAT ILL DO.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
VOTING RIGHTS, ABRAMS OPENED
VOTER I.D. AND URGING VOTERS.
IS IT TIME TO DO SOMETHING
SMALLER ASK IS THERE ANY
SMALLER AND IS THERE ANY WAY TO
GET PAST THE OBJECTION AFTER
MITCH McCONNELL?
>> CHUCK SCHUMER MADE A POINT IN
YESTERDAYS REMARKS.
IT IS DISGRACEFUL AND I DONT
MEAN TO BE OVERLY PARTISAN AND
IT IS DISGRACEFUL THAT WE DID
NOT HAVE ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE IN
HELPING US DEAL WITH THE REAL
THEY IN STATES ALL OVER THIS
COUNTRY THERE IS A CONCERTED
EFFORT TO DENY
AFRICAN-AMERICANS, LOW-INCOME
PEOPLE, YOUNG PEOPLE THE RIGHT
TO VOTE.
ITS GOING ON ALL OVER THIS
COUNTRY.
THAT IS NOT WHAT AMERICA IS
SUPPOSED TO BE ABOUT.
WE CAN DISAGREE ON EDUCATION, ON
HEALTH CARE ON ANY OTHER DAMN
THING YOU WANT TO DISAGREE WITH,
BUT YOU CANNOT DISAGREE ABOUT
WHETHER OR NOT ALL AMERICANS
HAVE THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND THAT
RIGHT IS BEING TAKEN AWAY FROM
THEM.
THATS WHAT WERE TRYING TO DEAL
WITH RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE ONE REPUBLICAN VOTE.
SO TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION, IN
MY VIEW, SHOULD WE END THE
FILIBUSTER ON THIS ISSUE?
ABSOLUTELY.
THIS IS AN ENORMOUSLY IMPORTANT
ISSUE.
DEMOCRACY IS THE SAME.
REMEMBER, WERE DEALING WITH A
PARTY WHERE MANY OF THE LEADERS
STILL ARE CLAIMING IN THE MOST
FRAUDULENT MANNER THAT DONALD
TRUMP WON THE ELECTION.
THATS THE KIND OF OUTRAGEOUS
ACTIVITY WERE DEALING WITH.
WE HAVE TO STAND UP TO THAT.
>> WHAT DO YOU DO ABOUT THE
OBJECTION TO ENDING THE
FILIBUSTER, MANCHIN AND SINEMA.
>> ANDREA, IM TIRED OF TALKING
ABOUT MR. MANCHIN AND MISS
SINEMA.
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ALL OVER
THIS COUNTRY UNDERSTAND THAT NOW
IS THE TIME TO ACT AND I WILL
ALSO TELL YOU, WE ARE
CONSTRAINED BECAUSE WE HAVE 50
DEMOCRATS AND ITS WHETHER THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WANT US TO HAVE
A GOVERNMENT THAT BELIEVES IN
ALL PEOPLE THAT BELIEVE IN
DEMOCRACY OR NOT AND WE NEED
MORE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE
THAN WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT
ANOTHER ASPECT OF THIS.
PEOPLE HAVE FOCUSED A LOT ON
ACCESS TO VOTING, BUT ISNT IT
AN EVEN MORE IMPORTANT ISSUE,
THE NULLIFICATION OF VOTING?
THE ASPECTS OF THE LOCAL BILLS,
STATE BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN
PURSUED BY REPUBLICAN
LEGISLATURES THAT ACTUALLY TAKE
THE RIGHTS AWAY FROM
STATE-ELECTED VOTING EXPERTS
INCLUDING SOME REPUBLICANS.
ARIZONA, GEORGIA AND GIVES IT TO
CAREFULLY SELECTED PARTISANS WHO
KNOW NOTHING ABOUT THE LAW AND
ARE GOING TO NULLIFY VOTING.
>> AND GIVES POWER TO THE
LEGISLATURE.
WE CAN SEE, I MEAN, YOU KNOW,
THE WRITING IS ON THE WALL.
WERE SEEING HOW THE TRUMP
PEOPLE BEHAVED AFTER THE
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.
I CAN SEE A SITUATION WHERE IN A
GIVEN STATE SOMEONE SAYS, YOU
KNOW WHAT?
I HAVE A PROBLEM.
I HAVE A REAL PROBLEM, I DONT
HAVE ANY EVIDENCE, BUT I HAVE
THE PROBLEM WITH THE VOTES THAT
CAME IN IN THIS COUNTRY AND
WELL TAKE AWAY THE
RESPONSIBLITY TO DETERMINE
WHETHER THE RESULTS OF THAT
ELECTION WERE LEGAL OR NOT AND
WELL TRANSFER IT TO THE
LEGISLATURE AND BY THE WAY, THE
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE VOTES TO
SAY THAT THOSE THAT COUNT WAS
NOT PROPER AND THATS WHAT WERE
LOOKING AT.
TAKING AWAY THE POWER OF LOCAL
ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEYVE
DONE A GOOD JOB IN THAT RESPECT
AND GIVEN IT TO PARTISAN
LEGISLATURES.
>> IS THERE A COM PROO
PROMYSELF.
A BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE.
THERES ANYTHING THAT MIGHT BE
OKAY WITH YOU?
>> NO.
THERES NO BIPARTISAN.
LOOK, YOU TELL ME, IF YOU KNOW
ANY REPUBLICAN THAT IS FOR
VOTING RIGHTS THERE ARENT ANY.
THATS THE SAD REALITY.
YOU HAVE A FORMER PRESIDENT
GOING AROUND THE COUNTRY TODAY
SAYING HE WON THE ELECTION BY A
LANDSLIDE.
YOU HAVE CANDIDATES RUNNING ALL
OVER THE COUNTRY THAT ARE
TOUTING THAT ABSURD POSITION,
AND YOU DO NOT HAVE ONE
REPUBLICAN IN THE UNITED STATES
SENATE WHO IS PREPARED TO VOTE
TO PRESERVE AMERICAN DEMOCRAT
SEE AND PREVENT THESE STATES
FROM DOING THE TERRIBLE
UNDEMOCRATIC THINGS THAT THEY
ARE DOING.
SO NO, UNFORTUNATELY, AND I SAY
THIS WITH GREAT SADNESS, THIS IS
NOT GOING TO BE BISART AN.
UNFORTUNATELY, DEMOCRATS WILL
HAVE TO DO IT BY THEMSELVES.
>> CAN YOU GET THE WHITE HOUSE
TO GO ALONG?
>> I BELIEVE THAT THE WHITE
HOUSE IS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT
THIS ISSUE AND WILL DO THE RIGHT
THING.
>> I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT GUN
VIOLENCE.
AS YOU KNOW JOE BIDEN WAS
CRITICIZED DURING THE PRIMARY
FOR SOME OF THE THINGS THAT
HAPPENED IN THE 94 BILL.
ARE WE AT A POINT WHEN THERE IS
SOME KIND OF GUN -- GUN REFORM,
GUN CONTROL, WHATEVER YOU WANT
TO CALL IT THAT CAN GET THROUGH
THE SENATE?
>> ONCE AGAIN, I THINK THE
QUESTION IS WHETHER REPUBLICANS
WHO ARE INTIMIDATED BY DONALD
TRUMP, WHO ARE BECOMING A MORE
AND MORE FRIGHTENED
AUTHORITARIAN PARTY AND HAVE THE
COURAGE TO STAND UP TO THE NRA
AND OTHER GUN LOBBY
ORGANIZATIONS.
WE DO APPOINT, AS I UNDERSTAND
WHAT YOURE SAYING AND THERE IS
A GROWING CONSENSUS AND NOT
RADICAL THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE
CRIMINAL BACKGROUNDS AND PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HISTORIES OF VIOLENCE
SHOULD NOT OWN GUNS AND WE NEED
THOROUGH ANY STRONG GUN
BACKGROUND CHECKS.
WE NEED TO DO AWAY WITH THE
SO-CALLED GUN SHOW LOOPHOLE AND
THE STRONG MAN PROVISION.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT THE
OVERWHELMING MAJORITY OF THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE INCLUDING GUN
OWNERS AGREE WITH.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE
REPUBLICANS IN THE CONGRESS HAVE
THE COURAGE TO SUPPORT THOSE
POSITIONS.
>> AND BEFORE I LET YOU GO,
SENATOR, I DO WANT TO ASK YOU
ABOUT FROM THE HILL TEAM ON THE
CAP AND LOCAL STATE TAX
DEDUCTIONS AND YOULL HAVE TO GO
THROUGH YOUR COMMITTEE.
WOULD YOU SUPPORT THAT?
>> WHAT I WOULD SUPPORT IS THE
UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE ARE
MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES IN STATES
WHERE PROPERTY TAXES ARE VERY
HIGH AND ARE PAYING A WHOLE LOT
IN STATE AND LOCAL TAXES, AND I
THINK WE HAVE TO SUPPORT THEM.
ON THE OTHER HAND, IF YOU HAVE
SOME BILLIONAIRES WHO OWN A
MASSIVE MANSION, SHOULD THEY BE
ABLE TO WRITE OFF THEIR STATE
AND LOCAL TAXES?
>> NO.
IT IS NOT, AND IT MAKES IT CLEAR
THAT VERY WEALTHY WILL PAY THEIR
FAIR SHARE.