The presenting sponsor of POD save America is blue apron customize. Your recipes each week based on your preferences super, has several delivery options, so you can choose what fits from needs and there's no weekly commitment. So you only get deliveries when you want them get your first three meals free with I going to blue apron dot com, Slash Blue Cleburne is a better way to cook welcome to POD save America, I'm Jon Favreau, I'm Dan Pfeiffer. I in our nation's capital today in DC and joining us, in studio, is going to be Massachusetts, congressman Joe Kennedy, the third very exciting, get down. I'm very excited for this. This is by popular demand. People ask us all the time and we're going to have Congressman Kennedy on some very said yeah. So

looking forward to that conversation, love it or leave it. This week is going to be live in aspen with love it's globalist base, so that's exciting. That should be up Saturday or Friday. I think they're still trying to figure it out, probably Saturday, and we're also going to have a health care rally, bonus Epas, no doubt at the end of the week that include the many excellent conversations the Tommy and I had yesterday at the March outside the capital we the to activist doctors, patient senators, congressmen and many friends of the pot. So look out for that as well. I also want to thank friend of the pod Alyssa Mastromonaco for absolutely crushing it as a guest host. While I was on my honeymoon, I wasn't all the pot, While I was gone Dan and it made me miss you guys all very much and realize that, maybe maybe you don't need me after all, but that also might be because I received twenty thousand tweets saying that thanks to love it so, I was great yeah now I love it would love it miss you

I need you right now. You have everyone miss me, but they didn't need me and then, on Thursday they reversed it and said it's a mess. We do need you. Those are those the I got while I was sitting around in ITALY yeah. My view was after preparing for the pod and going through a lot of logistics to get it right on Thursday 'cause I was traveling is I don't know if missed you, but I definitely did you. Ok I'll. But to also welcome back to America, it's good to it's good to be back yeah things are going great. I don't know, I know you were totally unplugged and not on twitter or text or anything the whole time. So this sure just catching up on the news. I've only I was watching it all through like a glass, but I couldn't speak because every time I tweeted everyone's, like you're on your honeymoon, don't tweet, but I was like reading it. So there's things I wanted to reply to it, but I didn't because I didn't want to look like I was to plug in, but you know we're just sitting around the pool and relaxing, and so Emily was like feel free to check twitter. I don't mind marriage, the thing that I think is great is that base. Basically, if somebody followed your pretty closely, is that your

If you were willing, your like your sacrifice for the honeymoon was it you would write very few of your own. But you would retweet this shit out of other things. That's what I did. Yes, what takes less time? I guess you figured out what my my deal was so we came back and it seems like this. Healthcare thing is all all taken care of, but let's talk about the state of play, all known as Kill bill volume. Two there was a twitter user that suggested that name, which I thought was great at stand. The man that was great great name kill bill volume two. So there Cbo score, because that's that's where we last left off the Monday POD, on Tuesday, the nonpartisan experts at the congressional Budget Office, which is run by an economist who is hand picked by Donald Trump's, Secretary of Health and Human services, came out with their analysis of the shit burger by the way that was a great title, same shit burger different bun? I that thank you workshop that for a couple days. First, yes, Okay, so we only the headline by now twenty two million uninsured

fifty million uninsured next year, Dan. What else jump? how do you in the in the Cbo score? I was struck rock by how similar the how to things how somewhere the House and Senate bill were his. It seemed everything you read coming in was that Mcconnell's goal was to make this quote unquote less mean to use term, then the house bill and to sort of take his of because we know how the press and political punditry world works is that if it, oh, my god only kicks fifteen, mean people off insurance, what a win right and they abs Salute, failed to do that, and then the thing that was interesting is, in the house. You can do pretty well with members of Congress from states that did not expand. Okay in the Senate. You need there a lot of Publican, centers or a decent over there from states that expanded Medicaid and so then to make even sharper cuts in medic

aids in the out years to use one of our favorite terms. I thought was a very strange choice politically 'cause. It makes life harder for Dean, Heller, Jeff, Flake, Portman Susan Collins Murkowski the people who would be most likely to potentially break and sync this bill you're making their argument harder than you necessarily have to be, which seems like a political error our part yeah. I was very confused because, during the whole process of why the secret process some call writing the bill. I did hear that they were in frequent contact with the Cbo, so you I think that they were using, that they had some warning or they would have had some warning that they were going to score this bad and that they would have changed it accordingly or at least tried to mitigate the damage a little bit but they did not, which jumped out at me. Besides, the uninsured number was prima. Comes the same. Obamacare Polisy under wealthcare would cost and add

age of seventy four percent, more, that's the premium that you pay and Remember like the whole. Are We went from Republicans about Obamacare and ACA and White was failing. His premiums are still too high and deductibles, and out of pocket costs are still too high. So now we have a bill from them where premiums are an average of seventy four percent more. If you keep the same polisy, the average Insura policy under the Senate. Bill has a deductible that will double to over. Six thousand dollars he also said that few low income people would be able to buy a plan? That's not great, and then they uh admitted that half the population won't have access to essential benefits like cancer treatment. Medicare Mental Health care, doctors, visits, ambulance rides prescriptions hospitalization, so not great, not great at all. Ambulance rides ambulance just give that play people need ambulances like it's like what are we doing There was so much focus on the hospital and pre existing conditions and protection for pre existing conditions that the sense,

it thought oh well we're going to fix that we're going to protect pre existing conditions, and they just didn't give a shit about the essential health benefits which didn't get as much play during the debate over the house bill. But these essential health benefits are huge. I mean if difference between having decent insurance in relief. Fucking shitty insurance and that's kind of insurance that basically any state can elect to have now any state can apply for a waiver. These essential health benefits, for whatever reason they don't even need a reason and the governor can for the waiver without even getting the approval of the legislature in the state? So you get republican governor who sort of crazy like a Scott Walker or Rick Scott or one of those people, and they can just waive these kind of fits and then everyone in the state doesn't have them, and that also includes very important annual and lifetime caps on coverage, which means that So if you have an illness that requires a lot of treatment, say you hit.

Your million dollar cap and you've got one million dollars worth of treatment that year, every all the treatment. After that you have to pay out of pocket for, and Players can also now any employer anywhere in the country can elect to have a plan that doesn't have that. Has those coverage caps as well so Cbo also estimated that four million people with employer sponsored coverage getting their coverage from their employer would also healthcare under this bill. Never when I had a slight health scare in the White House, otherwise known as s strokes with I got now. I was in the most fortunate healthcare situation. Anyone could possibly be in working in the White House having government insurance, etc. My bills. 'cause this was a long running. Health situation would have come pretty close to the lifetime cap and there a lot of like important tests that were done that no never could have been done under this republican House bill and and like

So you did like when you get that bill and you look at it a lot of people, but we did these bills out and you see how port insurance is in the worst times of your life and to to do all to undermine all the things about Obama care, and this is what I think people forget is humane. Be on a bomber Kerr. You may have employer health care, but your insurance is could be affected by these changes in reels in serious ways. Yeah though no those costs rack up so fast. I mean my dad was very sick last here and he's completely fine now, but I remember when they finally got the bills from the all. The hospital visits and insurance company made some mistake that then they took care of it. It's fine, but originally suddenly these bills came for, like hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars- and you just realize how fast you rack up these bills in short short period of time, you Know- and I just can't imagine that that reform that would get rid of those caps is something that anyone would want to put

back into law. I mean it's crazy now we know we know from the efforts to pass the bill that by far the most popular parts of healthcare reform are the parts that provide what you, what you would call the patients bill of rights that provide a set of protections for patients against insurance companies. Add this bill will take. As a way you're freezing conditions being the most popular. But there are, but all the ones you mentioned lifetime cap, six that are are incredibly popular and taking them away would would, I would guess politically unpopular well- and I I you know, I'm glad we're spending time on this because, as they try to figure out how to put this burger back to get there, there's a lot of talk about taxes and boosting Medicaid funding and maybe boosting subsidy funding. So you know you don't kick off quite as many people off their health care, but v Figley. If they're trying to give to the conservatives like

Rand, Paul and TED Cruz, and all them is to loosen up the regulations even war and to make the to loosen up these protections even more from you know what insurance companies can do, and so I think, as we get closer to The version of the bill, the protections could get even worse, which is a real problem, so Cbo score comes out. Heller says no way, Colin says no way and Rand Paul says no way, because the bill still didn't well enough of Obamacare, so Macan all who can only lose two votes. Two republican senators, you know decides to delay the vote and after the Cbo score. So that's where we are now. So what comes next? What? What is the vote? Count look like where, where do you see this now well as Mcconnell is right now furiously trying to put together a new ver under the bill that somehow bridges the gap

between the moderate strictly from the Medicaid expansion states and they can service, which includes take Cruz MIKE Lee Ryan John said, and why and other up for getting and his goal is to get rent volume and his goal is to get some into the Cbo by Friday. This should take the Cbo two X, I think her so to score it and- to get a score back and then make another run at this when they get back after recess, which is in a week, I think I think they get back a week from go back to ten Monday and we there was a report last night from politico that Mcconnell going to put in forty five billion dollars for opioid funding, because that was one of the real problems for Rob: Portman of Ohio and Shelley Moore Capital of West Virginia one of their complaints about the bill, so he's trying to buy them off with this funding, even though that funding is a fraction of what is needed in a free

and of what it would be cut if the bill were going plays yeah. So in terms of what a deal would look like, you just mentioned the opiate opioid funding. Of course two billion in there now right. They said forty five billion, they might add John case it republican governor from Ohio said that even the forty five billion is like spitting in a pool in terms of subtle solving the problem, and you know interesting. He said that because Rob Portman, the senator from Ohio is one of the the swing votes here, other other than saying you know, there's two hundred billion more in deficit reduction in the Senate, building in the house bill so been saying. Well Mcconnell has that two hundred billion basically to use to buy off senators by just throwing money the problem here and there something that just came out today, just before we recorded, is Bob Corker Republican from Tennessee, who is also up in two thousand and eighteen. He said that this this huge tax cut that's in the bill for an investment income, which is basically one hundred

seventy two billion dollars to the richest people in the country that now there's talk of keeping that tax in place and not making the tax cut, not giving that it's got to people and then using that one hundred and seventy two billion dollars to make the tax credits more generous and that maybe that would be a solution, and I do no. I don't know if, like enough, Republicans will go for that. If some of the more conservative Republicans will go for that, Pat Toomey said he didn't like the idea, but some other Republicans said they were open to it. The problem I have is just like, even if you do, even if you make the sub basically, what they're doing is as the this moves on there, making the bill look more and more like Obamacare, but just got it right, like all the good funding from where is gutted and all the protections from insurance companies, they can do. Those are gutted. So it's basically just it's not repealing and replacing Obamacare, it's just gutting Obamacare, and so I even think like say they get rid of this tax cut and they make the subsidy little more generous,

like you said earlier, if it takes the Cbo score in twenty two million, uninsured to even fifteen million uninsured, that's still too fucking. Many people at the tax cut thing is interesting because it is perhaps I mean every part of this bill is unpopular. We should talk about. Poll numbers at some point, but it is the combination taking healthcare. Your way from people's is unpopular, giving tax cuts to wealthy people is unpopular, but paying for yes for wealthy people with taking healthcare away from working class, people that is very unpopular and in some of the reporting on the the Trump Avicenna, Republicans dresses the bill was being delayed. There is in the meeting. Some Republicans expressed political concern about those tax cuts. Now, just one amazing fact, as I understand it, about the tax cuts is. Is it the whole? The tax cut theoretically is to encourage people to invest more yet it's retro

active, so you will get a tax credit. You will get a tax cut for investments that you already made, so you can go back in time. It made. The whole thing is so crazy. It's it is all nothing more than an attempt to put money in rich people's pockets. Full stop. I mean look. I I think it's you know Corker said today that he really thinks that these tax, but that tax, but in particular, would come out of the bill. That's not the only tax cut in the bill, there's a whole bunch of tax cuts. I think there's seven hundred billion dollars worth or in her billion dollars worth, but I we just have to be prepared for that. Tax cut comes out of the bill, Republicans can't say: oh well, we got rid of the tax cut for the wealthy, and now we've made all the substance generous and everything is fixed because everything is not fixed and the other thing they're talking about doing is TED, whose has some plan where you to loosen the protection for pre existing conditions, meaning you'd, be able.

Every state would be able to sell insurance plans that had protections for pre existing conditions, but also have the option of selling plans that didn't have protections for pre existing conditions, so sound nice, but the problem there is everyone who's, so you didn't need the protections for pre. Existing conditions would buy the plan not for them and they'd be cheaper and then the plans that protected pre existing conditions- be really expensive and people wouldn't be able to afford them and so would screw up the whole market and screw up the whole insurance pool. I mean this whole thing is like it's a Frankenstein mix of terrible Paulus, and my theory as to- why is Republicans position up until really just a few months ago, was repeal Obamacare. That's all they voted for what just repeal the whole thing make it go away, and then, Did they realize that was unpopular in taking insurance way? People with unpopular so instead of advocating for the

service position, I actually believe which is covered, has no role in providing healthcare to people. They are the arguing on the turf of progressives. They are saying we should have the universe, full coverage and people should just health care. We just think we can do it better, but they are trying to conservative positions add on a policy that seems to suggest that they are more compassion and progressive than they really are and sell it as a progressive they sell. It is universal coverage in it is not in because they are unwilling to be honest with their own positions, which is which are incredibly unpopular, they're stuck in that they can't argue for their bill because they see the facts completely collapse. Every time I talk about it

right know that they're they're, bridging the difference between their rhetoric on the bill and the substance of the bill with lies and just like very blatant lies that are obvious to anyone who can you know, read a Cbo reporter facts or anything like or a newspaper article so you talk about polling. We should mention that front page. Do you hey today and hotel rooms across the country? Twelve percent support for this plan, not very popular also were telling me this morning about a New York Times, article about Kentucky Mitch, Mcconnell State Paul state, where obviously, there a lot of low income people who did not Obamacare or do not like the fact that Obamacare still had high deductibles and high premiums in some places, but also absolutely hate this so this is, I don't know the you can get a piece of legislation, that's less popular than this. It's amazing and

the american people, because they're being lied to left and Right Fox NEWS is just running. Full state run propaganda for this bill that that's all, even though their viewers demographically are the group of people most affected by the bill, because it is people in that age bracket right before Medicaid who write for Medicare. Excuse me who who's premiums go up. The most is just pretend like nothing, is happening here. Despite all of that, they know exactly how terrible this bill is. We in a divided nation, and we have finally found something that people agree on, which is that Trump Kerr is a shitty idea. It's pretty amazing. We should trump to the man who called the bill, who admitted that he called the bill mean and a private meeting he's he's to the house. He called the House bill mean the Senate bills not much different, but the New York. Times headline that really set him off. Yesterday was on Senate Health bill Trump falters in the closer's role

the great deal, so one thing we know right now is: even if Mcconnell passes this thing, it will not be because Trump was I'm so sick of fucking Trump is the mast deal maker thing, the guy. Can anyone name one deal deal the man has negotiated since becoming President none the reason it as a reason. You can't go through these deals because he does have a grasp on on any of the details, because he doesn't know anything. He doesn't want to know anything. He doesn't want to learn. He has all the in for May the world at his fingertips, and yet he gets all of his information from Fox NEWS and Fox NEWS isn't covering the healthcare debate, because they're actually smart enough to know that their viewers won't like it. So therefore, the president night States doesn't know anything about the health care bill either. Yeah I mean you know it is it's fairly, but no one says Trump has to the weeds on the policy. No, that's not a choir!

Some President Obama, President Clinton were both pretty monkey and they would get deep in the weeds presidents less so, and they have people to do that, but they do, You understand the general contours of the bill. I am wonder how ten percent sure that, if someone stop Trump on the on the golf course, I guess to be the best place to find a it is said to me it was medicated Medicare. He would not be able to answer that question no I mean I was a he. He couldn't explain how Medicare works. You can explain what Medicaid is a bad. I mean it would be great to hear him talk about the stuff for awhile. Apparently republican senator in the meeting with Trump at the White House left the meeting told the New York Times the Trump didn't grasp basic elements of the Senate plan. He didn't even ho it included a tax cut, and when that was raised as a tax cuts like are, we were doing tax reform later. Yes, of course like, of course,

There is this theory going around his though people been saying trying to press the White House like Trump, very boldly declared, which is a pretty bold, that question for Republican running for president that he would not cut. Medicaid yeah. He said I will not touch or social Security or Medicaid. There is theory going around that he actually met Medicare and he just didn't know the difference, and so now he stuck to live with this promise forever, which I holders and percent believe because not touching Medicaid is a in a Republican. There is a much braver position to take than Medicare, and so I think you just fucked up and now it's stuck with ever forever and obviously obviously never admit he was wrong till the day he dies It does seem like he doesn't care a lot about this. He cares about winning, obviously, and so to the extent that he needs a win, doesn't want another laws. He cares about that, but you know is also said in that meeting. You know, I think we can do this. I think it's going to pass, but you know they don't want to do it. It's too hard, that's, okay and then, of course, you see his tweets right, he's like

reading about Russia and tweeting about he's attacking the media and the Washington Post in your times, and then this morning we did not make this a big part of this podcast, because I'm not going down that road and the roof that read in taking the bait. But he started packing Joe and and Micah, particularly that was in. He is a pig for for treating. That and I'm not going to repeat the tweet, it's just gross. I I just if any other person let's say Kanye West. We did that the action would be. Connie is off his meds again, but the difference is Connie can not lunch dinner for kind of a ballistic missile strike against North Korea with one push of a button. Maybe it is deeply three such as gross. It is incredibly gross, it is door ray. Changed and how it is written like low iq, Psycho, I've really,

just the very sad part. Where is like. I don't watch this anymore, but let me tell you: Exactly what was just said on the show. This year is a severely disturbed individual and he happens to the president at states This is positive. Mereka stick around was more great show coming your way. Parts of America is brought to you by Seatgeek buying tickets. This boards in concerts can be way too complicated, but there is a better, simpler way to buy with seeking the artist is easiest way to get tickets to live events with their c, This mobile experience you can buy and sell tickets in just two taps, one to seek help. You find the best seats at the best prices fully guaranteed, nothing quite like seeing your favorite team, a musician in person and see people get you closer to the action for great value. We all have this c cap on. Our phones is the easiest way to buy get everyone to pod, save America. Does it we've converted a bunch of other people from some other seating sites. And everyone loves it now. It's very easy to use highly recommended best of all

pod, save America, listeners get twenty dollars off their first week purchase and every purchases fully guaranteed. So you can shop for tickets on seek with confidence so make it your go to app for finding the best deals on every type of ticket from sports and concerts to comedy in theater. That's again, that's twenty dollars off your first seek purchase. So what are you waiting for download the app today enter the promo code Krooked and get your first twenty dollars off and get a great seat at your favorite show easy as anything. You know the thing that it has been hopeful about this whole health care debate to main side from what you just pointed out, which is you know, the american people who it seems like we're. Divided everything is pretty much come to agreement that this bill is awful. You know where this rally yesterday time and I went on Capitol Hill and it's like for once. This debate really hasn't been about up and everything since he got into office has been about Trump, but like we, we talked a whole bunch of people. Yes,

they barely heard his name at the rally. Instead, like so many people talking about like. Why would they believe that their government should guarantee affordable healthcare to all of its citizens? it was just it was. It was much more hopeful. You know, and I think people should realize me. Take away from all this is you know Mitch. Mcconnell is making a bet right now, and his bet is that the media, will move on to covering Trump's tweets and any other shiny objects, and now everyone is going to go home over the fourth of July and they're going to get some rest and then I'm going to worry about this, and then you get some time will pass and then he'll be able to quietly by off these senators and he'll put a new version of the bill on the floor, and it will sneak right by, and you know, our job is to make sure that Mcconnell and Trump and a bunch of lobbyists aren't the only people that Republicans senators are hearing from that.

That's that's our job. Now we have seen this movie before it. I know where it is in the area of shortages, but it literally happened like a month ago. We stopped a bill. We thought it was dead, People moved on the world, moved on and before we knew it, they pass the bill again, and here we And this is like there is no step after this, like it's important to this is not the sentence going. Yes, a bill, that house is going to get together and they're going to wrestle, and maybe thus Senate, bill won't be able to reconcile house Freedom Caucus now, if, if Mcconnell had passed this bill this week that This is planning to stay in over the weekend to rubber, stamping and send it out. So this is the app this is it. This is the difference between access healthcare. Everyone in this country or a dystopian society. Where insurance mister. If they want people get kicked off health insurance without any regard for the impact on human lives and that's the difference and

I was super excited. I was unfortunate, able go to DC. I probably I would have worn pants to the rally I was addressing, unlike you and Tommy, but you did my shorts and my t shirt. That said, repealing go fuck yourself. That was well the t, shirts totally cool. The t shirt was on message. Hutton DC man, it's fucking swamped here, I know was there last week, and I saw a number of cooking media merch. As I was walking, wandering the streets of the city and repealing go yourself is clear: the most popular shirt there was that there were quite a bit of quite a few friends the pod. There was great six, I know. Look I totally agree like there's, because we're all pundits now and and that's how we view politics and were guilty this too, but, like everything, is a prediction. Everything is framed around a prediction you know, like is Connell a master tactician and is he? Is he a master negotiator? And will he get this through and you know people are like. Oh no matter what he's going to get it through and these Republicans are going to cave and it's not worth doing anything. And then you know on the other side of the spectrum, and this was like how things were

The house bill. That was oh Paul, Ryan to pull the bill and we won and its victory, and it's not going to happen now in there too stupid to get it done, and then they got it done. So how do you get out of this right? You stop predicting right, it's not about what might happen or what will happen it's about focusing on what should happen right and it's about it. You know it's about, may missed calls and and and getting out there right. Like did you don't? If you saw the story, I was tweeting about this yesterday that I think, there's still there. There are these disability advocates, they went to Cory, Gardner's republican senator from Colorado to his Denver office, and it was like nine ten people. Most of them are used wheelchairs couple. You know one has diabetes one without ventilator or respirator. And they wanted to meet with Cory Gardner. They refused meeting and so they decided to camp out in his office and they decided to sleep in his office and they,

been there for the last forty eight hours, these people, most of them, like I said in wheel chairs, you know, hope people who have been sending them food and coffee and and modern everything's to keep to keep them going to support them, and they were there because you know it if these Medicaid cuts go through it severely a fax- and we heard this at the rally yesterday to severely affects people with disabilities. Who are many of them. Medicare help them live independent lives. An you know. One of the protesters was asked why she chose to spend all night in the hallway, and she said you know we they spend the night a hollow in this building. That's been the rest of our lives like two in an institution. It's like you know, you see like that and you think if those people can sit in that office for forty eight hours like you know, we can get out there and we can make some phone calls and knock on some doors and keep this pressure up and like not get distracted by all the other bullshit. That's on the news, so I am doesn't

to to recognize it just makes you wonder right like there. We have a lot of esoteric arguments while policy in this country and do tax cuts for rich people. Does that trickle down to people is that provide economic growth is at star for the budget, but this is one that is so specific yeah. You can identify the people, you can

see them walking down the street to know who would suffer from this bill, and I know that that people get so upset about this, but it is a. It is a documented fact that there are people who are living today who will die if this bill goes into effect and, like I, don't really know how you vote for that, and then the politics of it like it is of the lease properties legislation. I've ever seen in my life by far the the affordable care act was three times more popular than this when it was passed in it. Wasn't that popular and like in youth that we think about people,

Tom Perriello, who we have the back as to who voted for this bill, knowing he would lose his seat, but he at least knew that he was voting to give healthcare to people. I don't know how you vote to risk your political career to take healthcare away from people like you just, but that that mentality just escapes me- and these are people some of the people who work for these members are people we know and like I just can't posters and I can get up and go to work every day ok and think that's a good way to spend your life. There are lots of things that we disagree on that they work on, and there may be there right now wrong. But this one is so. This is such an obviously bad idea on every spectrum and I just wonder why they do, and I would say one last thing like no one. No one little advice on the republican side from us, but when we were sing the affordable care act. David Axelrod and I and ram and others we would go up to that house and sent

caucus and we would make the case that, once the bill was passed, it would become more popular and we leave that yeah. We absolutely believe that and we were really fucking wrong. This is a popular is it's going to be people for ever. You are at the high watermark like people, this thing and not a single person has lost health insurance. Not a single person has woken up and all the sudden realize that their health insurance does not cover something so highfalutin as an ambulance trip. So if you think that you're going to this is not going to have massive political consequences, even if you don't even care about the policy, the idea that this is only going to get worse from here, so that my free piece of advice- Republicans all biases almost let me look, they are: U S how they can do this, like. I think the most charitable explanation is. They have convinced themselves

that liberals are hysterical and lying and partisan and that we're just you know, crying Wolf and say the sky is falling, and- and none of this is actually going to come true- and they have you know some respected conservative health policy wonks a few Avik Roy. And some of these people who were telling them that were wrong and that people aren't going to lose their Medicaid and they're all going to get tax credit can be able to buy stuff and, like the prob, That is if it was just our word this is their word. It's one thing, but you have the non partisan, rational budget office. You have doctors, you have nurses, you have patient advocates. There are no groups, no experts on their side on this one right so like it don't take the you, don't have to take the word of us. You know you have to listen to us. You have to take the were partisan Democrats like it's. Just look at every expert look at every nonpartisan person.

You know so view. You know a lot of people are. So what can we do? A lot of a lot of these republicans are gonna, go home over the break and they're not going to hold town halls because they want to hide from their constituents because they realize they're, passing or they're trying to pass a ship burger. That's not popular right. So a couple different people gave us this idea. Ben wiggler few but they'll all be marching in fourth of July parades. Make some signs where your best pod t shirts go to those parade. It's fine! You representatives there against this bill, thank them for being against it. If they're, for it call them out undecided urge them to do the right thing if you, via television camera, getting the shot, if not take your own picture, send it to us tweet it. The ideal picture, of course, is the one that that guy got with Paul Ryan wearing the repealing go fuck yourself, t shirt, that's the holy grail. You know you get something like that, that's great, but you don't have to get that just go to.

Parades and you can find your senders there and it will make a difference. It will get coverage and it will help drive this debate forward for us because, like I said If the only person in their ear is Mitch, Mcconnell buying them off a couple billion here and there they might do that. But if they go home and there's an overwhelming push from of us telling you know saying we don't want this bill. This bill is awful. Then you know they just might say now they JANET's not guaranteed, but it's certainly worth to these active right. This is we got one shot here and it's. We have our sweet everyone involved here. Who cares about the cells responsible because our to everyone, everyone said we just have to do everything we can to kick this bill in to pass the recess, so they couldn't get in the bathroom. Now we have done that. That is success. That is a credit to all people who get. Who that you get you and Tommy saw yesterday. We gathered gathered at the capital, it is the people are making phone calls over the last few weeks.

We have it now. So here is that we have. We wanted this week to show people to show Republicans that there is massive opposition of this bill. So we have the opportunity and we can't blow it all right when we come back. We will be talking about this with Congressman Joe Kennedy and will be asking a bunch of other stuff too so stay with us. This is pod. Save America stick around! There's this great stuff, coming lots of great stuff. Pod save America is Bracci Betterment betterment is the largest independent online financial advisor. If you're like me and don't know anything about financial planning ever this will help this is designed to help improve customers, long term returns and lower taxes for retirement planning, building wealth, another financial goals, they take advanced investment strategies and the use technology to the for them more than two hundred and fifty thousand customers everyone's using it. Based on the in

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Can do and, of course, the pod is always brought to you by square cash are good friends say you know, you're a very thoughtful groomsmen and you want to send a bottle of wine to your friend and his wife were on their honeymoon. I hear that you can use square cash just kidding, I'm not going to get into that fight. Everyone download the cash app. It's great. It's easy! you can send money fast. It goes directly into your bank account. You guys, know the drill, if you don't already, have it download it. If you do have it go, tell one of your friends stop using one of the other cash apps and download v cash cash at a better way to cash and, of course, by the Americans also brought you by post mates. Post mates is our favorite. Deliver app, delivers all kinds of stuff, especially food use. It all the

time I love the folks post mates and I am excited to finally be back in LOS Angeles soon and resume using post mates, as I do way too often, but it's great and so down the post mates app. You get fifty dollars free delivery. If it's your first time, if you use the cricket code and Download Post mates today on the blood today in studio, we have mass, choose its congressman, Joe Kennedy, the third congressman. How are you thank you for joining us live grilled, I'm very excited to have you on I'm thrilled some old Massachusetts routes to so. Yes, absolutely so you give a pretty compelling speech about health care on the floor of the house the other week. How surprised were you when the bill passed the house and how confident are you that

we can stop it in the Senate? I am, I was not surprised to pass the house look, I think you know the bottom out of politics and I've been here too long, but when the president, the speaker and the Senate Majority leader want something they normally find a way to get you. I was, and when the details of that House Bill first came out, am realize how how bad that bill was how many people would be hurt by it the cuts to Medicaid what it meant for folks suffering from mental illness, what it means for folks that are not able to to still get access to health insurance and the just destruction of what health care than means for peace m. But knowing that in look I've been in the house, my job, our minority ever since I've been here and they get to if they want to really a they can roll them right. It's just it's purely a numbers. Game am, and so was the

to see that they had as much trouble with it as they did, but ultimately not surprised at all to see that they were able to to get it across the finish line? I have them done. I I've always thought that the Senate would be able to get something done. If you ask me about it last week, it is at probably eighty twenty that they do get something. I'm I'm more optimistic that Adam whatever product that is ends up being something that is more palatable I'll, be not palatable. I am you and we'll see Susan Collins at some comments just moments ago, saying that she was starting to look around for some bipartisan support, which bottom line on this is health care is a minute most folks. Don't pay much attention to when you don't need it, but when you do it is a critical lifeline for so many families across this country. We gonna find a way to take the politics out of it right and the way you do that is it chipped away from these big problems by having folks come together around it Adam, and I would like to think we're getting to that space. Obviously, in

majority leader Mcconnell had said, threatened members of his. I think if we don't come together around this repeal plan, I'm going to have to work with Democrats as if that would be some sort of terrible threat. The threat of bipartisanship right am so look every time. I can't I can't stress how concerned I am that whatever product ultimately gets voted on will pass and what that means. For so many people across our country, particularly m. Those who tend to rely on some of the provisions of Medicaid and then the neediest, the most frail folks with pre existing conditions, pediatric cancer patients in and said what does this mean for them? How do you think we get back to the point where people, are working together on healthcare from both sides of the aisle. I remember when we were when President Obama was addressing Congress,

two thousand and nine one of the ways handed the speeches course we got that beautiful letter from your great uncle TED Kennedy before he passed away and Obama was pointing out. You know: he'd worked with Orrin Hatch on children's health insurance program. He worked with other Republicans on patients, bill of rights and patient reforms and as a way to try to sort of spur on some bipartisanship and, of course it didn't work out for us as much as the present about my tried and now it seems like we're so far afield from those days like I don't even know how we get back to

so I think, look it's the eight hundred million dollar question literally at this point. In my conversations with Republicans behind closed doors, they will say I am. We ran on this for ten year for seven years that we were going to build a Kerr. You gotta show just from a political purpose that you that you tried right. We did so. I think there's an element of that there and look for there are strong philosophical differences as to the role that the federal government should play in the provision of healthcare in this country. That's that's fine. The question then is, is, I think, it's a responsibility of folks in office and our like leaders to say you might have these philosophical differences.

We need to make sure that our system fills the gaps of those differences for folks that need access to care, and I think that's where we can start. I hope this bill goes down. I I I. I hope that there's enough members of the Senate that recognize that the bill as currently constructed is gonna be devastating for millions and millions of families across this country, and that if we are able to turn the page, I will concede that your forecast not a perfect bill. There are ways so that you can strengthen exchanges, strength in the individual market and with a bipartisan agreement, actually get to a pretty good place. Massachusetts John we've got about a three point: six percent unemployment rate and a two point. Eight percent uninsured rate, the idea that this bill, somehow a job killer. The idea that you can't somehow implement this effectively is just not true. We've got to challenges with that Massachusetts cost a small businesses have our some of our our Medicaid product is actually so good that some employers are kicking people to,

yes Health Program M, which means it's a bigger portion of our state budget than we probably should have there's ways to get through that and we're trying to put, but you can, if there's a commitment to and and we need to get to that spot congressman. I think it's interesting. You point out that there are philosophical differences about the role of government health care. But what I found interesting about this debate is: that's not the argument, the Republicans, are making their sort of they've sort of ceded the argument that people should be covered bye, as you know, Cbo, tells Us- that's obviously not going to happen in your private conversations. Republicans I guess how did they sort of rationalize the fact that people are Gore obviously going to either especially their voters? In some cases, will pay higher premiums or get kicked off health

and you get a sense that they are worried. They're gonna be the dog that called the car here in that it's great to vote for repeal one more time, but if this passes they could be in real trouble. Dan. Look it's a great question game of the most of my conversations with Republicans around health care. Isn't going to surprise you, but it doesn't get into specifics right it gets into a book we ran on this. We have to do something and what this out in the center of fix it and we know we'll, take it from there now they will some of these, as you guys with no very well summer, Conservative members come from states that one didn't take Medicaid expansion or two where there are challenges with these exchanges in the individual market largely driven by an unwillingness to actually implement this law effectively. So I think it bit of a disingenuous argument, but the fact of the matter is that when they go to their constituents their constituents, it look at this and say: we've got real access to care problems and that's Obamacare's fault, trying to explain to those constituents that will actually,

You, I'm not gonna deny the fact that you've got challenges, but should with that with a lot implemented correctly. You wouldn't that M your may. And that kind of emotional connection, so 'cause they've now been told repeatedly that it is and what I think part What I've been trying to do, I am with mixed. Success, obviously, is to say: listen. Okay, I will take it that you have challenges that in gaining access to the care that you need. Let's try to find away to to fill those gaps in our system to ensure that you do get access to care. The problem is, is that Republicans at this point have still have sworn to repeal. This law, where, if you get to the point of saying, ok, well, let's fill in the holes, they don't want, they can't fill in the holes yet because they promised to repeal it. So we're not quite at the point where you can start to get real real commitment to even look at filling those holes as long as there's still some problems at this locking it

can get repealed and look make no mistake. I think you are seeing buyers remorse coming out of the Senate at this point recognise from some of those Robin centers that did they just can't do this. You can't you can't take health care within twenty three million people and for the folks that still have it. You can't destroy what health and, actually means you're, paying more for a whole lot less and somehow trying to say that it's the same thing. It's just not cars, if, if, for some reason, the Senate bill stalls would use import, Democrats being part of a bipartisan working group to try to come up with some set of reforms to fix healthcare. Another some some disagreement within the Democratic Party and whether that's a good idea or not? Absolutely my my pledge to my constituents to my to the folks in Massachusetts, every day across this country is, I believe, one that health care is a right, not a privilege in this country, and that every single person deserves access to quality, affordable, accessible healthcare. And the fact is that

that's going to look differently in downtown Boston, where you have a number of high and academic medical, centers and Rural, Texas or Alaska or Arkansas or Oklahoma or California. For that matter, part of this stuff is going to look there but the commitment is to say that wherever you are in this country, you should be able to get access to a health system that you can afford, and I it's going to to the best of our ability, a dresser, your illness, and that's not that shouldn't be a democrat or republican thing. I mean my god if we can get to a place where that's the baseline, that were at agreement on that's a huge step forward. So, by all means you're going have to. Did the republican colleagues on this, and I would love to be able to do so out house anyway, we're not quite there yet- and I understand that but part of my job, then I think it's the chip away at pieces of this. That I think we can make progress on and try to lay that foundation to to work on those larger challenges. When we can. So thirty, six years old, you wanted the younger members of Congress in the last election

for young adults supported a third party candidate or didn't vote than in twenty twelve, but overall they skewed more liberal, more progressive and Trump actually get about the same share the youth vote than Romney did. How do we? What is the Democratic Party do to get some of these young voters back voting engaged? What do you think about that? Look. I think I knew the answer to that and in great shape someone it's hard two. I think I am, I think, politics. We gotta find a way to make it real and you how to find a way to start addressing peoples concerns. I think this is probably true of all three of us at the moment. You've got a younger generation that on Sunday morning, isn't necessarily engage waking up in the eager to watch meet the press. There have an avocado, toast and drinking a latte right. I have no idea what you're talking about and you've got.

You've got a generation now that is extremely engaged and trying to solve problems, and the heartbreaking piece about this, for me, is that they do Look at their government as a way to solve those problems anymore. They look at social entrepreneurship. They look at profits, they look at the internet. They look at online communities they look at. Innovations sharing economy as ways to drive new efficiencies and to solve challenges, but they don't think the government can actually play a role there and part. I think, because of the partitions it that we've seen, in finance, one German, a district and all the rest of it and there's plenty of of issues that we all can point to one as, but those twenty center excuses and we gonna find solutions, and so what MIKE wouldn't eat, I think best in case we can do and- and I try to do- is go back Home- be present- show those that your constituents that you're trying to solve as many of those problems as you possibly can get bills passed across the finish line and address

concerns which well we fight here on a lot of those big issues, I got a bill passed out the representatives unanimously. On the first day of the Trump administration, we got a bill passed to create an over the counter. At a category of over the counter hearing aids that hearing AIDS cost about a couple thousand bucks per one at about at twelve and boxes per per individual about could be about five thousand dollars. Medicare, doesn't cover them. There's tens of millions of seniors out there that don't get hearing aids because it just cost too much money. It came out of our our committee unanimously and it was me and if you can believe it, Marsha Blackburn from Tennessee. One of the most conservative members of the house in our team was great on this and give her an awful lot of credit that there's there's ways that I think we have to be focused on actually addressing those concerns, showing progress on him and not just fighting and obviously on these big things were going to fight about 'cause. We got differences on it, but we got so much better job of showing us so

and then engaging with younger voters, and the last thing I'd say on this is This is a generation that, on the whole, is much more cause. Driven is willing to get engaged and roll up their sleeves and find solutions dedicate their money and their time their effort to enerji their innovation, their talent, if they're channeled, to do so, and if a challenge to do so- and I think that is one thing- that obviously President Obama did extraordinarily well- what to motivate and challenge a generation to actually roll up their sleeves and get engaging in the game M, because, if you're not plan, your voice is gonna be hard, and I think we missed that opportunity, our selection to actually go out there. Show a real pathway forward for the largest vote of Americans, which is millennials by definition, to say if you believe in a better, stronger brighter future and if you want to fight for if you're willing to fight for which they are overwhelmingly the answer to that is yes, then this is

way to channel that energy and we need your help. Cars are following up on that. You know what one of the interesting challenges when it comes to reaching the youth vote. Is that a lot of the most prominent faces of our party or older and have been around a longtime, particularly congressional leadership, and as we sort of weirdly sort of just a generation. We have a lot of people like Bernie Sanders. Elizabeth Warren Nancy, Pelow see who are the most prominent voice. It's in the party and then a lot of people in there. You know in their 30s, like yourself, Jason Kander, Mayor PETE, Buttigieg Center. One are you concerned. Are you concerned about the fact that the faces of the party are have been around a long time and we can we do to raise up you faces? You know people self in the next generation Democrats appear these younger voters to look the

leaders appointed to the folks that have been here for awhile I'd I have is you know some of mark? Am I consider my mentors? I am I'm close with that of the LOS. Even I met my wife and Professor Elizabeth Warren's class Jian missing teacher by the way, M and M look. These are folks that have I am dedicated themselves to public service. No, I am how to get stuff done and know how to fight for our values and- and I think you need you- need voices like that here and check in the way in and helping like the way. I do think there's clearly the first some time with other, my colleagues in the House and Senate in the democratic caucus. There's some really talented folks in this caucus- and I think part of it. The issue that we have to reconcile is no one's. Stopping you from stepping up

Write, Jason Gander, give him an awful lot of credit and he ran a really compelling race for Senate seat in their seat that wasn't supposed to be competitive. He almost one in the state that Donald Trump one by double digits and he just because he awesome lodging didn't say he didn't say: okay well time over pack. My bags and go home he's pledged himself to try to make sure that every single person across this country has a voice in as voter registration and had a campaign in the face of what many, including myself expect, is gonna, be a massive voter suppression. Tactics coming forth from this administration, so stand up, speak out and get engaged with it, but it is a great guy with a broom really bright future I've I've I met only wanted the new front. The reward from the JFK Library Foundation. A couple years ago is one of the bright emerging young leaders. Dedicated public service he's got an extraordinary future in our party. We need to have folks like PETE, that that are out there talking about how he solves problems on a daily basis. As a matter, you don't have to ask people's permission to go.

There and try to find some new way to solve a problem. You just gotta go there and do it, and so I think It can be a little bit easy to kind of point to some of the leadership and say: hey. You know We need to have a no one. Stopping folks from getting out there and trying to make your own case get on go door to door, another other parts of the country, listen to people and after I got and try to The way to solve these challenges that you don't need anybody's permission to do that. How do you speak to a lot of the anger? That's out there in anger, because Washington's not working anger

Because people left behind by globalization by automation, right, it seems like democrats- are at a disadvantage a little bit because you know Donald Trump runs for president of the Republicans run and they say governments off hold the country being run by politicians were stupid and corrupt. I can go in there and fix it right. That could be an easy message for Democrats to, but in some way we believe in government yep we've The government can make a difference in people's lives said so there's this tension between you know in our nature, where institutionalized in a way, but it's not in, be an institutional as these days and it's much easier politically to just rail against the system. So how do you? to that anger, and still you know so, rich people. You talk to the guy that wrote, Obama, speeches and ask how you be the first to the next. I would wasn't always easy for him. Next thing I would do is look. I think it recognize that people people are ticked,

and they're angry and they've got a right to be angry. Look I'll! Give you a quick example on this. There is a doubt you hear an awful lot now from Democrats and Republicans and I've been a huge tennis as well about value value of vocational training. More c e ceos in Massachusetts than plumbers you, but it turns out plumbers, can make a really in Massachusetts. There was a vocational school built up in fall river Massachusetts years ago. That was supposed to be the alternative for high school for folks that might struggle in high school diamond regional, technical, vocational school diamond. Now has more skills. Usa, banners hanging from the rafters then are hanging from the Boston Celtics in Boston Garden. You walk through that place and it is a maze what those kids are doing at three of them, came down here about two weeks ago and met my office, they want NASA competition. High school kids one of them is now getting an internship in Dana Farber Cancer Institute or looking at genetics in space. I mean amazing stuff

school kids. There is now a wait list to get into that school. You talk about that stration, failure of government, you sit there and say: hey you've got to school. Here, that's going to try to build up trades for folks. That can't might traditionally would say wouldn't be the right fit in high school. Now, all of a sudden that schools doing so well that the graduates going wherever they want and if there not go into their wherever they want in college there on a pathway to really solid middle class jobs, it's going to provide for their families and we can't even fill enough create enough space so that they can get into the school, They should be upset. They should be raving mad at our system, and so I think it's recognizing that that frustration is real and it is well placed the question for us is then how do you solve it? And it comes back to a fundamental question that does, I think, separate Democrats and Republicans and John, you see it in the heart of this health care bill. It's a film

city of do you think those challenges are going to be better solved by three hundred and thirty million Americans pulling for each other and pulling in the right direction, or is it easier to solve if you're on your own health care bill, we talked a lot about what this bill does. What this bill means is to say at your most vulnerable moment when you are when your love, one sick, when you are when you are need of life, saving care, are you on your own, or do you have a system of doctors and professionals in folks that are willing to care for you and roll up their sleeves and throw their lives and their experience in their dedication there to help you out? I would rather take the latter than the former. That's the difference in the Republicans vision of this bill and with Democrats stand for with the affordable care act is all about What my vision of and I think, a progressive vision for our society is, There- is we've got

massive challenges around the globe, some of which Donald Trump is bringing us, some of which are just there 'cause the world a complex place. Are we better served by our country coming together and try to challenge him? and roll up your sleeves and dive in or by saying you know what they're too hard we're going to build up along go home. There is never been a challenge that is too big integrate for one thousand three hundred and twenty million Americans trying to solve none, not, and so I think what is incumbent on us is to recognize that for Stration recognize the anger and their to understand that comes from a very real place of very real frustration, but as much as my constituents in the northern

for my district outside of Boston, Newton in Brooklyn and Wellesley and Needham, and over talk about innovation and automation and globalization. Most folks out there, if their economy is a mortgage, a paycheck, kids, childcare and trying to make ends meet and that bread and butter issues of trying to make sure that that we're we're covering that and work. In Fort and that that PETE look in this country today? No one should have to worry if their job is gonna be able to meet their basic needs, and so I kind of break this down into this idea of make sure we are fighting for the economic dignity of every single American making sure that we recognize that if you need to run a twenty, nine million Americans solve this problem. We need you on the field, because we need your talent. We need your dedication when you what's gonna, bring to the table and to make sure that,

every single one of those folks knows that you got your back. I think he did pretty ok job articulating congressman. Thank you so much for joining us. I know you have to go, get catch some votes, but we really appreciate you coming by pretty guys thanks so much thank you. Thanks again to Congressman Kennedy for joining us as great conversation- and we will see all again on Monday, happy fourth of July, everyone happy fourth.