The wave shutdown of the government is greater than only a dispute between two events with other coverage concepts. It’s additionally a stark instance of the way The us’s large wealth inequality continues to weaken our freedom. Taya Graham and Stephen Janis crack ailing the proof that billionaires are operating the display.
Refer to is a in a rush transcript and would possibly include mistakes. A proofread model might be made to be had once imaginable.
Taya Graham:
Hi everybody. Welcome again to the Inequality Attend to File. I’m Taya Graham, your inequality watchdog. Now, those day two weeks, Washington didn’t simply close ailing the federal government. It close ailing equality as a result of when the federal government stops operating, inequality doesn’t whisk a crack. It in fact cashes in. Now Republicans are pronouncing that the shutdown is set unholy coverage from Democrats, however we see one thing other that it’s basically about inequality and we will turn out it proper, Stephen?
Stephen Janis:
Yeah, completely. That is what I believe we’re going to get started calling the primary complete throated inequality shutdown. It’s no longer near to politics. It’s no longer near to who has other coverage proposals. I believe we’re vision one thing in point of fact, in point of fact other. It’s been evolving and it’s been at the horizon for an extended past, however strolling round Capitol Hill, we’re vision a special pressure right here that is more or less defining the age. I believe it has a accumulation to do with financial inequality.
Taya Graham:
Now, what have you ever been vision on Capitol Hill? I heartless, we’ve been committing to DC I might say, each and every alternative generation for the day two weeks tracking this shutdown. What have you ever been vision?
Stephen Janis:
Not anything mainly. Smartly, as a result of there’s nobody there as a result of Johnson has close ailing Congress. Now, typically talking, within the day in case you have shutdowns, you’ll have each side form of consuming a accumulation of pizza, staying up past due, negotiating a minimum of being round. However Johnson has stated completely nobody’s committing to be there, so there’s negative manner anything else can occur. So they have got actually thwarted any more or less alternate between the 2 events. So in point of fact that’s what makes it to me slightly other. Within the day, there were the similar form of brinkmanship in terms of coverage. Any person has one thought, any person has any other, however that is totally sclerotic. There is not any negotiation happening, and to me, that claims a accumulation about the place our freedom is at the moment.
Taya Graham:
Really well stated. And in truth, month Congress is bickering, overspending, and the Democrats are outnumbered and outgunned month they’re looking to repair the Reasonably priced Offer Business subsidies or give protection to Medicare from cuts or simply reserve meals at the desk from moms and small children who depend on SNAP and wic, and in the meantime, the similar Republicans who name themselves fiscally accountable are necessarily on paid peace as executive workers are informed to paintings for distant. So from what you’ve obvious, what are the Democrats in fact combating for on this shutdown, and what occurs if the ones A subsidies and Medicare protections lapse for even only some weeks?
Stephen Janis:
Smartly, so precisely, exactly what they would like is the recovery of the A tax credit, that have been enacted right through the pandemic in 2000, what used to be 2021. And what they had been intended to do used to be form the Reasonably priced Offer Business extra reasonably priced for folk via giving credit to folk tax credit who’ve upper and better earning. Now, it is going the entire manner up and ailing the size, however mainly what it did used to be trim in part the premiums that folk are paying, much more so than that, and what’s going to occur if those expire, folk’s condition insurance coverage premiums on a per thirty days foundation will move up considerably. And that’s on manage of the truth that folk’s healthcare is already getting dearer. So it’s going to be fatal for a accumulation of households, and that’s why the Democrats are form of maintaining farmland and no longer negotiating at this level.
Taya Graham:
As an issue of reality, we’ve a clip. We in fact attended the Democratic Girls’s Caucus presser. Let’s simply concentrate to one of the crucial Democrats describe the affect that those cuts are committing to have.
Speaker 3:
Hospitals are extreme maternity serve, deserts are rising, Medicaid is being gutted via one thousand billion bucks. Take into accounts what that suggests to the American folk and in particular to the folk that Mike Johnson represents. Most kids in Louisiana are on Medicaid. 64% of births in Louisiana are paid for via Medicaid, and 74% of nursing house citizens in Louisiana also are on Medicaid. So this isn’t about blue states as opposed to pink states. While you defund Medicaid, while you negative to ban going upcoming the Reasonably priced Offer Business, when you select to hike premiums, all to trim tax cuts for 900 billionaires, it’s everybody else who suffers.
Taya Graham:
Now, Steven, what I discovered curious is that the cuts that she’s describing, a accumulation of the folk in Speaker Johnson’s district are in fact committing to endure if those healthcare premiums in the course of the a CA grow to be unaffordable, how can he proceed to forget about his constituents?
Stephen Janis:
K, that’s why we’re calling this an inequality shutdown. What you’re vision this is one thing, a phenomena that we’ve referred to as and that we’ve been monitoring referred to as component disengagement, proper? The place the desires of your constituents haven’t any impact to your politics. And what you’re vision in Speaker Johnson’s circumstances, in fact 77% of the folk who get upon Obamacare credit are in pink states. And Speaker Johnson’s district has one of the crucial best possible choice of Medicaid recipients. So that you’re vision this procedure the place the constituents wishes are disengaged from the, and why would that occur? Why would that disengagement happen? As a result of they know they don’t want constituents. They know that they have got a oligarchy in some sense, that can unclouded the best way for his or her election without reference to what occurs. We’ll discuss extra how that procedure works and the way the mechanics of that works. However that’s the modest factor you’re vision is a disengagement from, and that’s how freedom works, proper? You’re constituents want healthcare, you’re committing to vote for it, you’re going to barter, you’re committing to reserve Congress obvious. However on this case, he stated, negative, completely no longer. The reserve is closed. And I believe that has a accumulation to do with the psychology of an inequality shutdown and why it differs from alternative
Taya Graham:
Shutdowns. There are folk who’re operating at the moment. There are folk who’re operating the ability grid. There are folk who’re in legislation enforcement. There are folk within the army. There are folk in hospitals, wind visitors controls, wind visitors regulate. Nation who’re protective us once we’re flight, who aren’t getting paid at the moment, however they’re no longer the one ones getting furloughed. Even justice will get furloughed. Now, take into account that discharge petition that would pressure a vote to reveal Epstein’s tough protectors this is nonetheless frozen in limbo and the rich predators stay secure month operating elegance American citizens are dropping their healthcare and paychecks, and the sufferers of those predators are nonetheless looking ahead to justice and their generation in court docket. Now, you introduced up the Epstein discharge petition in our interview on Capitol Hill. Are you able to provide an explanation for how this unfinished industry displays a justice gadget the place the rich are actually insulated and secure from justice month the residue of the federal government actually stops functioning?
Stephen Janis:
Smartly, the object is that at the moment the release petition has 217 votes. There are most effective 3 Republicans. So mainly at the moment, all the Republican celebration is overlaying up for serial predators, a serial predator, and a accumulation of his cohorts and don’t need the recordsdata to be excused. Now, what a discharge petition does is it implies that Congress has to have a vote. In order that implies that at the moment, speaker Mike Johnson gained’t even permit Congress to vote on a subpoena that will pressure the Justice Area to let go the entire data. Now, we had been on Capitol Hill, we coated the click convention for the survivors. I do know you had a accumulation of ideas about that. I heartless, it impacted you, proper?
Taya Graham:
It completely did. And I don’t suppose someone may glance the ones girls within the optical. I stood simply two, 3 ft clear of many of those girls, said to them immediately, requested some questions immediately. I don’t suppose someone may glance the ones girls within the optical and no longer consider them once they had been talking their fact. And this isn’t only one lady or two girls or 3 girls who’ve come ahead. There have been actually a quantity girls there who had been courageous plethora to come back ahead and discuss their enjoy. And so they’re doing it for the masses of girls and women who have been victimized via Jeffrey Epstein, which is why it used to be so egregious that Money Patel, FBI director stated necessarily that Epstein, mercy me, most effective trafficked the ones masses of sufferers to
Stephen Janis:
Himself
Taya Graham:
As though there used to be negative alternative predator concerned.
Stephen Janis:
Now, how this suits into the speculation of the inequality shutdown is the truth that Jeffrey Epstein is an ideal instance of the way the justice gadget has been warped via inequality. We realized as a part of one of the crucial paperwork that got here out, that police within the preliminary 2008 price, 2009 price excused the names of folk who had complained about Epstein to him. We additionally realized that Epstein, in fact, spent weekends, spent nights in prison, however days in his own residence, and as you stated, more than likely
Taya Graham:
Victimizing, he in fact spent days in his personal place of work, his luxurious
Stephen Janis:
Workplace,
Taya Graham:
And it used to be stated and alleged that there have been girls that had been delivered to him right through the generation month he used to be at that place of work.
Stephen Janis:
You’ve gotten a
Taya Graham:
Implausible
Stephen Janis:
Immense inequality in injustice gadget that can prosecute folk we’ve obvious in Baltimore for spitting on a sidewalk and throw them in prison. And this guy didn’t grant any actual prison past till maximum not too long ago, till 2019. So you may have this large inequality that we see portrayed in that. And I believe it’s believable that Johnson doesn’t wish to obvious Congress as a result of he doesn’t wish to must swear in at Alito Alva who will be the 218th vote at the discharge petition. I believe that’s a bulky factor. We’ve talked to many folk who stated that we performed the clip. Completely. We in fact have a clip along with her the place we requested her in particular about this, why don’t we play games it and later we’ll discuss it.
Speaker 4:
Congressman, do you settle that you simply’re no longer being sworn in as a result of the Epstein petition? Is that what you suppose is
Speaker 5:
There is not any alternative familiar denominator that we will level to,
Speaker 4:
Proper? And so how do you’re feeling about that? I heartless, what do you need?
Speaker 5:
One extremely pissed off. The problem of freeing the Epstein used to be Trump’s marketing campaign word. On generation one, they’d be excused. So right here we’re ready, and now we’ve Speaker Johnson who’s in fact ended votes early to deliver to steer clear of a vote. And obstructing my sworn in.
Speaker 4:
Will you signal the petition whenever you’re sworn in?
Speaker 5:
Sure, I can. That’s quantity 2 18, 2 17, were given in and upcoming 24 hours, negative weakness in any respect.
Speaker 4:
And he swore folk in right through professional forma classes sooner than, proper?
Speaker 5:
Sure, he has. And an entire freshman elegance used to be sworn in right through the shutdown, so there in point of fact isn’t any mercy. Do you suppose he’s maintaining up the swearing in as a result of the Epstein report? I heartless, I will’t level to anything.
Stephen Janis:
So I heartless, the entire excuses Johnson has thrown up, like Congress isn’t in consultation, didn’t observe to Republicans, and he has endured to be cussed. She’s been elected for 22 days. Two Florida Republicans have sworn in virtually 24 hours upcoming they had been elected.
Taya Graham:
She has a number of hundred thousand constituents that aren’t being represented at the moment as a result of he gained’t swear in. And so he has modified his principle onto why she shouldn’t be sworn in. He stated that she merits the entire pomp and surrounding and that alternative folk have won once they’re sworn in.
Stephen Janis:
So believe what that implies that all the Congress, the folk’s frame, they’re meant to be probably the most consultant, is close ailing to give protection to a serial predator. How a lot more may that be an accentuation of inequality on this
Taya Graham:
Nation? Completely. And there’s a grim irony right here. The similar politicians who’re decrying executive squander are nonetheless gathering paychecks. They’re nonetheless getting paid month janitors and TSA and alternative federal crisis personnel and such a lot of others and federal contractors. And the way does this hypocrisy play games out politically? Is the media getting this message throughout and what’s their position on this?
Stephen Janis:
Smartly, I believe the media is enjoying as a form of a horse race the place you may have two events who’s committing to win, as though that’s probably the most impressive factor to folk that don’t have healthcare, who’s going to come back out on manage? What’s the gamesmanship? Republicans guaranteeing strikes, like forcing a vote at the protection invoice? Protection appropriations Invoice, Democrats doing X, Y, and Z. So that they’re no longer overlaying, they’re no longer taking a look on the underlying considerable problems or what we’re speaking about component disengagement. That isn’t the factor. What the problem is for them is who’s going to come back out and triumph on this. And I believe that’s a part of why I believe the mainstream media does no longer do the carrier it may well be doing to this actual debate since the underlying extremes of inequality are what riding this, and it’s no longer in point of fact horse race, and the losers are committing to be the American folk without reference to what occurs.
Taya Graham:
And we’ve spoken and we’ve spoken at the inequality, observe about our principle on battle billionaires. Steven, perhaps you’ll be able to discuss their position in shaping the narrative that undocumented immigrants are the rationale that thousands and thousands of American citizens shouldn’t obtain affordable
Stephen Janis:
Healthcare. Proper. Smartly, let’s concentrate to Speaker Mike Johnson form his argument and we come again. I can discuss {that a} negligible bit.
Speaker 6:
As you recognize, folk who’re right here in america legally have by no means been eligible for the Obamacare subsidies for Medicare, for Medicaid. So what precisely are you pronouncing that they’re looking to do while you discuss giving distant healthcare to
Speaker 7:
Them? I’m so satisfied you requested. K. So once we handed the only bulky stunning invoice, the Running Households Tax Snip, we had Medicaid reforms within the invoice. You and I mentioned it at the wind. What we did used to be to do away with fraud, squander, and abuse. There have been a accumulation of folk at the program who had been enrolled in this system who had been by no means eligible to be there. Medicaid is meant for eligible US voters, no longer unlawful extraterrestrial beings, no longer additionally US voters who’re ready bodied employees like younger males. So we handed the legislation. This president signed it into legislation. Democrats voted towards it, in fact, and it’s been wildly a success.
Speaker 6:
What you probably did used to be slim the eligibility for sure folk to get get admission to to the A CA subsidies. What they wish to do is undo the adjustments that Republicans made in that, however mainly, wouldn’t that most effective have an effect on folk who do have prison situation? Nation who’re refugee seekers right here in america, asylum seekers right here.
Speaker 7:
The ones are two completely other problems. Now, they’ve created this as a pristine argument that they have got as to why they must no longer reserve the federal government obvious, however they’re arguing a December coverage debate for a September investment factor. The subsidies that you simply’re speaking about don’t expire till the top of December.
Speaker 6:
Incorrect, negative, negative. The subsidies for simply on a regular basis American citizens, that’s something that clearly has been the primary premise in their argument. However you’re pronouncing they wish to give distant healthcare to folk who’re in america illegally.
Speaker 7:
This is precisely what the impact might be. However
Speaker 6:
After I checked out it, there’s a negligible nuance as a result of they wish to undo adjustments that y’all made narrowing who used to be eligible to get that? The ones are folk who’re refugee seekers, asylum seekers. They’re no longer technically folk who’re right here illegally.
Stephen Janis:
K. Let you know, this is a controversy this is in fact prov to be fake on its face. It doesn’t in point of fact whisk a lot reality checking or a lot Googling to determine or AI looking out to determine that is completely, completely fake. However why would a whole celebration bottom its argument on one thing this is provably really easy to unwind and turn out fake? Smartly,
Taya Graham:
I heartless, Kaitlyn Collins used to be ready to turn out it fake. I heartless, it’s actually unlawful, federally opposed for any person who’s undocumented to obtain get admission to to Medicaid or to the a CA.
Stephen Janis:
Smartly, a part of our thought of component dissociation or component disengagement is the speculation of Fb arguments. Those are arguments which might be adapted to Fb as a result of there’s simplistic missing content material or as a result of they’re simplistic, missing context. Those are Fb in a position arguments. And the way that performs into the battle billionaires is, we mentioned this in an previous display. The battle billionaires are the folk who monetize and benefit off of battle so to reserve us from having access to our rights and for containing politicians responsible. And find out how to form the gadget unresponsive to the hundreds. That’s precisely what it’s. So battle billionaires are like a Mark Zuckerberg or Elon Musk. I heartless, let’s consider Elon Musk purchased Twitter previous to his flip to changing into a Republican and supporting Trump. So mainly talking, those battle billionaires have prepared the level for those simplistic form of arguments which might be provably fake, however in fact simple to go alongside on Fb. I’ve pals who’re Trumpers, they usually put up this the entire past. You’ll want to put up the entire contextual components pronouncing this isn’t true. The legislation totally forbids it and it gained’t topic. So mainly, the battle billionaires have taken the nation sq. that may be informative and form us form Congress extra responsive and form us perceive what Congress has to do to in fact give protection to our rights and made it a whole fruitful farmland for stupidity and in fact inaccuracy. In order that’s the way it
Taya Graham:
Works. It’s this kind of embarassment as a result of to start with, and I dislike to confess my day, however I used to be round when the web used to be first being born, and there used to be bulletin board techniques.
Stephen Janis:
I do know you’re that impaired,
Taya Graham:
Nevertheless it used to be in fact some way for folk to keep in touch with every alternative. And now the best way those social media platforms are manipulated via the billionaire CEOs who run them we’re ready to keep in touch much less successfully. And we’re extra partisan than ever. I heartless, the word of the web used to be that it used to be committing to fix all people that used to be committing to welcome in a pristine day of verbal exchange all around the globe. And in lieu, we’re extra siloed. We’re extra partisan, and we’re angrier at every alternative than I believe we’ve ever been.
Stephen Janis:
Smartly, I believe it used to be all right down to an easy determination that many of those platforms made, which used to be in lieu of getting your newsfeed move chronological, your newsfeed was cluttered with stuff that were given probably the most response or probably the most arouse, probably the most dislike, probably the most low sum responses. And once they made that call, they made heaps of cash, however additionally they made not possible for folk to have reason why debate about coverage.
Taya Graham:
And so they additionally, as an issue of reality, simply as one mini instance, or in fact I shouldn’t say a Civil struggle is a mini instance, Fb allowed, in point of fact helped foment a civil struggle in Myanmar. So those partisan perspectives, those silos that we finally end up in politically which might be enhanced via the, I supposition the outrage mechanics of the social media platforms we interact with, they have got severe actual international repercussions on our
Stephen Janis:
Politics. It might be a lot tougher for Mike Johnson to form that argument, that specious argument about folk’s get admission to to this serve. If he didn’t have Fb and the alternative platforms in Twitter to extol the virtues of his talent to discuss nation coverage, it will be and magnify just about
Taya Graham:
Inconceivable to magnify those extremely 2D ideas.
Stephen Janis:
Yeah. So it’s in point of fact the easiest runway for them. And later you upload on manage of it, they near ailing Congress. So in point of fact the avenues of duty and the facility of freedom to flow into concepts and later to hash them out has grow to be virtually not possible as a result of billionaires lovely a lot personal the entire operative mechanics of the gadget.
Taya Graham:
They personal the commons.
Stephen Janis:
And the object is, I wish to form this level, this isn’t a progressive level. Nation have mentioned this sooner than, however we’re vision it. We’re vision it as a result of we walked across the halls of Congress. Sure, we did. We’re run the video at the moment and it used to be unfilled.
Taya Graham:
Sure, it used to be
Stephen Janis:
Right through what can be a countrywide situation. You simply discussed the entire folk that aren’t getting paid who aren’t operating, and lets proceed round and no longer in finding someone. We knock them
Taya Graham:
Doorways and the entire Congress participants who’re getting paid
Stephen Janis:
Proper
Taya Graham:
Now and they’re getting paid. Let’s form positive to emphasise that every one the ones Congress participants that aren’t operating for you at the moment are getting paid.
Stephen Janis:
However consider, I heartless, to form a offer, folk want to communicate. Nation want to have interaction, they usually’re no longer doing that. And folk want those healthcare advantages they usually want to give you the chance to form it occur. And they’ll no longer, as long as they’re no longer in consultation. And as long as Mike Johnson continues on that trail, we can no longer see any journey.
Taya Graham:
Especially true. And simply to be totally unclouded, this isn’t only a gridlock. It’s a shutdown of equity and of compassion, which we’ve been calling the inequality shutdown. The folk who blank the federal government workplaces or give protection to our airplanes or handle our seniors or feed our youngsters are the primary to really feel it. And upcoming, someone who wishes healthcare enrollment on November 1st, they’re committing to really feel it upcoming. And the folk who destitute the gadget, the billionaires, the lobbyists, and the political grifters, they’ll by no means really feel that ache except, for instance, voters United is struck ailing in an struggle to detoxify our freedom via getting the twilight cash out politics. However that will simply be one mini step, and I might be curious to understand what someone who could be looking at, what do you suppose will be the upcoming step to form our freedom wholesome? Once more, please make sure you let fall your ideas within the feedback beneath, and I may even be capable of select one for the remark of the while. I wish to thanks for becoming a member of us for the Inequality Attend to File. I’m Taya Graham.
Stephen Janis:
Taya, thank you Arm me. Respect it.
Taya Graham:
And that’s Stephen. Janis. So we’re your Inequality Attend to Canine reporting for you.
