Jeffries on Ending the Shutdown, NYC Mayor's Race

Government Shutdown & Negotiations - Democrats are willing to negotiate with Republicans to reopen the government and reach a bipartisan spending agreement [1] - The speaker accuses Donald Trump of preventing Republican leaders from negotiating, thus prolonging the shutdown [4] - The speaker believes Trump is prioritizing golfing over engaging with Democrats to resolve the shutdown [7] - Democrats are reaching out to the White House, urging Trump to negotiate before his trip to Asia [9] Healthcare Crisis & Affordable Care Act (ACA) - Democrats insist on addressing the Republican healthcare crisis, particularly extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits [2] - Republicans' policies are causing hospitals, nursing homes, and community health centers to close [16] - A potential $536 billion cut to Medicare is looming if Congress doesn't act [16] - Over 90% of people receiving ACA tax credits make around $63,000 or less [17] - Republicans in the House have voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act more than 70 times since 2010 [38] Spending & Budget - Trump is accused of trying to divert $230 million in taxpayer funds from the Department of Justice [7] - The speaker mentions a potential $1 trillion cut to Medicaid [15] - House Republicans are considering a longer-term continuing resolution (CR) of 14 months, which Democrats find unacceptable [13][14] - Republicans are proposing cutting $17 billion from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and approximately $500 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) [18] Trust & Credibility - The speaker expresses a lack of trust in Republicans, especially regarding healthcare and cost of living issues [36] - Republicans promised to lower costs but costs have gone up, and they promised to protect Medicaid but enacted significant cuts [36][37] Impact on Federal Employees - Over 200,000 federal employees had been forced off the job prior to the government shutdown [5][27] - Federal workers are concerned about receiving their back pay due to Trump's past actions [29] Affordability & Cost of Living - The speaker emphasizes the need to lower the high cost of living, including housing, groceries, childcare, healthcare, and utilities [64] - Trump's tariffs are making life more expensive, adding thousands of dollars per year in additional expenses [37]