>> Welcome back to Squawk Box. >> Joining us right now, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. There is so much to talk to you about this morning, about everything that's going on in Washington, about the BLS, the fed.We could talk about Nvidia Democratic Party, but I want to start with this. And by the way, mea culpa on me too. So but I'm curious where you land.For the last several months, the Democratic Party, for the most part, has been publicly suggesting that because of these tariffs that the economy w ...

Most families drastically underestimate long-term care costs, and Medicare won't help. Here's what younger generations need to know to plan for their parents and, eventually, themselves. https://t.co/iORd1ElsrH ...

Personal Finance & Budgeting - For a single adult with an average US salary of $60,000 per year, resulting in approximately $3,800 per month after taxes, budgeting should allocate about one-third for housing, 15% for food, 10% for transportation, 5% each for utilities and healthcare, and 15% for savings and investments [8][9][11][12][13] - Financial experts recommend aiming for as much as 50% of income in savings for single adults to prepare for future family expenses [16] - Upon retirement, lifestyle costs generally decrease, allowing for increased discretionary spending and reduced savings, although healthcare costs may increase [18][19][20] Remote Work Incentives - Some cities and states are offering financial incentives, ranging around $10,000 to $12,000, plus additional benefits like housing assistance and co-working spaces, to attract remote workers and revitalize their communities [4][5][6] - Tulsa Remote program offers a $10,000 incentive, housing assistance, co-working space, and community-building efforts to encourage remote workers to relocate and stay in Tulsa [6] Medical Debt & Credit Reports - A proposed rule to remove medical debt from credit reports, potentially wiping $49 billion off the credit reports of about 15 million Americans and increasing their credit scores by an average of 20 points, was blocked by a judge [33][34] - Medical debt under $500 is not reported, and 14 states have provisions to remove medical collection debt from credit reports [36] - Medical debt must be one year old before it shows up on credit reports [36] - Paying a medical bill, even after it has gone to collections and appeared on a credit report, will result in its removal from the credit report [51] - Credit card interest rates are high, ranging from 25% to 30%, and using a credit card for medical debt can remove medical debt protections [45] Investment & Retirement - The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that Americans lost $125 billion to fraud in 2024, affecting over 25 million people [21] - Executive order opens the door for retirement savers to invest in alternative assets like crypto and private equity within their 401k plans [29] - Fidelity estimates that a 65-year-old retiring in 2024 could expect to spend $172,500 out-of-pocket on healthcare costs throughout retirement [58]

The last word with Lawrence O'Donnell starts right now. Hey, Lawrence. >> Hey, Jen. And I say this for you and the control room. Uh, as I was just listening to you, uh, your volume was going up and down on my end of it. So, I'm I'm hoping that we uh are going to fix that. But it's not going to be a problem at all for the beginning of this program because >> because you're going to talk loud. >> Well, no, because Lisa Rubin is joining me in the studio. So I can hear her with my actual in the room ears instea ...

Civic Engagement & Political Discourse - A voter, Rosena, challenged Congressman Flood's voting record and support for Trump, citing misinformation and lack of response to fact-checking [2][3] - Rosena emphasizes that her concerns are not partisan but about critical issues affecting democracy [3] - Rosena highlights concerns about limiting women's voting rights [8] Socioeconomic Issues - Rosena points out issues ranging from workforce challenges to women's health and changes to Medicare [9] - The discussion touches on the misleading nature of a 3% unemployment rate due to high underemployment [12] - Many individuals, including college students and elders, rely on SNAP benefits [12][13] Community & Advocacy - Rosena works at a food co-op that accepts SNAP benefits and offers double the value for fruits and vegetables [12] - Rosena invited Congressman Flood to observe the realities faced by employees and patrons who rely on public transportation [13] - Rosena is portrayed as an inspiring role model for civic engagement and using one's voice [14]

Health & Policy - The discussion revolves around President Trump's executive order to reinstate the presidential fitness test in public schools, initially established in 1956 by President Eisenhower [1] - The policy is viewed as performative and political theater, unlikely to address childhood obesity effectively [4] - The core issue lies in structural problems such as limited access to healthy food, a flawed healthcare system, unsafe neighborhoods for exercise, and insufficient recess or physical education [5][6] - Michelle Obama's "Let's Move" campaign, aimed at promoting physical activity and healthy school lunches, faced ridicule from conservatives, highlighting potential political motivations behind health initiatives [10][11] Obesity & Treatment - Over 70% of children and 85% of teenagers do not meet the 2024 federal minimum recommendation for daily moderate to vigorous physical activity, with higher rates among children of color [3] - The administration plans to experiment with Medicare and Medicaid coverage for weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, addressing disparities in obesity treatment access [13] - While medication is beneficial, it's not a complete solution; preventive and wraparound services are essential, raising concerns about Medicaid cuts affecting state affordability of GLP-1s [14][15] Nutrition & Systemic Issues - The administration's focus on changing ingredients in junk food is seen as addressing issues on a granular level rather than tackling systemic problems [17][18] - Addressing the underinsured and uninsured populations, predominantly people of color, is crucial for ensuring access to preventive care and resolving systemic issues impacting communities [19]

Thousands of Medicare recipients will have to wait longer to get some price relief on the expensive cancer drugs they depend on for treatment, while others might not get any reprieve at all https://t.co/h0gqhuTqPB ...

Retirement Savings & 401(k) - Vanguard's research indicates that nearly 5% of 401(k) participants made early withdrawals in 2024 [1] - Early 401(k) withdrawals typically incur a 10% penalty in addition to income taxes [1] - The top two reasons for early withdrawals are to avoid eviction and to pay for medical expenses [1] - Vanguard's data shows that 8 out of 10 workers are saving for retirement, with a savings rate of 12% [1] - One in three workers tend to cash out their entire 401(k) balance when they change jobs, especially those with fluctuating incomes like gig economy and hourly workers [1] - Having an emergency savings of around $2,000 can significantly reduce the likelihood of cashing out 401(k) accounts [1] - Fidelity suggests that by age 67, individuals should have at least 10 times their annual income saved for retirement [47] Housing Market - Canceled home sales are up about 1 percentage point year-over-year, reaching approximately 15% [2] - Canceled sales have increased from about 11% during the peak of the market in 2021 to 15% currently [2] - Sellers with low interest rates (e g, 3%) and high equity may choose to delist their homes if they cannot achieve their desired price [2] Personal Savings Trends - A Nerd Wallet survey reveals that nearly half of Americans have set at least one savings goal for the year [5] - "No Buy 2025" involves eliminating non-essential spending for a set period [6] - "Revenge Saving" is a trend where individuals aggressively save to compensate for past overspending [7] - "Cash Stuffing" is a budgeting method where cash is allocated to different spending categories [7][8] - Many Americans are dissatisfied with their savings from 2024 and are seeking ways to regain control of their finances [11] Medicare & Healthcare Costs - Medicare Part B premiums are projected to increase by more than 11% in 2026, marking the sharpest single-year increase in nearly a decade [17] - The Medicare trustees report predicts that Medicare Part A will be bankrupt in 2033, or potentially as early as 2029 in a worst-case scenario [20] - Experts suggest planning for at least a 10% annual increase in Medicare Part B premiums for the foreseeable future [33] - Medicare Part D prescription drug prices are expected to skyrocket in 2026 [35]

Healthcare & Social Security - The discussion revolves around a bill that cuts healthcare for the needy while giving tax cuts to billionaires and multinational corporations [3][4] - The Treasury Secretary's statement suggests a way to privatize Social Security, sparking controversy [3][4] - Medicaid is crucial for 70 million Americans directly and impacts the healthcare system for all 330 million Americans [10] - Medicaid provides home care and long-term care for the elderly, disabled, and chronically ill [11] - Proposed Medicaid cuts exacerbate the existing rural healthcare crisis [15] Political Accountability & Transparency - Congressman Richie Torres criticizes Donald Trump for breaking promises on Medicaid (cut by $1 trillion), Social Security, and the Epstein files [5] - The Epstein files are a matter of credibility and transparency, with calls for their release [20][21] - Concerns arise about Donald Trump's ties to Jeffrey Epstein, citing a 2002 New York Magazine profile and Alexander Acosta's appointment [24][25] - The speaker believes releasing the Epstein files will continue to be a burden around Trump's neck [26] Economic Impact - The bill slashes healthcare in both red and blue states while cutting taxes for billionaires and multinational corporations [6] - Constituents are primarily concerned about the cost of living, public safety, Medicaid, Medicare, and Social Security [19]

Healthcare Costs & Affordability - The high cost of housing and raising a family are major economic concerns for constituents [1] - Americans are struggling with everyday kitchen table issues, and politicians should address both these and issues like corruption [2] - Republicans voted to take away doctors and basic healthcare services from Americans, especially those in rural states, and are slashing food assistance for children [4][5] - These cuts are going to tax cuts for billionaires and corporate welfare for multinational corporations, particularly oil companies [6] - The current system represents the single largest transfer of wealth in American history from the middle and working class to the top 1% and billionaires [7] - Removing a trillion dollars from the healthcare system will impact everyone, leading to hospital closures and healthcare practitioners leaving the profession [7][8][9] - Healthcare is in a crisis state, and additional cuts for tax cuts will lead to longer wait times and delays [11][12] - Private insurance companies are denying coverage, causing delays similar to single-payer systems like Canada's, while making billions of dollars [13][14][15] - The Biden administration made progress in negotiating lower pharmaceutical prices in Medicare, while a potential Trump administration tariff could increase drug costs by 15% [22][23] - The Inflation Reduction Act fixed the price of insulin at $35 a month and allowed the government to negotiate with big pharma [25] Healthcare System Reform - The current healthcare system is vastly inefficient, with the US spending more per person for worse outcomes than other countries [19][20] - Reform is needed to provide access for everybody, potentially through a single-payer system [21] - The Democratic party stands for quality affordable healthcare [19] Gaza Humanitarian Crisis - There needs to be a massive surge of food aid to Gaza immediately [28] - The food aid distribution system is failing terribly and needs to change, relying on independent humanitarian organizations instead of military and paid contractors [31]