Congressman Ro Khanna
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Podcast Appearances
And then I have people coming to me and saying, cutting the cancer trials was a death sentence for someone I know. What am I going to do when mom came to me in tears? What am I going to do with my two-year-old? He was in NICU. He survived. He had health issues. He is a full-time nurse. with him and he's finally going to get to go to preschool. He needs this nurse and Medicaid gets cut.
I'm not going to have this person nurse to be able to take him to school. These are real stories, real people who rely on basic government services, not because they're looking for a handout, but because they need the health care and education to be able to lead meaningful lives, to be able to work, to be able to support families.
I'm not going to have this person nurse to be able to take him to school. These are real stories, real people who rely on basic government services, not because they're looking for a handout, but because they need the health care and education to be able to lead meaningful lives, to be able to work, to be able to support families.
I'm not going to have this person nurse to be able to take him to school. These are real stories, real people who rely on basic government services, not because they're looking for a handout, but because they need the health care and education to be able to lead meaningful lives, to be able to work, to be able to support families.
And they're fearful that this is going to be snatched away from them.
And they're fearful that this is going to be snatched away from them.
And they're fearful that this is going to be snatched away from them.
They feel that they can't be heard. That's the biggest source of anger. The Republicans have said they don't do a town hall. And so they're inviting in people like me to do town halls. A thousand people show up and they just want to shake my hand. They just want to have a question. They don't even know if I can do anything, but at least I'm listening. At least I'm listening.
They feel that they can't be heard. That's the biggest source of anger. The Republicans have said they don't do a town hall. And so they're inviting in people like me to do town halls. A thousand people show up and they just want to shake my hand. They just want to have a question. They don't even know if I can do anything, but at least I'm listening. At least I'm listening.
They feel that they can't be heard. That's the biggest source of anger. The Republicans have said they don't do a town hall. And so they're inviting in people like me to do town halls. A thousand people show up and they just want to shake my hand. They just want to have a question. They don't even know if I can do anything, but at least I'm listening. At least I'm listening.
Now, in some cases, these town halls have worked. Republicans have flipped their vote. David Valdale said he was going to cut Medicaid, voted to cut Medicaid. We did our town hall a few weeks later. He said now he's against the cut. So people are seeing that their speaking up is working. And that's what gives me hope in this country. I mean, we are seeing citizens.
Now, in some cases, these town halls have worked. Republicans have flipped their vote. David Valdale said he was going to cut Medicaid, voted to cut Medicaid. We did our town hall a few weeks later. He said now he's against the cut. So people are seeing that their speaking up is working. And that's what gives me hope in this country. I mean, we are seeing citizens.
Now, in some cases, these town halls have worked. Republicans have flipped their vote. David Valdale said he was going to cut Medicaid, voted to cut Medicaid. We did our town hall a few weeks later. He said now he's against the cut. So people are seeing that their speaking up is working. And that's what gives me hope in this country. I mean, we are seeing citizens.
mobilized, showing up to town halls, showing up to protests. There's an Harvard professor who said that in societies moving towards authoritarianism, if 3.5% of a population get active, that is the best safeguard against a move towards authoritarianism. That's about 10 million people or so in the United States, and we're seeing that kind of mobilization.
mobilized, showing up to town halls, showing up to protests. There's an Harvard professor who said that in societies moving towards authoritarianism, if 3.5% of a population get active, that is the best safeguard against a move towards authoritarianism. That's about 10 million people or so in the United States, and we're seeing that kind of mobilization.
mobilized, showing up to town halls, showing up to protests. There's an Harvard professor who said that in societies moving towards authoritarianism, if 3.5% of a population get active, that is the best safeguard against a move towards authoritarianism. That's about 10 million people or so in the United States, and we're seeing that kind of mobilization.
I do. And I was so moved by that story where it was MAGA supporters, it was Trump supporters saying, you can't be deporting kids in this country. That's not who we are as Americans. And I have seen a rejuvenation of the American spirit of democratic participation and where I I haven't witnessed my whole life. People are reclaiming their rights as citizens.
I do. And I was so moved by that story where it was MAGA supporters, it was Trump supporters saying, you can't be deporting kids in this country. That's not who we are as Americans. And I have seen a rejuvenation of the American spirit of democratic participation and where I I haven't witnessed my whole life. People are reclaiming their rights as citizens.
I do. And I was so moved by that story where it was MAGA supporters, it was Trump supporters saying, you can't be deporting kids in this country. That's not who we are as Americans. And I have seen a rejuvenation of the American spirit of democratic participation and where I I haven't witnessed my whole life. People are reclaiming their rights as citizens.
They find it offensive that the world's wealthiest person is determining how our country should be run. They find it offensive that any person, even if they're president, can get to defy the courts or the Constitution. They find it offensive that people are threatening the services that they've relied on since the New Deal, since FDR. And they are speaking out.