Hakeem Jeffries

Poorly negotiated trade deals, the outsourcing of good paying American jobs, the dramatic decline in unionization and the rise of automation. And yes, the innovation economy is important and we have to continue to lead. developments in the innovation economy, but automation has cost good paying American jobs. No question.

You add those factors together and you have a middle class that has been in decline in relative terms. And the American people are smart enough to know, wait a second, my life was supposed to be better the lives of my parents, whose lives were better than their grandparents', and my children's lives, consistent with the American dream, should be better than mine. But that appears to be broken.

You add those factors together and you have a middle class that has been in decline in relative terms. And the American people are smart enough to know, wait a second, my life was supposed to be better the lives of my parents, whose lives were better than their grandparents', and my children's lives, consistent with the American dream, should be better than mine. But that appears to be broken.

So we have to fix it. And we have to fix it decisively. But in order to convince the American people that we're prepared to fix it, we have to be very clear that we understand that this has been a problem for a long period of time, and we haven't yet collectively been able to turn around this dynamic with the comprehensive, decisive action necessary.

So we have to fix it. And we have to fix it decisively. But in order to convince the American people that we're prepared to fix it, we have to be very clear that we understand that this has been a problem for a long period of time, and we haven't yet collectively been able to turn around this dynamic with the comprehensive, decisive action necessary.

Well, I think the Affordable Care Act has been an interesting opportunity journey. I like that. I like that phrase. No, and a very important one. Yes.

Well, I think the Affordable Care Act has been an interesting opportunity journey. I like that. I like that phrase. No, and a very important one. Yes.

In terms of what has happened, transformationally, you're talking about more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing health care conditions who now have coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, who otherwise would be left to the public market, the insurance market, and health care insurers, many of whom would have no intention

In terms of what has happened, transformationally, you're talking about more than 100 million Americans with pre-existing health care conditions who now have coverage because of the Affordable Care Act, who otherwise would be left to the public market, the insurance market, and health care insurers, many of whom would have no intention

of allowing them affordable access to the healthcare that they need to live. That's more than 100 million Americans. Young people who have transitioned out of college or hit age 21, but were in the workforce since high school, at that point, they would generally have lost their insurance coverage. They could not continue to be on their parents' plan. Now that was extended to the age of 26.

of allowing them affordable access to the healthcare that they need to live. That's more than 100 million Americans. Young people who have transitioned out of college or hit age 21, but were in the workforce since high school, at that point, they would generally have lost their insurance coverage. They could not continue to be on their parents' plan. Now that was extended to the age of 26.

That's been transformational. We've made the point through the Affordable Care Act that being a woman is not a pre-existing condition. It is not a reason to deny healthcare coverage. And before the Affordable Care Act, it had been. But I think the biggest...

That's been transformational. We've made the point through the Affordable Care Act that being a woman is not a pre-existing condition. It is not a reason to deny healthcare coverage. And before the Affordable Care Act, it had been. But I think the biggest...

Success in some ways of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans for eight years obsessed about taking down until finally politically the American people said enough. And we took the House back in 2018 and they've pretended not to want to touch the Affordable Care Act ever since. But if they got a chance, they would.

Success in some ways of the Affordable Care Act, which Republicans for eight years obsessed about taking down until finally politically the American people said enough. And we took the House back in 2018 and they've pretended not to want to touch the Affordable Care Act ever since. But if they got a chance, they would.

is that when that battle was being waged, and I wasn't in Congress at the time, it was still unclear, John, in America, whether healthcare was a right or a privilege. That was an open question. It's no longer an open question. We at least understand that access to high quality, affordable healthcare is a right in the United States of America.

is that when that battle was being waged, and I wasn't in Congress at the time, it was still unclear, John, in America, whether healthcare was a right or a privilege. That was an open question. It's no longer an open question. We at least understand that access to high quality, affordable healthcare is a right in the United States of America.

Now we have to continue to bring that right fully to life.

Now we have to continue to bring that right fully to life.

I think it's a fair question, certainly, that you're asking. But the way that healthcare has developed in the United States of America has been a far too cumbersome and complicated system. And what we've seen is a series of steps that have been taken to try to make it as equitable as possible.