Leah Litman

And then Trump is forced into a negotiation with Democrats. But they can't let taxes go up on every American. Like that is just something they absolutely cannot do. And if they cannot figure the cuts out in the interim, then I'm not sure what other option there is.

He's already started – he's already – we don't have to have this conversation today, but there's a longer conversation about Democratic strategy here and what they should be doing that they may not yet be doing. But he's already started the – Democrats want your taxes to go up because we're all opposing this bill. And so it's an inelegant solution for the Republicans for sure.

He's already started – he's already – we don't have to have this conversation today, but there's a longer conversation about Democratic strategy here and what they should be doing that they may not yet be doing. But he's already started the – Democrats want your taxes to go up because we're all opposing this bill. And so it's an inelegant solution for the Republicans for sure.

But it is one, if they cannot square the circle on these cuts, someone has to give. The moderates have to give or the conservatives have to give. And then you have a whole set of different problems with the Senate and getting to your 50 votes there. If they can't do that, they're going to have to do something. And that could be a punt. Yeah.

But it is one, if they cannot square the circle on these cuts, someone has to give. The moderates have to give or the conservatives have to give. And then you have a whole set of different problems with the Senate and getting to your 50 votes there. If they can't do that, they're going to have to do something. And that could be a punt. Yeah.

Yeah, the devil is in the details here for sure. It would certainly get them some savings which would reduce pressure on the cut side of it. But it's impossible. It's almost impossible to imagine this passing.

Yeah, the devil is in the details here for sure. It would certainly get them some savings which would reduce pressure on the cut side of it. But it's impossible. It's almost impossible to imagine this passing.

Every time – this keeps getting floated and Republicans keep shooting this down from – like Republicans who rarely disagree with Trump shoot this idea down because the idea of taxing rich people is impossible. And just even if you're being generous about this, they're – their long-held doctrinaire Republican view that you never raise taxes, right? That's the Reagan rule, the one that H.W.

Every time – this keeps getting floated and Republicans keep shooting this down from – like Republicans who rarely disagree with Trump shoot this idea down because the idea of taxing rich people is impossible. And just even if you're being generous about this, they're – their long-held doctrinaire Republican view that you never raise taxes, right? That's the Reagan rule, the one that H.W.

Bush violated and was primaried because of it and lost re-election. So I can't imagine doing that. Now, carried interest loophole, you could probably find some more support for, but once Trump's new VC buddies hear about this, they're going to blow up the White House, and it's going to come to an end. Like, I just don't think either of these are happening.

Bush violated and was primaried because of it and lost re-election. So I can't imagine doing that. Now, carried interest loophole, you could probably find some more support for, but once Trump's new VC buddies hear about this, they're going to blow up the White House, and it's going to come to an end. Like, I just don't think either of these are happening.

This is a fight we can win. It's not guaranteed. We don't have the votes to stop it. But cutting Medicaid is way more unpopular than attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act or Trump's first term. You have 80% of Americans opposing Medicaid cuts. More than 50% of Republicans, 75% of independents. This is incredibly popular. It is ingrained in people's lives.

This is a fight we can win. It's not guaranteed. We don't have the votes to stop it. But cutting Medicaid is way more unpopular than attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act or Trump's first term. You have 80% of Americans opposing Medicaid cuts. More than 50% of Republicans, 75% of independents. This is incredibly popular. It is ingrained in people's lives.

It is how many, many Americans get health care. Something like 40% of births in America are paid for by Medicaid. And so yes, Republicans are craven. Yes, they do terrible things. We may not win this fight, but it's one we can win. There are a lot of fights that just they're going to do with like the confirmations. They're just going to do what Trump wants, and it's not really going to matter.

It is how many, many Americans get health care. Something like 40% of births in America are paid for by Medicaid. And so yes, Republicans are craven. Yes, they do terrible things. We may not win this fight, but it's one we can win. There are a lot of fights that just they're going to do with like the confirmations. They're just going to do what Trump wants, and it's not really going to matter.

This is one where the politics are such that if we put sufficient political pressure on, we could actually stop this.

This is one where the politics are such that if we put sufficient political pressure on, we could actually stop this.

I mean, the sum total of what these guys said in their testimony, what Caroline Leavitt says at the press conferences, how Trump answered questions of Kirsten Welker, the court filings is, What they're doing is indefensible. It's indefensible morally. It's indefensible legally. It's indefensible politically.

I mean, the sum total of what these guys said in their testimony, what Caroline Leavitt says at the press conferences, how Trump answered questions of Kirsten Welker, the court filings is, What they're doing is indefensible. It's indefensible morally. It's indefensible legally. It's indefensible politically.

You can't answer the questions because basically the FBI director has to pretend to not understand the Constitution to be able to answer this question because the Constitution is crystal clear on it. And even if you want to debate the use of the word person in there, the courts have ruled on this, as you pointed out on Tuesday's podcast, as recently as like three weeks ago.