GOP Reps Get MASSACRED BY CROSS EXAM at Key Hearing

GOP Reps Get MASSACRED BY CROSS EXAM at Key Hearing

This is what we like to see. Democratic Congress members brutally cross-examining the MAGA Republican Congress members regarding the disastrous budget bill, putting them on the spot, showing what pathetic hypocrites they are before the entire world on live TV. Now, in the rules committee in Congress, you have the opportunity to cross-examine Congress members from the other political party who try to defend the legislation. here when Democratic Congress members like Jim McGovern, who’s the ranking Democrat from the rules committee, and Democratic Congress member Joe Nagus from Colorado, started cross-examining the MAGA Republicans like Jodie Arrington, who run the rules committee for the MAGA Republicans. The MAGA Republicans folded like a cheap Donald Trump suit. Let me show you what went down here. Democratic Congress member Jim McGovern is speaking to MAGA Republican Congress member Arrington and said, “Do you agree with Trump that the Congressional Budget Office, which talks about what a disaster your budget bill is, is run by Democrats and watch as the MAGA Republican Arrington walks right into the trap.” Brilliant crossexam. Let’s play it right here. Chairman Arrington, I mean, do you agree with CBO’s analysis that this bill will add 3.3 trillion to the deficit? Yes. Yes or no?
No.
Okay. As the current chair of the budget committee, do you agree with President Trump that CBO is co-run by Democrats?
I think they are mostly Democrats and most likely they’re biased in in in that regard philosophically.
And in fact, the current director of the CBO is a Republican. Yeah. Uh, and that’s according to a recent interview he gave with the Wall Street Journal. That’s true.
And do you know what you said about the current CBO director when he was reappointed to his position two years ago?
Probably something good. Yeah, you did. You said he has the two key ingredients to faithfully execute the role as our nation’s budget scorekeeper scorekeeper. Objectivity and integrity. Um, and then now we hear a whole different version because, you know, people Republicans don’t like the numbers. And it’s not just CBO saying that your bill will cost trillions. It’s every budget modeling organization with any credibility. Then you have Democratic Congress member McGovern listing all of the groups, right-wing groups, leftwing groups, center groups, MAGA Republican groups, the Freedom Caucus, all who have done studies saying the budget bill is a total disaster. And McGovern asks Arrington, “So you disagree with every one of these groups? Every single one’s lying and only Donald Trump has all of the answers. Here, play this clip.” And then now we hear a whole different version because you know people Republicans don’t like the numbers. And it’s not just CBO saying that your bill will cost trillions. It’s every budget modeling organization with any credibility. Do you agree with the Yale budget lab that your bill will add trillions of dollars to the deficit even when accounting for growth? Yes or no?
I probably disagree with most of what’s coming out of Yale University.
Do you agree with the P Whorton budget model that your bill will add trillions of dollars to the deficit even when accounting for growth?
I disagree. Do you agree uh with the right-leaning tax foundation that your tax cuts will add trillions of dollars to the deficit even when accounting for growth?
I disagree with the with every organization you’ve mentioned because of the growth rate association. Well, and they account for growth. Do you agree with the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute that your bill will add trillions of dollars to the deficit even when accounting for growth?
May I make a clarification? I mean, you’re running through a pretty good list, but I
I’m almost done with it.
I think what I’ll let you finish. Uh I mean do you agree with the tax policy center that your tax cuts will add trillions of dollars to the deficit? No. And what about the House Freedom Caucus uh that these tax cuts will they they have a low estimate but it’ll add over a trillion dollars to the deficit and is way more expensive uh than the House pass bill. Here’s my position. I um I don’t think Democrats or Republicans have gotten serious about uh addressing the cumulative deficits into the future. Yeah. Donald Trump who claims that the bill includes no tax on social security which is nowhere in the budget bill. Then MAGA Republican Congress member Arrington has to concede. He goes, “Look, if you’re looking to make the argument that this bill isn’t perfect when it comes to fiscal discipline and that it’s bad, you win.” This is what he says to Joe Nagus, Democratic Congress member. You win. That’s their tactic when they’re being cross-examined. They just like, “We lose. You win. Daddy Trump wants us to do this. We’re the MAGA Republicans. That’s what we call him. So, we’ll do what he wants to do.” Here, playing this clip. So, you know, if you’re looking to make the argument this bill isn’t perfect when it comes to any principle, including fiscal discipline, you win.
Well, I appreciate because it’s not perfect. And so, you win. I mean, honestly, but to say that, you know, the old Ronald Reagan 8020, uh, fill in the blank in not so perfect processes and a political process, uh, having significant reforms on the fiscal side, excuse me, like the spending cuts, like the welfare reforms that are long overdue, much needed, like preventing, which 40 some odd Democrats opposed, preventing taxpayer for dollars to flow to people who are here illegally. Now, watch Democratic Congress member McGovern brilliantly use Arrington’s own statements against him right here. Play this clip.
In March, you said, and I quote, “If the Senate is simply using current policy to get tax cuts permanent while avoiding or skirting responsibility to bring down spending commenurately, then that is a non-starter.” That’s end quote. Then in our April hearing on the budget, when I asked you if you were here supporting a non-starter, you told me, “I opposed the notion that in the final reconciliation bill that we would have a deficit increase on the watch of a party that claims fiscal responsibility as a core principle.” And as recently as June 10th, you signed a letter that that said, and I quote, “We remain unequivival unequivocal and our position that any additional tax cuts must be must be matched dollar by dollar by real enforcable spending reductions.” that union um that union is a cornerstone of the house framework adopted in section 4001 of Hconres 14 and it’s the minimum standard for our support end quote. So you’ve been very consistent in your demands and so I have that so I have to ask you did the Senate follow the House’s reconciliation restrictions? They did not. I I I according to to the latest analysis from the committee on responsible federal budget, the Senate violated the House’s instructions by over half a trillion dollars and the final bill will add 4 trillion to the national debt in including interest. So here we are with a final bill that does something that you called a non-starter that violates your core principles and that doesn’t meet what you called the minimum standard for your support. Have your core principles changed since April? I mean
no sir. I mean, do words min the words minimum and non-starter not mean what I think that they mean? Uh like I I don’t understand like why I mean if I were on on the right of this I mean I don’t know why you know you wouldn’t take this opportunity maybe to follow Lisa Marowsk’s advice to you know maybe have a conference with the Senate and try to to to work something out. Um you know I I it just it it seems that everything that everybody
may be on to something.
Yeah. Well, well, it’s it Well, and again, if that’s the case, then I don’t know why we’re here in the rules committee taking up your time. Next up, we have Democratic Congress member Nagus speaking to MAGA Republican Congress member Smith about the special carveouts for Lisa Mowski and others to try to buy off their vote. And by the way, Mowski then votes for this thing. And then Mowski is like, I hate it though. Please, please, House, fix what I just did. Seriously, that’s what she said. Watch this encounter though. Negus with Smith. Let’s play it.
I think you’re missing one. Which one is that? Whalers. What’s that? A new tax break for whalers, right? Am I
Are you talking about allowing someone who uses a harpon to deduct the cost of that harpon?
Correct.
That’s included. It’s a business expense.
It’s a new new tax break. It’s a business expense that was capped at $10,000 and now they can deduct it
up to $50,000, right?
Yes.
Yes. Why was that added? If we all know,
you’d have to talk to the senators.
I’d have to talk to the senators. I don’t It was kind of convenient, Chairman Smith, that that was the one the one addition that you omitted from that list you provided, but uh I think I
there’s probably more that I
Well, that may be the case. And then you had the MAGAR Republican Congresswoman Virginia Fox try to uh pull one over on Nagus and she’s like, “Are you aware that Democrats did this?” And Nagus is like, “Um, I have no clue what you’re talking about. What were you talking about?” And watch as he outmaneuvers her as she tried to cross-examine him and then he cross-examined her. Here, play this clip. Mr. Of course, I’m happy to yield.
Would you yield for a question?
Sure. Are you aware that the Democrats did this when the Senate passed a 4,000page bill and sent it over to the House and the Rules Committee met very soon after that?
When was this
perhaps? Uh I think I’m not sure if it was the IRA. I will get you the uh specific date, but I I don’t know if you were appalled at the way the House operated then, but I I figured you probably weren’t aware that the president was set very badly by the Democrats. So, thank you for yielding. Madam Chair, I’m yield to ranking member in a moment. First, I would hope that you might ask the team, your team to provide us with that example so that we can have a more wholesome colloqui instead of you’re sort of citing a random example that I’m not aware of. But I also would just say if I guess that madam chair is is making the case that
I I I now have the facts consolidated appropriations bill in um 2023. So an appropriate an appropriations bill that was bipartisan that the vast majority of the United States Congress voted on. That’s the example you’re offering compared to a reconciliation bill that is purely partisan and not a single Democratic member of the United States Senate or the House of Representatives voting on. That’s the correlary to this particular bill. As uh Ricky member Bole I think eloquently put it uh in questioning or rather in his answers to Representative Scandlin, the precedents that Republicans are setting in this Congress will certainly be leveraged down the road when political winds shift. and we have seen that on full display over the last month and a half. But any event, the ranking member wished to jump in. I I deprive him of that opportunity.
I’m going to withhold my
my comments because I won’t be productive at this moment.
Yeah. And look, I
Next, you have uh Democratic Congresswoman Scandlin. Here’s what she’s got to say. Let’s play it.
The climate provisions in this uh big ugly bill are no better. It represents a near total roll back of the historic investments in clean energy and environmental protection that we enacted in the inflation reduction act. These cuts are going to jeopardize 1.75 million goodaying construction jobs and billions of dollars in private sector in investment that is growing our economy now with solar, wind, and hydroelective projects. We’re slamming the brakes with this bill on some incredible economic growth and seeding energy dominance to China. Also, our Republican colleagues can plate their fossil fuel donors. This bill is a brazen handout to polluters. It has sweetheart deals for the oil, coal, and gas industries that read like they were written by lobbyists. It mandates lease sales in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, threatening one of the last truly pristine ecosystems on Earth. It opens 4 million acres of public land to coal mining and slashes royalty rates, a direct subsidy to the oil and gas industry. And household energy costs are going to go up as a result of this bill. We’ve seen two studies already showing that uh costs for energy in my state in Pennsylvania, in New York, are likely to increase 7 to 8%. In Minnesota, they’re likely to increase by 12% and 16% increase in energy costs for Texas. Congress member McGovern’s like, why does Bezos need tax cuts when you’re taking away Medicaid from people? Watch Smith slither and squirm. The mega Republican slithers and squirms. Watch this. Let’s play it.
I think people want to know like why does someone like Jeff Bezos need a tax cut when all this other stuff is being cut? You know, I and I think that’s a that’s not an outrageous question. It’s it’s what’s on a lot of people’s minds. By the way, not just Democrats, but independents and Republicans. That’s why all the polling that’s what the polling tells us is that people don’t quite get it. But if you if there’s a quick answer as to why Jeff Bezos or people who earn what he earns deserve a tax cut, then I’m happy to yield to you.
So, I’ll just say the reality is is this legislation is specifically focused on delivering more jobs, permanent tax cuts, and bigger paychecks for hardworking Americans. That’s why the no tax on tips, no tax on overtime, and the tax relief for seniors $50 million on a wedding. Um, and he’s getting a tax cut and but whatever. But I didn’t get invited. Mr. decide the answer to your question.
Then you have Democratic Congress member Bole. Let’s play it.
Yes. Thank you, uh, Ranking Member McGovern. I have to give, uh, Republicans credit for this. They have been able to get left-leaning groups and right leaning groups both on the same side, saying exactly the same thing, that this bill adds trillions of dollars to our deficit and debt. To be specific, 4 trillion.
Back to McGovern. And here’s what baffles me. You all know the truth. You all know the truth. You know this bill is cruel. You know that it will hurt millions of Americans. But Trump wants you to fold. And the sad fact is that many of you will fold in a nancond. You’ll vote for this even though you know it’s bad for your own constituents. You’re absolutely terrified that the guy in the White House will get mad and try to find someone to run against you in a primary. Like one of our Republican colleagues said this weekend on CNN, and I quote, “Everyone in the House knows the peril they’re in if they vote no on this thing. They know that their jobs are at risk.” End quote. You’re terroriststricken that what happened over the weekend to Senator Tom Tillis will happen to you. Well, Senator Tillis did the right thing, speaking truth to power. You should listen to him when he says that the Senate’s version of this bill betrays President Trump’s promise not to take Medicaid away from its rightful recipients. He decided to retire because he wanted to put his constituents first. And quite frankly, I think he’s tired of dealing with the relentless MAGA threats and BS. Truly, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. The kind of petrified faltty we see we we’re seeing on the right. Scared by a man who who called voting against this bill the ultimate betrayal. Like, who who what kind of president talks like that? Uh that’s the language of dictators, not the language of of a president. But let me remind you all of something. The people you should be afraid of, uh, the people you should be afraid of betraying are are not in the White House or dining at Mara Lago. They’re back home. The people in Boone, North Carolina, in Morehead, Minnesota, in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in Austin, Texas, in Salem, Indiana, in Jamestown, New York, in Tiffan, Georgia, in Abington, Virginia, in and Nunan, Georgia. They’re the ones who hired you. And if you vote for this bill, you’re voting to screw them over. Plain and simple. When their kids go hungry, when their healthc care is gone, when their energy bill skyrocket, when they watch big oil rake in profits while they get pink slips, when they realize that billionaires like Jeff Bezos are getting 40 times the tax breaks that they’re getting, when they watch the wealthy get richer and they’re left behind, they are going to feel the pain that you brought on them. And I think they’re you’re going to see that reflected in the next election.
Back to McGovern again who talks about, you know, to the MAGA Republicans from Kentucky, like you realize 185,000 people are going to lose healthcare in your state, you idiot. Here, play this clip
with all the other they’re exempted out. People with substance disorder.
Well, according to the joint economic committee, um 184,526 people will lose their healthcare coverage in Kentucky. Are they all are they all deserving to lose their healthcare benefits?
So I I would say if they’re able to work and choose not to work when I say under the restrictions that we have for for eligibility. Uh most Kuckians that I know there was some criticism that came out from the governor’s office of our bill. But if they’re defending people that are able to work and they’re not working a lot of people in Kentucky ranking members
well Kentucky has one of the lowest workforce participation rates. People who are eligible to work that are working and and we they’ll be better off if they’re working.
Yeah. I I I I I I I I want to make just one thing before going, Mr. Clone. This notion that, you know, all these millions and millions of Americans really are living the easy life, you know, staying home watching TV and being on Medicaid and being on SNAP is ludicrous. A food benefit that’s on average $2 per per meal for an individual. I mean, I mean, it just like it’s so offensive to people in this country. Um, and you know, I mean, I don’t know whether you talk to your constituents who are on Medicaid, but I’ll tell you, I mean, their lives are often times very, very complicated, and I think they’re just part of why this bill is so unpopular is because people think you’re talking about them.
Now, we have Democratic Congresswoman Crockett. I don’t really understand what it is that y’all plan to go back and tell your constituents. I’m glad that some of y’all decided to show up, but the reality is that you have sold your constituents out for 83 people in this country and each of our districts should have approximately 766,000 people. How is it that you can explain that we still are running up the credit card and we have nothing to show for it except for the fact that we won’t have food on the tables and we won’t have healthcare. And with that, I will yield. Here’s Congresswoman Crockett again. And I know that Chip Roy sits on this committee, but he’s not here right now. But we have 56,000 people that are on SNAP in his district. But in the entire state of Texas, we have 1.6 million people that may lose coverage. And somehow we have 83 billionaires. And somehow they have 535 people that are speaking up for them every single day to make sure that when they get married for a second or third or fourth time that they can go ahead and have another 50 or $60 million wedding. Instead of protecting access to these programs, you’re cutting them to help billionaires who pay less in taxes than some of the teachers in our country. You claim to want a tax system and budget that helps people, but that’s impossible when you’re subsidizing tax credits off of the folks who can’t even afford to treat their kids or family to a nice meal because federal minimum wage hasn’t gone up in 15 years.
One more time, here’s Congresswoman Crockett. Let’s play it.
No one has talked about how many billionaires we actually have in this country. We have more billionaires in the United States than any other country, but the total number is 83. Last time I checked, we have 435 members in the House and we have 100 members in the Senate. Yet somehow 83 people in this country have more representation than the hundreds of thousands that are about to lose their healthcare as well as their SNAP benefits. If I just started going through the Republicans that sit on this committee briefly, I would tell you that Chairwoman, you have 112,000 people that are about to lose SNAP benefits just in your district. I would tell you that it is estimated in your state as your senator stated that roughly 651,982 would lose their health care or I would tell Rep. uh Fishbach that 67,000 people on SNAP and in the entire state of Minnesota 173 would lose their healthcare. I could go on with these numbers or I could tell you about the fact that even when we look at my state and I know that Chip Roy sits on this committee but he’s not here right now. But we have 56,000 people that are on SNAP in his district. But in the entire state of Texas, we have 1.6 million people that may lose coverage.
And by the way, here even MAGA Republican Congress member Ralph Norman is like our this is what the MAGA Republicans are saying. They’re saying our founding fathers would hate this budget bill. Here, play this clip.
And all I would say is that uh the founders uh and the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence would be astounded that we’re sitting here uh talked about something that we hadn’t read fully. We hadn’t got a copy of it. Now, Mr. McGovern, I do agree with you on that. Uh the fact that we should have it in hand. I think the founders and the 56 signers of Declaration of Independent would be astounded that we’re adding debt to our children who and grandchildren uh who are defenseless. Debt is a is a curse. And Jody, you were right. Uh we got to reverse a curse. And what the Senate did is unconscionable. What they did to our bill was unconscionable. Um and that’s why, you know, I will be unlike my Democrat colleagues. They will not support anything that’s I mean their new leader in New York Mandani uh you know governmentr run stores, governmentr run gas stations, governmentr run apartments. Uh I wonder how many U-Haullets are now leaving New York and the theory, the socialist theory just does not work. So um I’m against this because what the Senate did, I’ll vote against it here and I’ll vote against it on the floor. And as Democratic Congress member McGovern says, kind of agreeing with Ralph Norman, like we were just handed this budget. We were just given a,000 pages. How could you possibly support this a,000page disastrous monstrosity if you haven’t read it? Finally, here’s Congress member McGovern. Let’s play it. We are here today uh on a bill that just dropped from the Senate. Hot off the press, passed only an hour ago. It’s massive. Here it is. uh nearly a thousand pages long. And I’ve got to ask, have any of you read it this time? Uh because last time we met on this legislation, many of our Republican colleagues had not. Uh and that’s no accident. It’s by design. It’s a direct result of Republican leadership and the White House jamming this bill through Congress with zero transparency. Now, let’s be totally honest. This entire process has been legislative malpractice. It’s been negotiated in the back rooms from the start. In April, conservatives argued for and ultimately gut aggressive instructions in the budget for committees to slash spending. I wonder how they feel now that the Senate has violated their hard-fought instructions by over a half a trillion dollars. And let’s not forget this bill was jammed through the House in May so quickly that some Republicans said they would have opposed it if they if they had known what was actually in it. And now after another series of backroom negotiations in the Senate, we’re getting jammed again without any chance for the public or independent experts for that matter to fully review the bill. And what are MAGA Republicans doing? Like MAGA Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, she’s making photographs of mockups of a of of a fake Mount Rushmore with Donald Trump’s face on it. I mean, you don’t get much more pathetic than these people right here. O. We’ll keep you posted every step of the way, folks. Democrats pushing back. You love to see it. Hit subscribe. Let’s get to six million subscribers. The

MeidasTouch host Ben Meiselas reports on Republicans folding after getting cross-examined by Democrats over the budget bill on live tv.

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