Watson Coleman Power & Politics Interview

Congress bonnie watson, coleman joining us now here in studio it's great to see you again. Thank you. It's good to be here. Alright, so we saw a lot happen after election day. This week. We saw the governor ships of course, both in Virginia and New Jersey change from Republican to Democrat and and there were other local races that wind up swimming as well. What is your take away from election day 20 17 hopefully. This, I was very, very please with the outcome of tuesday's election, both in the state of New Jersey, obviously because we have this new governor very Progressive governor and a very Progressive lieutenant governor happens awesome be a brilliant black When um I was pleased with our elections on the state level and on the County level, um, we have some diversity and mayors that we've never had before a bow can impart symphony um I'm really excited a lady down in um, a land County uh. Mr bennett, who, just decided she was gonna run because she was very turned off with what the incumbent has said. No mention early ensure as well dance so that's that's pretty exciting, but then even nationally, we had such diversity in these outcomes and just trending down towards I think a more Progressive on more uh open and obviously more Democratic um Elections even in places where we just never ever expected to win that were redone lonely be publican. It one White House official after the election this week suggested a congressional Republicans were to blame for what we saw on election night because they have failed to push through the president's agenda and while Democrats said that this is proof of voter uprising of sorts to take back democracy and in some ways Republicans no Democrats merely one the races that they were supposed to win. What's your take on that. Well first of all, Democrats one recess in places that they never expected us to win so that doesn't hold true. Secondly, I think that the trump agenda has created problems look at it look at the healthcare issue. Um so I don't think that is because, with our Congress has an pass through the trump agenda. I think the problem we started the very top um and then come on down, but I think what you're seeing is that the rotors are recognizing that they're not being attended to not being cared about in terms of what's in there pocketbook what's Their table was in their future for their children. What's the protection for their elderly, um and so their building now with a concern about these issues and they're voting. I believe what some would take more progressively. I just say more realistically. He said voting with the pocketbook also so I guess that brings us into the tax overall that's been proposed both in the House and in the Senate. Do you think the results of the election will have any impact on that push well, I gonna tell you first of all the Senate in the Congress don't seem degree on what that should look Like overhaul is definitely what it is. It's not reform is not improvement. Um at the end of the day. Everyone recognizes in the media now sis is coming out really quickly. Who gets hurt and win so New Jersey gets her Middle class families, families where children, families making under handed thousand dollars a year and and their children they'll have tax increases. Our students who have loans to pay. They have tax increases. Everybody who's not Super wealthy um we'll have a tax increase Is there anything you agree with about the overhauled has been proposed, not from new journeys perspective, not from what I read far down there. I mean there's lots more to it than I've actually seen and so maybe there is a little nugget here. There that will help somebody um it's probably very good. They have it necessary being targeted. Take away everything from the low income people right now, however, the tax overhauls are suggesting that there's gonna be a tremendous deficit, as a result, a one point five trillion dollar deficit where they gonna come and get that money after with we wanna go to the because What we have seen is more than 600000 Americans signing up in just the first four days that was far outpacing last year. What is that say to you. People paying attention there was an uprising all about the attempts to dismantle and repeal the the Obama care act. People paying attention. They recognize that this administration is friendly towards those who need healthcare and towards the notion of healthcare is a right. It is not a privilege so the members of Congress and other elect Officials in churches and on getting involved in performing people that you got this 45 day period in which to to sign up and even if you have healthcare, you need to make sure that you have what you need. That you, that you need to sign up for, even even if the more yet premiums did go up even before President trump took office has clearly there's, something that has to be done to treat the planet was a plane, but no one has said that the affordable care act was perfect, but it was the act that provided most healthcare to the most people at Most affordable and accessible ways, but social security was in perfect. Medicaid wasn't perfect Medicare was improving no big policy. Um of this nature is perfect when news first introduce that we all recognize and we're willing to work with improving the affordable care act. But to dismantle it or to try to destroy it as a President is trying to do by withholding money from it. I was holding the ability to advertise and outreach is not the way to go that's just mean spirited and just discounts the needs of the majority of people congresswoman bonnie watson coleman Great to have you back on the show, thank you good to hear