The Gray Area with Sean Illing An unusually honest conversation about wielding political power
May 4, 2020
Pramila Jayapal, the co-chair of the House Progressive Caucus, dives deep into the practicalities of wielding political power. She advocates for her Paycheck Guarantee Act to combat economic fallout from COVID-19 and discusses bipartisan support for it. Jayapal candidly examines why Democrats often miss opportunities to leverage their power and contrasts her caucus's strategies with those of the Freedom Caucus. The conversation also touches on the importance of courageous leadership in healthcare reform and how progressives can work more effectively within the Democratic Party.
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First COVID Case
- The first confirmed COVID-19 case was in Jayapal's home state on January 21st.
- The first death wasn't until February 29th, and the initial response was slow and disaggregated.
Democrats Governing from Minority
- Democrats are acting as the governing party even though they are in the minority.
- This is frustrating for liberals who see Republicans taking a more aggressive approach.
Suffering as Leverage
- Democrats prioritize minimizing suffering, unlike Republicans who use it as leverage.
- This raises the question of what leverage Democrats have in this situation.
