Unfortunately, most of us live inside a news bubble. We tend to watch, listen or read only those news sources that confirm our pre-existing bias. That's why I'm delighted that US Transportation Sec'y Pete Buttigieg is so willing to go into the belly of the beast. On Sunday, he appeared on Fox News Sunday (YouTube clip above) to explain to rebut numerous GOP talking points routinely spewed to its right-leaning viewers. Although it's highly unlikely that he'll be tapped as the VP nominee, he is without question the Democrats' most effective communicator.
Why does he do this? He explains. "Most of the viewers of Fox News don't agree with me politically, and definitely the people kind of controlling the content on that network, in my view, aren't always being fair ... . But I also know this. I can't blame somebody for not supporting my perspective if they've literally never heard it. So it's my job to get that view in front of viewers who are tuning in in good faith."
Immigration: Buttigieg pointed out that the immigration crisis has become worse because Republicans cow-towed to cult leader Donald Trump and refused to support a bi-partisan bill that would have dealt with the problem. ""[Biden] wanted Congress to resolve [immigration] because that would have been more durable. But when Trump came in, talked Republicans out of their own bipartisan project because he didn't want the issue to get better. Remember, the worse things are at the border, the better things get for Donald Trump. So he has a vested interest in it remaining chaotic down there."
Economy: "Unemployment is lower than it was even before COVID. The stock market is higher than it was even before COVID, and job creation is faster than it was even before COVID. No matter what rebound effects you're talking about, these are economic results that have not happened since before I was born. In terms of cost, that's been a major issue, and by the way, that's been a major issue in every wealthy country. ... [O]ur inflation rate was [lower] and, I would add, right now wages are going up faster than prices. That means even after inflation, you're coming out ahead.
Medical Expenses: "[C]ongressional Republicans worked against President Biden when he worked to cut insulin prices to $35 a month for seniors. Right now, especially on families that are pressed for costs, we could have insulin capped at $35 a month for everybody, not just for seniors. All it would take is for a few Congressional Republicans to walk away from agreeing with Big Pharma and start agreeing with President Biden. That's not the only cost he was out to cut. [Biden is] calling for an across the board $2,000 out-of-pocket cap., something else that would help in a country where people are feeling the pinch of those prices that went up with past-COVID inflation. Congressional Republicans are standing in the way of it ... ."
Trump's Broken Promises: ""Even before the pandemic, "America went into a manufacturing recession, which really hurt places like where I come from in the industrial Midwest. But anyway, my point is, he broke his promise for that kind of economic growth. He broke a promise to pass an infrastructure bill. He said he would do that. He failed to do it. The Biden-Harris administration actually got it done. He even broke his promise to that January 6 mob when he said 'I will be at your side when you march down to the Capitol.' But he actually did keep two promises: He kept his promise to destroy the right to choose in this country, and he kept his promise tax cuts for the rich. And if you want to know what a second Trump term would be like, I would start by looking at those rare promises that he actually managed to keep."
