• There are only two weeks left for the 118th Congress to legislate. And there’s a lot to do. Lawmakers must pass a federal spending package to prevent a government shutdown, approve a defense budget, and decide how much money to set aside for relief after a rough year of natural disasters—no big deal. In the Senate, Democrats also need to confirm as many as President Joe Biden’s remaining judicial nominations before they lose power. Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen joins us to discuss what’s on the Senate Democrats’ agenda for the remainder of the year.
• And in headlines: Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy paraded around Capitol Hill to push their vision for DOGE, the Justice Department says the Memphis Police Department violates residents’ constitutional rights, and Republicans face a historically small House majority in the next Congress.

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TRANSCRIPT

Jane Coaston: It’s Friday, December 6th. I’m Jane Coaston and this is What a Day. The show that just found out that Hulu will be streaming every episode of Law and Order starting December 16th. On a related note, I will be unavailable from December 16th onwards until I finish watching every episode of Law and Order. [music break] On today’s show, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy take Capitol Hill and we get into Georgian politics. The country, not the state. Let’s get into it. There are only two weeks left for the 118th Congress to legislate. In the new year, many members won’t return and a new Republican Congress will be sworn in on January 3rd. These final few weeks of Biden’s presidency are what we call the lame duck session, or in this case, the doomsday countdown till Trump 2.0. This is the time of year when the House and Senate are hyperfocused on the national budget. Lawmakers need to pass a federal spending package to prevent a government shutdown. There’s also the defense budget they need to approve. Oh. And they need to decide how much money to set aside for disaster relief after a rough year of natural disasters. No big deal. There is a lot to worry about when time is running out. But here’s the thing. There’s still time. Senate Dems can roll up their sleeves right now to make these next four years not so bad. Democrats have already said they’re ready to confirm as many of Biden’s judicial nominees as possible before they lose power. These are the federal judges that serve for life. They’ve confirmed 221 of them over the past four years. Democrats can also propose a number of executive orders to combat Trump’s policy proposals. They can expedite applications for citizenship to protect migrants from deportation, for example. They can spend every cent of funding that Congress authorized for progressive measures like the Inflation Reduction Act. So I wanted to know more about what’s on Democrats to do list. So I called up Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada. She won reelection last month. Senator Rosen, welcome back to What a Day.

Jacky Rosen: Well, thank you for having me. It’s always great to be on with you. 

Jane Coaston: Congratulations on winning reelection. 

Jacky Rosen: Thank you. Thank you. It was a tough one, but we pulled it through. 

Jane Coaston: Yeah, Trump won your state, but you beat your opponent by like 1.65 percentage points. And something I also find interesting is that you outran Vice President Harris by nearly 5%. What does that tell you about voters and what their priorities were at the ballot box? 

Jacky Rosen: Well, I don’t know. I think there will be a lot of pundits who look at all the data across every state and see what the turnout was. But what I can tell you for me and the way that I govern, you have to listen to people and give them not what you think they need, but what they actually need. Because of that, I’ve traveled all around the state, me and my team, over the last six years listening and delivering. And because of that, I’m one of the most bipartisan, effective and independent senators helping deliver results for Nevada and then fighting back against anyone, whether it was Trump or Biden, who wanted to hurt Nevada families. I think that showed through at the end. 

Jane Coaston: So what are you and your colleagues focused on getting done in these last few weeks before Trump’s back in the White House? 

Jacky Rosen: Well, like I said, it is a great question because he’s been telegraphing, of course, all through the election cycle, he’s been telegraphing exactly what he’s going to do. First of all, maybe mass deportations. So President Biden, he can do some things now before he leaves office to protect folks, our DACA recipients, our TPS holders. We have so many in Nevada. And then we think about the other things he wants to do. He wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Can you imagine that you’d go back to a time when you could be denied insurance for a preexisting condition? No person I have ever met wants to go back to that nightmare. We have to figure out how we can block what he might try to do, because that’s going to hurt real people. So we have to figure out how we can block that repeal. And, of course, most of all, he wants to give tax cuts to the ultra wealthy, the billionaire donors and friends that he has. And uh the real bottom line is that real people need us. Real people need those tax cuts. Real people need the Affordable Care Act. Real people need lower prices at the grocery store and the gas pump. We have to think about what we can do proactively or whatever he does, we have to be prepared for it. And that’s what we’re thinking. That’s what I’m thinking about now anyway. 

Jane Coaston: You were a congresswoman during Trump’s first presidency. You’ve done this dance before, but this time around, we’re looking down the barrel of a Republican trifecta and a conservative Supreme Court. Looking back on your experience, what should Democratic strategy be going into the next four years? What can the party do even without the majority? 

Jacky Rosen: We do have the mechanisms, particularly in the Senate, of how we can block things, how we can put our own types of legislation in, how we can force votes or stop votes from happening. We also can prepare for the midterm and try to be sure that we change elections, whether it’s in our local, state or federal level. We can work on that. But overall, what I want to think, and particularly for me, life is all about relationships. We know that. I don’t care what area you work in, whether it’s communications, politics, you work in a restaurant. It’s all about the people you work with and the relationships you build. And if you respect them and trust them. So for me, I have a lot of relationships on both sides of the aisle. Not everything is a hot button issue. Up in Reno, Nevada we’re going to get a new VA hospital. We asked for it. The president put it in his budget. There’s going to be a lot of things that we can do in the health care space and for our veterans. I can find people on the other side of the aisle that are willing to work on that with me. That’s just one example when we think about some of those things. And I’m going to continue to build on that and try to get done what I can. 

Jane Coaston: And looking forward past Inauguration Day, Trump has nominated quite a few, how best to put this, interesting people for his administration that have to be confirmed by the Senate. I have to ask, how are you preparing for those hearings and what questions do you have for these nominees? 

Jacky Rosen: Well, let’s just put it this way. I say how I’m going to say, some of these nominees, like you said, are not the most qualified individuals. They’re just loyal to Donald Trump. That’s their only qualification. They are not serious people. And so we’re going to talk about our Department of Defense, our intelligence community, and why am I going to bring that up first? I can tell you that the men, women, their families who serve this country take an oath to the Constitution. We owe them a responsibility to take care of them because they are keeping us free. And anyone who takes that job, they need to be loyal and take an oath to the Constitution and to be sure that they are up to this task. It is serious. The scope, scale and responsibility of these Cabinet positions. It matters. So what are we doing to prepare? I’m calling for what they say regular order. People talk about this all the time. It’s Washington speak. What does it mean? It means they need to do regular business. If you want this job, you go for an FBI check. We make sure that you don’t have any skeletons in your closet and somebody can blackmail you for it. Then you come to the committee. You tell them why you want this job and how you’re going to move forward in it. And you’re not afraid to answer those questions whatever side they’re from. You need to come and present yourself, and then we can take that vote. Some of these, not clearly qualified. Others, we’re going to see how it all falls out. They owe it to the American people to show who they are, what they’re going to do, and their qualifications to do some of the most important work, a sacred work in this country. 

Jane Coaston: Senator Rosen, as always, thank you so much for being here. 

Jacky Rosen: Oh thank you. I will come back any time. There’s so many things to talk about. I just really appreciate your time. Thank you. 

Jane Coaston: That was my conversation with Nevada Senator Jacky Rosen. It’s easy to think that there’s nothing we can do these next four years without a majority in any branch of government. But the way I see it, Republicans have been waiting for this moment for four years. They’ve been in the wings, preparing to regain power. And despite all of their infighting and clear and present loathing some members have for others, they’re ready. The wait for our turn will be agonizing. But we have to look at things this way until we get another shot at this thing in the 2026 midterms. We’ll get to more of the news in a moment. But if you like the show, make sure to subscribe. Leave a five star review on Apple Podcasts. Watch us on YouTube and share with your friends. More to come after some ads. 

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Jane Coaston: And now the news. 

[sung] Headlines. 

[clip of Marjorie Taylor Greene] Elon uh and Vivek talked about having a naughty list and a nice list for members of Congress and senators and how we vote and how we’re spending the American people’s money. 

Jane Coaston: Georgia Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was fangirling on Thursday when Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy visited Capitol Hill. The bros are the co-chairs of DOGE, the Department of Government Efficiency, and they presented their plan to make broad government cuts. A reminder, it’s not a real department. But here’s House Speaker Mike Johnson welcoming them with open arms. 

[clip of House Speaker Mike Johnson] The taxpayers deserve better. They deserve a more responsive government, a more efficient government. 

Jane Coaston: And we have a clearer idea of what they want to cut. Musk told Politico he wants to eliminate all credits, including the $7,500 tax break for people who buy electric vehicles. I know that doesn’t make sense from a guy who owns Tesla. But in a tweet last summer, he said he didn’t think cutting it would hurt his company that much. Musk and Ramasamy had several meetings where they pitched their plan to cut $2 trillion of the federal budget. Chair of the new DOGE Caucus, Senator Joni Ernst told Fox News some of the cuts will come from getting rid of empty offices or cracking down on telework. 

[clip of Senator Joni Ernst] Federal employees, you need to earn the right to telework. So what are we going to do? We’re going to track your productivity and your activity if you are teleworking. 

Jane Coaston: Musk and Ramaswamy wrote in a Wall Street Journal op ed in November that they’re, quote, “prepared for the onslaught.” The Republican House majority is set to get even smaller in the next Congress. Late Tuesday, the last House race was finally decided. In California’s Central Valley, incumbent Republican John Duarte conceded to Democrat Adam Gray. The flip means House Republicans will hold just a five seat lead over Democrats. So if all members are present, Republicans could only afford to lose two people on a party line vote and still pass legislation. But at the very beginning of the new year, the Republican majority will be even smaller. In fact, it will tie the smallest House majority in American history. That’s because Republicans will be down three members. Two are likely headed to White House jobs. And Florida’s Matt Gaetz resigned. That means House Speaker Mike Johnson won’t be able to lose a single vote until those vacancies are filled. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Johnson downplayed the tightrope that Republicans will have to walk. 

[clip of House Speaker Mike Johnson] So, yes, do the math. We can we have nothing to spare. 

Jane Coaston: Johnson said he expects the three vacancies to be filled by spring during special elections. All are in strong Republican districts. And maybe with Gaetz gone, Johnson will have some marginally better luck keeping his caucus in line. Still, we’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Johnson has the worst job in Washington. Syrian opposition forces captured the city of Hama on Thursday, a major victory in their fight against President Bashar al-Assad. People in the city celebrated outside Hama central prison, where rebel forces released political prisoners. [clip of people talking indistinctly plays] Hama sits at a major intersection between Syria’s different regions and puts the rebels in a strategic position to advance towards Damascus, the capital. In just over a week, the rebel offensive has taken control of two of Syria’s largest cities, as well as a major military airport. The capture of Hama is also symbolically important. Over 40 years ago, Bashar al Assad’s father, who was president at the time, destroyed the city and killed or disappeared as many as 40,000 people. The city has long been an epicenter of protests and resistance against Assad’s regime. The Memphis Police Department discriminates against and violates the constitutional rights of the city’s residents. That’s according to a Justice Department report out Thursday. The investigation started about a year and a half ago after Memphis police officers violently beat Tyre Nichols during a routine traffic stop. Nichols died three days later. The report is full of shocking details. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke told reporters that the investigation found Memphis police regularly stop and search people illegally and discriminate against Black people, as well as people with behavioral health disabilities. 

[clip of Kristen Clarke] Furthermore, we are also concerned that MPD officers unnecessarily escalate encounters with some of the most vulnerable members of this community, its children. 

Jane Coaston: Often a report like this results in what’s called a consent decree or a deal between the local and federal government to monitor and reform police departments. But the city said it won’t negotiate a consent decree until it has a chance to challenge the report. Memphis police chief C.J Davis pushed back and said her department has already changed over 700 of their policies in the last three years. Maybe that’s not enough, C.J.. Maybe it’s not enough. And that’s the news. [music break] One more thing, Georgia. No, not the state, the country. For the last week, the nation’s capital city of Tbilisi has been rocked by protests. The nation’s ruling party, Georgian Dream, announced last week that it was scrapping the country’s efforts to join the European Union for at least the next four years. That’s despite the fact that the Georgian constitution requires government officials work towards EU membership. And 80% of Georgians support joining the organization. More than 300 people have been arrested. And on Wednesday, members of opposition party standing up to Georgian Dream faced physical attacks from police. The head of one opposition party, Nika Gvaramia, was carried out of his party’s office by police. He was reportedly beaten unconscious while in detention. But Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that the crackdown was necessary to, quote, “completely eradicate liberal fascism in Georgia.” The protests follow weeks of turmoil after the country’s October elections, in which Georgian Dream declared victory. While the opposition cried foul over potential irregularities. But this all didn’t start there. Back in 2022, Georgian Dream pushed through a draconian anti LGBT law that outlaws any form of civil unions for LGBT people and equates homosexuality with incest. And the party supported another law that limited the freedom of the press. In June of this year, the United States sanctioned Georgian Dream officials for undermining democracy. The big elephant in the room, or bear more accurately, is Russia. While it’s not clear whether Georgian Dream is working under Russian influence, it’s very clear that the party is taking inspiration from the Kremlin, from its anti LGBT law to its increasingly anti-American rhetoric. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sanctioned Georgia’s prime minister for, quote, “handing Georgia over to Putin.” The protests are going to keep happening no matter how much Georgia’s prime minister says that protesters are falling for lies while looking stern and mad on TV. Because while the Georgian government wants to get closer to Russia, the Georgian people don’t. [music break]

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Jane Coaston: That’s all for today. If you like the show, make sure you subscribe. Leave a review. Send me the House report on Matt Gaetz because I love mess and tell your friends to listen. And if you’re into reading and not just about whatever is in the House report about Matt Gaetz because again, let me be clear, I love mess, like me. What a Day is also a nightly newsletter. Check it out and subscribe at Crooked.com/subscribe. I’m Jane Coaston and I’m a mess appreciator. So send me that report. I know one of you has it. [music break] What a Day is a production of Crooked Media. It’s recorded and mixed by Desmond Taylor. Our associate producer is Raven Yamamoto. Our producer is Michell Eloy. We had production help today from Tyler Hill, Johanna Case, Joseph Dutra, Greg Walters and Julia Claire. Our senior producer is Erica Morrison and our executive producer is Adriene Hill. Our theme music is by Colin Gilliard and Kashaka. [music break]

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