MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Economy
Interview
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REP. MARK POCAN, (D) WISCONSIN: You know, Ed, that`s what we`re trying to do. You know, I`m back home in Wisconsin this week. I`m actually in Rock County. Rock County is a county that split between my Congressional district and Paul Ryan`s Congressional district.
And it`s been a harder hit that most parts of the state, GM closed down the plant, all the companies that fed in to GM have closed down all of the jobs. Parker Pen, 25 years ago had a thousand jobs here. In the late 90`s, they sent the last 150 jobs. they head to Mexico. It`s been really hurt.
And I see it every day when I come through the county. The problem is I don`t know if the other congressman sees it from this county. And we need to keep talking about the real stories.
We just had a press conference and I was talking to a woman, she lost her benefits, her car just got an accident. She`s getting $50 from food share for food and she`s going to food pantries and still looking for work.
These are the real people who are affected by this. It`s not some kind of a game that you trade for that the Republicans are trying to do. It`s taking care of real Americans who`ve worked hard and paid in the system most of their life.
SCHULTZ: OK. So can we say now that the Republicans have gained the Democrats on unemployment extensions? The word trust is gone. You can`t trust this crowd once this budget deal was made. Or maybe you have a different view of it, sir.
POCAN: No. There shouldn`t be a deal. We should just do this because it`s the right thing to do. And that`s why I think we`re trying to argue for. But I agree.
You know, five times under President Bush when unemployment rate was even lower, we did this without any strings attached in a bipartisan way. And now, they`re trying to make this some kind of trade game. And you`re playing at real people`s lives. And I know that it just came out that over half the Congress are millionaires. Maybe that`s part of the problem.
But I can tell you, we`ve got to convince the Republicans in the House to even take this up for a vote because I think if we did you`d find enough votes .
SCHULTZ: Yeah.
POCAN: . to pass it.
SCHULTZ: The case that I`m making here tonight is that if we`re not going to do anything for the long-term unemployed, we better be prepared for the long storm ahead because there`s no evidence that if the president gets fast track and we enter into more free trade deals that aren`t going to create American jobs, this is going to be a generational conversation about what we do with people who can`t find jobs and the numbers are only going to grow.
And so, it`s like a domino effect. And I hope the Democrats can stand shoulder to shoulder on this. We know we can`t trust the Republicans on this. They`re all about the corporations. The corporations can`t make enough money for the Republicans.
So, Congressman, where -- as you see these two fit together where does this all going to end up and what does in your estimation the president need to do?
POCAN: Sure. Well, there`s two issues. One is the Trans-Pacific Partnership of this really bad trade deal that you`ve laid out. I think a lot of us had talk about. A lot of us are very concern for labor, environmental, currency reasons, food safety you name it. There`s 29 chapters that have cover a lot of things in there.
But the most immediate thing is the fast track legislation and that is one word. There maybe some bipartisan support, because the fast track legislation takes away Congress and really the people`s ability to debate the issue and amend it. And that what`s going to becoming up most immediate. That was just introduced in Washington.
So, I know 151 Democrats, and the House have signed a letter saying, "Do we oppose fast track?" 27 Republicans have signed the letter. We just have to do everything we can to hold tight because if we give up our voices, that means we give up America`s voices. And we shouldn`t just give that kind of prerogative to the president on a trade deal that`s been negotiated largely in secret among a bunch of corporate leaders and not members of Congress.
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