In this installment State of Affairs, our weekly analysis of the politics and the Golden State:
- California Republicans have caught a lot of heat over health care. With the moving goalpost of a vote to repeal and replace Obamacare, we take stock of where our state's Republican representatives stand as of today.
- Governor Jerry Brown has returned from his trip to Washington D.C. While there, he railed against President Trump while simultaneously seeking for federal funding. We examine how Brown can take on the White House while securing what California needs.
- California Congressmen Devin Nunes issued an apology for taking intelligence findings to the White House instead of fellow Intelligence Committee members. Committee Co-chair Adam Schiff has come out against Nunes's actions. We look at the severity of Nunes' choice and what this means for the Russia investigation going forward.
Carla Marinucci, senior writer for Politico's California Playbook and Sherry Bebitch Jeffe, Professor of Public Policy at USC joined Take Two's A Martinez to discuss.
Interview Highlights
On the congressional health care vote:
Sherry Bebitch Jeffe
If you listen to Republicans who support the bill, they're sort of mumbling, ‘we're getting there.’ If you listen to Democrats and other opponents, no the votes aren't there. Every cable news network got a number from somewhere from 30 to 35. But if you've ready Donald Trump's ‘The Art of the Deal’ that walking away from stalled negotiations if one of his techniques of pushing a decision along. And many times successfully. So I think you've got to remember where Donald Trump came from, what he believes, and sit back and continue to not breath until this is over.
He's said himself, what I really want to do is tax reform... to take a look at trade. And he said, this is it. Fish or cut bait. One and done and we're off to other things if this doesn't work. Now, from what I'm hearing, he is exerting incredible energy. The Vice President is exerting incredible energy. He cancelled his travel plans. Everybody is running around like chickens without heads... in Washington. And so, there must be some indication that he'd really like this to pass.
Carla Marinucci
Right now... there's not one in California that is a definite no. But you've got some people that are under huge heat. Valadao in the Central Valley is one of them. Jeff Denham is another one. These are both districts that have huge reliance on Medi-Cal. In Valadao's case, more than half of the folks in the district. So, they have a lot at stake here. This is a highly unpopular bill nationwide. 56% disapprove according to the Quinnipiac poll. And Trump– his numbers are going down too. Only 32% in the Gallup poll.
The fact is, you've got some yeses. Calvert, McClintock, Mimi Walters, Devin Nunes of course, and Kevin McCarthy. But the rest of the California delegation say they're on the fence. Some may be likely yeses. I would say Dana Rohrabacher in Orange County and possibly, Darrell Issa but he's come under a lot of heat. As we know, he barely got elected last time in November. So, this is going to be a nail biter all the way down to the wire. Trump may still pull this one out but he's going to have the fight of his life doing so.
Quotes edited for clarity.