‘I Am Fired Up About What We Can Do’: Congressman Ready To Face Trump Future
Democrats ready to be "guardians" of fundamental rights, Swalwell vows
He may be back in a Washington DC soon to be controlled by Donald Trump and other Republicans, but Democratic Rep Eric Swalwell is ready for what comes next.
The longtime lawmaker from California is prepared to work with the nation’s new right-wing government when he can, but he also promises that he and fellow Democrats are ready to be “guardians” of Americans’ fundamental rights.
First elected to Congress in 2012, Swalwell is a familiar face in national politics and has served both in the majority and minority in the House.
And although Democrats are demoralized after Vice President Kamala Harris’ loss to Trump last week, Swalwell said that he still sees brighter days ahead.
“Yeah, I get why people are exhausted and disheartened. It is tough to lose an election but as a former college athlete, I will tell you there are more plays on the field, and there’s going to be nominations for who runs Health and Human Services. Is it an anti-vaxxer who would get rid of the measles vaccine and the polio vaccine and RFK Jr.? So we have to get back out there and fight for our values,” he said in an interview with MSNBC. “But we should also not, as I said, dismiss what the American people are telling us.
“And that’s why as a blue collar kid who is the first in his family to go to college, I want to be a part of that wrecking ball that gets and knocks down anything that stands in the way of bringing down the cost of college, anything that stands in the way of making sure people see growth in their paychecks.
“But we can’t afford, as I said, to just be too dismissive and down about this. I’m fired up about what we can do. One other thing, Chris, I think we should feel liberated to lead with personality rather than policy,” he told MSNBC host Chris Jansing. “We don’t elect policies, we elect people. And you can animate your values and your principles and your vision through your personality.
“But look at Ruben Gallego in Arizona. He led as a Marine, first in his family to go to college, raised by a single mother. He went out and engaged the Latino community there and he won in a state where Kamala Harris lost. And I think that model is one we should look at.”
Please support our work…
Please subscribe…