At Monday's press briefing, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) spoke about the Trump Administration’s handling of social security.
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00:00Which brings me to Elon Musk.
00:12I knew he would get that reaction.
00:15We all agree that government should be more efficient.
00:20But like most things in life, there's the American way, and then there's the cruel way.
00:25100 days in, it's clear that Doge is not the American way.
00:32Canceling medical research for children with cancer is cruel.
00:37Denying relief for communities reeling from natural disasters is cruel.
00:43Firing thousands of our veterans, like Joseph Quintinella of Virginia, who served this country in the Marines, is cruel.
00:51But their cruelty doesn't stop there.
00:57Republicans actually believe that Social Security is a Ponzi scheme.
01:02And they want to take a chainsaw to it.
01:06During the first 100 days of the Trump administration, Social Security has faced an unprecedented attack.
01:13Social Security offices have been closed.
01:17Wait times have dramatically increased.
01:21And people are being denied access to benefits that they have earned.
01:26Republicans continue to insist that Social Security is an entitlement program.
01:32They think they are entitled to destroy it.
01:34When I was 15 years old, I got my working papers and secured my first job.
01:45I was a messenger dropping off packages from office building to office building in midtown Manhattan.
01:51My salary was $3.35 per hour.
01:57That was the minimum wage back in the day.
02:00And I thought that I had made it big.
02:04Particularly upon learning that as a high school student who worked part-time, I wouldn't have to pay any income tax.
02:13So I couldn't wait to get my first check.
02:17On a piece of paper, I multiplied $3.35 by the number of hours I expected to work during my first pay period.
02:31I figured out the total.
02:33And in my mind, that money was already spent.
02:36I couldn't wait to go to Albee Square Mall in downtown Brooklyn and get some new sneakers.
02:48So I could dress like Run DMC.
02:57But then the check came.
03:01And some money was missing.
03:02I had two questions, y'all.
03:08Who is FICA?
03:12And why is he taking my money?
03:17Here's what I learned.
03:19All of us pay the FICA tax in connection with Social Security and Medicare.
03:27We pay the FICA tax on our first job.
03:29We pay the FICA tax on our last job.
03:33We pay the FICA tax on every single job we have throughout our lifetime.
03:38Social Security and Medicare are not entitlement programs.
03:42They are earned benefits.
03:48Earned benefits.
03:49You work hard for those benefits.
03:52You work hard for those benefits.
03:54Pay into those benefits.
03:56And deserve those benefits.
03:58They are earned benefits.
04:00Democrats will make sure that Donald Trump and House Republicans keep their hands off your Social Security and your Medicare.
04:09Hands off today.
04:11Hands off tomorrow.
04:13Hands off this week.
04:15Hands off next week.
04:17Hands off this month.
04:19Hands off next month.
04:21Hands off this year.
04:23Hands off next year.
04:25Hands off Social Security and Medicare forever.
04:27For Eva.
04:29For Eva.
04:33For Eva.