‘People are outraged’: Minority WHIP Clark opens up on Dems moving forward under Trump presidency

DEDHAM, Mass. — We are a little more than two weeks into President Donald Trump’s second administration.

A lot has happened and it’s happening fast. Polling, so far, showing most Americans are feeling optimistic about the next four years. So, what does the party in the minority do after brutal losses in November? Boston 25′s Kerry Kavanaugh brought that question to the number 2 ranking Democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives, Massachusetts Congresswoman and Democratic Whip, Katherine Clark.

Kavanaugh: As a Democrat in the minority, do you at all feel a little bit back on your heels?

Rep. Clark: What we heard clearly from voters is that they want us to work together to make sure that life is more affordable, it’s fair, and that they have security, whether that is financial security, security in their homes, security on the streets, in their communities. So, we aren’t going to be there to work with any Republicans and this administration to do just that. But what we have seen is chaos by design. We are going to hold them accountable.

Kavanaugh: On the federal freeze, it was paused temporarily, but the messaging was also ‘it’s full steam ahead’. In your role, do you have an understanding on where this stands and what is actually going to be impacted?

Rep. Clark: I don’t think the White House knows where they stand on that. And that is why we saw federal judge shut them down. But we are very clear what the end game is, and that is to take taxpayer money from deserving communities and give it to the billionaire class to fund tax cuts for them.

Kavanaugh: But so far, the American people don’t seem to be reacting, at least in plurality, negatively to what’s happening. According to a recent Quinnipiac poll, 46% of voters approve of the job he’s doing, which is ten points higher than his first go around. And 54% said they feel generally optimistic about the next four years. So where is the disconnect in terms of what you’re saying and the chaos that you’re seeing and the sentiment of the American people?

Rep. Clark: You know, polls are always trailing what is going on. And this is a very fast and dynamic situation. And I can tell you from the calls that I am getting, not only from around the country, but more importantly from here in the Commonwealth, people are outraged. What Donald Trump promised them, What people voted for was that he was going to make life better and more affordable for them. Everything he has done since taking office is doing the exact opposite ...”

Kavanaugh: But in that same poll, 31% excuse me of respondents had a favorable rating of the Democratic Party. So how do you kind of take that? Where’s the messaging not landing, in your opinion?

Rep. Clark: The messaging we can work on, but let’s work on actions that are actually going to make life more affordable.

And so childcare is a great example. Parents cannot find affordable childcare. And what does this mean? It means that they are not having the income they need. It means that we are holding back our overall economy. So, what was one of the first things that they halted payment on last week? Head Start.

Kavanaugh: Another huge, huge issue that’s been unfolding, obviously, is shifting immigration policy. That, too, has an impact on the economy long term, does it not?

Rep. Clark: Absolutely. And one of the things that we’ve seen is that we have to do what we need to do to secure our borders. If we do not get to comprehensive immigration reform, fixing our broken system, we are not truly going to have the security in an immigration sense, a system that makes sense not only for our economy, but for our safety and security of our communities. And that has to be an effort that both Democrats and Republicans come to. The Trump administration is so focused on rewarding the billionaire class at our expense, at the expense of taxpayers, that this is really a disconnect and a betrayal of the people who put him in office.

Kavanaugh: How do you move forward? How do you find the olive branch, the issues that can have bipartisan support in this environment?

Rep. Clark: You want to work to help us bring down the cost of living for people, have groceries, be more affordable energy costs for their homes. We are here to join you in that. But if you are going to do the maneuvers and the theft of taxpayer money that we have seen over the past weeks, we are going to stand in opposition.

Kavanaugh: Minority Whip Katherine Clark, thank you so much for your time.

Rep. Clark: Thank you, Kerry.

An extended version of this interview is available to watch on the Boston 25 YouTube page.

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