MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Economy and Health Care

Interview

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REP. JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D), ILLINOIS: Thank you so much.

SCHULTZ: I appreciate -- you bet. And I appreciate your work on the part of American workers in your advocacy. I think that has to be stated at this time of year as we go into 2014.

I want to know, what is the Republican plan to help 1.3 million Americans who are trying to get back into the economy?

SCHAKOWSKY: Well, if you want to know the truth, Ed, I think if the bill were called, if John Boehner would actually call the bill, I think we might be able to extend those benefits. Certainly in the Senate we`ve got some bipartisan support, and I think in the house too.

So really, if democracy were allowed to work and the majority were allowed to rule, I think we could actually do some good. But we`ve got John Boehner seeming -- yet again to be in control of the tea party, and that faction. But, you know, we`ll see. There`s a lot of pressure being put on both houses now, to extend those benefits.

SCHULTZ: Well, you know, in John Boehner`s district, I was told by Louise Slaughter (ph) today that there is a poll out there that says it is 63 percent of the people in Boehner`s district, they want to extend unemployment benefits to these Americans who are now in a sense destitute and wondering what`s going to happen to them.

Does the poll really matter? Do the people matter here? I mean, the corporations have such a tremendous grab on the Republican party. I mean, right now, from what I understand, from the Democrats, is that you`re hoping that public pressure back home on elected officials in a possible vote in the Senate to do this is going to reverse the thinking and Boehner is going to bring it to the floor for a vote. I mean, that`s what is being told to me from a number of different sources. Is that going to happen, in your opinion?

SCHAKOWSKY: I think there`s a good chance that it will. We certainly want your audience and Americans around the country. The vast majority of whom do support extending those benefits. And by the way, also support in overwhelming numbers raising the minimum wage. That John Boehner will understand that his party, his party is better off by doing these kinds of things that the American people want.

SCHULTZ: Well, and the question of how much political capital can the Democrats spend on this. Harry Reid says that it`s a top priority when we start the new year. Do you think it will be a priority for John Boehner in the House?

SCHAKOWSKY: Well, it certainly is a priority in the Senate. And therefore, there`s going to be a lot of pressure put on Boehner to do it.

Look, every month that it isn`t done, 72,000 more people lose their benefits. This isn`t just a one-time deal. And as you pointed out, it`s really good for the economy. And the other side of that is it`s really bad for the economy if we don`t extend those benefits.

We could be talking about 250,000 jobs lost. So, if the Republicans hope to barely make the case that they really are for jobs in this country, then they`re going to extend those unemployment insurance benefits.

SCHULTZ: Well, I want to talk health care for just a moment.

SCHAKOWSKY: Sure.

SCHULTZ: Back in the Bush years when we were talking about a surge, we were talking about war. Now when we`re talking about surge, we`re talking about health care for more Americans. I mean, these enrollment numbers, before the deadline for the month of December, I believe, are very impressive. We`re now closing in on two million people who are going to be affected by this law.

What does this mean? Deadlines are good, people have responded to it. What do you have to do to, in the new year, to keep these numbers coming? I mean, enrollment in the health care exchange is surging. What`s your reaction to these new numbers?

SCHAKOWSKY: Well, now we`re actually on track of what we thought we were going to be when October 1st rolled around. And so I think these numbers bode really well. We are seeing a surge, 1.1 million Americans now signed up through the exchanges. That is through the federal exchange. We think it`s about -- it`s been estimated maybe 850,000 more, closer to a million, through the state exchanges. And then there`s 3.9 million Americans who are now on Medicaid or the chip program that weren`t on before.

So, we`re talking about nearly five million people who have been affected now. And I think those numbers are going to continue to roll.Ed, think of this. Two days from now, no American will be denied health care, because they have a preexisting condition.

SCHULTZ: It is pretty amazing.

SCHAKOWSKY: There won`t be any lifetime or annual caps. Women won`t be discriminated against in rates. There will be a cap on how much you have to pay out of pocket so people won`t go bankrupt. This is a blessing for our country. But instead the Republicans have said merry Christmas, and we`re, you know, going to cut you off of unemployment, and we`re going to keep trashing affordable care act. It`s not going to work for them.

SCHULTZ: Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky, you have been a great advocate for health care. And I just want to -- you just said something there in the Senate that said I think we need to really underscore.

Women in the United States of America are now going to be paying the same rates for health care as men. Because of health care costs, in my opinion, they are discriminated against. They were made to pay higher rates through the private sector. That isn`t going to happen anymore. And I think this is a big thing when it comes to the war on women. I hope the president really takes up the gavel and goes strong in the state of the union address, because these stories are only going to get better for the country, and I think it`s the best shot the Democrats have got to take in over the House. And they`ve got a great record to run on from the standpoint that the other guys voted over 40 times to get rid of what you and I have just talked about. I think that`s on the wrong side of history.

SCHAKOWSKY: They made --

SCHULTZ: Congresswoman, good to have you with us tonight.

SCHAKOWSKY: Thank you. Healthy, happy new year to you, Ed, and your family.

SCHULTZ: Thank you, Congresswoman. Appreciate it.

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