Jayapal on Seth Moulton Calling for Dems to Change Approach on Trans Issues: ‘Offensive,’ ‘Let’s Get that Economic Agenda’

COLLINS: “Yeah, you’re referencing the bipartisan border deal that failed a few months ago. You know, another part touched duringthis campaign was an ad from the Trump campaign that they put out on transgender rights. It was, you know, made the issue — put the issue at the middle of the race in some moments. And I know you’ve noted in the past that you are proudly the parent of a daughter who is transgender, and you’ve made tearful appeals to your colleagues when this issue has come up on Capitol Hill. So I wonder then what your response was, to Congressman Seth Moulton, who suggested this week that Democrats need to change their approach to transgender issues. He told The New York Times, and I’m quoting him now, ‘Democrats spend way too much time trying not to offend anyone rather than being brutally honest about the challenges many Americans face.’ He said, ‘I have two little girls, I don’t want them getting run over on a playing field by a male or formerly male athlete, but as a Democrat I’m supposed to be afraid to say that.’”
Jayapal: “I just find that to be an offensive comment, actually. We’re talking about half of 1 percent of people in the country. And I think that we have to really be clear. There was one party that tried to initiate a culture war, a so-called culture war, against a tiny group of people. That was the Republican Party that poured billions of dollars into this. I go back to the fact that we can have an economic agenda that allows people to feel good and safe about their lives, and that is inclusive, so that everybody gets to live their life out. I don’t think that just trying to instill fear and joining a party that is instilling fear in people for a tiny, tiny group of population, group of people that we’re talking about, is the right way to go about this. Let’s go back to our business. Let’s get that economic agenda, which we actually know what it is. We’ve had a proposition agenda at the CPC for some time, and it includes all of these things, including taking on these big corporate monopolies, taking on price gouging, rate — you know, investing in housing. These are critical things that will lift people up, in addition, of course, to minimum wage, paid sick leave, the things that passed on the ballot in Trump states. We can get those done. But we need people to trust us, and we need to actually fight for them, and be willing to unrig the system. Because it is rigged right now, for the billionaires and the wealthiest individuals and corporations. We’ve got to take that on and be willing to do it loudly and proudly.”
COLLINS: “Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal, thank you.”
Jayapal: “Thank you.”
COLLINS: “And thanks for answering a question on a personal note there as well.”