Rep. Colin Allred of Texas on the GOP extremists in power

They are “more radical than they were” in the past. “And Kevin McCarthy is a weaker speaker” than those in the past.

“This is a crew that almost has to touch the oven to know that it’s hot.”

“The GOP caucus is one where Marjorie Taylor Greene almost doesn’t stand out anymore. And that’s pretty remarkable.”

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Democratic Congressman Colin Allred, who represents Texas’ 32nd Congressional district in Dallas, came on my SiriusXM program this week. It’s always a great conversation, as Allred is thoughtful and fully focused on the issues for which Democrats are fighting.

We spoke about the new GOP-controlled Congress and the extremists who are now sitting on powerful committees — Marjorie Taylor Greene on both the Oversight Committee and the Homeland Security Committee, for example — and we spoke about the plans Republicans have moving forward.

In particular, we discussed the threats from the GOP on not lifting the debt ceiling and sending the economy globally into chaos. Allred talked about strategies Democrats have, including the use of discharge petitions, in order to get around the GOP’s reckless tactics and get several Republicans onboard with Democrats. And we talked about how the GOP, when they did this previously during the Obama years, got Democrats to make concessions which were ultimately bad for the country. He doesn’t see that happening now.

“I think President Biden, who was vice president when many of these negotiations took place during the Obama administration, I think he is one of those folks who’s learned you can’t negotiate around this.”

We also talked about the border and the need for real immigration reform. And we focused on the Inflation Reduction Act and, in particular, the cap on costs for insulin which he fought for — and which Republicans in the Senate severely narrowed — and how we have to expand it.

Listen in and let me know your thoughts.