Rep. Ro Khanna sits down with Salon to talk Bernie, impeachment and Medicare for All
- 3 years ago
Before setting off on the House's August recess, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., talked to SalonTV's Dean Obeidallah on "Salon Talks" about some of the key issues he's planning to address in the House this fall. The California Democrat discussed how Democrats will pursue impeachment, his role co-chairing Sen. Bernie Sanders' 2020 campaign, and why he's urging Congress to take action in Yemen, where he says "one of the world's greatest humanitarian crises" is taking place.
On impeachment, Khanna is confident that formal proceedings will begin in September in the House and put the focus on House leadership. "There are only two people who matter, in terms of impeachment," he said. "What really matters is Nadler and Pelosi."
On Yemen, Rep. Khanna teamed up with Sen. Sanders earlier this year to get Congress to pass a resolution to end US support for the war in Yemen, but President Trump vetoed it. When asked if he would try for an override, the congressman responded, "We're going to try, but it's tough. I mean, a vote override takes two thirds of the House and the Senate, and, unfortunately, there are people who view the Saudis as an ally, still, and a counter to Iran. But, what they don't realize is actually they're hurting our credibility in the Middle East."
And when it comes to some of the issues facing his home district, which includes Silicon Valley, Khanna opposes big mergers like T-Mobile's recent acquisition of Sprint, but called out Sen. Elizabeth Warren's plan to break up big tech.
"Let's have skepticism on future big mergers. Let's make sure they aren't privileging their platform. But just saying, 'Let's go break these companies up.' A, that's unlikely to happen, and B, that's not, in my view, what's going to be the right policy," he said.
Watch the episode above to hear more from Rep. Khanna on the major issues Congress will take on next session and why he says Bernie can win.
SalonTV host Dean Obeidallah is also the host of the daily national SiriusXM radio program, "The Dean Obeidallah Show" on the network's progressive political channel. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
On impeachment, Khanna is confident that formal proceedings will begin in September in the House and put the focus on House leadership. "There are only two people who matter, in terms of impeachment," he said. "What really matters is Nadler and Pelosi."
On Yemen, Rep. Khanna teamed up with Sen. Sanders earlier this year to get Congress to pass a resolution to end US support for the war in Yemen, but President Trump vetoed it. When asked if he would try for an override, the congressman responded, "We're going to try, but it's tough. I mean, a vote override takes two thirds of the House and the Senate, and, unfortunately, there are people who view the Saudis as an ally, still, and a counter to Iran. But, what they don't realize is actually they're hurting our credibility in the Middle East."
And when it comes to some of the issues facing his home district, which includes Silicon Valley, Khanna opposes big mergers like T-Mobile's recent acquisition of Sprint, but called out Sen. Elizabeth Warren's plan to break up big tech.
"Let's have skepticism on future big mergers. Let's make sure they aren't privileging their platform. But just saying, 'Let's go break these companies up.' A, that's unlikely to happen, and B, that's not, in my view, what's going to be the right policy," he said.
Watch the episode above to hear more from Rep. Khanna on the major issues Congress will take on next session and why he says Bernie can win.
SalonTV host Dean Obeidallah is also the host of the daily national SiriusXM radio program, "The Dean Obeidallah Show" on the network's progressive political channel. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.