← The Stephen A. Smith Show
The Stephen A. Smith Show
Stephen A's Take: Stephen A reacts to Musk airing his frustration about the Beautiful Bill.
00:19:32
Loading summary
Transcript45 lines
- [00:00]
Stephen A. Smith
This is an iHeart podcast.
- [00:05]
AT&T Advertisement
ATT has a new guarantee because most things in life are not guaranteed like getting through self checkout by yourself. Not guaranteed in a world where Nothing is guaranteed. AT&T is bringing something new to the table. AT&T is introducing a guarantee with connectivity you can depend on deals you want and service you deserve or they make it right. Learn more@att.com guarantee@&t connecting chain changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Visit att.com guarantee for detail.
- [00:41]
Tom Yamas
NBC Nightly News legacy isn't handed down or NBC News.
- [00:44]
Stephen A. Smith
I'm Tom Brokaw.
- [00:45]
Unknown Speaker
We hope to see you back here.
- [00:46]
Lester Holt
I'm Lester Holt.
- [00:47]
Tom Yamas
It's carried forward.
- [00:48]
Stephen A. Smith
Tom Yamas is there for us.
- [00:50]
Tom Yamas
Firefighters are still working around the clock. As the world changes, we look for what endures. We are coming on the air with breaking news right now. We look for a constant and from one era to the next, trust is the anchor for NBC Nightly News, Tom Yamas. A new chapter begins NBC Nightly News with Tom Yamas evenings on NBC.
- [01:14]
Stephen A. Smith
Now let's get to Washington and two headlines brewing out of D.C. actually, I got three, but it's definitely two at this particular moment in time. We'll start with Tesla, CEO and former head of Doge Department of Government Efficiency. For those of you who don't know him, Mr. Elon Musk, who now has an issue with President Donald Trump. According to ABC News, multiple people who have spoken to the President and Musk have described a widening rift on a range of recent moves by the administration. In addition to Musk, in addition to that, I'm sorry, Musk went on the offensive yesterday, blasting the President over the legislative agenda. Here's what he posted on X last night. Quote, I'm sorry, but I just can't stand it anymore. This massive, outrageous, pork filled congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it. You know you did wrong, end quote. In another post he wrote, quote, it will massively increase the already gigantic budget deficit to $2.5 trillion and burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt, end quote. And finally this morning he posted this quote, here it is. In November next year, we fire all politicians who betrayed the the American people, end quote. The White House has yet to comment. This is not a good look. This is not a good look. But how surprised should we be? You see, when you talk about the $2.5 trillion budget deficit, ladies and gentlemen, our national deficit is already at 37 trillion. So you're talking about this deficit approaching 40 trillion. You're talking about Trump and what he's proposing with his big beautiful bill reaching the likes of approximately 43 to 44 trillion dollars. We've already lost our credit rating, our stature, all right? The respect of the financial sector of the world has dissipated for the United States of America. We've got people on Capitol Hill that are anxious, was so anxious to get into power and we talked about our national debt and how we have to curb spending. But what are we doing? What are we doing? We've got issues with Medicaid. We've got people who are scheduled to lose their health insurance. We're hearing about an economy that's getting better. We're hearing about inflation having dipped. We're hearing that our borders are under control. We're supposed to be a thriving economy and we're moving in a forward direction. But every time we turn around, we hear about something else. Now, I'm not about to sit here and engage in condemnation because I don't know the particulars. When I think about the big beautiful bill, I'm thinking about it along the lines of there are things to like about it, there are things to complain about it. And as we look at it, we have to dissect it with a fine tooth, a fine tooth comb and recognize that, you know what, everybody's going to have their feelings. When I think about it from my notes that I took in terms of the Big Beautiful Bill Act, I just find myself saying, hey, what's going on? If you're the GOP extension of 27, 2017, tax cuts, new tax breaks, SALT deduction increases, state and local taxes. That's what SALT stands for. Deduction cap is raised from 10,000 to 40,000 for married couples earning up to $500,000. Addressing concerns from representatives in high tax tax states like New York and New Jersey, the GOP finds that to be a very good thing. Obviously, they claim this bill, the big beautiful bill, is definitely something that supports small businesses provisions such as the reinstatement of immediate R D expensing and increased pass through deductions aim to bolster small businesses and domestic manufacturing. To me, that's lip service. That part is lip service. Because I need to hear the numbers. I need to hear the numbers. And until I hear the numbers, I'm not going to feel that way about it. Okay, so that's something to think about right there. And we gotta look at it from that standpoint. What do the Democrats say about the bill? They've been complaining about it. You know, they have, you know, they have. What does a House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffrey says, quote, we believe it's one big ugly bill that's going to hurt the American people, hurt children, hurt families, hurt veterans, hurt seniors, cut healthcare, cut nutritional assistance, explode the debt. That's what Hakeem Jeffrey says. He's been a guest on his show and is always welcomed back. Then there's Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. He writes, quote, this is not one big beautiful bill. It's ugly. There's nothing beautiful about stripping away people's health care, forcing kids to go hungry, denying communities the resources they need and increasing poverty, end quote. What is the, what are the Democrats problems with this bill? They're talking about health care cuts. The bill imposes work requirements for Medicaid recipients and reduces federal Medicaid payments to states, potentially leading the millions losing coverage, according to the Democrats. Tax benefits for the wealthy. Democrats argue that the bill extends tax cuts primarily benefiting high income earners and corporations while offering minimal relief to working and middle class Americans. What else do the Democrats say? It increases? The deficit. The Congressional Budget Office itself estimates that the bill could add 2.3 trillion to the national deficit over the next decade. Social program reductions. The legislation includes significant cuts to SNAP, I.e. food assistance, ladies and gentlemen, and other safety net programs which Democrats believe will exacerbate poverty and hunger. Last but not least, restrictions on Reproductive and LGBTQ + Health Care. The bill prohibits Medicaid from covering gender affirming care and services provided by clinics that offer abortions. Aligning with conservative social issues. Now that last part I won't challenge. Here is the reason why. If you don't believe in abortion, if you are a pro lifer, why should your tax dollars be spending for something that you inherently don't believe in, whether it be for religious purposes or anything else. Now that's different. If you were born a man or born a woman and you wanted to transition, I believe you should have the freedom to do whatever you want. But should taxpayer dollars pay for it? See, that's where it gets tricky and that's what we have to understand that for the most part I'm very concerned with what the Democrats are saying. Healthcare cuts, I'm very concerned about that. Tax benefits for the wealthy, not as much concerned about that. You know, the top 1% of the population spends about 60% of the taxes. So I, I, if they find a way to exploit whatever loopholes so they can avoid being bled, I, I don't, I don't have a problem with that as Long as you're getting that 60% from them, okay, they shouldn't get away without paying taxes. But it's not like you should be constantly be able to come to people and want more and more and more money, because the more you want money from other people, the less of an obligation you're absorbing of mining your finances. These politicians on Capitol Hill, I'm sick and tired of them coming to us every two years, every four years, asking for more taxpayer dollars.
- [08:50]
Unknown Speaker
What are you doing to manage budgets? What are you doing to curb spending? We can't have everything. We can't. We can't. And I'm not talking to Republicans, and I'm not talking to Democrats. I'm talking to all of the asses. You got a budget. You got a deficit over $37 trillion that's scheduled to explode and exceed over $40 trillion. Both sides of the aisle played a pivotal role in that happening. It wasn't just Democrats in office, in the House, the Senate, and the White House. All of these years, we have members of both sides of the aisle in all of those houses. All of these years, all youse did this. All of youse, y' all did this. So I don't wanna hear it. But I am concerned about the particulars. I am concerned about the specifics, and I think that that needs to be broached. I'll leave it at that for now.
- [09:50]
Stephen A. Smith
Because this is a subject that's not going away. We gotta get to this other story out of Washington involving Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth.
- [09:57]
Unknown Speaker
Hegseth has ordered the Secretary of the.
- [09:59]
Stephen A. Smith
Navy to rename the oilership USNS Harvey Milk. The ship, which launched in 2021, was named after the gay rights activist and Navy veteran who was forced to resign from the service because of his sexual orientation. A military official says the ship will be officially renamed later this month. No word on what the new ship's name will be. However, the timing is notable given that June is Pride Month.
- [10:27]
Unknown Speaker
In addition to that, the USNS Harvey.
- [10:30]
Stephen A. Smith
Milk is part of the John Lewis class of oilerships that are named after civil rights. Leaders of the ships in this class include the USNs Earl Warren, USNs Robert F. Kennedy, USNs Lucy Stone, and USNs Sojourn. The truth, ladies and gentlemen. Do I like this? No. If I was president, if I was the Secretary of Defense, would I do it? No. I live and let live LGBTQ community has my support. I don't have a problem with recognizing great individuals from their communities or anywhere else. Doesn't faze me. Doesn't bother me. They served our country with honor and distinction. I would not change it. But I also respect the right of Pete Hegseth to change it. He's the Secretary of Defense. He works under President Donald Trump, who was re elected as the 47th President of the United States, who campaigned on being against some of these things because of how excessive the left was and going overboard with its behavior to highlight and elevate prominently the causes of a fringe segment of our population.
- [12:02]
Unknown Speaker
In this case, the word fringe doesn't.
- [12:04]
Stephen A. Smith
Apply because I understand there's a lot of members out there, millions upon millions of members of LGBTQ community, and I would not change it. I support their rights, their civil liberties. I don't think they should be harassed. I don't think they should be bothered. I think they should be free to live their lives. But as a black man, ladies and gentlemen, we come out of the womb not being liked. We come out of the womb having an uphill battle and an uphill climb because of resistance to acceptance of who we are. And that's just based off the color of our skin. Now, who you are is who you are, and folks debate back and forth, are you born this way or you're not born this way? I ain't getting into all of that. What I'm saying is, in a lot of situations, most people wouldn't know until you tell us or show us, Black folks don't have that luxury. We have to deal with those challenges every single day.
- [12:59]
Unknown Speaker
So being liked and being embraced, while.
- [13:03]
Stephen A. Smith
It would be ideal and beautiful and.
- [13:06]
Unknown Speaker
It would bring peace and dissipate stress.
- [13:08]
Stephen A. Smith
In our life, in our souls and our minds. The bottom line is we have to accept the fact that some people are going to be racist, some people are going to be prejudiced. Some people just ain't gonna like us. Some people ain't gonna have any problem with us, but don't necessarily want to vibe with us. And then some people are going to like us, and some people are going to brace us more than others, and some people are going to love us. It all comes with all comes with it. The relevancy of that comment by me, that soliloquy, that diatribe, whatever word you want to use by me is simply pointing out that if an administration gets.
- [13:41]
Unknown Speaker
Elected and they're against some of those.
- [13:44]
Stephen A. Smith
Things because they believe that the progressive left went overboard in trying to highlight.
- [13:49]
Unknown Speaker
And big up a certain community of this population, and they are against that, once they're in position of power, they get to do what they Choose. Just like the left. Name the USNs Harvey Milk. If somebody else wants to rename it, it's their administration. That's what they could do. We might not like it, but it ain't a crime. That's not how they flow.
- [14:20]
Stephen A. Smith
You don't like it, make sure they don't get elected next time.
- [14:26]
Unknown Speaker
Make sure your causes on the fringes don't usurp the vast majority of Americans interests so they'll vote the way you want them to vote, so you could get some of the things you want. That's how it works. That's how it works in a democracy. You don't like it, get over it. That's the way it is. That's the way it is.
- [14:49]
Stephen A. Smith
Now, before I get on out of here, there is a story that I couldn't wait to tackle. Because I'm not gonna lie to you, I was kind of disgusted when I saw it. Corinne Jean Pierre switches her affiliation to independent, releasing a new book about a broken Biden White House. She is the former White House press secretary. If you will recall, ladies and gentlemen, she has consistently or she had consistently, consistently decried the notion that President Biden was not up to the rigors of the job. Longtime Democratic Party operative suddenly is urging Americans to step outside harsh party lines in her new book, Independent A Look Inside a Broken White House outside the party lines, according to the book's description. The description also says the former Biden press secretary didn't come to the decision about leaving the party lightly, quote, until January 20th. I was responsible for speaking on behalf of the president of the United States, she said in a statement, according to the Associated Press. At noon on that day, I became a private citizen who, like all Americans and many of our allies around the world, had to contend with what was to come next for our country. I determined that the danger we face as a country requires freeing ourselves of boxes. We need to be willing to exercise the ability to think creatively and plan strategically. Hold on, hold on. Not so fast. And I'm fully aware that she was also a source for Jake Tapper in his book Original Sin with Alex Thompson. Remember, I interviewed him last week. Hold on for a second. Corinne Jean Pierre, you're absolutely right. Nothing that you said as the White House press secretary should be held against you. Just like I came on here and said, or I came on other shows like the Hannity's of the World and others. And I said, what the hell was Kamala Harris supposed to do when she was the VP Don Biden out? She wasn't gonna tell on her boss. Stop it. What the hell was she supposed to do? Just like I said that I would say the same thing about Corinne Jean Pierre. What was she supposed to do as.
- [17:12]
Unknown Speaker
The White House press secretary? She's supposed to sit up there and.
- [17:16]
Stephen A. Smith
Come out and tell the American people, yo, yo, he don't have it. He can't go. He just don't have it. What was she supposed to do? That's ridiculous. However, Corinne Jean Pierre, you are not the White House press secretary. When you showed up on ABC's the View a couple of months ago, you were talking major stuff. Then. You were not the White House press secretary. You were an American citizen who was.
- [17:48]
Unknown Speaker
Not working in the White House.
- [17:50]
Stephen A. Smith
What the hell you going to show for then?
- [17:53]
Unknown Speaker
Bloviating about Joe Biden and how he was alert and he was spry and he was a great commander in chief and he was sharp and all of this stuff. I don't have a clip in front of me because I just saw the story. You're lucky I don't have time to pull it up. But I'm fully aware of the fact that you are not.
- [18:16]
Stephen A. Smith
The White House press secretary when you were on the View spewing the same stuff you had spewed when you were the White House press secretary. So all bets are off. You didn't have to do that, but you chose to live with your decisions. Live with your decisions. You didn't have to do that, but that's what you chose to do. You chose to go front center and.
- [18:46]
Unknown Speaker
Still spew the same party line.
- [18:50]
Stephen A. Smith
So what the book's gonna tell us? The book's gonna tell us more about the Democrats. The butcher.
- [18:54]
Unknown Speaker
The book. Is the book gonna be an extension of Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson's book, Original Sin Origin? Yet another Democrat coming out and telling us about stuff that a whole bunch of stuff on the right was telling us but y' all swore we shouldn't listen to while y' all were engaging in Cancel Culture, while y' all were engaging in excoriating anybody that called the Democratic Party out for what the hell was going on. That's what we supposed to do now? That's what we supposed to do. He's supposed to listen to you now.
- [19:34]
Stephen A. Smith
Okay, I'll do that. Corinne Jean Pierre, you are more than welcome to come on a Stephen A. Smith show and explain your book and what it's gonna say, but not only why we didn't hear from you while you were the White House press secretary, which is very understandable. But how come we didn't hear that from you afterwards? Why were we hearing the same stuff after you left the White House that you were saying while you were in the White House? Can't wait for an answer to that question. Got several others too, if you're so willing to come on. More than happy to have you. I'm a respectful man, was raised by five beautiful, strong black women. You are obviously a beautiful, strong black woman as well, but it doesn't mean I don't have questions. Just so you know.
- [20:43]
Ryan Seacrest
How to have fun anytime, anywhere. Step 1 Go to chumbacasino.com chumbacasino.com Got it. Step 2 Collect your welcome bonus.
- [20:51]
Unknown Speaker
Come to papa. Welcome bonus bonus.
- [20:52]
Ryan Seacrest
Step 3 Play hundreds of casino style games for free.
- [20:55]
Unknown Speaker
That's a lot of games all for free.
- [20:57]
Ryan Seacrest
Step 4 Unleash your excitement. Chumba Casino has been delivering thrills for over a decade, so claim your free welcome bonus now and live the chumba life. Visit chumbacasino.com no purchase necessary.
- [21:09]
Stephen A. Smith
VGW Group void where prohibited by law 21 + terms and conditions apply.
- [21:13]
Lester Holt
Hey, it's Ryan Seacrest for Albertsons and safeway now through June 24th. Score hot summer savings and earn four times the points. Look for in store tags on items like Sargento cheese slices, Best foods, mayonnaise, lay's, party sized chips and snacks and Triscuits. Then clip the offer in the app for automatic event long savings. Enjoy savings on top of savings when you shop in store or online for easy drive up and go pick up or delivery subject to availability restrictions apply. Visit Albertsons or Safeway.com for more details. This is an iHeart podcast.