Bill de Blasio: We Have Made a Huge Amount of Progress in New York City

EXCERPT:

DE BLASIO: "Oh, Willie, we’ve made a huge amount of progress in New York. We’ve lifted hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty in the last five years. We’re giving families free pre-K for their kids, free afterschool, folks have a higher wage because of the efforts of our city and working all over the state to get that wage up to $15 an hour. There’s a lot that’s changing that's helping working people to have a better quality of life, a lot more affordable housing. Guaranteed health care in New York City. 600,000 people uninsured, we’re guaranteeing them direct access to health care, including mental services. So, Willie, when you think about those things, it’s not perfect, I'm not saying it is, there sure are some really rich people in New York City and all over this country. I want to see them pay their fair share in taxes. I want to see those Trump’s tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations repealed. I want to see money put back in the hands of working people. But we've proven it can be done. And we’ve made serious progress in the last half decade in New York City. And, look, what I’m saying to the American people is, these things can happen and it’s not a policy paper with me. It’s things we’ve actually done for 8.6 million people and I want to do it for all Americans."