Cut if you can't buy the same amount of healthcare, it's a cut of your premiums go up. It's a cut. If you have serious problems with access to very fundamental checks in in care that affect breast cancer and other things so that's really the issue. That's number one, but it goes back to the other problem that that we still have never been able to figure out is how you'll find a way to pay for these big cuts regardless of who they go for if you don't cut Medicare Medicaid, there is no other bank out there to pay for the cuts that you want. For those of those of people who don't need the American people know full. Well, there's all kind of wasteful spending in Washington, but what you really do is control the rate of growth best example on the in the Medicare question there when mrs. Clinton came to Congress and a very intelligent statement said that we could allow Medicare to grow 6% that was called a 6% increase when Republicans said we're going to allow a 7% increase that was called by the present a cut.I don't understand the difference. We can work this problem out. If we will if we will get together and start trying to position ourselves on something as important as Medicare has 83 years of age. She depends on Social Security Medicare. She's watching this program and I'm here to assure her that we're not only going to make sure she gets it we want to preserve it and protect it and approve it for the future. But when you double a premium and double co-pays and a takeaway Choice, those are serious consequences for any senior in this country further than that if we're going to deal with the Medicare problem, we got a deal with it for Medicare trust fund and not in the context of a budget where we got a tax cut given a $20,000 a year tax cut the people earning over $200,000 a year the American people should not and will not accept that I haven't resolved that we're not going to move on to our second topic and again it comes in the form of a resolution be it resolved that the Democratic Party.Can Congress can best protect the quality of life values important to all Americans Democrats? Will tell me off and go door-to-door in my district in the other day. I met a woman at the door. She was a single mother of two children. She had two jobs. She was working 16 hours a day both near minimum wage. She said I still can't pay my bills, but she said that's not my great concern. She said my concern I was never at home to deal with my children. She said I'm even worried that they will commit crimes. I think that what the Republicans have tried to do over the last two years has not helped her situation. In fact in some ways. I think it's made it worse first. They oppose the family medical leave Law, which would have allowed her to be at home with those children if they were sick. They tried to cut out the funding for this network, which we're having this debate on tonight. So they wouldn't have had big bird watch thirdly. They tried to cut back on school lunches for elementary kids in high school kids. And then if she wanted to send the kids to college they were cutting back on student loans. So I don't think they help that person in contrast. Our families first agenda would help her would give her extra tax credits for childcare. It would try to get an after-school program and every school in this country. So kids would have a place to go after school and we getting tax cuts for healthcare in for Education. We got the deal with people's practical everyday problems and Families First does that Republican rebuttal what we're talking about there really is this air quality in life is opportunity and security opportunity to be able to keep more of your own money so that you can look after your own family and help you in your own community and also the right to be secure in your own Community crime and drugs or a problem in America, there are squirrels. And when I go to my own State on when I go to other states are for my friends in the Senate people, they come up with their alarm. They're scared when they realize what's happening with our children with drugs teenagers that are not just using the marijuana, but the hard stuff in the tremendous increase they they say look I don't understand the government is taking my money and taxes taken for Washington. I have the feeling of being wasted and I don't see real help coming to me for me and my family and my community and in my town in terms of fighting and drugs and and fighting crime that we have worked on that in the car. The half-dozen bills is past the two years that really will help some of that Megan's Law, which will help deal with the a sexual offenders against young showing the stockings. All right. Now, we're trying to get a child pronography a bill all the internet try to get it through the Senate was subjected to when I try to do it just yesterday and one other thing education we need quality education, but it should be controlled by the parents to teachers in the children at the local level two question on education is not so much how much but how well what are we doing to help our children children learn more and be smarter and we need to have that emphasis and that flexibility and that control with the parents in the teachers at the local level craft start the gym, I agree with some of what trans said that I think it is a question of how much and how well obviously this year. We're seeing a tremendous amount of increasing enrollment across the country in schools and colleges in every state. Obviously this year given that dramatic increase in enrollment whether or not we provide a good education is depend in part on How well-funded the programs are you have proposed deep cuts the biggest Cuts in the history of our country with regard to student loans and student grants Headstart school lunch safe and drug-free schools math and reading and advocated the abolition of the Department of Education. I believe that's an extreme proposal. I think that in light of the fact that we've seen me the dramatic increase in enrollment is something you just can't justify. Let me ask you this. Would you support next year adequate funding and all of those programs and renounce your support for the abolition the Department of Education and start when it was first created when when I was a graduate student in New Orleans, I'm very smooth. I'm a teacher by background and I come out of the background. We're both my daughters went to public school. I went to public school, but I am very frightened. But what I see happening, I think first of all, we spend far too much money on bureaucracy and not enough on teachers take Washington DC. We spend over $9,000 of student in Washington and the student teacher ratio such that if just half that money went to teachers teachers would make $90,000 a year. Do we have layer after layer of bureaucracy does a National Science Foundation Fellowship, they withdrew from the school because they didn't take the money and give it to teachers. They had a $31,000 your chauffeur for the school board member now. I don't think the American public thinks pouring more money in the tops of the trickle-down bureaucracy up here in the bureaucrat eats in the bureaucrat eats in the bureaucratic eats in the bureaucratic finally down here is a teacher or student a parent and they get a tiny amount. I would love to work with you in a program to clean out and most of the bureaucracies get the money to the teacher to the parent to the student and actually be spending at the local level and you see this in New York with Mary Giuliani. You work with the Catholic schools that have a great record of helping kids to actually raise the scholarship money. So the poorest children can go to a safe drug free school in a neighborhood with a good education Sprint those the kind of child focus things will make a difference. But let me say that I think we ought to be looking for how do I get the programs that Tom mentioned to be better funded because I think they do get the money to the teachers in the parents and of the students safe and drug-free schools every time I've seen it in the schools in my district. It works. It helps kids stay off drugs. It gives them the information. They need Head Start is accepted in every state in this country. I've never heard anybody say that Head Start was a great program school lunch is is needed by parents who just can't make ends meet and it helps kids learn and student loan is to me the best program we've ever had in the government. We have the head of the young Republicans from Georgetown come to one. Are Rally's for the Student Loan program when you had that cut in your budget? So I think what the federal government has been doing that is work. We are to continue and even further fun and if we can find ways to get the money better the teachers and the students we had to do that. I got back we are doing it. We have been increasing each year for the last four years last night the house just bored at 375 37 for a bill that included significant increases for education and you talk about Student Loan program. What happened in college, I worked for two years for University of Mississippi and the placement and financial aid office. I think every dude in America that finishes high school should be able to go forward and get training and education. Maybe it's okay. She'll education Community College every one of them should be told there will be a grant alone or scholarship for work study program for you. I support Windows program and in fact, why wait till next year we're doing it. But you know what? I think that's so I must say I think in part that's an election year conversion when you go back because you've got to be for the next year. My concern is what you're going to do the next year in and I must say you got to go back to the Republican budget. I don't think anyone would argue with the facts cbonb both agree that these are the deepest cuts that have ever been made an educational programs that I've heard that this is just a lot of bureaucracy. Will you tell a student who can't get a loan that is just bureaucracy. Hella Head Start kid can't get into the program that is just bureaucracy go to a principal or superintendent whose walls are caving in on his roof leaks and they can't get the kind of money to build the infrastructure for a good school. That is just pure aqua such a thing. We've got serious funding problems in education across the board South dakotans. A lot of kids in mind can my state today? I not able to go to college. Because they can't get a loan or a grant appointment the city of Washington spent over $9,000 per student and we had to pass emergency money this week to keep the boilers from blowing up because the bureaucracy is so bad. It is so inefficient. It is so incompetent that is $9,000 of student. It's failed again and you mentioned that the drug free school program. They had an application from school in Texas. They took over $1,000 to fill out and they gave him a $13 Grant know this is ridiculous that they used to pay for bus parking at the Museum took him over $1,000 to apply for the weirdest. See if that money is going to teacher salaries. If every teacher America got half the money being spent for child in her School District High School District. You have better teachers last bierocracy and better education. Send it says to the local school goes right down to the building and says you produce so many kids that can pass the test. Where where's the Motorola test for the GED test this year for every one more you produce next year will pay you a bonus. It can go wherever you wanted to go. You get us the result will help you. How about the Bob Dole proposal for the tax credit scholarship which would allow you to deduct of the savings of $500 a year over a child's life time when I get ready to go to college be $30,000. How about that? What most people need for a good education? Let's go from 12 to 14 years and give every student the ability to go to college for those two years. I think that's a great idea. I think we all ought to have a mindset that now it's going to be fourteen years in an information if we need that kind of looks good idea. If you also make sure they actually are learning that it's not just paper is not just rubber stamps. It's not just social promotion, but there are real standard with real. I'm doing wheel homework topic 3 International Affairs a reminder that the order for everything we're doing here tonight accepting the dialogues themselves was determined by a coin toss. This resolution is resolved. The Republican party in Congress can best protect and preserve America's military political and economic position in the world. Well me to say Jim. I think first of all this is where it gets really dangerous the difference in international relations between rhetoric and reality is very great. I think our first priority in the short run frankly should be to stop drugs come United States to help our allies defeat the drug cartels in Latin America and it and I think frankly the Bob Dole's right to say running is the National Guard if necessary to help build the fence has to do the things necessary to stop the flow of drugs does the biggest foreign danger to America right now is drug drug use has doubled in the last 4 years double among teenagers and I think it is a real threat to America's future. We become a drug-addicted society second. I think this conference will take place this week in Washington is an example of why rhetoric and reality or so important to be examined in foreign policy. The fact is that talk about pieces and good enough. If you look at the talk starting a nozzle for peace in the Middle East. More than twice as many Israelis have died since the eyes low tops in 30 months then died in the preceding 30 months when we deal with the world. We have to focus and being strong enough. We have to focus on the reality of what's Happening. We have to I think focus on Syria and Iran and terrorism and we have to be prepared to say that we're going to defend our young men and women give them the best equipment for the best opportunities the necessary resources. Finally. I think we need a national missile defense a thin screen defense to stop countries like Iran North Korea from being able to threaten United States and I think if we don't build that sometime early the next entry willing to face a real threat to America Democratic rebuttal cold war. Is provided us with tremendous New Opportunities economically politically. Obviously, it's also presented us with some tremendous challenges nuclear proliferation chemical warfare the regional conflicts. We've seen all over the world today. I must say I think the administration deserves a tremendous amount of credit for the leadership that it's shown in places around the world Northern Ireland Russia Bosnia now at the dramatic announcement just this morning that the president is going to invite everyone of the Middle Eastern leaders to come to Washington to begin working out their differences try to find a way with words to resolve the impasse that we see right now. I'm not sure. I know what Newt was talking about when he when he said that that we we are seen more death of Israelis. What's the alternative? Is it more confrontation? Obviously, this president has had a tremendous amount to do with the kind of Peace progress. We've made their butt in Haiti in the North Korea in Asia. We need to do a lot more. I'm disappointed frankly that it isn't more bipartisan. We had an opportunity to pass a terrorism this bill this year and unfortunately because it Republicans disagreed with providing tracers in gunpowder to make bombs. We didn't get that done. I really disappointed. Pass the chemical weapons treaty 62 country supported we didn't get that past and I believe that if we're ever going to get to stop chemical warfare. We've got to pass that treaty. We need more leadership, but we need more statesmanship in a lot less partisanship. One of the most important reasons. I think the American people will re-elect the Republican majority is this area they have more confidence in us when it comes to National Security of Our Country Inn in defense boxers. Matter fact, I President Clinton vetoed the defense bill in 1995 just two nights ago when we were in the house for sale can't you give us just a little bit more out of the defense of our country out of the defense budget. I really worry about poses to put US troops under you in command. I really worry about International social engineering at what we have seen happen without a clear policy in Somalia and Haiti what is going to be the situation, but they already it appears evident to me that the president is probably Not going to pull our troops out of boz me on December like he indicated that he would and I hope he will but I'm very nervous about it. As far as anti-terrorist agree on that. In fact, we have tremendous fun. We are working on improving right now for increase the funding for anti-terrorism. That is a bipartisan area. But just just one other thing we passed a strong anti-terrorism bill. Just last year of cycling the funding we passed on Democrats, well, I think there are three goals in the post-cold war world that we've got to look toward one is to get freedom in every place in this world that it can possibly be achieved. The second is to have prosperity and other nations and that usually comes with freedom eventually and finally Security First obviously for America, but for the whole world, I think this Administration is done a very good job of dealing with a very complicated world and lots of tough situations Haiti is I think been a success story. I think what they've done in Bosnia has worked it may not work for up forever, but it sure is made things better. People are dying and Bosnia tonight and 3rd and knew you and I work on this we've had a good bipartisan policy with regard to rush probably the most important relationship because they have nuclear weapons and we do And I want to say again what, is written about in said and I think you both believe in that is the the prison ship really should stop at the water's edge. We can disagree about the policies. But if we can possibly find a way to agree especially in a complicated world, will you have such strong goals? It will really do our country proud not when you've been in control of the Congress and when we've been in control of congress with presence of other party, we tried hard to do that in for the most part when it's been bogged trade and foreign policy. We have done it that Tom and I work together on that. I agree with you the only problem in me and I can I have to give you credit for trying to work through this but do we had a lot of Republican opposition to the chemical weapons tree this year and as a result of that opposition we weren't able to get it done. That was something that I Feel Love is is is really up not one of our serious most serious challenges. We are facing chemical filtration. And unless we get that treaty. An accident sign has endorsed it. They want us to pass it because we've got to stop chemical warfare Warfare from from continuing and end in spreading. This is going to give us that opportunity. So Republican opposition with killed it and hopefully we in a bipartisan way we can bring it up next year and get it done matter of fact the gym pull down at the request of the Secretary of State and the present State. I talked to Secretary of State myself and let me just get a treaty there. I was just fine between those that are willing to control himself but there's no verification. No way of knowing what's going to happen in Iraq Iran North Korea and Russia, which says give us 3.2 billion dollars and we'll get rid of our chemical stockpile. There's lots of problems with that trailer hitch and we had to look at it very carefully. Let me just say I worked on for 4 years of President Bush. We were going to unilaterally abide by the treaty in any case and if you don't have the treated you still going to have verification problems verification is a problem in virtually every treaty. But obviously this makes a statement is the United States willing to join 62 other nations in stopping the spread of chemical weapon. I would hope we could say unequivocally. Yes, we've got to do that but this is a perfect example what I mean by rhetoric vs reality the Japanese chemical attack in the subway was by a terrorist group, that would not have been covered by the treaty in Japan by the way. Thanks chemical weapons on constitutional and legal. And yes here if people dying in a Subway from a chemical weapon. There are German companies have sold equipment to Libya and to Iran in total violation saying that they are for Baby Phat for baby food factory were there for agricultural things. Are there going to be a pesticide Factory? The fact is we need more intelligence capability to CIA. We need a firmer policy again. Terrorism against chemical warfare as it exists today, but let me go back cuz I seem to be slightly confusing is fine. But if why you're talkin about peace Iran and Syria are financing Hezbollah and Hamas and Israelis or killed in a shopping mall in their killed at bus stop in their killed standing outside their home. Then Israel can hardly be told what least we're talkin. I just hope this week when they come here. They were going to look at Syria and Iran and Hezbollah and Hamas and ask the question don't the Israelis have some right to expect that their people will be safe. And that's why when foreign policy words aren't enough you have to have deeds and we've got to give them all the protection that that certainly they they think they can expect but I must say what is the alternative me if we don't you talk about the need for from something Beyond rhetoric. I think we've seen something Beyond rhetoric with the peaceful coexistence now Israel has one Jordans with a peaceful coexistence that they have with Egypt with the peaceful potential that they had in in in other areas of my in the Gaza Strip and fit in particular. I mean for a while there was peace that came as a direct result of diplomacy and the negotiations have been on going out for the last couple of years that ought to continue. We got to use the kind of American leadership at this present is represented to make peaceful coexistence a real reality is reality and that's what this administration's been trying to do. All right. Now we're going to go to our fourth and last topic tonight and yet is governing running the government again, the question comes in the form of a resolution be it resolved that the Democratic party can best managed the work of Congress. I think there are three things that we need to do to improve our Congress in our country. The first is campaign Finance reform. In my view the most important thing for the operation of our democracy in the future is to get meaningful campaign Finance reform. We've disagreed. I think I found the key element in it. We believe that you got to limit the amount that can be raised and spent in Congressional campaigns. I think some Republicans believe that we need more money in campaigns. I've heard people quoted to that effect. I believe we've got to find an agreement on what we're trying to do what the goal is and then we've got to go about getting it done. Secondly, we should never ever shut the government down as was done last year for 3 weeks. I know that there was a desire to put pressure on the president to get him to sign the budget the Republicans had but it was wrong. It was irresponsible taxpayers paid money for those services and they shouldn't have been denied for our part. We will never ever shut the government down there. We got to make government work for working families and that brings me back to Families First we got to listen to what people are saying to us. They've got practical everyday problems. We've got to have practical modest realistic Solutions those problems. I make Families First is that you're probably well. I'm not so sure is a robot want me to say first of all we were delighted when President Clinton went to Chicago and cited 14 specific accomplishments of this Congress increased funding for example for breast cancer research The violence against women act being funded which we did the welfare reform Bill. The illegal immigration reform is 14 * President Clinton said this was a pretty good Congress the only side of the previous Democratic Congress five times in his acceptance speech at the Democratic Convention second. We pass the law for the first time putting the Congress entirely under the same laws as everybody else is OSHA visits you visit the Congress of your wage and hour laws. The Congress is wait until it was a very important for us to put the Congress under the same laws and it's beginning to change things as members of Congress encounter with small businesses Across America have encountered red tape does Franklin use common sense and save money. I carry an ice bucket around this fall as a campaign from when we were elected. We discovered that there were 14 full-time people delivering ice everyday to about two buckets in the morning two buckets in the afternoon. 82 years after the invention of the refrigerator to home where they deliver they were automatically was that that that literally people were putting the ice buckets next to the refrigerator. Now, I'm at least you saved me by doing those kind of Common Sense practical things the US Congress to download Democrats. I think I know where you put all that ice and some room someplace where you put also the campaign Finance Reform Bill. It's been nice for another another, but you talk about saving and I'd Common Sense me. Let me ask you this. I recall it as if I guess we all do that Oval Office series of negotiations were one point you indicated the present you felt it while he had to be till you have the ability to shut the government down that cost 1.4 billion dollars. That was a weird weird. We were shut down for 27 days that little money is saved with saving the ice was all lost in 27 days of shutting the government down. I hope we could all agree and I guess this is my question. Will you agree with us than a hundred 5th Congress regardless of the circumstances? He'll never shut the government down again directly tied to me. First of all, we were all surprised to learn from dick Morris's comments that he planned for 5 months does he said about the presidents former advisors? You know the second I think we did learn a lot. I think it's a tribute the bipartisan way. We passed things recently that we have learned a lot. But I also think it's important to recognize People do want a balanced budget. They do one broke up and coming under control and frankly. We were gratified when the president said this January that the ear of the governed is over. We're just trying to help shrink at summer. That's why we're all about matter fact. I might say that if the Senate does its job tomorrow will complete the work the house completed last night and they won't be any any threats of any kind of shuts down. But just remember when the President veto that bill and shut it down. What was it he was be joining. You would be throwing the first balanced budget in 26 years. He was be joining tax relief American people. He was be Towing it legitimate entitlement reform. So just remember the President veto those include a lot of other things including eliminating the marriage penalty for young couples when they get married, but I tell you what the proof is in the pudding gym. Because we have produced we started off with these common-sense reforms when they don't apply to ourselves be cut the numbers of subcommittees and committees we cut spending on congress's itself. We made the laws about herself as you mentioned Wichita unfunded Federal mandates, I wear the federal government telling people all you got to do this do that. But by the way, how you pay for it your problem and one other thing when you talk about governance, we also are going to pass tomorrow night after a lot of effort on our part and it illegal immigration bill. You can have governance if you can't control your borders in America. We have a tremendous problem with illegal immigrants and they're coming in and they're getting into our our welfare systems in our food stamps systems and they're staying there forever. If we're going to have genuine governance. We better learn how to control our own borders and we're going to pass a bill Why don't Democrats take a backseat to anybody on getting the budget in the balance the budget we passed cut spending more than you cut it. The last two years. We also got the budget down from over three hundred billion dollars. Where was when President Clinton came into now about a hundred billion dollars and we both have plans there different for getting it for the rest of the way the balance the budget, but I'm glad to hear that. We're not going to see another government shutdown. Tom. DeLay was quoted in the paper today saying is Bob Dole get selected in the Republicans retain their majority. They'll be a second revolution. I don't think we need a second revolution. I think that scares people. I don't think we need to do that, but I want to come back to campaign Finance reform. Do you both believe that we can figure out a way to put all of our beliefs aside and figure out how we can finally reach an agreement that we can both live with to limit the amount of money that is raised in spinning campaigns. We have got to do this right away for this New Hampshire the display three or four diapers to get a commission off the ground. We couldn't I think reason to go back to Party City to examples that the unions of an ounce to 35 million-dollar effort to buy control the US House outside of what you'd call Kim painful and that's course money Republican union members independent union members union members were for Ross Perot. They all are compelled to give their money. So we have seven hundred fifty thousand dollars being spent by Union against Steve Chabot in Cincinnati at 2 million dollars spent by the Union against JD Hayworth and in Phoenix, I have faced with a Millionaire win against me who said already Three million dollars that was on pocket now. I don't think the Supreme Court a lot of stopping because it's right of free speech under Buckley under the decision. How can you have the unions as a group called washing money spending 35 million dollars in targeting individual members with 2 million dollars and then talk about campaign reform only over here at the Congressional Campaign level. I would I frankly think of the Democrats were sincere love campaign reform part of you to say the union don't take money from Republicans who union members don't take money from Independence for union members and don't go out and spend 2 million dollars in one city trying to be poor JD Hayworth and it didn't take money from people that they don't want to give voluntarily and why shouldn't I shouldn't union members have the right to express themselves in campaign, but they haven't reported as a campaign contributions. Terry contributions, he's earned that are being Kors an explanation is how was it that you created this project relief organization this effort about a year ago were 200 of the biggest polluters weren't actually invited into a committee room to figure out ways of which we could dirty the air and dirty water and find ways in which to eviscerate the rules and regulations Lanes the regulatory environment to to create a remarkable a loopholes in the law to give polluters more Village during the year and another project relief. It was well reported. How did that happen? And would you prevent that from happening again, and I don't feel pain. The water bug bug bug bite but by the way, we did try to do is we did try to pass the Superfund legislation to clean up toxic waste dumps. We did try to bring in scientific experts to get the toxic waste dumps out of the way and do not spend the money on trial lawyers in a bureaucrats, but you're at least better than engineering at my knowledge. We have never ever had a meeting you the way you describe the Bataan go back to us. The Union money being spent today is not voluntary contributions. It is news that were raised by the Washington union bosses without ever having a vote of the union members. They attract aren't told about it. They don't voluntarily do it and I think it is totally wrong to spend the money of Republican and independent union members and if we don't get that kind of question, if we could get campaign reform by getting the amendment to the Constitution could we work on amending the Constitution to say that we're going to be able to regulate what can be done in campaigns if we conclude it doesn't threaten the freedom of the American people. Absolutely Paso Safe Drinking Water Act in a bipartisan way y'all on resume both voted for Dino. Tom. Did we passed pesticide reform we pass the freedom to Farm Act, which is probably more sweeping conservation and environmental law passed. Again, we did it we didn't talk about it. What you wanted to do was to absolutely emasculate the rules and regulations that protect the environment rent you you and the Republicans and I know that's your position. We want to reduce regulation. You want to give the polluters every chance they can do that and we know that that was it and fortunately stopped you from doing it, but that is it for the for the last segment now to a final question for each side that comes in the form of a question rather than resolution. We have three minutes left and we will split that in half and it starts with the Republicans and the question is what is the connection on November 5th between the vote for president and the vote for members individual members of Congress. Well we have is I said the beginning delivered on our commitments to get health insurance reform and welfare reform and reform the Congress and illegal immigration reform. But there are many things that we wanted to do and we will do next year of the first things we will try to do is to give that tax relief to create jobs and help the families and with children at the local level. We will move to balance the budget as we've already tried before to cut 53 billion dollars. I'm spending it would have been spent. Otherwise, we will continue to try to help this problem with the drugs with children America. Would you know what we need we need a present will sign those lost we are present now that when he was in a balanced budget 20% to get rid of the marriage penalty he vetoed it when he had a chance to eliminate the tax cuts the president that will work with us to get that job done and in conclusion. I just want to say this about this past two years. I would have fought the good fight. We have a lot of things that we feel very strongly about this. I think I do for our country. We haven't quite finished the race. We want to continue to do battle for our children or the future of our country and we will keep the faith with a Boater's if they will give us that opportunity. We will do these things. We have promised in the next 2 years final word on the connection between the presidential vote on the boat for COK guzel to Democrats across the country will be re-elected to but it isn't party and I think people like the noise a democracy. I think what they'd like to see though is that the decibel level come down tonight was a good illustration of how often times I can happen. I think that in South Dakota would really is at stake is not whether were ours and Dee's but whether were seasoned he's come to 105th Congress weather or constructive or destructive. I think that in some cases over the hundred 4th Congress there have been some destructive policies that that the American people have opposed. We need constructive leadership. We don't need to show The government down we don't need to raise the the level of volatility in politics. What we need is working together Reaching Across the aisle to try to build on the tremendous accomplishments of this Administration. Will Democrats have attempted to do Derek and I are both talked a lot tonight about the families first agenda. We believe that that really is the basis upon which we could see real bipartisan compromise. We think there ought to be greater responsibility and government reducing the deficit. We really want to see more opportunity for education for people of all ages. We think families out to have more Security in their neighborhoods and certainly in the workplace in for healthcare and we don't think that that corporations out to raid the Pension funds. We think there ought to be greater retirement security. That is the basis. I think for bipartisan agreement next year working with Republicans. We are going to put Families First. Alright, Senator Congressman speaker. Thank you all for very much for being here tonight. And that does conclude the national part of PBS debate. Night on the future Congress from the House of Burgesses in Colonial Williamsburg. I'm Jim Lara. Thank you and goodnight. for more information about PBS debate night visit the online use our 10 minutes now before 3 and this is a special Expanded Edition of midday coming to you here on Minnesota Public Radio. Horner and Bob Makar here. I'm Gary Yankton, and we're going to spend the remainder of this hour talkin about the Congressional races that are shaping up around the country here in Minnesota as we draw closer and closer to election day gentlemen, first of all traditionally, these Congressional races are thought of as more local races or perhaps somebody is mad at the Democrats or the Republicans, but their particular candidate is is okay. Are we moving now toward the time when these kind of a higher plane discussions at the national level among the Congressional leadership really do make a difference will people are people starting to vote for the party to try to make sure that their party maintains control. Bob me. Would not say a higher plane, but but they have moved to a national plane. I think that's why the Republicans did so well in 1994 is that they truly did nationalize the election and it was an effect of midterm referendum on Clinton and the boats came in there. People didn't like Quentin now the clintons credit or surprised Newt Gingrich came along and has made everyone else. So angry that people when they're pulled at this point, if if you tell them that Newt Gingrich is going to be in control of Congress. Then the amount of people who are voting for Clinton skyrockets it is as long as they're assured that the reason you're like in Clinton this to stop Gingrich and it works the other way if you tell people that yes Clinton is going to blow dolaway people. Very much more interested in voting for Republican candidates for Congress and it would be difficult in in and I think a large Clinton Victory to convince voters in Washington and Idaho, and some of that the western states were Democrats need to take back seats or pick up some hard ones. That really should be one-party government again bet. That's no one is really talkin about the Democratic president and a democratic Congress. Seriously. Well, yes, but I think it goes even beyond the personalities of a Clinton or Gingrich to to a couple other things that have happened over the last couple of years in the last year or two in particular. The 1st is frankly you've had the emotion of a lot of local media covering these races local media with the notable exception of Minnesota Public Radio. Of course, they don't cover very well local Congressional races and until they leave it to the National wire services. Network news those kinds of national media to cover Congress and end those kinds of of media stories tend to focus on Democrats versus Republicans liberals versus conservatives rather than Gil gutknecht vs. Mary reader in the first district of of Minnesota, the second thing that has happened that is having a profound influence on these races are the Court ruling that virtually throw out any limitations on independent expenditures consequently, you have the Union's spending 35 million dollars to Target 50 Republican freshman not because they dislike Gil gutknecht but because they dislike of a republican House of Representatives and so they do the cookie cutter ads that are are the same in all 50 district with just the name changed and then on the heels of that kind of campaign comes business with a much smaller campaign, but the same idea and the national Republican senatorial Committee in The Democratic senatorial committee and on and on and on where even this year and certainly in the next Congressional race. We will have many many congressional districts in which the majority of the advertising dollars will be spent by by entities other than the 2 campaign committees and and that's nationalizing these issues in these races are these National concerns playing much of a role in any of the races in Minnesota was interesting the tenor of the two debates that we've heard this afternoon that really was a lot easier. I think the listen to the National debate and that you don't have to people just hate each other for the way by switching and wellstone to and there was someone of that hire playing you you refer to in in terms of the discussion. Now, if you come out of our Senate races down to the Congressional level, there's not very many tight races in Minnesota that there is a arguably intro Can race in the first district where the Democrat Mary rieder is taking on the incumbent the comments and Gil gutknecht who did the Union's actually do hate they they would try to get rid of whether it was a Democratic or republican Congress and I think a fellow up in the 7th District are on the kidney in his race against Collin Peterson. The Democrat Daryl is a real Active Family council person and in very traditional values and such an end he make that have an interesting right, but unless there's some tidal wave that were missing the most people think that the the lineup that we sent back to Washington will be the same one that is there now at least in terms of our 8th House Seats. And in fact, a lot of the issues that we have to deal with probably are better dealt with by a National Congress rather than a Congress of in the house phone in 35 parochial interests when you look at issues like the budget Social Security or Medicare Medicaid those are issues that yes, we certainly ought to reflect the concerns and sensitivities of a Minnesota in the National interest and soap to some extent. Maybe we're at we're at a point in our country's history where it's appropriate to to truly be electing a National Congress on National issues rather than a Congress of local councilman who are more interested in filling potholes than dealing with some of these Broadway Shoes for the Democrats and Republicans that the leadership made it clear that they have pretty different views about what they'd like to see happen if they have control of the Congress what happens if for example we end up with a split government again lyric publicans controlling the Congress the Democrats controlling the White House do we do we have the kind of government we had early on when when this occurred with Clinton and the Republicans were virtually nothing got done or We have a government that is closer to what happened with these last few months where everybody kind of held their nose and started passing some legislation was the president would say since Bob Dole left. The Senate things have been pretty good. He's seen the half a dozen measures that certainly he wanted that the Republican leadership wanted that had been held up by some strategist or group of strategist in the Dole campaign for 4 months to try to deny Clinton a record or something as soon as doll with gone these things move through the Congress. I have always thought that there's a Clinton that can negotiate with Congress that can perhaps use his second term to try to accomplish real deficit-reduction. I mean in the years that it'll be incredibly tough to do. So, these are things that the president could move to whether he does or not. He will probably get along just as well with a republican Congress as he does. He was to be given a democratic Congress the Democratic Congress. He would get would have members like Dave Mindy and Collin Peterson from Minnesota and they have nothing to do with Dick Gephardt spin programs that we just listen to in the last hour there, you know, at least his Republican or Democrat. I think it's going to be a much more conciliatory environment regardless, frankly up of who's in control of Congress. I think Republicans will maintain control of both houses, but certainly philosophically the etiology of of the Congress is not going to change very much by this election in Clinton's ideologies presuming he's re-elected is not good to change very much. So what I think you're going to to see is two years of a lot of fine-tuning a lot of tinkering around the edges continue to make some progress on on deficit-reduction aminos. Bob wood would suggested the conciliation has arisen after the resignation of Bob. I'd suggest that the conciliation has been much more result of Bill Clinton decided that he wanted to run on the Republican contract for America having adopted that then I think we're going to see progress on on some of those Bedrock kinds of issues analyst Tom Horner and Bob make thanks gentleman for coming by today special Expanded Edition of midday here on Minnesota Public Radio and tomorrow or meet the candidates series continues on. Midday. David Frost will be talking with the vice presidential candidate. Al Gore Jack Kim pack choked reminder that recordings of artist you here review deer on Minnesota Public Radio are available by calling the public radio music stores at one 875 music one phone call finds it and delivers it to you and your purchase help support, Minnesota Public Radio One 875 music. This is Gary Acton. Thanks for tuning in. and on the Westbank, what are the latest on that story and much more all on Morning Edition beginning at 5 in the morning here on Minnesota Public Radio know FM 91.1 You're listening to Minnesota Public Radio. Cloudy Sky 63° of Canada Avenue FM 91.1 Minneapolis-Saint Paul Twin City weather forecast calls for a fair sky this evening with an overnight low in the low 50s tomorrow partly cloudy and it should have the mid-to-upper 70s course. It was supposed to get the 70s today as well. Its 3