Thank you Gratis X minutes. Now past 11 programming and NPR is supported by Kare 11 News featuring award-winning photojournalism and Community involvement the news handled with care. Good morning. Welcome to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm very active glad you could join us earlier this year. It look like all Aid incumbent Minnesota Congressman would easily win re-election on Election Day next Tuesday and frankly. Most of those races do appear to be pretty lopsided a couple of the races are thought to be relatively close. And today we're going to focus and what appears to be the closest of the 8th Minnesota Congressional races the contest for congress in Minnesota 2nd District 2nd District roughly speaking covers the southwestern corner of the state, but in reality, it extends all the way from the Western border of Minnesota down by Worthington to the western suburbs of the Twin Cities metropolitan area for the most part Republicans that represented the second district and back Republicans represented the district for 50 years before a 1992 when Democrat David Minge was elected this year. I mean gay from Montevideo is seeking his fourth term in Congress. He's being challenged by Republican Craig during a retired Air Force officer from New Ulm old can rats have joined us by phone this morning to talk about the issues later. This hour will also be opening the phone lines for your questions about to begin. We're going to ask each of the candidates to identify two issues that they think are key to the campaign. I'll have a chance to discuss those issues and I'll suggest a few as well gentlemen, welcome to mid-day here. Good morning. This is Craig. I'm online now. All right. Just remember you with us. Yes. Good morning. Great gentleman. Thanks for joining. It's one thing if you could regularly identify yourselves. So during the program it will be easier that way for at listeners to know who is saying what really appreciate you joining us. Greg Dearing a two issues that you think are really Central to this campaign place that you bet that's course, you know, my wife and I have walked through the entire District during the course of the past two years. We visited 114 Towns now 18,000 homes, and we always ask the question was important to you. What would you like to see changed at the federal level and consistently the answer that we receive his taxes lowering taxes, you know that the purpose of taxes course is to is too fun to legitimate operations of the government in this case the federal government, but now taxes have become so high they're actually shaping Our Lives shaping society and they having a deep effect on the how people live and how they conduct their their normal operations how they raise their families and it's a very negative experience for everyone. The second one is related to the decline and family values of the American family is under attack and May Cases see your parents feel helpless to do anything about it because their social forces coming from the outside, especially from the government which affects their lives and leaves and Powerless to raise their children in the way. They see fit. Those are the two biggest issues that I see David. Well, I would have drove that everybody rhetorically, it pays lip service to the importance of by cutting taxes off in the tax cuts that are passed or so nominal and then they're touted as being a far-reaching insignificant that I think the voters are misleading. They become quite cynical. I would say that when we had a tax cut proposal came up and Congress share the last couple of months we should reduce taxes before we balance the budget when we really are then taking money out of the social security program in order to offset the loss of tax revenues. It's his head of a strange. Nothing to be increasing the deficit at a time when we were virtually eliminate the deficit. I would like to suggest that that the social security system is probably our biggest responsibilities this point and when you looked at 106 Congress important that this next Congress and the White House work together to make the adjustments in the Social Security program, so that that program is finite financially sound for the foreseeable future if we make modest adjustments now here can be stabilized. But if we don't make those adjustments if we let this is a degenerate into a bipartisan squabble and grandchildren that suffer. The other point that I would like to make is that for this congressional district and actually for much of Minnesota the state of the agricultural economy is it is extremely important and I think that as we get into 1999 and Projection of low prices that we're going to see that again the farmers and the lenders that Finance these Farmers operations are going to be in a very precarious precarious position because we don't know if lenders are going to be willing to finance farmers. Because of these little crab prices and I think that it's time for us to re-examine the 1996 Farm Bill the so-called freedom to farm bill and see what adjustments can be made so that that legislation works better and that take some of the volatility out of the farm economy, which has been so devastating. I'd like to also just, this is David McGee again that I agree about the decline and family values, but that it is disappointing here in the last 24 hours in this campaign. Craig has had ads running in support of him. And that one of them is indoors by his campaign. That's the misleading and inaccurate add and he was easy to talk about family values of the rhetorical matter, but then to be simultaneously running false and misleading ads I think is inconsistent with a commitment to family values and I think that undermine the set of the moral tone that we're trying to establish in this Society. Okay? Well, that's so I might as well start there then of the some of the issues Frank Dearing, can you can you elaborate a little bit about what you see as the government's role in promoting and family values and then if you would dress Miss Maggie's comments about your ads to take some responsibility for putting a lot of stress on families nowadays in the one of the ways as I go back to his taxes because it does now take more of the family's income than food clothing shelter and transportation combined. That's it. That's a heck of a big bite when I was growing up. My dad worked as a refrigeration repair man, and he was able to raise a family of 5 and my mother was still able to stay at home and raise the children, but that was back in the days when you pay the only 5% of your tax to the federal government, and now it's five times that much on the average and what is result has been is that the There's two members to the both adults to go out into the workplace and it doesn't give families the option of leaving a parent home to raise the children. You look at the instances of crime around the United States. And where is crying maybe on the decrease in some areas of thanks to the efforts of the republican-led Congress crime among juveniles is still on and increase what do you look at drug use with his look at Gang Related activities sexual assault murder. In fact, the the profile of the average murderer in the United States today is an 18 year old male and then last year we had some instances of children shooting children in school yards less horrible situation. What is the government's role there? Well, well, I think that we have taken the parents out of the picture. We force them to leave the picture when they're most needed and that's during the formative years one of the child's life and anything we can do to allow. Families to get the back get back together again as a unit. I think this is very important then to we should look at every bill that we ever pass to find out a number one. Is it is this something that that's good for the the family is a increase or decrease stress and there's been several bills in the last few years, which show he has not really come aboard on the used took him in but the parents right to know you're currently one and a half million teens are receiving contraceptives in the title 10 program without the parents being told I wouldn't she was a parent like to know that your child is receiving contraceptives as far back as 1994. There was a vote to allow public schools to teach homosexuality is a positive lifestyle alternative. I wouldn't have I think that these are the issues that we need to look at very carefully and there's so many many other bills that come up from time. What time you need to know what's in the heart and mind to the individual you send to Congress to find out how he's going to vote? Take a little break here so you can if you want to ask for any clarification on that before I go into the next part. Well, it's coming from David Mandy on them that are being thrown around here. Usually there's some provision tucked away in a bill like we saw this 40 lb Bill last week and if you vote in favor or against it that you're at your blame for voting in favor or against the some proposition that so obscure or has been highlighted by some extreme group that that is not really representative of what's in the bill and what's been alluded to about homosexuality is a positive lifestyle a reference or claim and probably all the way. I'm not sure it would represent another one of these misleading or inaccurate. Statement that have been made by by by Craig again. This is David McGee. I liked it. Just point out that we can talk a lot about family values and if we cut taxes that's going to improve Family Values, but there's a certain disconnect hear the tax cuts that Craig has been talking about here when we've been together and debates are having capital gains tax and cutting inheritance tax. This is crazy. We're going to cut capital-gains and inheritance tax and then expect that the moderate low income low middle-income Americans are going to have more money wasn't tax cuts its benefit of different to the strata of American society. And then we're saying that we're doing this for a family's good here Gary is that education is a big thing to these families with kids and and Craig said he wants to eliminate Federal role in public education. Eliminate the Department of Education. We have Head Start programs. We have a loans grants work study programs for kids so that they are young people so they can go to college for post-secondary. We have a whole range of programs that are important for education and that's important for young people to and and I don't think that's consistent with saying that we're trying to make sure they are kids have opportunities that will be here for them. And in this Society if if they don't receive the training and the education I need to prepare themselves to compete in the global economy. I am a strong supporter of Head Start just to take that as an example or post-secondary education program and an end to have someone that saying that he's he's in favour families and opportunities for kids and then talk about eliminating those kind of role for the federal government. I think is really inconsistent education and those capital gains tax cuts of how I would that play into the family values issue. Because you know, there are many people who are involved in business is let's see. I'm taking the farmers for example capital gains cuts a tax cut for them would be very very important and also inheritance tax is extremely important for them. If you want to pass along the Family Farm, that's one of the best ways that you want to pass it to your children. But of course the federal government steps in and taxes the money and your entire life earnings here your whole investment. Once again, it's already been taxed just doesn't make any sense. I've also said I would work as a country lawyer in Montevideo for 15 years. I did a lot of estate planning with Farmers. Yes. We did have some states where there was inheritance tax, but I can tell you that under the current law. You can have a farm with a value of well over two million dollars. In fact, if any estate planning is going to probably up to two and a half million dollars with no inheritance tax. Farm family today with our poor farm economy. It's going to face a significant inheritance tax problems passing on the farm to the Next Generation hearing. You know, what what's going to happen? Is that each Farm family out there is going to have to listen to what we say and see how it applies in their own lives. And one of the other areas that I've always championed was reducing the size and scope of the federal government. One of the reasons. I want to abolish the Department of Education is because a duplicate efforts being made right here in our state know if you ask the school board how much of the revenue that you use actually comes from the federal government. It's about 15% The state has a much bigger impact on education than the federal government does and my point quite logically is in a why do we even have them involved? What they do is they take our tax dollars to Washington then massage them is skim 52% of all the tax dollars earmarked for educate Turn off goes to pay overhead costs 52% according to Milton Friedman and then return 48 cents on the dollar out to to us in the form of either block grants or specific programs with a lot of strings attached. I know this from first-hand experience my wife's a teacher and I have two brothers-in-law who are principles one of the grade school one of the junior high and they have stories of federal programs well-intended, but they just don't workout end up costing them more money. My point is number one. Why don't we just leave the money here in the state and handle our own education. The number to is, you know, the purpose of education is to extend what is taught in the home and the best Alliance you can have for the children is the alliance between the teachers and the parents. This is the way it used to be but in the past 30 years 30 40 years or so, the federal government has just assumed more and more of the responsibility and as a result, we have centralized control of our education process, and I don't Even that I don't believe in Nashville testing either we have plenty of tests out there available to make sure that our children are prepared to end of the world. Do we need to privatize part of Social Security to save Social Security and I've had the course my children schools that I taught at the University level for several years and and I can agree with Greg that we have a lot of programs that have some complexities they are through there to be cleaned up and that the supplies to Federal programs for Education as well as many other areas of federal activity, but it's really quite the baby out with the bathwater because Milton Friedman has said something I went to the University of Chicago to law school and I have classes were Milton Friedman to come over and talk some pretty strong ideas. Run our Economy Inn, Milton Friedman wrote to me. Once you thought would be far better off having a deficit and trying to balance the budget because having the depth that would really hold their feet to the fire have to take his number. I don't think it's response. Let's move along here to we have to privatize Social Security to save the Social Security System. We don't have to privatize it to save it. I have worked with my bright shower who's the former a director of the Congressional budget office and asked me if not world-renowned the economist and that he has identified about 8 or 10 different things that could be done with a present social security system to to make it financially sound for the foreseeable future privatizing account. Our individual account is an option that I think I ought to be considered in their many advocates for that type of a program, but I would Do that more as an alternative way to address some of the problems with Social Security right now as opposed to a necessity in and I would also observe that as you established individual accounts. Are you are putting to one side of pulling out of the income stream for Social Security a certain amount of money and whatever it is that you put into these private account and it's going to make it that much more difficult to sustain the social security system for the folks that are say over 45 years of age whose participation Is is so important that it's important to them when they retire that that system be sound and that we have the money there to pay their benefits and that money won't be there if we suck out her the bird a fairly substantial amount of money to private or individual Social Security is remove the trust fund from the general fund so we can get a clear idea of how much money we really do have in the Social Security account. And how much is left in the general trust fund it off that the same philosophy goes for the highway trust fund. I think I should be separate and not cool mingled with the with the general fund. We do have quite a little bit of money coming into the system of paradoxically because we should be solvent for several years to come and we should have a little bit of time then to make it any further adjustments. We need to keep Social Security on an even Keel. I would favor looking at investing in some safe Investments for paw. The Social Security but I want to put the whole thing and because that's a little bit of a Gamble and I don't think stocks is necessarily the best place to put it but I think that perhaps the bonds would be a little closer to what we need. The last thing that people tend to think about in terms of just plain revenue is when you lower taxes you generate more income. There's just in when you generate more income used to generate more taxes, we found that out in the past couple years, we lower capital gains text so that General philosophy is good just to keep the whole government solvent, which of course has a good effect on Social Security. Budget was finely balanced the first time since 1969 federal budget question. Now seems to be what to do with the projected Surplus. Should we use that money to cut taxes? Should we use it to somehow save Social Security should we use it for additional spending programs? What would you gentlemen favor? This is Craig Craig during again. And I believe that most of that money has come from the Social Security account. And then we should keep most of it in there. There was a proposal to offer a tax cut and I would favor that and I I know the mr. McGee disagrees with me on that. And the reason is I think the need is more desperate. We do have the social security system is solvent for the foreseeable future or at least for the next several years. However, after walking through Southwestern Minnesota and going to a lot of town milroy's Salon places as far out as NASA lot of places are just drying up and blowing away in the wind. I realize that the fastest possible way I as a representative can get relearning power back in people's pockets used to cut their taxes and again using the philosophy that we will generate more revenue and this will produce more Taxes for the federal government. I think this is a sound move and incidentally one of the reasons we've even come close to balancing the budget is because we lowered the capital gains tax with observations about the social security trust fund and how we have not yet balanced budget. We're still borrowing out of that trust fund. So I think he and I have a very similar of you in that respect up both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue are touting that we have a balanced budget inn in is not the case because we are borrowing now about It ain't about 38 billion dollars from the Social Security trust fund and and without that bar when we have a 38 billion dollar deficit question about whether it's time for the foreseeable future depends upon that I guess you could say to your frame of reference. I think something that is going to go south on us and in 30 years. This is not the soften for the foreseeable future and I look at my son's 30 years from now. They won't even be retired yet is that they're they're pretty keenly interested in what's going to happen with that Social Security program. And I know when they have told Logan we could turn to Mike but my grandchildren and and I think that that program better be solvent for my grandchildren to and enhance. I'm pretty I'm not an agreement with with Craig on that issue or that Statement about the foreseeable future. I'm finally in the Guinness and David McGee observe that I hope that these communities survive. I have not the van people in these communes think that somehow the reduction of capital gains and the state tax is going to lead to the survival and that's bizarre. What we need to do is make the farm economy strong that's going to do more to help seal on and on a saw and some of the other than than anything else we can do a decent price for a crap. That means that young people to stay in farming age of farmers in Minnesota. Now, it is approaching sixty years. It's I think that farmers are becoming endangered species in this country. I see more bald eagle is that go around this congressional district, then I see beginning farmers and and it's going to take a more creative approach and cutting estate tax and I capital gains tax just to solve this problem that brings me to the last question in the second before we get to our listener questions. Should we everybody seems to know that there is a big problem in on the farm. Should we repeal the freedom to farm bill, which we just passed couple years ago. Will Gary this is David Benji again. I don't Advocate repealing freedom to farm. It did do some very important things that they got us out of crap specific programs. Were we are a really given Farmers that big incentive to continue and corn wheat Sugar Sugar a continent with a big program crops. And and so I think that was a step in the right direction. However, I think the problem with Freedom Farm is that we've taken almost all the budget Authority that we have for a production Agriculture and and we have invested in these transition payment. These are cash payments that are sent out to Farmers based upon how much cotton rice corn and wheat, they grew in previous years that doesn't make any sense that the money flows and good years and bad. Wish it were shoveling billions of dollars out the US Treasury in these in these payments and and shoveling up money out'n years when the farmers don't even need that money. It's crazy. I was trying to fix a lot of other things than and then we get a bad year like we have here in 1998 and the program is woefully inadequate if there's anything that that is a monument to the need to go back in and Anna just the freedom of farm bill. It's the six billion dollars that was appropriated by Congress little over a week ago week ago yesterday for This Is Us emergency. Response for agriculture that is a glaring admission that freedom to farm is inadequate to deal with the collapse of prices or a series of crop losses. Like you had the Red River Valley we ought to be investing in a good crop insurance program where to be uncapping the marketing loan rates of the farmers can use these as tools to manage the risk and and that's what I've been advocating here for several months. And that's what I have vacated in 1996 when this is Bill came up and because we did not do that. That's why I brought against the bill is Craig again. Well, it's it's interesting to hear you make a statement that we shouldn't repeal the freedom to Farm Act because in our course all of our debates leading up till now you've said that the freedom to Farm Act was wrong as you voted against it and we shouldn't have it but perhaps there's a little bit of conversion as time goes on which I'm really happy to see the federal government has two options. They can get involved in the production. And or they can get involved in the marketing and we happen to be very good at producing our product. The evidence is right out there on the streets of all the towns in Southwestern Minnesota right now. We're not so good at marketing our product and whether you argue that the sanctions that we've been posed to come from the executive branch of the legislative branch. The fact is that this country has imposed 61 sanctions on 35 Nations affecting 40% of the world's population than just during the past four years. That's our government telling our Farmers. You cannot trade with 40% of the world's population and I can tell you from my experience working in international marketing and living it living in a lot of different countries people value stability reliability and that's how you get market share. It takes a long time to work your way into a market and then they have to know that you're Dependable you'll be there when you when they need you because these countries that don't have a lot of money 10 not to stockpile a lot of Good products they run a really close to the edge and then they need something either very quickly. We need to be able to meet the meet those needs and to do that. We have to have clearly established agricultural policy and a clearly establishes foreign policy and they have to work in concert with each other. I'm very much opposed to having the government get involved with the production end of a farming and if you want a good example to see what the government can mess things up just a couple of days ago course the secretary Glickman who was here visiting with mr. Magee last week announced that the posted County prices so that we're both local cash prices so had to be had to be raised and the net result is a loss of 30 million dollars is the estimate or Minnesota Farmers the arbitrarily raise the pcps which affected our loan deficiency payments and this is really intolerable. Now, I know that Congressman good Nick has sent a letter to Secretary Glickman and I know that change you cousin has sent a letter saying this is intolerable. You need to change it. I'd be curious to know if mr. Big. He's gotten involved in this she has to take a break here. Well, I agree with with Craig. This is David McGee. That was a that was a grievous error by the Department of Agriculture to fiddle with us a price system at this point. I'm in this in this weight. I indeed have sent a letter to a sector Glickman Diane and I have demanded that they roll back this adjustment to the supposed supposed to County price and it said it takes us into the Byzantine underworld of agricultural policies try to explain how all of this works, but it was something that is not fair and I will work with a sector of Agriculture hygge send representatives represent a Peterson are u.s. Senators. I think that that that we need to pull together. And and try to reverse this decision and it may be very be appointed just mentioned very briefly here. I do want to get some callers. I don't care. If I if Gaylor if Jeanne Yoga Center centigrams are all Republicans and Democrats. We've got to work together. And then what am I got to work on this bipartisan basis for making shoes nonpartisan in and I know that the Craig is is less than enthusiastic about trying to pull together and get stuff done. He's he's criticized me for it for taking that kind of a bipartisan approach to ethics. We've been joined by the candidates for congress in Minnesota 2nd District Democrat David McGee. Join just this morning from Wilmer Republican Craig Deering from New Ulm. And if you have a question for the candidates, it was call 227-6020 Metro area to 276 thousand outside the Twin Cities one 800-242-2828 and we'll get to wear collars in just a second. As we told you for years sound money is here for all your personal finance questions. I have some stuff I would like to sell it was given to us and I don't know how to go about selling. It will be answering your most basic questions on some money this weekend. So join is going to sound funny Saturday morning at 10 again Sunday afternoon at 5 on Minnesota Public Radio FM 91.1 Over the noon hour today. It's off to the Westminster Town Hall forum for a speech by his story on Iris Chang. She's the author of The Silence of Nanking the book that took a look at one of the worst atrocities World War II that's over the noon hour today also over the noon hour live coverage of the big launch the big space launch. The John Glenn flight is scheduled to take off in about 10 minutes before 1 and we'll have live coverage on Minnesota Public Radio the weather forecast for the state of Minnesota good chance for rain across much of the state with highest 50 to 70 degrees Twin Cities cloudy this afternoon with a high in the mid to Upper 50s right now 52 degrees in the Twin City metropolitan area are guests this hour of the candidates for congress in Minnesota 2nd District Congressman David Minge the incumbent who was the Democrat and his Republican Challenger Craig Deering, and we do have callers on the line here if you'd like to join. Scholars 2276 thousand or one 800-242-2828 first caller is from Prior Lake fall to Craig. They talk a lot about family crisis a decline in family values and some of us who work hard in in Boy Scouts in scouting program at church activity school activities with really done done a lot to work with youth and so on people talking about family and decline. I almost feel sometimes that it's an attack on us. Okay, this is great attack on you know, actually, I'm running for federal office and I'm trying to find out what the role is the proper role of the Federal Government in our Affairs and I happen to believe very deeply in our freedom. I also believe in the ability of parents to do what is right for their children and this of course there a lot of organizations like the Boy Scouts 4-H Civil Air Patrol or whatever the group what are the groups happened to be that are used to help develop children, especially at a certain point in their life, but that's a decision that the individuals make the parents make and I'm trying to get the government out of your lives so that you're not unnecessarily influenced in making those decisions. That's my goal completely. I was reminded the gentleman caller from Prior Lake. Of course. She your second district comes all the way up to the metro area. We hear a lot about the gross. Culinary of urban sprawl is it usually put should there be some strict limits on development in the Twin City metropolitan area? I don't think it's up to the federal government to determine what urban sprawl constitutes in Minnesota. I think we've got the metcon 4 and other bodies that I've got their fingers on this and figured in this and and I we don't need the federal government into that. The other thing I would say is I agree with a collar I have had a lot of activity was Boy Scouts both personally myself and my boys going to Cub Scouts in 4-H programs in and we got wonderful programs and I think there's important that we not lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of our young people are good kids. They are working hard other parents are working with them. They're going on in school, whether people K tional or 4-year College, whatever it might be and they're coming into the workforce. They're great members of our society in and I think that we've got a set of step back and and recognize that and not the kind of guy. And I think that the crime rates have come down and it's important notice that that's no reason for us to let up in our commitment to strengthen families urban sprawl. Is that something that Congress should go worry about anyway definitely not a federal issue and I do believe that state governments and the community should be able to determine what they want to do in their own areas and the federal government should stay out. Okay Charles your question, please. What the yes I can address this the both of the candidates. What is your stand on the environment? In other words? How about the continued affirmative action towards preserving Wetlands also, even though I don't know how much time is supposed to look nuclear waste. All right. Well, let's see. Let's get let's see those are some big subjects. But let's see if we can get a quick comment from each of you on those see we have wetlands bwca and nuclear waste and I know we're going to shortchange all three of those subjects who wants to go first on the list. I'll start with that. You know, we've we've got some pretty good program so I can affect the CRP program pay you some wonderful dividends as far as preserving Wildlife a habit. Very creative ideas Wetlands, of course see that both the federal government and state government get involved with that and I think it's very much incumbent upon us to at the guard. Will we have because very often once you lose them. They don't come back The Boundary Waters canoe area. I think that it's we do have to preserve a we have a third we have to lose a little common sense and the issue has gotten to be really blown very very high very big issue very volatile, but don't forget that. It doesn't do us much good up there. If we don't have people there to enjoy it and I think with the some of the Common Sense approaches that like centigrams is taking towards the Boundary Water canoe area will still unsure that it's available for people but also accessible nuclear waste is also another area that I know Senator grams is working on. These are we just need to settle down and find a place to store this, you know, if we still want to have nuclear energy work. They have to find a place to store nuclear waste and and the up until now we've pretty much just left it where it was and that's obviously not a good long-term solution. So it's means leadership making a decision and sticking with it David maggay wetlands bwca and nuclear waste. I oppose the star approach on that. I work with the friends of The Boundary Waters. I do not support centigrams approach to this. I think it's very unfortunate. I think that the bwca is a National Treasure and that we need to maintain that as a canoe area. I've committed up there and that members of my family for over forty years and then and I really think that that's at wetlands have been a strong supporter of the Minnesota River conservation Reserve enhancement program that can do more to improve the Minnesota River basement anything we've done. The area was settled and I one of the features of this is to restore wetlands. And and I think that does CRP can play a useful function. I'd I'd point out that if you'd like to get the federal government out of a agriculture CRP is one of the biggest programs. We have an Agriculture and Supply Management program as well. And then I think that we have to set up it's tough because you seen the second district to have a an aggressive program to maintain a strong protection for all Wetlands that even smogs a quarter acre areas that are identified as some have nuisance wetlands and also be fair today to the farmers and and and I've I've advocated something likely what we've had Minnesota the no net loss program. And also I better use of the mitigation program with respect and nuclear waste I do think that we have a responsibility. I need to use the funds that have been paid in to establish a a nuclear waste dump site in this country. We have course the Prairie island in the Monticello plants in Minnesota to Monticello plants in the second district, and I think that was respected. The waste has been generated a we ought to have that National repository and that the license life for these plants that it is a lifespan that we are committed. I think to the theme is program through I certainly do also understand some of the objections to the nuclear energy and and I think that That's kind of a tough nut to crack and I'm not going to get into that. That's the goes down just a nuclear waste issue. All right, unfortunately, we I don't have a whole lot of time left here. But I do want to ask each of you a question that's on a lot of people's mind really. Do you think this election should be a referendum on impeachment issue? David Minge again. I think that the president's actions were wrong and I disagree with him on. Sometimes when you characterize this on the other hand, I think we have so many problems that face our country that we should be focusing on those problems. You should bring this impeachment business to a speedy conclusion. I kind of stars been 40 million dollars in 5 years chasing the president and and and and I just think that we've had enough of this and I hope that Senator that it's being forthright when he says he's going to bring it to an end before the end of the year and and and and I sent him committed to that and I'd also just saying closing Gary that I was very Sober by former President Gerald Ford's article in the New York Times issue is that we printed in part in the Star Tribune he with his experience with President Nixon has cautioned us that the impeachment may not be the answer to this situation. And and and I think we should all up take a present for his words to heart. Do you think this election should be a referendum? Resorts on the impeachment, of course, there's two issues here that we have to look at 1 as the activity in the White House and the second is the impeachment process. I came out really early and asked for the president's resignation. I didn't think it's took a whole long time to make up my mind that what he had done was unacceptable. We wouldn't tolerate this kind of activity in a school between a principal in the students in between a member of the clergy and someone in there is our congregation and I certainly don't think we should tolerate that from our president. However, if he had an ounce of genuine remorse, you would probably he would resign but the course he doesn't he's only a shame that he got caught the other issue is more important issue. If I frankly is the impeachment process and hear the issue is trying to find the truth. And that's the foundation of our entire legal process is to determine what the truth is and then make a decision Congress has no Choice, but to continue the impeachment process based on the evidence they have available as far as what mr. Star is doing will you tend to forget that so he was appointed by the president if he doesn't like what he's doing he could fire him but that isn't going to happen. So we need to to move along as to what the impact will be in our elections here. Frankly. The the ratio of the second district is between. Mr. Maggie and me and I don't see that it's going to make much of an effect unless you factor in the unwillingness of mr. McGee to at least give us his own opinion on what the President should do. David Maingate care of comet I said what I think is important. Let's bring this to a speedy conclusion. Then I think we have to move on in the country and deal with the other problem the global economy the farm economy campaign Finance reform in the back hole in teams of all of that is pretty important stuff. And I don't think that we can afford to have a protracted. Consideration of the president situation and I miss Lewinsky we have less than two minutes to go and then I want to give each of you a minute to make your pitch to the voters. If you could wave a wand what would it be to get people more interested in the political process? Level one that would be at this is Craig during again. Well, how do you how do you get people motivated? I guess I'd like them to see what's going on in the rest of the world. I was impressed a few years ago when I went out to the island of East Timor and Indonesia and my job at that time was to make contact with the insurgents out there. I had the opportunity to do that and that after we discussed the number of issues the young man I asked him what he was going to do with his life and he said he'd like to go to the to the university. He couldn't do that in his country but in America he could do that. I said, you know, you're right in America you could it was one of the reasons that I decided to quit what I was doing and try to Aspire to higher office where I could do more for my country in America we can do it and for people to they tend to forget that this is a wonderful blessing that we have to live in a country like this and not to participate in the electoral process is really turning their back on her responsibilities. And so I would hope Folks would take this Freedom that they have and go to the polls on Tuesday and make a very informed decision 20 second son. How are people I think that we need to have campaign Finance reform and clean up this electoral process and then I get out of the negative attack ad business. This is turning people off. I heard that Spartanburg Surgeon General Everett the new upon public radio several weeks ago, and he really thoroughly thrashed the tobacco companies and Congress for the way that that issue has been handled and he pointed out her campaign Finance reform is key to improving the lots of folks in this country in the end and I agree with what he said. Okay. He trivia gets a minute now to I make your last pitch in that we didn't get a chance to flip coins or anything in advance. So I don't we do it in alphabetical order Greg Dearing. Great. Well, I think this is the voters need to take a look back at the last six years because the incumbent has to run in his record. Where is the Challenger has to run on his vision and his ability to articulate that vision of what he'd like to do and frankly, you're not much has happened in the last six years. Mr. Maggie has made a very bad decision to join a group called The Blue Dog Democrats who perhaps had some power in 1993 and 1994 when the Democrats are in the majority, but now there a splinter group of the minority party and there's no way they can get legislation through get it on the floor and have a past. It's simply hasn't happened. And also I'd like to point out that mr. Maggie has only been successful in passing one bill into law and a very minor bill at that as a member of the majority party. I can expect to propose legislation get it through committee under the floor and have it become law and yet something that I will do the question, of course the question of leadership versus the middle of the road policy. All right leave. Leadership quotes for me on November 3rd. Thank you, sir. David Minge. Well balanced the budget we composed to that then I'll reform the social security system and I having a culture economy treated fairly in our nation's economy conservation emphasize that my Approach in Congress has been to try to identify a moderate position to Common Ground that I can work on with people in the Democratic caucus in the Republican side of the aisle and and get the job done. And we've had some pretty tragic experiences here in the last 4 years of government was shut down for several days in the 1994 and was because we had people that said we we don't want to find the common ground. We we don't want to try to accommodate different views though. We we have this vision for America and do or die. This is what To be in if it takes shutting down the federal government to do that. So be it and I see at Craig that that you're coming from that perspective. I don't think that's right Folks at that look for moderation in our nation's Affairs. Thank the gentleman I really appreciate it and good luck to both of you in 2nd District Democrat David Minge and Republican Craig during reminder. Lots of special election related programming coming up here on Minnesota Public Radio big gubernatorial debate Friday night. Today's programming is made possible in part by The Advocates of Minnesota Public Radio contributors include the McKnight Foundation working to strengthen families and communities and Kare 11 news. The news handled with care. You've heard us say it before but it's true listeners make up the single largest source of income for Minnesota Public Radio and this year. Our membership budget has increased by over. 10% just as MPR matters to you your annual membership matters to us. If it's time for you to renew consider increasing your membership 10% or if you're already a member consider giving an extra gift. Call us today one 800-227-2811. It's Minnesota public radio radio that matters. Is that a 5-minute statement about their candidacy? You can hear the gubernatorial candidates during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign. Hi, I'm Frank room and libertarian Party candidate for governor of Minnesota. The libertarian party has been in existence since 1972. We are the third largest political party in the United States. We have over 250 people in office across the country and we are growing we've more than doubled our membership in Minnesota in the last 2 years. We are not only the third largest political party, but we are the fastest-growing. What does the libertarian Party stand for? Well, obviously we stand for a liberty. We'd like to the government to get off your back and out of your pocket book. We take a consistent principled approach to government. We are social liberals and economic conservatives Libertarians want both economic freedoms and social freedoms. We think that if you aren't harming anyone through aggression or fraud that you ought to be left alone. We would like to see a lot less taxes and a lot less regulation for starters. The four billion dollar Surplus should have been given back to the people that 4 billion dollars was over and above the budget. They should have given it back. That was approximately $1,000 for every man woman and child in the state, but they spent it when when they overcharge you at the grocery store. Do you let them keep it? No, you make him give it back and that's what they should have done with the Surplus, but they didn't that makes me angry and I hope it makes you angry to we the Libertarians held for rallies at the state capitol to force the politicians to give it back or last rally had an estimated 5000 people in attendance. I never knew we had so many active Libertarians in the state. These Libertarians were madder than hell and we tried to let the legislature know that we wanted it back. We wanted it all back and we wanted it back now, but they went ahead and spent it. regulation Libertarians think that people can regulate their own lives. They don't need the government to tell them what to do. I am the only governor candidate that doesn't want to govern I want you to be able to govern your own life and your own property as you see fit. When I was working for the FAA as a lark I once subscribed to a four month to the Federal Register the publication that publishes new and proposed regulations. Everyday, I got what amounted to a thick magazine 8 and 1/2 in by 11 fine print them paper printed both sides by the end of the month. I had one and a half cubic feet of new and proposed regulations it weighed over 40 lb, it was over a bushel. They regulated things like cabbage if prescribed who what where when how it can be grown market and shipped cetera. These regulations don't benefit consumers in the least because the Growers marketers and shippers have learned how to control the regulation process. They use it to keep out competition and to raise prices. Drugs i've smoked less than a pack of cigarettes in my life. And I rarely use alcohol. I have never used any drugs stronger than alcohol or tobacco. I don't approve the use of recreational drugs, but unlike some others I do not wish to force my convictions on other people prohibition of alcohol produced a crime wave the likes of which we have never seen before when prohibition ended the crime wave ended now, we are suffering from crime related to the prohibition of other drugs and we have more people in prison per capita than any other major country. When will we realize that drug prohibition doesn't work any better than alcohol prohibition the major parties lack the political will to correct this problem. Where is the leadership how many people must die before they figure out that the War on Drugs cannot be one they can't keep drugs out of maximum security prisons. How are they going to keep them out of the country? It can't be done. Comes the libertarian party is the only party that comes out on a privately and favor the right to keep and bear arms and the right to carry concealed weapons over 30 states have now recognized the right of mentally healthy law-abiding adults to carry weapons. The result has not been an increase in random violence, or as predicted by some butt reduction in violent crime. I am Frank rimerman the libertarian candidate for governor. If you want freedom you have only one choice in November vote libertarian. Our website is www.lps.org. My phone number is 651-455-0967. If elected governor, I will sequester any of the four billion dollars that have them hasn't gone out the door yet and return it to the people vote for me Frank Gorman libertarian for governor in November. Thank you. You've just heard one of the eight candidates running for governor of Minnesota. Minnesota Public Radio has invited all the gubernatorial candidates to present their views and a 5-minute statement to hear them during our news programs from now until the end of the campaign or course election day is Tuesday. November 3rd news headlines are next and then right after the news it's off to the Westminster Town Hall forum for a speech by historian Iris Chang also as planned live coverage of the John Glenn space launch.