Focus 580; Talk to the Candidate

This morning in this part of the show we will give you another opportunity to talk with a candidate something that we try to do as much as possible in the run up to both primaries and general election we think it's a good thing for potential voters to be able to talk directly with candidates reporters do that all the time but the idea here is to have other folks have some access to candidates and here now this fall earlier this fall we've had a number of them on the show. This is the almost the last one that we will do here this election season. We have today and also on Monday candidates for Congress in the 15th Congressional District here and Illinois is our guest this morning in this hour is Tim Johnson. He is a Republican he is the incumbent has been in Congress was first elected to Congress and two thousand before that he served for quite a number of years in the Illinois state legislature and before that started out his career in politics. As a member of the Urbana city council he grew up in this area he was born in Champaign went to school at the University of Illinois went to law school there continues to practice law in our area and from time to time is here on the show to give people an

opportunity to talk with him and certainly we wanted to do that this time around as well. So whatever's on your mind. We are happy to take your call The only thing we ask callers is that people just try to be brief so that we can get in as many callers as possible and keep the program moving. However of course anybody who's interested can call in 3 3 3 9 4 5 5 toll free 800 to 2 2 9 4 5 5 if you're outside of the immediate area here in Champaign Urbana. I do also want to mention that the ad the Democratic candidate in the 15th Dr. David Gill will also be on this program he will be on the show Monday in the 10:00 hour. So I will give you the same opportunity to talk with him. Thanks very much for being here. David thank you for having me it's my privilege. We already have some callers lined up. So as as the idea is that they should talk. We'll go to him. I try to set themes for the day David so my theme for the day today is listening and open mindedness. So I'm hopeful that the calls will be that

allow me to implement my themes for today. All right. Let's go first to a caller in Champaign this is lie number one. Hello. Hello. Yes Ken what was the secret. I'm asian that you were given by the administration that convinced you to vote in favor of the resolution on the use of force in Iraq Iran two years ago and over 2002. Well let me say first of all that the those are those are separate issues by the end. And I would suggest to you that the information that was provided to us and continues to be periodically provided to us is required to be confidential if I were to even at this point disclose those confidential briefings I go to prison and I'm not too excited about that help and that's simply not true. Look the administration itself has talked about what it's what the information it was that led to the conclusion that let me just let me just let me be as as straightforward as I can.

We are obligated to sign when we are given confidential information is remembers the United States Congress a confidentiality requirement and it is true that if we were to disclose that information and I was saying there is any silver bullet contained there in. That would be violating the criminal laws or at least I believe the criminal laws state the United States government I can't do that. But I will tell you that that information that was given to us in some cases is accurate in some cases has proven to be either exaggerated or inaccurate so if you're if your editorial comment is that we are perhaps not a map provided the information that I would like to see has provided her full information. Perhaps not willfully but certainly unintentionally. You're right but if you're going to ask me to do things that would be in violation of federal law I'm not going to do that. I don't believe it would be because the administration has given its reasons quite clearly. You said up to the time of that resolution that you didn't have enough information to decide whether we should go to war with Iraq or not. And then you said that the government had provided you with information that made it clear to any

reasonable person that we should do so. Now if you're asking us to vote for you and you're making decisions that have resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people here it's at the very least disingenuous. For you to say well I can't tell you what those reasons are. When the government is done so let me just probably try to reiterate what our United States Congress what our vote which was a substantial bipartisan vote obviously joined in by Senator Kerry was to authorize the executive branch of the government where necessary to use force our vote was not to go to war in Iraq. And I think those are distinguishable roles that the legislative and executive branch are two different branches and what we voted on was not as you make reference. That's at least as disingenuous. CNN At the time for example that its coverage with the headline Congress approves the Iraq war resolution. Everyone knew what that resolution was about and that's why 130 some. Your colleagues

voted against it. You just say that it wasn't about war. Well Karl we had the opportunity the last election and I and I respect your your. Insight on this issue and I'm always willing to listen to you we had an opportunity two years ago when we were running against one another to discuss issues you and I would still ask you to look at the resolution before us. And it's something that that vested in this administration and quite frankly potentially future administrations the authority to use force where necessary. I mean it is a Gemini here because obviously you and the caller have a fundamental disagreement and the gentleman is certainly certainly a high minded person and we simply disagree on this issue. Let me ask you this question. You know the president has been asked more than once if you knew then what you know now would you do the same thing in Iraq and he said yes I would. You if if you knew then what you know now that he has that there were no weapons of mass destruction that he had. It appears at least as far as

organizations like the 9/11 Commission that there is no connection between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda that there was no ready present threat to the United States by Saddam Hussein. It appears would you have voted the same way. Yes it would. I would as much as I am. Tormented day and night as as we all are by the loss of any lives American lives or otherwise in this incursion we can't. We do We don't have 20 20 hindsight number one and number two there are certainly there are certainly arguments to be made and I think Senator Kerry has indicated that he would likewise vote the same way in terms of the black market in terms of sales of weapons of mass destruction in terms of their destruction. And in terms of the whole nexus of evil. I'm not I'm not defending precisely how the administration has implemented the authority that was given them. I'm simply saying that based on the information we had and even going back in 20 20 hindsight world I believe that

is something that is difficult as it was and would be I think a vast majority of members of Congress would vote precisely that it before. One of the question that arises out of this whole situation and that is this broader question of when the United States should use force if it feels that it is threatened and the president has has laid out a kind of position that says the United States will respond to perceived threat and. It even if it's a case where we think that we are being threatened not just that they were not being threatened today but that it's a threat that we think is real enough. But it's a future threat that it is that we will react preemptively will not wait until we get struck. If we think someone one year two year three years down the road constitutes a threat then we'll take action. What do you think of that way of thinking about the use of U.S. power.

If you were to implement that policy across the board in every case I think would be an appropriate. I'm not convinced that there are too many governments in the world or entities in the world that don't potentially constitute a threat to three or five or 10 years down the line. So I think it's more responsible David to look at every situation individually and frankly whether it's President Kerry President Bush President Clinton in Kosovo the first President Bush in Kuwait or otherwise to vest with the Department of Defense the Department of State as flawed as the decisions they sometimes make are with authority to tactically and strategically implement policy that we simply don't have the ability to do in Congress if those decisions are. Are implemented or used improperly then we have to revisit them. I don't adopt across the board preemptive strike philosophy now or at any time. But it's difficult I think to make a general rule you know world that so difficult is the world that we live in and with the with the new era of

terrorism that knows no borders knows no time limits and knows no reasonable constraints and we simply do the best we can to operate in a very very flawed but ominous world calling next in Belgium her behind and failing to party line for Hello good morning. I have I voted in every election and I mean every election since 1972 when our school board a few. And during that time I've made many decisions in my life and each and every one of these decisions I have to accept the responsibility for. And that's something we've been talking about with your last caller. Now the candidates for your party for president refused to accept any responsibility for anything that might be in error in his decision and it's proven. Time and time again that he will not accept that responsibility started on television. Now the question I have for you sir. Are you willing to accept responsibility for your actions. And if they are wrong. Work hard to change them because that's what's going to take

get my vote. That's a good question and the answer is yes. I'm not running for president. I'm running for reelection to the United States Congress. I make many errors not only in the course of a career but in the course of a day and when I make a mistake I admit it and hopefully rectify it and do better the next time. I think your question absolutely is completely on the money and in my 33 years in government. I don't have enough hands to count the number of mistakes that I made. And if I'm not a person enough to go back and re-examine those mistakes and hopefully do better the next time then you should never elect somebody else. Then sir it's time to re-examine those actions and in a sovereign nation we've invaded and not taken responsibility for the actions that were occurring in that nation now. Well we'll certainly look at that I would suggest that we hopefully as of January when there are elections in Iraq and we've gotten rid of a brutal dictator who killed hundreds of thousands of his own people there will be almost three of thousands of those same people for him.

You go ahead if you don't listen to me talk so wrong. I'm just pointing out the fact that you know I was going to give you the courtesy of letting to you talk and I thought you would extend the same courtesy to me to go ahead I'll just be quiet. No I just to point out that he killed hundreds of thousands of people. Down the same time we have to accept the fact that it's a responsibility I'm talking about sir. Thank you very much. Thank you Tony. I don't know you won't say anything I certainly have the right to make the statements and I respect that and he obviously didn't want to understand what a points I was going to make but the bottom line is I certainly do make mistakes and I always willing to revisit those mistakes. I will tell you that the brutality of this individual who ran this government was almost almost unique in today's world. And I would suggest that when he had the ability to have used those weapons of mass destruction so to speak to kill hundreds of thousands of people in his own area to suppress women to torture innocent men women and children and to commit the most incredible form of atrocities in addition to providing bounties to people who committed acts of terror.

That with the prospect of elections in January imperfect as they are we've certainly made an improvement in the climate democratically and from a humanitarian standpoint and from the standpoint of our own interest the Middle East. However as the caller says if we've made mistakes and we make many many I'm always willing to revisit those and do a better job the next time. You know a lot of people have been critical of the president on this particular issue aside from the decisions that he made in those situations where people have said to him reporters other people said well can you can you you know tell me about during the time that you've been pressing United States where can you think of something you thought you know looking back was a bad decision that you made a mistake. And the president seems to say. No he can't think of it and and some people have said you know as you have said you're kidding me. I mean everyone will make mistakes everybody has make mistakes you are you really saying that there there isn't anything that you think was a mistake that somehow that's just not this just not human.

You know and does that I mean does that bother you that he says that it does and it bothers me frankly that people who quote unquote rise to that level seem to have this pontifical attitude Republican or Democrat and whatever they are that they somehow have gotten their through something beyond the people who sent him there. Believe me David they're in a single day that goes by that I don't in fact I was on the phone or a few minutes late for coming in here because I was coming to rectify a mistake I made this morning. It's only 11 o'clock in the morning I made 10 or 12 already so I might get through the day and an understanding that we're all imperfect we're all sinners and we all make mistakes and we all do try to do better next time and I think I've been at least been responsible to myself. And it does bother me I don't understand people who are not willing to acknowledge their own mistakes. Let's go on to other caller champagne line 1. Hello. Morning David. I would like to ask your guests if you freeze with ice that are written federal law in our average of our society. Well I think the answer is yes but perhaps you'd better you'd better elaborate a bit.

Well there is a box that comes on Fox News and a pilot on a. Yeah and he's coming out with a blockbuster book that basically the United States government does not follow the law in many cases and doesn't care that it's not following the law. And I'll give you a prime example. You as a member of Congress voted aye resolution and I took over of 2002 to unlawfully transfer to the president the decision making power of what it's so raunchy. You know first strike invasion of Iraq where the Constitution says clearly in Article 1 Section 8 Clause 11 that the power of deciding what it's a nation into war is soley the United States Congress. And that can only be changed by a constitutional amendment. So you guys aren't even following the Constitution. Well I don't know you want to talk about the War Powers Act but about who has the authority to declare

war. Yeah clearly it would be action that the Congress took in 2002 that would have been challenged in the courts had it not been within the ambit of the Constitution. So. He doesn't say anything in the Constitution about a resolution. Well I would suggest if you believe that we violated the provision of the United States Constitution then in some kind of an action against the government for its actions would probably be appropriate in a Supreme Court with her would have heard of that hasn't happened yet so I'm not I'm not trying to trying to be here is that I have a copy. Well obviously you don't believe we operated at the end of the Constitution. Those people who framed the resolution both both parties and those who supported it do and I simply would suggest that you may disagree with the result and I have some serious concerns. We all have serious concerns about a situation the sort Bickley that's not something that

it was extra legal or it would have been challenged already. David I just like to leave you with a quote from James Madison if I may. It says in no part of the Constitution has more wisdom to be found than in a clause which confides the question of war and peace to the legislature and not the executive. MARTIN All right. Thank you. They fear their criticism and it has been made. We point to the fact the United States has has presidents have taken the country to war without the approval the specific approval of Congress and more than once and there are some people who say that what's happened is over time as the Congress has said has surrendered that power which is outlined in the Constitution the power to declare war has easily given it up to the president. There's certainly that argument to be made. I would suggest that in today's world where there's so much in terms of defense tactics and strategy

that we set policy parameters and. These are always difficult decisions but I believe that in this particular case that we vested the authority that the executive branch needed just as they did with President Clinton in Kosovo just as they did with the first president in Kuwait. These are always difficult decisions and I'm not here to serve as an apologist for the administration. I'm simply saying that the callers call while I'm sure it's well intended is not one that meets constitutional scrutiny and certainly one that has more than its share of presidents right in line to his champagne. Oh yes that oh yeah I've read something about a transportation bill an infrastructure bill or is Congress about to or have they passed the transportation bill for the next five or six years. Well it's a good question I sit on the transportation committee and the appropriate subcommittee

that governs that bill that is going to be the most massive infrastructure undertaking that the government of the United States has undertaken perhaps in its history. Did attempt invest in America. The transportation bill is one that would over the course of a six year period find major initiatives with respect to roads bridges bridges culverts the whole infrastructure of central annoy south east central annoy and otherwise among those that we have included on the list that I hope to have achieved by the Curtis Road interchange. We're working on the Olympian drive interchange. We're working on a number of bridges and covers in the area. Winter Avenue in Danville. This is really an investment in America and this is one of those that some in some senses you must be an inside the beltway guy because this is one that flies under the radar screen to some extent but has extraordinary importance for the for the people of this area and for that matter my

district. Well thank you for your forecast. Thank you let's go to champagne. This is line number three. Hello. Hi. I heard you after the Fourth of July parade somebody yelled out get rid of No Child Left Behind and said we're going to change it or fix it. And I was wondering what changes you're talking about. That's a good point it's a good example of what the caller just just called about a few minutes ago and that is that when when you adopt a general policy or at least a sweeping piece of legislation you should never be afraid to go back and revisit that whether it's No Child Left Behind the Patriot Act or otherwise to make sure that it works. This is your recall is a piece of legislation jointly quote unquote sponsored by Ted Kennedy and George Bush whose objectives are very very worthy. And you know what they are a more literate America so to speak and standards that are kept however.

The way it's being implemented to some extent funded it uses a one size fits all mode that no one ever intended to. Rural districts are different than city districts and those who have a heavier number of disabled are different than those who are not in a similar situation. And I know there has been some indication of increased flexibility by the Department of Education but at the same time that's an act that has worried his objectives are. And as in many ways how is working well. We need to go back and make sure that we're not penalize in districts that were funding schools to the extent that are necessary to be able to work out the parameters that bill. I don't recall the specific interchange in the 4th of July parade but if you say that that's what I said I'm sure that I did. Thank you. Thanks to the one I think criticism that has been leveled against the administration on No Child Left Behind is that they haven't provided the funding to actually do it. They passed the law but they're not providing the money to help

pay for it. Well David if the criticism is that there isn't isn't enough money. I think the criticism is correct. If the criticism isn't is that there isn't any money there has certainly been a large amount of money dedicated to implementation of this act. But I would join you and others in agreeing that when you set general and sweeping parameters and goals as we didn't see Al B then we need to make sure that the money is there to implement it. And in some cases that has not been the case. I think by support for education over 30 some years is the reason that my candidacy has been endorsed by virtually every education oriented group in the United States. And I will continue in that regard and part of that involves appropriately funding No Child Left Behind. We're already at our midpoint here will be happy to take as many calls as we possibly can our guest this morning is Tim Johnson. He is a Republican member of Congress. He is represents the 15th Congressional District he was first elected to Congress in 2000 he is running for re-election and he's here to answer questions also on the program on Monday 10 o'clock his Democratic opponent here in the

15th Congressional District. Dr. David Gill will be here. You'll have the same opportunity to ask questions of him. 3 3 3 9 4 5 5 is the champagne Urbana number also toll free 800 to 2 2 9 4 5 5. And again we'd like to try to get as many callers as possible and callers will help us by trying to to be brief in their comments. Let's go next to Urbana. Why number one. Hello. Hi good morning. Mr. Johnson in. The Republican leadership in Congress. Do you continue to support Tom DeLay of Texas to be your majority leader. Well that decision has not been tested before us yet and we know no one's run run for any office and we'll have to wait and see what happens with respect to the United States in the next session of the Congress and who their candidates for leadership are. I have no and no one's campaign for mayor campaign with me about. Mr. DeLay or his candidacy for any particular office. So I think that's a bit premature.

OK. Thank you. Any problem there with. There have been questions raised about ethical issues on his part in the fact that you know in a rare instance two rare instances the other members of the Congress came forward and said they had some real concerns about some of the things that he has done. Well obviously five members of Congress had some concerns since all five Republican members of the House Committee on Standards joined with five Democrats in issuing a admonishment I think it's called for certain activities that Mr. DeLay conducted in secluding apparently. That offering or threatening to support or not support another member's son for Congress should be voted a particular way on an issue. I know Tom DeLay Tom DeLay is certainly someone that I have an association with but I don't condone that sort of conduct and if the caller's implying that I do he is wrong. I certainly don't believe that sort of things are appropriate I take a lot of pride in my ethics I don't believe that Mr. DeLay is a criminal or it doesn't appear that he's conducted criminal activities but is certainly something that causes me a great deal of

concern. Well does that at all cast any kind of cloud over his future possibilities to to continue in his leadership role. Well I'm sure that people will raise that issue. I have no question about that. And I would certainly want to look and see what the House Committee on Standards is developed and see what Mr. DeLay's response is this is all coming to a fairly recent note. And whether someone's Republican or Democrat leadership or no we expect certain standards. But we also expect to be fair. And I'm not going to sit here as judge and jury with no more information that I haven't either make a universal condemnation or universal or support. But it's pretty clear that since he accepted the admonishment of the committee that he has acknowledged that his conduct at least in that particular case was inappropriate. And I join with the members of the committee in in that in that designation. Champagne county line number two. Hello. Hi. I'm just looking through the only eight page article from the British land. That the survey

report on 100000 civilian casualties and that's all I can say it's only eight pages long so I commend it to you and your or your staff. Yeah get it over to us I die. Well I'm a voracious reader so give it to me. The BBC has a article on attendees front page OK. You can find it. Sure. Last election cycle your biggest campaign donor donor was I believe Exelon. I noticed that they got 100 percent matching grant to do the construction permit for the supposed second nuclear plant the one that's supposedly going to not have containment and you know questionable design in an age of terror if that's what it's called. I just I'm very distressed about that and I'd like to know if what you say about that and perhaps a few you know off the top your head who your biggest corp. Donors are from the cycle. I don't I don't have any idea. I don't have any idea that's run by our

Campaign Committee and I. If you if you paid me huge amounts of money I could run off a list of who's contributed we had primarily large very very large numbers of contribution from individuals for example those who came to the fairgrounds last week at $20 a head and and brought their families and were there for a pre Halloween fundraiser that's where we get a vast majority or at least a substantial portion of our funding. But Exxon was your biggest donor a little I don't I don't know if they were or won't and we've had we've had contributions from a variety of sources as a matter of fact when I leave here I'm going to receive a contribution from a major labor union PAC. Environmental groups have given me money. Business groups have given me money education groups the National Education Association has been a big contributor to you know doctors of our you know trial lawyers and Ayers and matching money from the Department of Energy to help fill out the forms to put another plant in there. Say again it's a reasonable use. Do environmentalists think that's a reasonable use of what real tax dollars say again

my understanding is that Exelon got a 17 million dollar matching grant they put up 17 just to do the construction. Permit for the second nuclear plant the second reactor at Clinton is so far in the future if in fact it comes to fruition that it's probably something that my successor two or three times down the road will be dealing with that why are we spending 17 million dollars of federal tax dollars on helping them file a kind I wasn't I was aware that we were and I certainly got it without let someone else have a chance. No that's fine I'd be more than happy to take a look at that I'm not aware that that's the case. I'm not aware of whether Exelon has or hasn't given me any particular contributions I've received contributions as it's a David from a wide variety of sources. In terms of numbers an overwhelming percentage of my contributions come in 20 and $25 increments from people who simply want to support my candidacy. And if there's any insinuation from anybody. That in 33 years a government any vote of mine has ever been

cast on anything other than based on my own conscience and the desires and needs of the people the 15th District. Then I'd like to have the example given to me. I take a huge amount of pride in assuring that my vote is totally and absolutely unconnected to any campaign contributions and quite frankly any insinuation to the contrary is absolutely and unequivocally false. Do you have some sort of feelings generally speaking about nuclear power and and whether or not that should be in part of the mix of sources of power. I don't think we can dismiss nuclear power as a par as a component is already a component of our of our energy system. Whether or not the second phase is going to going to continue Clinton is something that so far in the future it would be impossible to determine at this point. But I'm not willing to categorically say that I reject nuclear power as as any source of energy in today's world. The next caller is in champagne and flying three. Hello. Hi. I didn't want to. Congressman how did I get sick again.

Huge. You should ask our staff we got a tremendous staff we got an office in Mount Carmel Illinois which is still about 100 miles north of the southern part of our district which borders on Kentucky and that we are disregards all the way up to South Streeter which is a good part of the way up to Rockford. So it's about 340 miles long and about 100 some miles wide. And it's one of the biggest I think it's the second biggest district in the United States east of the Mississippi River. So it is very very diverse. We take a lot of pride in making sure that we reach out to all parts of the district all the time. And quite frankly my staff does a incredible job at providing services to people that area which gives me a good segue to put in my plug for what we spend 95 percent of our job doing. Now the issues that people have called in about are extremely important power energy war and peace those are huge issues in Obviously ones that we spend a lot of time with and in terms of dealing with them from a policy standpoint. But the day to day part of this job and I know people get a

bit tired of me sounding like I'm repeating myself but the SO security disability claim wasn't properly adjudicated where we have to talk to Beth Harding in Bloomington. The students who want to get here on a visa who've had their lives disrupted because INS fouled up. Jan Callahan in our local office deals with Veterans Administration disability claim that was improperly or not adjudicated John Morris deals with. And those are the everyday parts of this job that never make the headlines. They don't get many calls in my staff and hopefully I to some extent spend an inordinate amount of time at inordinate a huge amount of time in dealing with and we take a lot of pride in it. Long answer to short question it's a huge district very diverse. A lot of questions a lot of concerns but we do the best we can to respond. How do you answer that. People in your state. Calling it stopping and saying a low seeing people one on

one. Calling people in Robinson and Belgium and champagne or wherever they may be on a around the clock basis except Sundays and holidays saying what can I do to be of service to you. Stop in at the they hand house the Mahomet to shake hands and find out what people are thinking about things. It's one by one incremental and over 33 years it's worked pretty well in terms of being able to be a responsive member of Congress or a state legislature or the city council. Well thank you. All right we'll go to Streater next for a caller somehow this is this is the extreme of the district this is the far north and Kentucky is as far south so we've we've got the whole spectrum here. Well go ahead there's Streeter. Yeah thank you for taking my call to quit. Questions in a comment. First of all I what's your stance on partial birth abortion. I am in favor of legislation that passed in the United States House and Senate was signed by the president and apparently now has been at least partially thrown out by the court that would make it illegal. The

barbaric process known as partial birth abortion. Very good and do you think that is in danger. Should Mr. Kerry be elected president. Well I don't want to. I can't really address that issue because I frankly don't know what Mr. Kerry's position is on the on the issue. I do know that President Bush signed the bill. OK I'm glad you support it because I certainly do. My only comment was we've heard a lot of exaggerations I think today against the Iraq war but you may want to comment it seems to me and one of the debates Mr. Kerry said are our resources would be better spent and I don't remember the country fighting on genocide and going to another country and it seems to me that's exactly what we accomplished in Iraq is now as I said earlier we have. Removed from power one of the most brutal amoral

dictators in the history of the world and freed people from incredible measure of oppression. Now we can certainly go back and and look to see mistakes we've made we made plenty now but certainly orders. I don't understand why people forget that fact and how how brutal and how terribly those people had to live and I think I've talked to a number of of service men that came back from there and they give a very different perspective of Iraq now then what you hear in the news media and what you hear is the Democratic politicians pressing for and it's just a shame that our our main core media doesn't get to some of the human interest things that our servicemen have seen over there. My chief of staff Jerry Clark was a and still is a helicopter and fixed wing combat pilot and spent a tour of duty taking a leave of absence as chief of staff in Iraq. He returned with precisely what you said and that is that an overwhelming number of people.

Are happy that were there. That our mission despite the fact that we make a number of mistakes along the way is being achieved and that his judgment is that America and the world is far better off for what we've done than had we never done it. Now I'm not suggesting that my chief's position is always my position. I'm simply saying he's been there on the ground as have a number of others in fact I may go tomorrow morning at 11 o'clock in the morning to Paris to participate in the bittersweet ceremony honoring those and mourning those five individuals in our district who lost their lives out of the 15 forty fourth. And I hope that their lives were not lost in vain. My best wishes to you. Thank you. Thank you for the call let's go next to someone on a cell phone. And I believe in Champaign line one. Hello Jim. I was wondering if you can tell me where we're at. Energy policy and if you support one energy absolute that's a superb question.

We have no energy policy in the United States at all. None. There is an energy bill. Huge bill. Certainly parts of it that are less than perfect but a huge bill that adopts an energy policy the first time addresses issues like hybrid vehicles for the first time addresses in a responsible way wind power. And we have the most wind friendly so to speak environment in eastern McLean County there is perhaps anywhere in the United States incentives for bio diesel and for ethanol for conservation measures and to completely revamp our electrical grid system the United States so we don't face what we faced in the northeast about two years ago. Unfortunately even though that bill is passed in the United States House it is being filibustered in the United States Senate to the place where they won't even allow a vote. And in my judgment that is not responsible government. It's something needs to be corrected and it's an energy policy that needs to be implemented whether in this precise form or in some form. We have none at all and ranging from wind power and hybrid cars to our

to our ethanol bio diesel. Infrastructure is something that's long overdue. So the question's a good one. Hopefully we're going to act on it when we get back in November and hopefully some of the rancor and partisanship that has increased as we've gone along towards his election will have dissipated and will be able to conduct business in a more responsible manner. Well just to talk for a second about potential government role for encouraging alternative energy sources let's just for example just take wind because it is something that wind power something that some people around here are interested in. They think that it's a you know it's a good possibility places like throughout your district Arrowsmith good places for setting up a wind farm. Should the government should the federal government be doing something to encourage that. Absolutely David. I think that in more burgeoning areas you know technology like wind power that the government shouldn't has to play a role in encouraging its use and it's an integral part of

this bill. To Georgetown next line to Ellen. Yeah. You're welcome from the Georgetown Planning Commission one time and I really appreciate what you said about mass transportation. Well thank you. And I think you're doing a pretty good job and I wouldn't have your job if you're doing that. I'd like a comment I have about the proposed by Michael trail between them Bill. Champagne or more specifically but I don't know your opinion on why frankly have been there been received very very little input on that so I'm always interest to get yours. Well it's stalled someplace and I have no idea where we got one more bicycle trail by George. It's part of the wave with your car. Oh yeah the forest school and of course I'd like that next week. But then like I said I would have your job. Yes but that is a particular Anderson mine I'm seriously handicapped cycle

trails are one way that I can at least I don't get a lot of bicycle trails. But you know I know this isn't specifically what you're talking about it is two part of the transportation bill that Congressman Oberstar myself and others who are very close and working with cycling organizations in fact I've worked real closely with him and will meet in Champaign in Charleston have it insisted be included in the transportation bill is some massive increase in our emphasis on bicycles as a part of our transportation system believe it or not because it also obviously dovetails into our campaign for a healthy America. When we have an America where four to five hundred thousand people a year are dying. Let alone the cost to our economy from overweight then obviously bicycles more physical activity and a better diet play a critical role in that and so whatever form that takes the Rails to Trails or otherwise I don't know

specifically about the one you making reference to but in general we want to make sure that that's part of this transportation bill too and so I. I appreciate your nice words and I'll have to come over on the main drag there in C at the banquet hall one of these days. All of the mainstream restaurant either one. Well yeah yeah I stop there all the time. I'm alive. I stock up on my on my napkin. Let me have extra napkins in their commercial grade napkins like they're treating you really perfectly. That's really what your job again. Thanks so much for your. Yeah I quite like the word scene again thanks for the call on again too. Champagne color this is a line one. Hello I am a neighbor guy and I got. QUESTION I'm going to go out to go meet a labor labor guy in about 10 minutes from now when we're done with the show. Yeah what do you stand on with David. Taken as well. How does that how do you how do you feel about that.

I am absolutely totally supportive of maintaining Davis-Bacon as an integral part of our labor management relations and our ability to make sure that work gets done in a particular area is done in compliance with prevailing wage and that we assure that our local labor force as well as our local contractors get a fair shake. And if the efforts are made as they have been by some to even rate Davis-Bacon then I think we've done tremendous damage to our system and as a member of the Transportation Committee I joined with Frank LoBiondo and Sue Kelley and others in making sure that we have our Republican voice to stand up to some of our colleagues with whom we disagree on that issue to say we're not going to countenance getting rid of Davis-Bacon we're going to strengthen it if anything and we're sure not going to see it weaken. So my son's out there working today on 130 He's a member local 7 0 3. And he day he taught me for a long time if I vote any other way. I was an attorney for the trade unions the local council for quite some time

and represented the folks at 7 0 3 in the local down Tuscola and I know how important prevailing wage is and I'll guarantee you they're going to get rid of that over my dead body. Why wait. Guy thank you for that thanks for the call. Maybe you better explain real quick what it is you Davis-Bacon assures that in public projects that the government has to pay the prevailing wage in a particular geographical area. Some of those frankly some in my party have advocated to get rid of Davis-Bacon and if that were to be the case you'd find contractors from Maine to California to bring in their own labor eliminate our local labor force and pay substandard wages to get a poor quality of work and so we need to make sure the Davis-Bacon is maintained. The state legislature needs to make sure that its parallel provisions at a local level are maintained and I think that's going to be successfully done.

Alright next caller is in Champaign this would be line number three. Hello. Oh I just wanted to counter a couple of hackers that I've heard from both of your guests as well as a couple of one of the callers in particular called and characterized. This sentiment stands in terms of what they've done is genocide. You know there's no argument that it is a brutal dictatorship. But you know if we want to talk about the great murders of the 20th century then you can refer to a term called Demo side of the whole area of study around this and the people the top of the list would be DECA murders between like ten and one hundred ten and sixty million and that would be like USSR China Germany but under that you'd have these kind of lesser murders between left the Dems DeMatteis between 1 million and 10 million and that's like Japan China Cambodia Turkey Vietnam Poland Pakistan Yugoslavia and then underneath that is like North Korea.

And to for instance you know we now know is creating nuclear weapons you know is suspected of 1.6 million murders in that country. And then underneath that is the sent to kill and murder. And that's like the hundreds of thousands of people. And Iraq doesn't make any of these lists because the fact is Ira. Back to the Saddam Hussein was a third rate dictator. And and in the end the size of the atrocities that he committed don't even make the major lift. And were there for other reasons and it's time to admit that and set the priorities on that note. Secondly the real atrocities in the world are starvation and poverty and that represents some 15 million children a year that die because of that. So you know there needs to be a sense of scale rather than the kind of blowing certain things into the center of what we're perceiving as being the problems in the world because we have certain

strategic interests there. We need to get a sense. The scale of various problems in the world and attack you know for instance climate change. Well if you want to comment on it I think he covered all a variety of subject matters and in whatever form atrocities that occur whether they be starvation or genocide. I certainly would join the caller in saying that we need to do what we can as a humane people in society and government to address those. Sure what are we taking the right approach on North Korea. Again I don't mean to dodge the question but I'm not a either a diplomat nor am I one who specializes in international relations. I would suggest that that has to be made like any other case on a one by one basis. And I think the course of the coming months and perhaps year will decide what the appropriate course of action to take there is. I want to maintain a guarded uncertainty until I determine where we're headed why we're headed

there. Do you think global warming is a problem. Oh absolutely. People should let me work because it is a problem. And you can ask about Kyoto. I think he has some some collateral problems that could have ramifications for our agricultural sector and otherwise so I think we need to look very carefully and not take a an approach that one size fits all. But clearly global warming some people feel it's exaggerated some don't but I don't think anyone would deny that it's that it's a serious issue. One of the reasons I received the endorsement from nearly every environmental group in the United States is because I've been very sensitive environment have a very strong environmental voting record make a lot of pride in that. But I also don't want to take the approach that any one particular group of individuals is always right or always wrong on issues ranging from the environment to otherwise so we'll wait and see. And you do you still maintain your opposition to drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife or Absolutely I would oppose the drilling and have opposed it and will not

support any legislation that includes any dollars for drilling in the Arctic Alaska National Wildlife Refuge. When I meet tonight over at the old gym ors with Bruce Hannan and Clark Bullard and some of the folks who are very active in the environmental community and have a chance to visit with them before I go over to the UVA homecoming parade and just they they meet there I think on a weekly basis and talk about environmental concerns and some great people there and ones with whom I have had a long association and one that I value. Try real quick one more champagne line one. Hello. Yes is that yeah. Yes and we don't have a lot of time though so please be quick. This is this is can be answered. I'm not sure if you've already covered this early in the program I just want ask Congressman Johnson what his position was on the Senate bill on the 9/11 Commission recommendations I know a lot of the Republican leadership has been kind of stonewalling against. You know Bill which we should also be aware of that's under no yeah let me let me answer your question.

I voted in favor of the Senate bill which was the Menendez Democrat substitute to the bill so I voted in favor of the Senate version which was the Democrat House amendment to the overall version that I voted for it's final passage when when that amendment failed. But I do agree with you I think the Senate version is preferable to ours and that's the reason I joined with about three or four of my Republican colleagues in bucking our party's leadership in voting to implement the Senate version. OK white Why is why have. Senate leaders from Republican side so against it I really don't understand why it's not a bipartisan issue. Well they are in the Senate because it was a nine hundred ninety six to two vote in the house there's opposition and I can't put myself in their mind I tried to discuss that with them and they don't agree with me and so I voted the other way and they didn't like it but that's too bad. OK thank you. All right thank you very much well I think there we're going to have to finish up with. Again our thanks to our guest Tim Johnson he is a Republican a member of Congress he represents the 15th Congressional District first elected to Congress in 2000 is running for reelection.

Glad you could have us here. Glad that we could have you here. And I'm glad you're here with me too David. And also again for people who are listening I want to make sure that you know that Dr. David Gill Tim Johnson's Democratic opponent in this race in the 15th District will be on this program on Monday in the 10:00 hour and again same opportunity to. Let me just say this too is my I saw Mr. Gale this morning a real gentleman a real classy guy and I hope the callers in give him a chance to talk about his issues because he really made democracy work and I really congratulate him in that regard. OK. Well thanks. How much we pay should focus 580 the show is made possible in part by a grant from bodywork associates this year celebrating their 22nd anniversary bodywork associates has been providing professional massage therapy to Champagne Urbana since 1982. The broadcast is also made possible by a grant from the great Im pasta restaurant serving foods from northern Italy the great and pasta is at 114 West church in Champaign and the staff there at the impostor encourage you to join them in supporting a

580 that is it for us your own focus quenches Stay tuned though. Coming up next the afternoon magazine the host of the show Celeste Quinn. Thank you David. Coming up today in one o'clock hour of the afternoon magazine our law a new discussion today will take a look at the issue of religious freedom our guest will be Father Robert Dryden a professor of law at Georgetown His latest book is Can God and Caesar coexist balancing religious freedom and international law. Let's turn our attention now to the Chicago Board of Trade and Mercantile Exchange December wheat three 16 and a quarter down 6 March 328 down five and a half. December corn to two and a half down three and three quarters. March 213 in a quarter down four.