Public Affairs Special; OC Election Special Candidates: 42nd and 43rd Congressional Districts

Kaos CEO public affairs specials are made possible by grants from Disneyland Park announcing its new attraction Star Tours now boarding passengers for space flight adventure by Cigna landmark incorporated developer of Southern California real estate and builder of Landmark homes by the Peter and Mary move foundation by the Crane Foundation and by supporting viewers of this television series. Welcome to election 8 a series of election programs designed to present the candidates and the issue to the voters for the November general election. Your vote does matter and this program aims to help you be better informed in making those voting decisions. And today's program will present candidates for the United States Congress in the forty second and the forty third district. There are five elected members of the U.S. Congress representing Orange County the forty third district is held by a Republican incumbent

and the forty second ethnic race is wide open after incumbent congressman Dan Lundgren chose not to run for re-election. The 40 second congressional district stretches along the California coast from Palace Verdes Peninsula in the north through Long Beach in the center to Huntington Beach in the south in Los Angeles County It includes the cities of the Palace Verdes Peninsula Signal Hill Lomita and portions of Long Beach Torrance and San Pedro in Orange County it includes Rossmore Seal Beach Midway City Cypress Hill palm and Los Alamitos. The district also takes in portions of Westminster in the western half of Huntington Beach. There are about 300 20000 voters in the forty second district of these one hundred sixty one thousand or 53 percent a Republican and a hundred eighteen thousand or thirty seven percent are Democrats giving the Republican Party and edge of 51000 voters about 53 percent of the voters of the forty second district live in Los Angeles County and 47 percent live in Orange County. The forty third congressional district covers some of the most beautiful coastal and inland areas in California.

About one third is in southern Orange County and two thirds are in northern San Diego County. Include South Orange County from Dana Point San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente on the coast eastward to the Riverside County line. It includes northern San Diego communities of Cardiff by the sea including Carlsbad in Oceanside and inland cities of Escondido Vista and San Marcos. There are about three hundred ninety two thousand registered voters in the forty third congressional district of these two hundred nineteen thousand or fifty six percent Republican and one hundred nineteen thousand or 30 percent are Democrats giving the Republican Party a 100000 vote margin in this district. About 70 percent of the voters live in San Diego County and about 30 percent live in Orange County. An elected member of the U.S. Congress now received eighty nine thousand five hundred dollars a year for the two year term of office. And now let's meet the candidates. Bicameral Democrat of the forty second district is a political science and history instructor at Monsanto college a resident of Huntington Beach even a community college instructor since 1977. He's al

administrative positions with the city of Huntington Beach Garden Grove and Manhattan Beach. He's a member of the Orange County Central Committee that's of course that would be the Democratic Central Committee. Dana Rohrabacher Republican of the forty second district had been a special assistant to President Reagan a resident of powers where he's a state he was assistant press secretary for President Reagan thousand seventy six in 1080 campaigns before working for the president he was a journalist for City News Service and radio news West was also an editorial writer for the Orange County Register. Richard Rose peace and freedom candidate in the forty second district as a community services consultant with his company RDNA associates. He was formerly President and project director of the disabled Resources Center of Long Beach to Secretary of the Long Beach Peace and Freedom Party and serves on its state central committee. He lives in Long Beach and is co-chair of the Long Beach job with peace chapter. Ron Packard of Carlsbad Republican incumbent for the 40 her district was elected congressman in 1902 as a write in candidate. Prior to being congressman he served on the Carrolls bad school board

and city council having served as mayor for four years. You know I was served on the Science and Technology Committee and the public works and Transportation Committee of the House of Representatives Howard Green Bob Democrat in the 40s their district is a retired jeweler and business consultant a resident of Acadia he's on the Executive Board. He has an executive board member of the San Diego County great dancers and is active with the American Association of Retired Persons common cause and the Sierra Club and the North San Diego County slow growth alliance. Daniel muli a libertarian in the 40s their district is a restaurant owner entrepreneur and certified financial planner or than of Carlsbad. He's a real estate securities and insurance broker and holds a doctoral degree in psychology. He's a member of the international board of certified financial planners. We each gather they will now give a one minute they've been on his candidacy after which I'll be asking questions about the issues. So let's start right now with him bro. Thank you Jim.

I need your help. Folks I'm in a uphill fight here in the forty second congressional district I believe in affirmative government I believe government has a positive role to play. It's not all of the solution but it certainly is part of the solution. The forty second district includes some of the most beautiful coast coastline along the California coast that coast our coastline has to be protected. I want to protect the code the county the coast in the forty second and I need your help to do that. Another issue in our race is the question of the Nassa McDonnell Douglas Space Station program. I'm endorsed by Senator John Glenn because I have been a long term supporter of the Nassa McDonnell Douglas Space Station program. I think it's very very important to our future. Just as important as national security is Social Security. I believe Social Security is a compact between the generations in this race. When you vote on November 8 PLEASE VOTE FOR guy Kim bro that's a vote for a strong defense of

vigorous space program and compassion for Americans at home. Thank you. Thank you Dana Rohrabacher. My name is Dana Rohrabacher and I'm very pleased to be here today Jim and thank you for this opportunity. I spent the last seven and a half years working for Ronald Reagan in the White House. I was a member of the Reagan team. I was the president speechwriter for many of his major addresses and I worked on some of the major issues of our day. I'd like to put that experience to work for the people of this congressional district. I developed a lot of contacts in Washington D.C. I know how the system works. And I was very grateful to God that I had the opportunity to serve Ronald Reagan and I'm grateful to have this opportunity to serve you and I'll do my very best to make sure that our country is living in peace and that our economy continues to expand so that you can live with one of the money that you earn and what you can look forward to growing prosperity in the United States of America. I thank you very much. Thank you Mr. Rose. Thank you Jim. I'm running on the ballad of the Peace and

Freedom Party. Peace and Freedom is the number one alternative party in California and I want to present an alternative between the Democrats and the Republicans to you. I'm running on the basis of anti fascism and to return democracy to the people. I believe that people have the right to participate in their government and to make decisions and that the government is made to help make decisions the government is making. I'm also promoting jobs of peace through economic conversion. And I do want a real cut in military spending. I'm also promoting peace conversion by using money from the military cuts into housing and for environmental cleanup. Vote for peace and freedom and vote for a real alternative in government. Thank you Mr. Packard. Thank you Jim six years ago when you elected me to Congress on that historic write in vote. I promise to work hard to remember that my job was here in the district

rather than in Washington and to help solve some of the serious problems of my district. I've kept that promise the past two years has been extremely productive for me as a member of the Transportation Committee. I have helped write the highway bill which will bring millions of additional dollars to California waters and another critical issue. As a member of the water committee I helped write the Clean Water Act that will take a giant step toward a more adequate and cleaner water supply. Just last week my historic water bill passed that will reclaim over 100000 acre feet of water by lining the all-American canal. That is water lost forever that is. And now we're reclaiming it. That's enough water to serve over 400000 people. I've been a leader in keeping oil rigs off our beautiful shoreline in protecting senior housing and returning America to as a leader in space. I have taken the lead in making air travel safe. I need your support. Thank you Mr. Green Bob.

Hello I'm Howard Greene abound and I'm running so that senior citizens women consumers and the environment will have a congressman voting for them instead of against them. The oldest woman's organization in the country the American Association of University Women voted Ron Packard 0 on their issues. The National Council of senior citizens found Ron Packard voted against seniors and nine out of 10 votes. The League of Conservation Voters which is a coalition of the largest environmental organizations found Ron Packard voted against environmental protection and 87 percent of his votes and the Consumer Federation of America stated. Ron Packard voted against American consumers 81 percent of his votes. I have worked for senior citizens and I'm endorsed by Congressman Claude Pepper. I have worked for consumers and endorsed by California Attorney General John van de Camp. I have worked for environmental protection I'm endorsed by the chairman of the Sierra Club. And I have worked for women's equal pay. And I'm endorsed by Congresswoman Barbara Boxer and to National Women's Organizations.

Thank you Mr. beauty. Thank you. I decided to run for Congress this year as a Libertarian because I believe there are a vast majority of silent Americans that do not vote who are libertarian by nature. Libertarianism is about a return to limited government and maximum personal freedom. The foundation upon which America was built I would focus on four major areas like to reduce federal taxation at all levels and balance the federal budget in order to do this I believe we would need to reduce our military spending. We can do that by reducing the aid to strong for income countries like Japan and Europe and we could let multinational companies provide for their defense if they're going to work in risky areas of the world. I would also work to abolish victimless crime laws and to transfer as many of the functions of the federal government to private enterprise as could be possible with these things put in place I believe we could reduce the almost 50 percent tax burden that we currently pay in all forms of taxation. Thank you. Now let's talk about some.

Some issues that I think are very important and I'd like to have you beside your own judgment what are the top two or three issues in this whole campaign let's start with you Dana Dana Rohrbacher the top two issues. Well I think our country faces a major challenge on what we're going to do to bring down this high level of deficit spending. And there are two different approaches that are going on that are being presented to the American people. One is the Republican approach which would keep the economy expanding and growing and make sure the tax base is broad enough so that taxes don't have to be increased. And the other one is the Democratic approach which would increase the taxes on the American people which would hurt people in this area. Individual aid but would also knock the legs out from economic growth. My opponent believes in major tax increases on the American people. I don't think that's the way to go. I think we have to be responsible in reducing the cost of government by keeping the cost by imposing new spending programs and keeping our economy growing with good pro-growth policies the other issue would be how do we maintain peace. And you do that by making sure America is strong enough to play

and to play an aggressive role in the world and protection of our own interest and in the advocacy of human freedom. All right briefly what are your two or three let's say two or three topics. OK Jim number one the deficit without a doubt the deficit has to come down. Basically we had a situation here where we had eight recessions since the Second World War. We know there's going to be another recession if we don't lower that deficit which is running right now one hundred fifty billion dollars annually. We don't lower that before this next recession hits. Then we'll find ourselves in a situation where very quickly because of unemployment insurance and social services costs we'll have a two hundred fifty five billion dollar deficit for that recession year and been a terrible terrible jam. I think bringing down the deficit is the number one issue is as far as major increases in taxes now I haven't talked about major increases to talk about an oil import fee which is particularly appropriate at a time when the price of oil is very low and oil

import fee would raise 10 perhaps 20 billion dollars a year. I have talked about this additional sin taxes on alcohol tobacco those kinds of things. And in addition a 1 to 5 percent value added tax with just means for modifications to it so that the lower income individuals in the Forty-Second and throughout the country would not have the adversely impacted private. Ron Packard the top two or three issues as you see them. I don't thank you Jim although I think all of the national polls show that the deficit spending of Congress has been by far and still remains the most significant issue nationally and that we must give the president of either party the line item veto or that would perhaps go further than any other step in helping to control spending. Secondly the balanced budget amendment Congress has not had the courage to pass that to this point. But that would impose upon Congress the requirement to live within its revenues without going to a vote of the people. And I think the third area is to hold the line on spending my voting record I think it's been clearly to help hold the line on spending

Congress is the reason that we are going to have our deficits not this administration. It's the Congress that spends the money. And the last item would be to keep a strong economy if we allow this economy to deteriorate then we will. We will certainly increase the deficit. RICHARD ROWE I'm I believe that the major issues in this campaign has to do first of all with the marker saying unfortunately people the United States are losing their democracy by allowing the government to make decisions that are not in their best interests by being kept out of the decision making process and by allowing people to continue in office who are part of the neo fascist movement in this country in the area of democracy I think the most telling incident that has happened. That shows that we've been cut out of democracy is the bringing of nuclear weapons into the Long Beach harbor without any public hearings. The people of Long Beach. I also want to change the direction of the economy from a

military economy to a peace economy by using economic conversion and providing full employment for everyone so that we can all use our tax money to solve the problems that are going on such as environment education homelessness the elderly are right. I think you would have to agree that the economy the the budget and taxation are the primary issues in voters minds because they affect the most directly. I believe historically neither the Democrats or the Republicans have had the courage or the principles to reduce the the budget in this country. I believe what's required to do that is through do with both military spending and social spending final Taney Asli and neither party will do that. They've shown that historically the Libertarian Party is the only party that I see that has the principles within their party that would reduce both levels of spending. Put the taxpayers money back in his pocket and allow the taxpayer to choose where they want to spend their money.

All right Mr. Green mom out I'd like pick up on that let's hear from Mr. Greenbaum What do you think are the real gut issues in this Carolyn in my race particular I believe the most important issue is integrity. Last week Ron Packard was caught illegally using his campaign funds. He was forced to personally reimburses campaign and write a letter to the House Ethics Committee. I requested the FBI to investigate this matter to determine if there are more violations of federal laws. I am also concerned about Ron Packard's actions on offshore oil drilling. It is except that over $5000 in political contributions from oil companies in April 1988 emailed with with taxpayers dollars two hundred eighty six thousand newsletters with pro-oil drilling question number 13 in the newsletter. Mr. Packer Why did you ask everyone in the district if they would accept offshore oil drilling. And in your October news letter you stated that half of the citizens favored offshore oil drilling. I would like to ask you

Mr. Packard would you allow the press to see the five thousand yeses that you claim that you received right before we before we asked that question let's hear how do you feel about oil offshore oil drilling. I am a member of the Sierra Club and I've worked long and hard to oppose offshore oil drilling there are many other alternate sources of energy. All right. Mr. Packard and we should give you a chance to respond to that. Everyone in my district knows that I've worked as hard as anyone to keep oil rigs off of our shorelines we've successfully done so for that for the last six years. And that battle will be will continue and I'll be there to fight it just as I have in the past. The the statements about asking the question in my newsletter has nothing to do with with taking a position on the issue I've been opposed to it all along. I simply want to keep offshore oil off of our shores. The reason I ask the question is because it appears that there may be a time when the secretary of interior will force the issue on this. And I simply want to look for alternatives if that happens but I'll fight it all the way.

Read all your AI demographics every time a. we're not going to let that be forced. I want to ask him a question before we get to any further but clear this up that there was an article about the register and the times that you had a reporter from The Tribune flew back seven hundred seventy three dollars paid from your campaign money and then you paid it back to your comment on that. Yes we you know we found when we need it with you when you have a press secretary you want someone with press experience. I'm glad I had several applicants we interviewed many Limburger of it finally you got it down to the one we hired there we offered the job to him and he said he wanted to go back and see the office and see the people he worked for and that's normal so we found that it was not legal to bring him back with campaign money. No it was not legal to bring him back on official expenses it was to fill an official job but we couldn't even use official money to bring him back. Well I thought the next best thing would be to use my own campaign funds. We found later in fact just a month through less than a month ago that that was not appropriate so I immediately wrote a check out of my personal account to reimburse the campaign fund

the congressional ethics committee said I did it exactly the way they would recommend and it's a dead issue so I have I've done all of that that can be done to correct it it was a bookkeeping error. And as far as I'm concerned it's a gone issue at that. That's it. Let's get this thing to discuss further and let's get to this fact you off are all going to get a bigger deal in both of these congressional districts very quickly your stands are on Accardo rolling. I believe that there could be some instances where offshore oil drilling should be allowed. There should be strict liability by the oil company of the trail. Perhaps they could post a bond to clean up any damages that occur but I believe we may in fact need the energy in the future said about offshore oil drilling Dana. Well in my district in Forty second congressional district we already have extensive offshore oil drilling in Long Beach in Huntington Beach and Seal Beach. We have offshore oil drilling. Some of the revenue from this offshore oil drilling has made it had made major contributions to the well-being of the people of Long Beach for example. So you would not. Why don't I get there. Well there are some areas that I

think virgin territory that has not been is not now being drilled I would oppose that. For example on the palace roadies or the Santa Monica Bay but Orange County thought in it but in other areas where it's already being done I don't see any reason if long as the environmental as long as there was environmental protection and they met those restrictions. But let me simply mend this because it doesn't lend itself to one minute answer. I believe the rich should restructure the revenue that's received from offshore oil drilling so that when the federal government permits offshore oil drilling that the money just doesn't go the tax revenues just doesn't go to Sacramento and the federal government. But their own coastal cities should receive some of that revenue. All right thank you know if you want to comment on that offer out of the gym. I certainly do. I'm totally opposed to any further offshore oil drilling and I'll tell you a couple reasons one if you take the entire oil production off the California coast right now that production could run the United States if that was our sole source of oil for only seventy six hours. OK we have to get away from fossil fuels. We know the greenhouse

effect is real. I'm opposed totally my my opponent's positions vary it depends on what part of the district he's talking about. He said to Rhodora yesterday my view is much like Mr Kember's you are right the fact is that the oil that is there isn't going to help us in a major way. Second of all Mr. Rohrabacher seems to feel that it's OK to keep environmentally safe areas such as off off. How is various Peninsula but he does not concern himself with the fact that we need to shut down the oil drilling that is going on off of Long Beach San Piedro Huntington Beach and we need to restore the environment the environment is for everybody to use and not just those who are wealthy enough to be able to live off of Teles Verdi's Peninsula. All right Mr Green bomb. Fifty two percent of the women in Orange County and in your district and in that and also in the L.A. area and in the San Diego Area 52 percent of the women with young children now work

for the desperate need for childcare do you have anything to say what do you do about childcare. Yeah I definitely support childcare and I think that's one of the biggest reasons why so many women today have such a terrific financial burden. The largest percentage of people below the poverty level are single parent women with children. And it has to be changed. We need to have childcare and I think that we also have to raise the minimum wage the minimum wage is only three dollars and thirty five cents over the nation that hasn't been raised since 1981. If you had if I would have to have we have to have a livable wage so that people can raise their families and live reasonably. Anybody have to have a kind of childcare crisis but yes there's a very shortly I have co-sponsored three or four different childcare pieces of legislation I think next year you'll see the legislation move through the house and I ultimately believe we'll have any new piece of legislation that will be signed by the president or anyone else on the childcare Yes.

Yes I believe that child care is certainly a critical issue but if we turn it over to government as we have many other aspects of our society it will not be running fictionally and will end up getting less than we pay for. I believe we should support private endeavors to expand our childcare facilities in this country on a national level considering that we have now have a national deficit and debt that two point eight trillion dollars were used to keep SDI as part of the policy of this government. The tragic defense initiative of the president very quickly is a good idea or a bad idea. I believe it needs to be researched more thoroughly before we commit ourselves to that type of an expenditure the concept is very good but the cost to us is extremely high. It's a very good idea. Maybe our very best hope to for continued peace. It is certainly a defense that we must not allow to slip by We've already started the research on that list.

Don't throw in the towel we have at the national security depends on two things One is military defense and the other is economic defense. SDI will cost over a trillion dollars and will bankrupt the country and the experts in the country say it will not work. One quick one. OK I think we have to have additional money spent on strategic. The Strategic Defense Initiative on the research for the program is too big it's moved too fast I talk to people working on that program. They say it's being driven by politics. And I say that that's it. Let me go over to Dana here on the strategic defense initiative offers the United States protection against a Soviet missile attack on the United States or an accidental launch if it stops one missile from landing in Los Angeles and killing hundreds of thousands of people it's worth what we're paying Victor Oh very quickly I just got out of my need to eliminate SDI. It is a failed program no more money for research we need to do. Like John Kennedy said we could do and that is to reduce the weapons so that we won't have nuclear weapons anymore. I call for a full reduction and elimination of nuclear weapons worldwide.

Thank you. I wish we had more time our time is up however I want to thank all of our comments today for their comments to be with us on Monday at 7:30 p.m. For an overview of the ballot propositions in today's election. Also be with us next Tuesday at 11:00 p.m. when we'll have live election night coverage. I'm Jim Cooper thanks for being with us. PUBLIC AFFAIRS specials are made possible by grants from Disneyland Park

announcing its new attractions Star Tours now boarding passengers for space flight adventure by Cigna landmark incorporated developer of Southern California real estate and builder of Landmark homes by the Peter and Mary Muth foundation by the crane Foundation and by supporting viewers of this television series.