or 2024. >> in c-span's 2024 continues with a view from the east bank of the merrimack river in manchester, new hampshire. over the next few days starting at 8 p.m. eastern we'll have live prime time coverage of the presidential candidates as they make their final visits with voters in the granite state. we'll also have campaign analysis with political reporters and we'll take your calls and get your reaction on social media. all on c-span. you can also tune in on c-span radio, c-span.org, and on our free mobile video app. c-span now. >> a healthy democracy doesn't just look like this it looks like this. where americans can see democracy at work. when citizens are truly informed our republic thrives. get informed, straight from the source. on c-span. unfiltered unbiased, word for

word. from the nation's capital to wherever you are. because the opinion that matters the most is your own. this is what democracy looks like. c-span, powered by cable. >> today, phroe life advocates attend the annual march for life really in washington, d.c. it's the second time for the event since the supreme court overturned roe v. wade in 2022. live coverage begins at noon eastern on c-span. c-span now, our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org. or on facebook facebook.com/csp. the nation's national debt is 34 trillion and counting. we are asking you this morning how and which trust to lower the national debt. here's the headline from

washington, congress passes a continuing resolution. this is on the senate floor chuck schumer before the final vote on that legislation. [video clip] >> we have good news there will not be a shutdown on friday because both sides worked together the government will stay open, service will not be disrupted and we avoid an unneeded disaster. we worked into the evening to work this agreement so i think everyone for their good work. we stayed upngthanks to both sides working together, the senate is passing this with enough time for the house to take it up today and send it to the president's desk well before the deadline avoiding athis is good news for so

many who would have felt the sting of a govei think my colleagues for their good work. it ist americans want to see. both sides working together and governing responsibly. chaos, no spectacle, no shutdown. host: that was chuck schumer yesterday with the final vote 77-18. in the house it was 314-108. more democrats than republicans voted to support thatone of the members who voted against his chip roy the congressman from texas. [video clip] >> i spent a good time going around the country iowa, as new hampshireoke to thousands of

americans and not one of them said please add more money to the dead. bt. keep spending money we don't have we are doing. kicking the can down the road. it is what we do best in this chamber. it is why the american people are so frustrated with the swamp. we are sitting here doing the same thing again. it is groundhog day allme, every day. spending money we don't have. host: one of many members who talked about the national debt. we are asking you whic 34 trillion and counting.

these arers for democrats, republicans and independents. we start on the republican line good morning to you roy. i don't trust the republicans with the dead. even though i'm on the line for republicans. usa today with theshowing this president has increased the national debt by 2 trillion at this point but former preside donald trump contributing 8.2 trillion. barack obama 8.3 trillion it was george w. bush with 6 trillion.

this is william out of ohio on the independent line. caller: good morninthe democrats do a lot better on the national debt tn the republicans. donald trump spent 8 trillion afford in four years. i think the democrats have a much better chance than the idiots that were in their four years ago. good morning, i thank you for allowing me to express myself. i think it is the republicans. when the past administration was in office he hired his daughter

and son-in-law to come in the white house and they are collecting money. he gave the rich a bunch of tax breaks. biden has not hired any of his relatives to come in and help him. when trouble hires his dau and son-in-law and relatives they get quite a bit of money for spending a year or two in the white house. host: king of the trump administration more than 8 trillion added to the debt. in terms of covid relief and executive orders during covid that contributed 3.6 accident spending laws

contributed 4.8 trillion. executive actions 10 billion added over the four years of the trump administration. this is mark, a good morning. i don't think either party has the guts to solve this.this is a huge problem that is going to take all americans to sacrifice and ive the will to do that. host: do you think america has the will? caller: i don't think they have will therefore i don't think the politicians have the will to ask them to sacrifice. this problem threatens their pension, social security.

this national debt is a very serious problem in american people reallyolve it. i am glad you brought up the point about donald trump. over 50% of its additions were due to covid. the biden administration has really lied because they have added to trillion to the debt every year that they have been in this their deficits have been running 2 trillion where trop was running between 600-$800. that is a huge difference. i wish they would start to solve this issue but they will have to spending and raising taxes and social security is a major issue in anyone who has life

savings of over 2 million should not be receiving social security. the deficit accumulation over time is 34 trillion and counting. this is steve out of galveston, texas. caller: good morning to you how are you doing today? host: doing well. caller: both parties have betrayed the american people taking our tax dollars and sending them overseas and they have forgotten about the american people. both parties want to spend money like there is no tomorrow. they are both guilty and we needed a new party completely because these guys are

absolutely corrupt. the only thing they think of this other countries and not us. host: we have rate in pittsburgh the question this morning, which party do you trust to lower the debt? caller: i don't believe the national debt can be solved by cutting. really means they can't comprehend it or get their heads around it. if you lend me a trillion in my page you back one billion a day how long would it take to pay you back? host: a thousand days. caller: three years to pay how can we expect the government to give us stop far?

the scope is too big and people don't understand it. it'sut on paper to scare everybody. host: can't cut ourselves out of this do we bring in more revenue? caller: the scope is too big it doesn't mean anything is just a paper money. -- paper number. like i said, it's a number they put out there to scare people. i have heard about the national debt and how it will hurt our grandchildren and great-grandchildren i never got government saying you need to pay back your national debt.

it's just a talking point. it's just like the border and everything else. it's just a talking point and it doesn't mean what peoplehost: that's heart is breaking down a lot of information what information they try to break down that number is each citizen dead. if you broke it down by each citizen it would be 101,000 per citizen if it was just tax papers it would be 154,000 from every taxpayer to break down the federal spending is 6.3 trillion .the biggest budget item medicare and medicaid coming in at 1.7

trillion. we spent 850 billion on defense. there are more numbers we can go through but those are just some of them. we ask you this morning which partdo you trust to lower the national debt? caller: good morning. neither party is going to deal with it. i am 80 years old and that's all i hear we have to pay off the dead. like the gentleman said a couple of calls before me. they don't really care.

i have called my congresspeople and senators and they don't even talk to me. host: do you the american public cares about that number? caller: theys like we're stupid. it's just another payoff. that's all i have to say. host: we have charles next. caller: thank you for callin taking my call. i don't seesure. we need to cut out these rich man tax breaks. are you still with me?

d of these wealthy tax breaks. all this money that trump and biden were handing out. i would like to see the senators that took this money. host: when you say take the money, what do you mean? caller: they got those big loans. host: you're talking about covid relief funds? caller: a lot of people got that they were already millionaires.

everybody has paid program because people worked all their life to pay thisthat is going to be the biggest suffering and women's right that is going suffering. host: this is from the hill newspaper from earlier this week several members senator manchin, met romney, pushing for a new debt commission to look into this problem of the

national debt. they bring some of the same concerns about whether or the dead would icnereservessents. comut thi re wouldembersit would require expedited consideration to move quickly and maintain a 60 vote threshold ahead of its final passage. the budget committee chairman talked about the creation of this committee. [video clip] >> i am so proud to stand with the leaders here today. very proud of the constructive dialogue we have established in the committee.

that we have been able to do something as a s to start the process of looking under the hood of this budget act and we find every way possible to create the sense of urgency in this chamber in congress.it's a big part of this fiscal commission. creating an ncart of the american people. people need to understand the magnitude of this problem and how catastrophic it could be if we don' intervene and eve to that reality. that's a big part of this commission. with public sentiment you can do anything and without it you can do nothing. there is not enough pressure

among the political spectrum, every member of congress and every candidate ought to be asked, what is your plan? host: the house budget committee advancing that program to form a new commission with democrats and republicans. get issues with plans to fix debt in this country. which party do you trust to lower the national debt? the phone lines are among republicans, democrats and independent for this first hour. we have ralph in alabama, a republican. caller: i don't see either party reducing the debt.

we have no senators that even care. just like chip roy they are just going to kick the c who have been elected are getting rich. all senators get rich once they reach the senate. host: on the commission to lower the debt, the op-ed in the hills said senator met romney, joe manchin the national debt is the greatest threat to our country and it is time for congress to act. caller: i also see that you put

republican in front of met romney. is senator manchin really a de nobody cares. they are sent. they don't feel the pain that the american people are feeling. without accountability, they never will. host: this is gregory from west palm beach florida. caller: good morning john c-span and america. i don't believe either party will try to solve the debt. it was increasing in the 80's and 90's. when everybody started using credit cards. i grew up during the jim crow era.

i think one of the main reason that a certain polit group mentions the deadbt. we started giving women and african-americans social security. now they want to cut out social security because the only reason it has because other people other than anglo-saxon white males. host: here's a look at the national debt from the treasury.gov. you can see the at 2003 and in the past 20 years we are up to 34 trillion in debt.

the treasury backs up that figure with quotes about the piece where they talk about understanding the national debt. a picture of benjamin franklin with a quote saying i would rather go to bed without dinner then rise and debt. borrowing cannot be doubted so in order to borrow on good terms it's essential that the credit should be well established. i'm sorry, that's alexander hamilton, benjamin franklin and alexander hamilton. this is debbie, from pennsylvania. caller: the way to reduce the debt is to stop spending money

overseas. the wealthy don't pay their fair my husband and i make 40,000 a year and we pay more taxes an the wealthy do. why don't they cut their own page? y? his side we don't spend money on our own people. we have housingroblems so why is the government not spending more on that? there are people living on the street. they have to go to places to keep warm because there'sive. something has to change. host: on foreign aid spending that's one of the strivers, it accounts for about 70 billion a year.

that number quoted ing5 world news report. but were talking about 34 trillion in more than 6 trillion spent every year, 70 billion is not huge. caller: that builds up over 70 years. over 20, 30 years. it is not just a yearly thing. i guess we just don't have the right representation in washington. that's all i have to say. host: this is lloyd in pennsylviapublican. caller: 'on'we don't have a country anymore.

if the media is allowed to light of the country, i don't trust the media as far as i can throw them and i have a bad back. hr 57:36 needs to be reversed. the news needs to start telling the truth and people who are watching cable news network, by a computer and look up real news. i think i'm going to be dropping my cable. the amount of the divisiveness is causing her people. when i go on the internet. host: where on the internet? caller: wolves and finance. i know people who work for the

district attorneys office intrump is unbelievable. he only wants to do well for this country and i pray for him every day as i pray for the united states. both republican and democrat. donald trump used to be a democrat but became a republican and then everyone who hated him. i saw a video from him in 1980 in his message is not changed. the american people are angry, the debt doesn't matter anymore. if you want to spend money spend money on the american people instead ofropping bombs and israel or saudi arabia. who cares about ukraine?

bodytake care of the american people first. host: this is lawrenceher it is time to think about term and move out the people who are not doing the people's work. we have steve next, a republican. caller: you had an excellent call the last call. the united states is going down slowly but surely. i thank god i was born in 1952. it was the best time to be born. this is the third time i have suggested on your program that

you bring in a democrat and explained to the american public what is plan b when we becomebankrupt? when no one will buy our treasury bonds, what is plan b? i truly believe that they are cutlass and you will not be able to get someone from the democratic party or the republican party for that matter to explain to us what is plan b? host: from 1960 of the united states dead as a percentage of was 53% back in 1960. by 1980 it was 30 4%, 2000 close

to 60% and today, the debt to gdp is is is monty out of phoenix, and independent. are you with us? caller: i'm here, can you hear me? this whole thing about the national debt. as far as paying down the debt, that cannot happen for a while. deficit spending needs to be brought under control before you can even do anything about the national debt because you can't have deficit spending and not increase t

as fse talk about this country being in decline you hear that from a lot of politicians and that is wrong. we are not in decline. there are things that need to be but cutting taxes is not the way to deal with deficit spending. that has to be dealt with first. you can't get to the debt and pay it down before you get rid of spending. host: what is surprise you that we are a hundred years away from when the president held down deficit spending enough where debt did not increase?

it was c coolidge over the course of his presidency the debt went down by 5.4 billion. the only other president to do that was warren harding. now presidents are decreasing debt by trillions. over one trillion was ronald reagan with debcr over the course of his eight years and george h w bush 1.5 president clinton one point eight over his eight years. a .3 under barack obama and donald trump eight trillion over

four years. i get your point but this will be the last thing i have to say about it. as far as debt and deficit spending i'm getting my point -- getting to the point of understanding it and the voting public really doesn't understand it. talk about all of those statistics, what was happening with taxes and tax because when all of that was taking place? that's a correlation i would like to see. every time there has been tax codes we wound up with more

deficit spending. i don't see how you can reduce your income even if the spending levels will remain the same. there are a whole lot of things that have to be looked o at. there was a guy named vaguelbeagley, and trump talks about cutting taxes but who benefited from that tax cut? corporations are buying rental properties. my social security goes up by 2%? give me a this is gina on the line for democrats. caller: every person wants their

representative to say i would like some help and i want you to bring home the bacon. everyone tries to bring home the bacon and we end up with problem. s. the republican party says we need to balance our budget like the states do. that can't happen because the state is always asking the federal government for money. when you were explaining about how much taxese take in versus how much we spend, when they cut 2 trillion from the tax roll can you imagine more taxes we would haveat would've brought the deficit down?

everybody is to blame for this problem. i hope and pray that people don't do anything about our social security because it is not an entitlement. it is earned income. thank you. host: federal tax revenue 4.6 trillion and that includes income tax, payroll tax, excise tax the federal spending 6.3 trillion. deficit of 1.7 5 trillion. we are asking you which party do you trust to lower the national debt? caller: if we are in such a

national debt why is the government growing at 47,000 employees last year? they hired 50,000 government workers last month. what about congressional budgets? they only get paidat about the budgets to operate? every congressperson runs their own offi don't they cut that budget? why does koontz get to go to davo's? s? they pay for their own private security? why don't you wanted this? host: member spending comes out

of the appropriation bill, one of the funding bills they gets past each year. the fiscal 2024 request 5.3 billion for the legislative branch appropriations bill for the house, senate, all of the member salaries you're talking about. that's 5 billion a year. that is its own separate budget item. caller: why isn't there a cut? they want us to. they are talking about social security. it's not an entitlement, we paid into it. we got a 3.8 just rose

4.2. why do we pay so much for them to operate? why don't they talk about that rather than grandstanding going to iowa on who's dying? ime? ho this was the appropriation bill passed out of the committee at 5.3 billion representing 263 million cut from last year's level. about 2.5% is a cut they propose forms and fiscal 2024. caller: are you sticking up for them? host: i'm just giving you the number here. caller: a cut is a cut.

on the congressional side you show me that they are trying to cut but what about on the government hiring side? they hired over 48,000 government jobs last month. the percentage of that from private hiring to government where do you stop hiring workers? host: there were 11 other appropriation bills. go ahead and finish your point. caller: they are still running deficit so they are not cutting enough. host: this is john out of virgcaller: good morning.

i don't trust they both have spending problems. i heard this morning donald trump's tax cut added to the debt. i would love someone to explain to me how his tax co uts added to the debt because it doesn't make sense to me. host: next forhigan, a democrat. caller: i'm a jfk like a democrat today. host: what is that mean? caller: i don't trust either

party but the democrats today are 10 times worse than the republicans. in terms of economics and national debt. you keep showing that chart with a lot of numbers on their own and it confuses people. you need to focus on the important things and is not the national debt is the medicare cost. medicare is horrible and it does not work. i pay 600 a month and i don't get any benefit out of it. hospitals are allowed to charge 20 bucks for one band-aid.

100,000 per citizen but 264,000 per taxpayer. the rich pay taxes, the poor don't pay any taxes. the next time some liar calls and tells you that the rich don't pay taxes is the opposite. only rich pay:r taxes, is a very progressive system. host: the biggest line itemthe federal budget, medicare and medicaid combined account for 1.7 trillion in. social security 1.4 trillion in defense spending comes out to 850on in the interest on

that 34 trillion is 732 billion this ythose of the four biggest line items in the budget. just about 10 is left in this verse segment. caller: thank you for taking my call. the national debt has been going up and up and what i would love to see is a politician who tells you these tax cuts will cause the dead to go dowbt to go down. they will never say what they were doing did it work and we have to go another direction. back when our constitution was written, george mason said those the fruits and privileges of our nation

giveback at a rate much greater. after world war ii, when our debt was near this ratio the top tax rate was over 94%. i know the last caller said that wasn't true that only the rich pay. in a way, that was the way it i think the tax rate is not nearly what it was during calvin or after world war ii. spending to save money doesn't cause the debt to go down and lowering taxes doesn't cause it to go down. the last president who asked fice anything was jimmy carter and he was vilified.

americans need to pull together to reduce the debt and get all the same page. i appreciate romney and man trying to do the right thing but is less a population gets behind them i'm not sure it will happen. host: do you remember that debt commission from seven years ago and they talked about the national deb in 2010? caller: yeah, and why do we stop the earmarks and pay as you go? there have been initiatives but you get another guy in there and it changes. there is one more comment i the presidentinme executive orders in the next president will write more executive orders may be

resendin the orders of the last president. congress is complaining that the president is not writing more executive orders which in my mind as congress is not doing their job. rather than having executive orders every time we need congress to write the laws that need to be written. right now i think the border is being played as a political game. that's what needs to stop. it shouldn't be which wins the pulpit doing right for the american people. host: this proposal on a new debt commission, a national commission on fiscal responsibility and reform. former chief of staff a bill

clintoncommission along with wyoming republican senator alan simpson from 2011 this is senator bowles talking about debt and deficit 12 years ago. [video clip] >> i'm not going to use any notes today i'm just going to talk to u. i am really concerned. i think we face the most predictable economic crisis in history. a lot of us sitting in this room did not see this last crisis as he camereally easy to see. the fiscal path we are on today is not sustainable. debt that we are incurring on an annual basis are like a and they are truly going to destroy this country from within unless we have the common

sense to do something about it. i was with senator carey about a year ago and he said look at the nations current income statement and i tell you what you will see. a hundred percent of the revenue are being consumed by mandatory spending and interest on the dead. bt. every dollar we spend on these two wars,rity homeland security education, infrastructure is barber road and have said that is borrowed from foreign countries. that is a formula for failure. host: former chief of staff of

bill clinton. cochairing that commission in 2010. mary is next on the line for democrats. caller: how are you? host: doing well. caller: guy and as a kid i would getbills with red seals on them. abraham lincoln needed money in the congress would not give it to them. he issued 14 million for the war. that law is still on the books. different types of currency than what we use today. so for 10 years you could add

these extra bills into the want to pay for. and then they would gradually take them out. that would be worth looking into you might be able to finance care for poor people or whatev you wanted to do with it. host: this is mandy out of daytona beach, florida. caller: i have a couple of items i wanted to bring up. one, if the country is going bankrupt. you should look at your assets and liabilities. how much land as the government owned that they are not using? we could liquidate what we don't need. i don't know if anyone is looked at that. another item i wanted to bring

up when donald trump put in the tax cut it was to bring business back so pe jobs so we would be competitive with other countries and other nations. theyere setting up plants everywhere but here. the final point i wanted to make, i get tired of people hearing that the rich don't pay their fair share when 50% of the people pay no taxes at all. we should all pay our fair share. host: time for maybe one more call this morning's in mill valley, california. caller: just one quick point. i think you are geographical

unfair to the west coast because we have to get 4:00 a.m.. the $34 trillion debt number is just the debt for dummies number. the republicans established an accounting trick to hide the true debt and unfunded liabilities. we need to include that number with the 34 trillion, my final point. the pitiful reality is that every gear we say they disagree but every year they unite to pay welfare to billionaires who run

the oil billionaires, weapons billionaires and isrli billionaires. after congress pays them off that is when the disagreement starts in the republicans say we are done. the debt is too high and the democrats try to be nice and say, let's try to give a few crabs to the people.