they need so they can act on their values and turnout this fall. >> host: what about the role president obama is playing? look at the number of democratic leaning people that they pulled that said that they would be sending a message of support to the president and the 2014 election. 38%. that is down from 2010 the last midterm election when it was only 5%. are you concerned the president is a drag on these midterm elections? >> guest: what we found is that people in the key senate states that will determine control of the senate, they don't look at this as a referendum on the president. the thing that is most motivating to most is a message about what will happen if republicans are in control of the senate. about whether the republicans will be up to extend the war on women, access to birth control, vote to cut education funding it and it's a win-win of another government shutdown. as all things that are fundamentally about who has the power in congress.

we think that's is on the ballot this time. >> host: what about his decision about this are important not make a decision on same-sex marriage. >> host: we found that -- just that we found out to be true. the supreme court took up the questions abou about gay marriae initiative national ruling that recognized the constitutional rights are going to me the person they love. what the supreme court did makig a ruling this time and allowing all courts tt of red sa -- what you see over and over is when the doors opened and when people are able to me the person that they love and then there's no catastrophe, ma it doesn't disrupt other families, people's views change very quickly. once they see people are finally able to legally recognized relationship had been in often for decades, it isn't a sense of calamity. for people that it may be scared

by the prospect of marriage equality, it's more the prospect of it than the reality of the. i think what we'll see is a more rapidly shifting cultural landscape for people recognize another family has it. >> host: where is moveon.org playing in the midterm elections? which states? how to decide who you are going to support or oppose? >> guest: there are five states were moveon.org is focusing our energy. we're in 8 million person progressive committees. it's a very broad collection of people united by a certain set of fundamental values around fairness and equality in the united states. when you look at this election we look at places where move on members can wholeheartedly poor in their energy to elect progressives and defeat a special extremist conservatives and help save the senate from republican control. are five key states this summer michigan, which is looking very

strong, colorado and iowa which are both very much a tossup territory. north carolina which i think is the most all missing potential opportunity for a democratic pickup in, our democratic retention in a red state. and then in kentucky where move on members both in kentucky and across the country see mitch mcconnell as kind of the icon of republican extremism and obstruction and is the person who has done the most to block a vote to increase the minimum wage. the person is promise more shutdowns to come if republicans take the senate. move on members would like to defeat mitch mcconnell this fall. those are the five key states where put in energy and i will also note for a couple of states of alaska for example, were our members we would like to see mark begich win. it's been wonderful at social security not just opposing privatization by supporting an expansion of social security. he was one of the democrats who voted against that on background checks for gun sales.

he voted against closing the gun salute will. before that vote we consulted our membership and made an announcement that if democrats voted against is commonsense gun safety measures that almost all gun owners as well as non-gun owners support, if democrats are against that they wouldn't be getting an infusion of move on.org member support, this fall. when we say something like that we mean it. so senator begich in alaska, mr. pryor in arkansas, we hope very much they win their races but that's not where we are focusing our attention this fall. >> host: total spent by moveon.org for this election cycle at 5.7 million. where does that money go? how do you spend at? >> guest: moveon.org has been doing a lot of research. we've been working with a consortium of social scientists and analyst to figure what is the most effective way to stretch the dollar database impact. it turns out it's not actually negative ads flooding airwaves. it's not in junk mail.

overwhelming of the most powerful thing is individual conversations people who believe in what they're saying. it's not paid phone bankers, not going door-to-door but its volunteers. what moveon.org is doing is investing money in state-of-the-art cutting edge voter to voter contact program. our goal is to make 5 million phone calls to drop of democrats in key states this fall. we are connecting numbers across the country with drop off democrats through technology, something called an auto dialer which what it does is ubiquitous on a very volunteer and it calls and then once you connect with someone any connection to the. what that means is you're not sitting there waiting list into phones ringing to get your moveon.org volunteer you can make dozens of phone calls and a couple of hours as a volunteer. through those calls people having conversations about what's at stake about education cuts, about birth control and talking to people about control

of the senator carper listed at 5 million phone calls through to these key voters and make sure they turn up on election day. those turnout effort, they don't show up in polling because they're so targeted to a small group of people that they can move the need a couple points on election day. in an election that such a tossup like this when it could be in control of the senate. >> host: greg in san francisco, democratic caller. good morning to you. go ahead. >> caller: how are you doing this morning? good to talk with you. canyon a? >> host: we can't collect personal i wish you would've called that guy who was just on but said he lost his insurance due to obamacare and then in his neck since you brought up his deductibles went up because of obamacare. you can't get insured. he said i don't have insurance because of obamacare, and then he talked to his deductibles going up, which i mean, it's just -- i about fell off my chair, i did. but here's what i want to talk

about. what republicans are going to try to pull back, they deny science like medicinal value of canada's. we see all these children and all these people that it's helping of the republicans want to deny these people that safe treatment. there's a war on christian in this country, it's being waged by right wing evangelical types. i can imagine hedge funds it and watch somebody go through all this pain knowing there's something out there to help them and as a person with aids i can relate to this. if it wasn't for cannabis i would've been dead in 1995. it helps me immensely and my doctors at stanford university agree with me. i'm so bored of the republicans will come in and try to do what bush and reagan did in 1983, and that's tried to go indoor institutions and remove everything pertaining to cannabis use as medicine from our shelves. so nobody can ever know about it. >> host: all right. >> host

>> guest: thank you for your corporate i'm glad you're alive and getting the care you are. it's interesting with medical marijuana, access to cannabis this is something republicans used to use as a wedge issue. hthese to be public and would compete to become as tough on drugs as they could possibly to throw people in jail. what's happened the last few years is a kind of cultural sea change. it's been a lot quieter than the one on marriage equality but i think in a way, similar insignificance. what we see now is a growing coalition of people ready to actually partner with progressive come with the democrats and reformed our drug laws, to be serious about medical marijuana and potentially end the mass incarceration of millions of americans. the question is if republicans take majority in the senate will that advanced these things ordinarily stop using them as a demagogue a platform to win elections? when you look across the country it's much more likely it will

stop as opposed to things actually moving forward. on this particular issue i am kind of encouraged. i think indication of the kind of change that still possible even if polarized and divided country like the one we've got, when you people of goodwill on both sides working together on an important issue, i think there's a chance for progress. that is not to minimize the states especially for health care access. if you think one year ago today the chinese government was shut down and shut down by republicans and the house who wanted to prevent the bill that now allows millions of americans, including it sounds like our previous guest, to access health insurance, to make sure no one would be denied insurance due to a preexisting condition. if republicans had their way with the last shutdown the millions would not have health insurance today. wouldn't have birth control covered by their employer. that's the kind shut down to talk about doing again and that's this at stake with this election. >> host: we're talking with ben wilker, director for

moveon.org talking about progressive agenda that they would like to see him whether plaintiffs midterm elections. rob in texas, independent caller. good morning to you. >> caller: hello. my voice may sound a little bad because i'm home sick today, it just -- >> host: we're listening. go ahead. >> caller: okay. one, it's turning foodgrain into ethanol has greatly increased prices, and malnutrition -- old world health or position of 20 million people per year, maybe not a cause but a major factor in deaths of people. that's a lot of people. the number of maybe a little smaller now. but yes, if i think should be banned. tens of millions of people make solemn look like an incompetent killer. and then there's also come it takes a lot of carbon dioxide

from the heating of silicon to make solar stoves and to make the aluminum, so they are not carbon free. >> host: okay. energy policy guest lecture. energy policy is on the ballot this november. as you say there are enormous questions about the whole write up different energy sources. i also think about natural gas, the amount of methane that's lost in pipeline systems could swamp the reduce carbon footprint of natural gas is pure and simple. the most important thing is that we not stop breakneck research to figure out the cleanest and most effective energy sources for the future and move away from fossil fuels. one of the central question in this election, would've a central things that will be determined by who gets the majority in congress is whether or not the united states congress exactly does all it can to block the present climate change policy from moving forward. mitch mcconnell has vowed to

do it becomes majority leader this fall. is going to embed spending bill provisions to get the environmental protection agency's the regulations on coal-fired power plants but if that happens th the present will either have to veto spending bills and shut down the federal government or allow these clean air protections to be guided and potentially signal acceleration of climate change and the deaths of thousands and thousands of people due to increase air pollution from power plants. this is a terrible choice, something we shoul shouldn't be choosing between as a country. it's literally went mitch mcconnell toll politically wanted to if republicans take majority in the senate. post the let's go to georgia, republican. >> caller: can you hear me? >> host: yes. >> caller: two things. this guy is all over the board. but anyway, number one, he started talking out of mouth about money when his organization is really, it's called moveon.org but it's really george soros money, and

he keeps mentioning koch brothers like it's some sort of codeword. anyway, but my second point is just the other day, grimes in tennessee who is running against mitch mcconnell -- >> host: in kentucky. >> caller: i'm sorry, in kentucky. her staff was caught on tape saying that the voters are suckers and she's really against cold but she's pretending she is for goal. coal. just as she can win. she can't win if they find out the truth. while now they found out the truth all that might ain't going to help her win because you're going to see a big change in the polls when people realize that she is lying. >> host: i think these were volunteer supporters of her campaign, that made those comments to project -- we will take up the issue. >> guest: thanks for calling.

what i love about the "washington journal" is all of us can engage regardless of our obliques or background. one point of information i'd like to add, moveon.org is entirely member fund. our average contribution is $19. it's true in 2004 george soros did make a contribution to moveon.org. that was to help elect john kerry and defeat president george w. bush. neither of them have been on about for a long time. moveon.org doesn't accept contributions over $5000 from anybody, which is a world we put on ourselves. it's significantly lower than the threshold the federal law requires. we are proud and steadfastly independent and grassroots fund. now to the question about crimes, that was a volunteer at the center question in this election is what mitch mcconnell should come back to the center. if you ask moveon.org in kentucky, they are totally sick and tired of mitch mcconnell representing them. they are feeling very strong is

he as been in washington long that essentially represents lobbyists and major corporations now, not the people of kentucky. across the country, volunteers, that's what we're focused on. we think mitch mcconnell has an uphill climb to convince people he is on their side. when essentially is causing policy that would benefit the 1%, your friends, the koch brothers that people want to hold down the minimum wage rather than increase it. >> host: georgia, democratic caller. you're on the air. >> caller: i want to join moveon.org and i was googling it and also here where common cause -- that blackout in missouri, the tea party saved his life. y'all covered that up and you all are supposed to be for the poor and the black. but you all -- [inaudible] the tea party, town hall meeting and bob and then sent out the fbi to beat him to death, you know?

>> host: are you following what bill is saying treachery i think he's talked about it is that it happened a few years ago. i can't speak to. i can say there are 8 million moveon.org members, and our members are a peaceful and democratic group of people that want to make a country that works for everybody. it's an incredibly diverse scenery that are united around progressive values and hope you'll join and see what it's like for yourself it's like for you so. there are move on councils in cities across the country. you can go to their meetings and see whether you like the people you find there. but you'll find almost anywhere you go is moveon.org members are civic and hoosiers, people do care about what happens in their community and in their country. i hope you get involved and help spread the word. >> host: henry, independent caller. >> caller: good morning, credit. two questions. unemployment expansion plan was taken down last year, and hasn't

happened since 97, got reinstated. just one if they're going to reinstate. i know it passed the senate or the house. the other quick when with the ebola thing, why can't a swath or take a blood sample, delay the person like one day, all the planes are coming from europe to u.s. simple fix i think. aspect let's just take unemployment. >> guest: i think all of us hope everything that should be done is done to make sure people doesn't reach the united states and is controlled around the world. but on the point of interest, this is another one of those things that should not be political football. it should be a consensus issue. people are laid off, can't find another job come looking for other jobs and yet suddenly they're not getting to support that would help them move on to the next job. this is something republicans are steadfastly watching. it's turned into a partisan issue. takes republican policy obstruction to mitch mcconnell says during president obama's first term is number one

priority was preventing president obama from being reelected. now is president obama second term and as far as we can tell his number one priority is preventing anything good from happening if you can do anything about it. unemployment insurance is one of those things that enforcement republicans are blocking. we very much hope after this election is over, after the dust has settled hopefully with a democratic majority still innocent we can pass unemployment insurance extension. if the republicans take the senate there are no guarantees, and from what the event in the past i think it's more likely they will try to block unemployment insurance and blamed president obama that you pass it and help people across the country host the if democrats regain control of the senate what you want to see brought up first trip to the number one thing, is they can block bills that the house is passing that would try to undermine the progress he has made. the second thing is immigration reform. this is something republicans in the house almost come right to

life in all should do and they shied away from because a look at this fall. will we would love the house to pass companies immigration reform as the senate has done and get the signed into law. it will have to be a new bill with a new congress morning. the other thing is confirm judges in federal appointment. republicans in the senate have done all they can to jam the process of. the last three years there have been some appointments. is something the republican majority would almost guarantee basically a stoppage of new people to fill vacancies, that now abound across the federal government. that's something we did crucial priority for senate majority, excuse become a democratic senate majority and something that's been much in the balance right now. >> host: louisville, kentucky, jim, republican caller. >> caller: good morning. i would like to voice my full support for ben's group as a

former republican who is desperate to get rid of mitch mcconnell here in kentucky. >> host: you've got to go on the right line. you called on republican once of going to mov moving. we've got that everybody respecting the rules. you're a democrat called a democratic line. republicans call on the republican line. earlier you said president obama is not on the ballot. but he himself last week said my policies are on the ballot this fall. take a look but senator mitch mcconnell is doing with what the president have to say. >> i mitch mcconnell and i approve this message. >> alison grant says this election is not about her support for barack obama and she his failed policies. >> i am not barack obama. >> but obama himself said a vote for allison is a vote for his policies. >> i'm not on the ballot this fall but make no mistake these policies are on the ballot. every single one of them.

>> obama needs grimes, in kentucky needs to mitch mcconnell. >> host: ben wilker? >> guest: there's a big difference between press of obama being on the ballot and his attempt to repeal the affordable care act me on the ballot, attempt to gut protections for clean air and water being on the ballot. those things are. when you look at polling about the affordable care act you find over one support in both parties for things like protection for people with pre-existing medical conditions to get health insurance. guaranteeing employer coverage and birth control. things with broad bipartisan support. you add the word obama to the program and called obamicons only republicans supports plummets. you can see obamicons on the ballot this fall. you could say coverage for birth control is on the ballot. but both of those are true. make no mistake if you vote for mitch mcconnell this fall you're voting for someone who will do his best to repeal the law and guarantee access to potential. that's the choice people have to

make. >> guest: democratic caller. >> caller: i would like to go back a couple of callers ago when we were discussing the deductible for the health care. and make a comment on that. what people don't realize is when you have a five or $7000 deductible on an insurance, most people cannot afford that. and you know who's going to get stuck with the bill is going to be the doctors. i work in the health care field and i can tell you that the doctors cannot afford that kind of lost. so it all boils down to the bottom line, without any doctors and without any hospitals, it's not going to do anybody could have any insurance. >> host: we'll leave those comments at that and move on to bill in chicago, democratic caller. go ahead. >> caller: i.

i've got a proposal on moveon.org. it's a move on petitions social security advance. the funding of social security -- sunday those at the same time receive social security income can benefit. let recipients have an advance equal to one month of their social security income. [inaudible] this will be repaid with deduction and 10 months or less, no more -- the advance must be repaid before another can be given. no credit check is necessary, and -- [inaudible] >> host: what about his idea transfer i appreciate the culprit the first thing i say is i appreciate the callers use of the move on petition platform. a couple years ago we thought about how our model works for a citizen power, people part of

grassroots activism network. we create a petition on a and let people sign them to send message to congress and other decision-makers about policies they like to see. what we did was we opened up moveon.org so anyone can start a petition. today ther there hundreds of petitions being starry of the week by citizens across the country about local issues, parks and libraries and also national policy. this is one of many petitions on the move on website anyone can go to moveon.org right now to start a campaign about what they do that. we will send to members in your area and see if they supported. this specific proposal sticks to what i think is one of the most astonishing changes in our policies over the last decade. for years and years there were people, some democrats, a lot of republicans calling for cuts in social security. the conventional wisdom that social security needed to be slashed, need to cut benefits for seniors. somehow energy balance the budget of a program that is fully fund and tell 2040. this shift in 10 -- the debate

has shifted to people start looking at the retirement situation of american seniors and realizing the slashing of pensions with the uncertainty of the stock market to our millions of americans facing retirement who just don't have enough to be able to continue a basic standard of living. half of seniors rely on sources duty for more than half of their income. what we need to do is not talk about cutting social security. we need to talk about how to expand, how to expand the safety net to ensure seniors have enough to live on as the baby boom retires. the caller, the petition is part of that debate. there's a range of senators, and we would welcome support on the republican side come expanding social security and performance attack structure to make sure it's fully funded as expand and make sure every scene as the building to retire with dignity and to live with dignity for the rest of the lives house of representatives newcastle pennsylvania. go ahead. >> caller: thank you for

taking my call. i've been listening to you, and so i know you're a democrat and you want the democrats to stay in charge of the senate. now, could you please tell me one good thing that they have done in the last six years that was good for the american people? >> guest: sure. i appreciate your call. i'm going to guess that you and i will disagree on what was good and what wasn't good. but i would call the affordable care act the most significant positive piece of social policy legislation of my lifetime. i'm 33 right now. my own family we've had conditions and we've been able to buy insurance coverage for my gun with a low deductible and low rates than we're paying with cobra after i left a previous job. that's something many families are experiencing. people who have preexisting conditions, whether they have had cancer, whether they have had a surgery in the past, they

were living in fear that if they left their jobs or lost their jobs they would lose their insurance and they would be able to get insurance again. that's over. i've a three year old son and he will go through his whole life knowing that he will have access to health insurance no matter what happens to his employment. that's the freedom i think will make significant difference in his life and the lives of everyone but that something would have happened without the democratic senator without the democratic house we have until 2010 and that's an option i would be proud of for the rest of my life. >> host: we will go to joe next in indianapolis. independent caller. >> caller: yes, good morning. a couple of things. moveon.org is a george soros backwater idea, and this water is such that overwhelms a free society with immigration laws. one party, one idea, overwhelm the constitution, one party, one idea. prop up the state corporations

like solyndra, which is going to talk about the environment. look what a windmill does. the whole food chain is disrupted by windmills. >> host: all right, joe. go ahead and repeat what you said. >> guest: moveon.org without in 1998 by a married couple in silicon valley. they found hundreds of thousands of americans across the country supported their calls to not impeach president clinton. sixers later when a lot of people were concerned about george w. bush's reelection of george soros made a large conservation in that one year to the wind election campaign. after tha that is done been invd with moveon.org again. 10 years later we are 100% member fund. our average contribution is $19. we are proudly citizen powered. we are an independent political group and we welcome the exchange of all parties and all

ideas. we just hope the values of fairness, equality and inclusion in this country will went out on the and s. have done and all the best moment in american history host the "washington times" this point. front page, it says hillary rodham clinton, vice president biden, martin o'malley have all begun campaigning for fellow democrats at a serious pace. personal appearances and crucial presidential primary states of iowa, new hampshire. guest: >> guest: here's what i can tell you. when we pulled move on dot members about the presence election in 2016, which we do every week, there's a consistent response. we asked to do you support for president in 2016? and the number one winner every week is, it's too early.

before the 2014 elections are now, that's why didn't you focus. frankly, a three-year presidential campaign is too long i think for anybody. after this election is over then we'll see what the field looks like the 2016. we know there would be a primary. we hope it is one where progressive ideas value propose like the expense osha's could will be debated. this is all about who controls the senate started after this election day. that's what our president is so focused on the making sure people understand the stakes and people turn out to vote in 2014 the way they did in 2012. >> host: elizabeth ward is playing a role in the. she's campaigning, raising money for candidates who are up for 2014. what kind of clout will she have after november if democrats regain control of the senate? >> guest: senator warren has tended to be a voice, a call for progressive house and especially for the middle class. the idea everyone deserves a fightinfighting chance. if the message she's bring on the campaign trail to key senate and house races.

if the races where these issues are front and center, issues about economic fairness and equality, issues with supporting middle-class and not just giving tax breaks to the top 1%, if those issues are solved two of one elections in midterm, if those issues progressive pragmatic are shown to have saved the senate for the democrats, i think that will move the center of gravity of the democratic party. people will recognize they need to support an increase in the minimum wage, support protection for health insurance for women and for everybody that allow health care to be affordable. in export extending and expanding social security. i think that's a key part of what is before is done with his elections and that's something we're excited to see develop, a narrative, a fundamental idea that the american economy has to work for the middle class in a way it hasn't for far too long. if that comes through i think we'll see that as the new common ground of democratic party starting in 2015. about safe reds

states. races in thekey governorship and maybe three congressional races that are highly contestable with medicare expansion and people being anti-obstruction. having a possibility of a sweeping democratic win in african americans in the election cycle. 15% with raise that to voter turnout being so low, it could be a sweeping win for democrats. i want to know what your organization was doing to help out in some red states where the incumbents refused to debate and do anything or even campaign.

gues to even campaign in those states. >> host: okay. >> guest: we have to look at our opportunities and make a tough decision about where to focus trade we did a lot of polling consultations and fundamentally member lead. in our ultimate decision was to focus on saving the senate because that is the area where a few thousand votes could make a difference to the entire country. but at the same time, we've been working on a 26 state campaign to end sure that the expansion of medicaid either happens or if it doesn't happen if kerry is a political price. there are republican governors and state legislatures across the country that have refused 100% funding from the federal government to spend health-insurance hundreds of thousands of people in the individual states to millions of people around the country that was passed and signed into law under the affordable care act and there's millions of people being denied health insurance that's already been paid for and signed into law.

and it's something that's actually turning. there was a period when medicaid seemed a great way for the republican politicians to score points at the base but what we are seeing now more and more is that the voters hate the idea of refusing health insurance for people and the health insurance has already paid for. so a lot of them are already moving to expand medicare and all of them are going to do it. it could be that alabama politicians realize refusing to expand medicaid is a political disaster and either do the right thing or get turned out of office. >> host: the top targets for the cycle colorado, iowa, kentucky, michigan and north carolina. steve and pennsylvania republican caller. hi, steve. >> caller: thank you for taking my call. on the affordable care act that we keep talking about if it wasn't so affordable price would have been lower.

my second point about that is if it was such a great program everybody including obama and congress should have been opposed to the program. >> host: we are running out of time. go ahead. >> guest: congress as part of the program that was part of the bill that went through. the congressional staff all have to sign up and members of congress and the senators are doing the same and the fact is the the price of coverage and debate coverage unless you know what happened before it was passed we were going up by double digits year after year. there were corporations going bankrupt watching coverage for their employees because the costs were writing so quickly and its load. that is one of the great things about the passage of the affordable care act about health care costs. it's one of the most positive so i urge you to take a look at your bills and then what was happening before we passed that law. >> host: one more comes from

john. we started this talking about the coke brothers and your focus and he says if they were giving to democrats, would you be vilified in that hash tag hollywood, bill gates. jog your memory? >> guest: i appreciate all the hash tags and i would welcome the political allegiances to support the working people rather than the billionaires like themselves but to the broader point i think we do need campaign finance reform. money money and politics is one of the top issues and we poll the members over and over it's one of the top issues across the board no matter what the political situation is at the moment. and i think part of the reason why they've become such a lightning rod is that they have come to kind of embodied the problem with money and politics. you say they were worth $100 billion between them. the policies that suppress the

minimum wage that make it harder for people to vote and harder for people to collectively bargain for other wages and benefits these are policies that hold people down and keep people like them up. and they empower the billionaires to do that and one of the reasons it is so disastrous so believe me i would rather that no billionaires exercise outside control in the system. >> host: band wikler is the director for moveon.org. we appreciate your time. >> guest: thank you for having me. >> the former chair of the republican national committee is running against him. the last debate was in july. here's a look at some of the campaign ads running in virginia. >> i am mark warner and i approved this message. >> ed gillespie is a fair

lobbyist. they paid the firm $700,000 to block regulations in the energy market and a utility rate and then it got even worse. >> the former leaders headed to prison. >> the million-dollar lobbyist put enron and had a few. >> either directly or in berkeley for the cap and trade we are going to put a price on carbon. >> arc wander and obama want to tax coal which would kill thousands of jobs in the communities. >> v. obama warner and michael agenda would raise electric bills, devastate the local economy and kill thousands of good paying jobs. i will fight any tax. my plan will grow the economy by lowering the cost of energy and creating good paying jobs. i'm ed gillespie and i approve this message. >> ed gillespie the political operative is attacking mark warner for false ads experts called misleading, completely

made up. they are working to find a bipartisan solution to the national debt. that's why republicans including a former governor, u.s. senator and 14 legislatures have endorsed him. >> working together well. i'm mark warner and i approve this message. >> i worked my way through college and my parents grocery store in as a parking lot attendant. i worked from the parking lot to the white house. there's opportunity and dignity and worth dignity in work today but today too many virginians are squeezed by mark warner that previous jobs. i worked 97% of the time that is not bipartisan. it's time for a new direction where the compassion as is measured by good paying jobs.

they called for economic sanctions against isis. you could then again the non- nation state. maybe you should write a letter. it's a danger here and i think you have to have a three-pronged approach to shut down the southern border.

the southern border is no longer an immigration issue, it is a security and immigration threat a nation that can build a pan on canal in the 19th century certainly can build in the 21st. second, it's going to call for america to leave and you cannot control isis by the air alone and in the words of general conway, the four-star green court there is no chance in hell that operation will work and i agree. second, to limit the ground forces to special forces and supply support, we make sure that the coalitions that we choose our watched and efficiently trained and limit our involvement to make sure that isis is destroyed. we have already put two wars on the credit card. we should be willing to support the tax cut to support the perpetual war that we seem to be

in. there are different approaches to the situation on this issue and i'm saying that we need to be thoughtful and responsible in the decisions. a letter isn't going to get the job done, but this is somebody who called for invading mexico a few weeks ago because we have an american in jail in tijuana. that is not the kind of judgment that i want representing me in congress. and it is the reaction to the president's announcement that we move the air strikes. let's send more troops. he also said a couple of years ago that when the president announced that women should serve in combat roles in this country, he said that is nearly certain to cost lives. women serving in combat roles. that's not the judgment we need in congress and it's a good question how much is this going to cost. it needs to be debated and authorized.

>> the navy costs money. bridges, schools, infrastructure they all cost money for medicare, social security. john i know you didn't serve, but he is a marine marine that has been languishing in the prison in mexico for over six months. every man and woman coming and i've served in life served both and commanded a boat. everybody that serves in the country not sure that america has their back. when america doesn't have their back like benghazi and mexico, what happens is it sends a signal to every veteran fighting. i did not advocate invading mexico. the president was doing his duty to get the young marine back.

>> renée elders and democrat clay aiken. the second district covers the central and eastern parts of the state. the debate was hosted by the north carolina bankers association and w. a r. l. tb. >> candidates for the second congressional district go head-to-head in their first and only debate sponsored by the north carolina bankers association. >> moderator: thank you for joining us. we look forward to spending the next hour here with the candidates for north carolina is second congressional district.

two-term incumbent renne ellmers and her incumbent clay aiken. before we begin, some background on the candidates. >> played aiken rose to fame with his run on american idol. she talks special education classes and wade county. he turned that experience and love of children into the national inclusion project. a nonprofit that sponsors programs afterschool programs and camps that focus on including children disabilities and activities with their nondisabled peers. this is his first run for office. >> moderator: renee ellmers was first elected in 2010. before her election, ellmers served as a registered nurse for more than 20 years. she was also active in the chamber of commerce and the planning board.

ellmers serves on the house energy and commerce committee and is the chairwoman of the republican women's policy committee. they are vying for votes in the second congressional district which stretches the counties in central north carolina. from week to randolph counties down to cumberland counties covering for drag the district has a large active retired military community. >> moderator: is ellmers and mr. aiken i thank you for being here for the voters of the second district. first let's talk about foreign policy because it is bubbled up in a way that we haven't seen. the world now has a new enemy, isis, the islamic state on a wii didn't even know much about or did not pay much attention to just in the past couple of months. so, two parts to this question. first the do you support what the president is doing this for

what airstrikes in that region of the world. if you are called upon to vote, would you vote to send ground troops into that area? the area? we begin alphabetically and start with you mr. aiken. aiken: thank you for allowing us to be here. do i support every single part of the president's plan? i would say no because i think that we have seen this as a threat. a lot of people have recognized isis has been a threat for quite a while now. i do believe that we need to continue to support the folks on the ground right now. the rebels in serious and pushing back against isis. it is a threat. it isn't currently a threat to u.s. soil but we don't want that. for continuing to support them with airstrikes is a very important way to make sure that threat doesn't come to the u.s. soil. we also need to encourage those

countries around that area to commit ground troops of their own. i don't believe the u.s. should be policing the entire world and i don't want to use our men and women at fort bragg or any of the men and women serving in the military here in the u.s. as the the army is coming as g.i. joe soldiers where we placed them in harm's way all around the world and leave the problem to others. as soon as we see isis as a direct threat in u.s. soil -- we need to attack in whatever way is possible but at this point i wouldn't support sending ground troops. >> moderator: ms. ellmers clacks ellmers: thank you to the north carolina bankers association and being a part of this that is so important and to mr. aiken for this important debate. let's talk more about the foreign situation. this is something that president obama has known about for quite some time.

his military advisers have been advising him for quite some time on the threat of isil. remembering 2012 president obama said we were victorious in iraq and that's where this started. the emergence of this very brutal group has come up as a result of that. we did so for the president's plan to support that we have to remember how we are dealing with this here. this is the most brutal group that we have ever seen and we have to make sure we are doing everything that we can do to support our allies. you know, for the longest time president obama has been speaking to the world. he went out on an apology to her when he was first elected and he basically said to our enemies we are no threat to you. and to our allies they do not trust us. we have to rebuild trust. now the president is going to be supported by congress and there will be a great date on this

issue but we will be there for him. we have to protect every american and i will say there is already a threat here in the united states and to the point of should we be policing the rest of the world, you know i believe as ronald reagan did, peace through strength. the united states and our military, the best military in the world and being honored with representing fort bragg have to show a presence of strength to keep peace. >> moderator: is called on to vote would you send american troops there? ellmers: i would. >> moderator: i want to follow to follow-up on what you said regarding the policing the world. it seems like whether it has an al qaeda or possibly a group prior to that and now isis and isil we take care or we are able to prevent those groups from causing more damage, and another group pops up. so what happens if this country does eliminate the threat from the islamic state?

how do we deal with another group that pops up if we are not there constantly in the region? ellmers: you bring up a good point. this is just an extension of it. that's the question. we are talking about radical islam. we are talking about those that believe that this is the plan for the future. it has been in place since the beginning, and we have to meet sure that we are doing everything we can to keep our allies save, working with our allies and with those countries to make sure we have a presence there and we are working with them. when we leave and when we drawdown, when we say that we are victorious in the land that we are not, that's when the groups emerge and we have to end that. and back. and to the point of the president and support for the president yesterday will be

doing everything we can to support the president on this issue but he has got to stop telling our enemies what we will do and what we will not do. it's just simply not the plan for the strategy. >> answer that concerns me, first a few weeks ago she spoke out and said that she was not in support of sending the ground troops into the region. and it just a few days ago, the speaker of the house changed the course and decided that he believed it was important to send the groups to the region and now we hear the congresswoman saying that she would sound to be present at the troops to the region. the men and women in the military should be protecting the united states and our soil. to hear the congresswoman change her tune because the party leader changed his tune she went on the record not long ago saying that john boehner was her boss and you don't want to upset the boss so i understand if that is her mindset but that's probably why she changed her tune but the people in the

second district are her boss and the military right now is overwhelmingly against sending ground troops. and so, i am not going to change my tune. i said i don't believe we need to be sending the men and women in the u.s. military into harm's way to protect another land. the military leaders and intelligence leaders tell us there is not a credible threat to the soil right now. we can send our men and women into harm's way because our party leader tells us to do it is not a viable reason. >> one more note on this. you talk about the arab allies. >> guestepend on its clacks ellmers: we have to show support. but i do want to go back touest ellmers: we have to show support. but i do want to go back to what mr. aiken said. john boehner may be the speaker of the house, that the people in district two are of district two are my boss and that is why we are here today. and we applying for this job.

what i want to clarify and this is one of the things that that maybe as an entertainer you are not aware of, these things are fluid. and when the president asks for his support he asks for it in a certain way and we give him get him back support. that is what we voted on. there is much debate and concern that that wasn't quite enough, and i agree. at the time, we allow the president, we voted, we came together unified in a bipartisan fashion to support the president on this initiative. i do bb that there will be much more that we need to do. and as far as policing the world or the threats to the united states, we already have a situation pop up in oklahoma where a gentle man who is identified with the muslim belief has done a very heinous crime if the beheadings of americans is not enough called to action i'm not sure what will be for you. aiken: it is necessary to make

sure we are protecting americans by making sure we protect people in the district and the men and women in fort bragg do not support the ground trips and you did say john boehner was your boss and i understand if you want to change or two now but you did say john boehner is my boss and you've been quoted as saying that. >> moderator: are we spending enough money in the military budget and if not, where are we falling short? ellmers: as you know in the budget we were able to replace the amount to the military. we knew that there was a terrible threats to the military. and military readiness is the most important point. it's to keep america safe and having done a great a great opportunity, the great honor to be represented by have to make sure every one of the everyone of the military is taking care of. >> moderator: where are we going short? ellmers: when i had this discussion with our leaders they had a plan of action and they know where the funding needs to go and what they need to get the

job done. they will tell me, and i agree we have the best military in the world. they are the strongest, they are the most ready of the most capable and this is what i hear from our military leaders. i do believe that we are certainly always going to be looking at budgeting issues. we have to make sure that we are doing things efficiently and within our own military and our military leaders agree. we have to do everything we can and as you will see into the future, there will be a call to action for the funding. there is overseas contingency funds that are available, and we will pass legislation to continue to fund our military as we need to on an emergency basis. >> moderator: mr. aiken? aiken: i think that we agree about more than she thought we would. we disagree on the process. we disagree on the way that things are done. i believe that the sequestration cut our military tens of thousands of dollars right after bragg. we are taking the programs out of the military members and their spouses and families of the congresswoman ellmers voted

for sequestration and voted to make sure the cuts went through and they hurt people at fort bragg. i also think that not acting quickly enough to make sure that the 40th air wing at fort bragg is able to state instead of sending that money, sending those planes to another state which is something that the military leaders at fort bragg very clearly are against. it's one thing to say that you are listening to military leaders but you have to listen to the folks at home you can just listen to the military leaders elsewhere. the folks at home want to keep fort bragg strong and the military readiness strong. they want to make sure for bragg which is the tip of the spear and the place where the president comes when he needs members to be activated immediately. we need to make sure that they are not on ready. >> one more military question. when soldiers return home or retire they are guaranteed certain rights under the veterans administration. we know of the mess that the va

has been an answer to parts of the country. the question is this. how to how can we correct what happened in the va structure so that it doesn't recur and can enough money account for all the subcontractors and full-time workers to make this happen? we begin with you. aiken: proactivity is one of the issues. being proactive and making sure that we see problems as they begin to arise, when you take a look at the delay is and the process and his ability claims for the men and women that are coming back, coming back from active duty or the deployments overseas we knew at the beginning of the 21st century that we would be seeing an influx of men and women post-9/11 men and women who went to afghanistan and iraq coming into the system. we knew that we needed to do a better job of making sure that the claims were processed and that the benefits were provided to them.

the congresswoman ellmers voted with a measure that would have added processing claims to process those claims and that is not proactive. instead of reacting to the side type of things that we see in arizona and to the tragedies that we saw in phoenix instead of waiting for the men and women we should recognize that in fayetteville, the head of the va hospital, the administrator there said all she said for a long time is that she needs more facilities. she needs more places for doctors and nurses. that's something that she has needed for the longest time. she has one of the longest waits and it is simply because nobody has acted and has done anything to make sure that those facilities were available. ellmers: we have to do everything we can to make sure that our veterans are taken care of and the situation in the veterans health care is of paramount importance. i did go down and meet with the va. i went there said that i could see with my own eyes what was happening because we do hear the stories across the country of,

you know, terrible situations where individuals have waited for so long. we have to take care of the veterans. i do believe that the fayetteville va has a plan of action short-term and long-term to take care of our veterans. i've heard both things. i've heard of individuals who've had their appointments canceled. i've heard of individuals who are getting stellar care at the fayetteville va. so this is an issue that we have to work together. and there again because they have a plan of action, i'm very encouraged. one of the things that they are looking at some of the number of veterans that are going to be coming back to north carolina to retire, north carolina is a draw and many want to come back and live in this area. so they know that they have to prepare for that and there is a plan of action in place. and we do have to again do everything we can to ensure this and i will continue to work with the fayetteville va and the veterans affairs committee and all of those involved.

one of the other things that we have to do for our veterans aside from health care is making sure they have a job when they come home and i am very proud to say that this is the third annual veterans job fair that we have been able to hold for that purpose. we want to make sure that their lives are full moving forward. i do want to go back to one of the comments though that mr. aiken made. it's almost as if an entertainer you the way that you can just go in with a song and dance and change their mind of the military leaders because you're going to impress them so much things will be torn up and thrown into the air and everyone is going to rejoice. ..

>>

>> >> you will see it was submitted late. aiken: go on the site.

elmers: i submit my bill to the house of representatives >>moderator: thank you for being so thorough. talk about immigration reform. if we can name a policy in this country on immigration reform i don't know what it is. people seem to be all over the place on that. here people talking about securing the border it is 1900 miles long. is a river, colorado, rio grande river how do you secure a border then i want to talk about the children who came through this past summer. you called for securing the border how do you do that physically? >> this is one of the most important questions from a

national defense standpoint what we are doing for the country to make sure this remains the top issue we have voted for that there are laws in place now that could secure our border with the areas that would not be able to have a physical presence. we have the technology after 13 years of war we are highly capable to make sure the border can be taken care of that a carrot -- apparently mr. aiken agrees that the president we call on him over and over again. governor period i was just in arizona this is a top issue for them as the crime element coming across the border. talk about the children coming here this is

something i am very concerned about. being transported by their families to come here with the drug cartel with the coyote through terrible conditions to be subjected to incredible violence in its human and sex trafficking and drugs we don't even know if some of them are making it. >>moderator: what do we do with them? ellmers: what is happening there is a little bit of gold because of the climate right now but it will peak in january and february. but when we talk about bipartisan support we have passed 400 bipartisan bills out of the house of representatives sitting on harry reid desk we have to a

change that to get the majority. i have the bill you ask what could we do? we have to educate these children by lot to make sure local communities, now it is a problem for those local communities to come up with funding for this issue i have a bill to take money from foreign aid to pay for those issues. >>moderator: coming back to buy partisanship but mr. aiken how do we secure the border and what to read you with us children? >> it is ridiculous we're still talking about immigration reform 30 years after we started this issue. ronald reagan provided amnesty then we didn't secure the border or enforce the laws in place and 30 years later to talk about doing next to nothing or not this into nothing congress that we see right now has

multiple opportunities. but the congresswoman neglects to talk about immigration reform bill that was passed with broad bipartisan support that is not taken up in the house. she voted to pass immigration reform and i appreciate that. i think we have a lot in common but what frustrates me is her boss says she says, a john boehner who was not her boss to she considers has not allow that bill to come to a vote in the house and it is widely accepted is that senate bill came to a vote to would pass whole love to hear her stand up right now to say she wants to see him pass a vote it has bipartisan support in the senate and signed by the president we have been talking about this.

>>moderator: would help take care of the children? aiken: we have thousands of children stuck in holding patterns right now near the border. but we're providing the resources necessary to send them back or to get into the right place. >>moderator: the question and immigration from the 13th district said to me it was a touchstone for him. anyone who comes to this country 12 or 16 or 80 million should not allow citizenship they have broken the law then it is a touchdown. do you agree? ellmers: this is something i have been talking about for quite some time. mr. aiken has pointed out ronald reagan passing

amnesty but i would be curious to know if he supports a misty as well. one of the things i want 2.0 because i have been strong on this issue talking about immigration reform, before we left washington, we passed a strong bill to make sure the children are sent back to the country of origin. the issue here with the judge's mr. aiken we pass legislation to take care of that as well but unfortunately you seem to be concerned or little confused as to whether or not you take a job in the senate or the house.

and that we would vote for as speaker of the house who would be your boss. aiken: he would not be my boss john boehner is your boss. whoever the speaker is would never be my boss. schaede my new to believe that. >>moderator: get back to the question. they have been working here for decades. should they be allowed to pass to citizenship? ellmers: it is a very important question mark i have worked on with who i have talked to is bringing everyone together for a discussion. to take the emotion out. >>moderator: is that a yes? ellmers: those individuals here illegally working put on a legal work status not a

legal status the answer is no. it is not amnesty. they would be able to work and be out from the shadows. >>moderator: and never citizenship? ellmers: never is the appropriate word. if they are here they have admitted wrongdoing, paid a fine and working to the coal and have broken up law and admitted then why not go to the process? aiken: i don't think anyone would tell you or ms. ellmers that citizenship is not necessary immediately for those who are here. it is a complicated issue. but the problem is people don't sit down outside of the caucus to discuss. do i believe and agree with with congresswoman ellmers yes.

because they are not paying into the tax system. and they should be paying income taxes and should be contributing to the same society they contribute from. then i don't believe they should be deported that is a few billion dollars in take billions of dollars out for almost half of the people as they are hispanic it would take so much out of the economy. and whether a path to citizenship is an answer i don't know. but i only know it will happen if people stop only talking to lou their caucuses. and not getting things done republicans and democrats are not talking to each other. if it all figured out there will not be a solution.

>>moderator: hearing from the district and the viewing area constantly saying we're sick of congress not getting along. someone said recently the matter what it may be even with your bankers he will not get everything you want your way. mr. aiken you have said i am not a politician if you are elected to become a politician. how would you do this differently than what we have seen in the past? nancy policy showed this she was not open to hearing she would listen but then my way or the highway so how you change that system is and it this policy was speaker?

aiken: i'm not beholden to any person or any speaker to any party. i am a congressman and from a different district one was flying home to the district standing there and other congressmen from his same area walked from said airport and said i don't talk to them. what? because they are not from our party. that upset me this is the democrat not willing to talk to republican. people not talking is disgusting. nobody does that in the rest of the world or in their communities or neighborhood. but at the end of the day i do not subscribe to any sort of notion i represent any party or any leader. no one in congress is my boss. the president nor the

minority or majority leader are not my boss. the only people you answer to is your district. >>moderator: if you don't fall behind lockstep you could be squeezed out of what you want to accomplish. nab frustrating but that is the way things are done. aiken: that is so k.? of course, not. at the end of the day i representing second district is conservative so they will send me back if they're doing what congresswoman ellmers does are sent home that i am there long enough to make a change. >>moderator: it does seem like ms. ellmers people don't live in the real world if i could get 75 percent of what i want our rather get 75 percent of something than

100 percent of nothing either side wants to blink first neither the house nor the senate. ellmers: that is the comparison. when we look at what is not being done in washington to the degree there is not bipartisanship the 24/7 new cycle it does not get ratings democrats and republicans to agree with each other. teeeighteen you just said the senate will not take up legislation. ellmers: i am talking about the house i am representing district number two. you are right we have passed bills that of the house of representatives with bipartisan support. work on legislation. i have a caucus with one of my colleague from california

on the smart grid and innovation and we work together. >>moderator: but to get the senate to go long? ellmers: harry reid decides not to bring up the bill unfortunately he is the one that runs the show. we cannot change that. via the house of representatives we're working very hard. my colleague agrees with the president is exactly the place we need to be the obama mr. aiken economy is killing us but the senate? harry reid for tax vulnerable democrats by not bringing issues for a boat while protecting the president. >>moderator: it will boost the economy? ellmers: in fact, before we left washington recall the series of bills that had passed the house with

bipartisan support be called job creation and bills cutting regulation. financial services, the banking system, doing what we can. it is devastating as one of my friends said dodd/frank is a financial-services which obamacare is to health care. that is serious whether we bring down the cost of energy for every family for energy production or cutting over regulation so they can start hiring again and then it harry reid easter bring these set for a vote mr. aiken has lifted up the economy? what should they do? aiken:. something. anything. they don't do anything. calling it the obama mr. aiken economy is preposterous.

there are areas i disagree i support the second amendment i support securing the border one of those liberal i am not sure but i don't support the president on everything he does i believe the at democrats and republicans are part of not getting anything done. i don't think anyone is immune from that argument. at the end of the day congress has not done enough because every proposal is blocked by a democrat dianne not disagreeing with you that the senate not doing everything it could do but at the end of that day when you have either party in congress to say their primary goal is to make sure the other side loses, it is a problem. >>moderator: it does not seem the party once for victory. congress, the democrats want to do this the republicans

want to do this? ellmers: i would like to respond that the bills we passed were bipartisan support. >>moderator: these bills like job creation are in the senate because harry reid of move but talk about bipartisanship all day long i have got to believe he says if you give john boehner on this issue 30% we will move forward. ellmers: the senate has the ability to come up with a comparable piece of legislation then we go to conference. that is the process not voting on each other's bills necessarily. and those that have made it to the president's desk from the bicameral situation where the house has their bill a very important bill for this economy the senate

passed their version day conference that makes it to the president's desk. an important point we need to make republican vs. democrat it is important to note that the bills harry reid is not bringing up for of boat it is also a democrat when the president is protected by harry reid he also says democrat. i work with these democrats in energy and commerce committee with legislation and i have of bill with debbie wasserman schulz. with breast cancer funding for young survivors. that is why it is so important.

>>moderator: talk about the affordable care act. obviously that will not have been. even with this election coming nowhere close to override a presidential veto. it is upheld by the supreme court. why is it a political issue called obamacare to shore up the base when the supreme court has said if it needs to be tweet go ahead and do so. it is here. ellmers: talk about obamacare this is an important issue for me. as a nurse knowing what we need with health care reform , it is a law bet is a bad law and it needs reform. to say we have voted over

and over to repeal that we have. but we have voted on reform to obamacare to make it better for the american people. we heard the president it was the total disruption the president came forward trying to put the legislation passed the care what your doctor to keep your doctor keep your health care plan total deception and he knew what at the time >>moderator: there 8 million people today. ellmers: how many millions lost their health care plan now have a sub adequate plan under obamacare? this is what we're looking for. we know we can do it better. we can never repealed this as long as the president or the namesake is an office that we can work with the senate majority to put

reforms in place. we want patient centered care were families and doctors make decisions not the federal government. aiken: it is nice to say we can fix it to get things done but 55 times voting against it is not fixing it. and then having 59 employees with that employer mandate to provide hundreds of thousands worth of health care and it cripples his business and it is hurting him. i met him back in march he wanted to repeal obamacare then again in june if he said it will not be repealed. he is mad you voted 55 times not to fix his problem he is upset that employer mandates have been proposed to be

raised to 100 instead of 55 that would increase his ability to hire more people for those who want to start small businesses. 55 times you could have fixed that problem. but what you just said a minute ago will not pass. you're wasting taxpayer time what the senate said they will delete you are not willing to voodoo. that is another symptom of the do nothing congress that would rather -- would rather sit. you are right 8 million people got health care those that were kicked off they are getting kicked off.

and to have met they will not happen if you have enough votes in four years to repeal it then repeal it. just do your job and fix the problems today. ellmers: after all that theatrics' i just want to inform you we voted on exactly what you point out. to that point of reform it is not republicans that continuously talk about the same repeals but the democrats but harry reid and barack obama which you support and to support obamacare. we have voted to reform it. we have to make it better for the american people it is not 55 votes it is the democrats. i am talking. any change to obamacare is

looked upon as a repeal by the democrats because it is the namesake of our president. aiken: several times today like obamacare there are several other areas one senator came up with the solution presented in that house and i have admiration to change the ratio from the most expensive care to the least expensive not only republicans and democrats are willing to vote but not a change there are lot of things to fix people's problems you say they're not repealed but he said just a few minutes ago. >> i am not sure how you say

he presented it to that house? once again i thank you are confused how the process works. ellmers: i am well aware of civic scientist and you talk about not doing anything and they are doing something. >>moderator: what is the concern to every consumer to the folks in this audience from the bankers' association is cyberattacks it is very serious for consumers, home depot, a target, it caught everybody off guard as well and other national security. here is the question. how does the federal government stay ahead? is a need to hold more accountable for personal information? aiken: we do. it is proactive.

it is the change we did not have tenures ago. something we have to learn why we have conferences when we see new shoes emerging and things we need to address to make sure companies cannot require the passwords of facebook and twitter when they are employed and the type of information that companies are taking with your consumers permission can do that. this is a great area with the gap between the laws in place or what should be in place. >>moderator: you cannot get out of your house without giving up your social security number. so i would say should the government whole business is more accountable? ellmers: it is tough of great concern and especially

for young people. they have grown up in the virtual world their information can be exposed number one job of the federal government to make sure every american and is protected. we need to make sure businesses or the companies utilizing information online is protected but to build a public-private partnership mentioning sabres security this is why we helped the innovation and grade because cybersecurity is a big issue to protect our energy sources and something we feel strongly about. but because of the world we live in today one year ago we have the rollout of the

health care program we have now spent over $2 billion of hard-earned taxpayers' dollars. my friend would agree this is a good thing that we move forward with a personal affirmation could be exposed >>moderator: the supreme court said they will not take up the issue of gay marriage. do you see a day in north carolina where it will be legal? ellmers: a couple years ago people of north carolina spoke on this issue. >>moderator: and a few years but looking at the horizon. ellmers: i cannot predict the future i have been strong on this issue based on faith that the federal government although i do

support marriage between one man and woman that is what the country is founded on but i believe especially as a republican the government can be too intrusive. so i don't know how legally from a constitutional perspective you can interject yourself to ask an important question. i don't have the answer. aiken: ask the question teeeighteen will we ever see gay marriage illegal in north carolina? aiken: the supreme court decided to leave it in the hands of the state's or the regionals we both have spoken out against the amendment in 2012 it is certainly not why i am running for congress but because people need jobs and

because people need access to educational opportunities and congress is doing nothing but ideas seeing we have to see the supreme court left in the hands of the state's. >>moderator: what is the number one problem this country is facing today? is it your for the people in the second district? aiken: it is hard to reassert just one. it means we have seen in the economy grow said joblessness rate dropped to some extent at all think anybody is quickly it is dropping or how quickly the economy is growing. lead is a major problem affecting people's lives but the umbrella issue why we don't see it grow faster for the employment rate rise faster we have people in congress to continue the culture of not working

together to blame the other party to make sure they come up with ideas on their own to fix the issue to seven the number one issue for north carolinian is district to and across the country is jobs and the economy. we have done our job is carolina to make reforms to change that and our unemployment rate has decrease but there are plenty of various that don't feel any sense of recovery and we have to work on this issue. talking about women across the country they are very concerned with the economy the fact we're not creating jobs with so much uncertainty they cannot open up the company's two new employees. that is an issue.

the unemployment rate has decrease. we have less in the work force today that we have ever had in history and that is a great concern teeeighteen should congress take action regarding guns? ellmers: in what manner? >>moderator: tightening reforms of registration i don't want to use the word scope that the sizes of the magazine's that we hear come up from time to time. ellmers: i am a strong supporter of the second amendment and the ability to own a firearm. this is a conversation we will always have. when did this arrive? we had a terrible situation. so the real issue is mental

health reform. i have the opportunity to have a round table discussion to have mental health reform that will transform mental health in this country and that is the way we need to go. aiken: congress needs to make sure people have access to guns who use them responsibly my cousin owns a gun -- a gun store. by one to make sure they have no restrictions on their ownership at all but those who have mental health issues do not get a hold of them. >>moderator: with this debate we will give each of you limited to 60 seconds i will tell you that if i have to stop you it is not being rude but because we are on television but to tell the

voters why you should be elected and why we will begin with congresswoman ellmers. ellmers: thanks to mr. aiken and north carolina bankers association for holding this debate. i just believe the people of district number to have a clear choice. either send me back to washington where i can continue the job i have started fighting for good strong conservative principles with leadership. this country is thriving to have leaders in washington right now. there is a choice myself who believes in conservative for put -- principles or my opponent who was nothing more than a rubber stamp from is the policy in barack obama on so many issues i ask for your vote. ask for your prayers and to continue to pray for this great country god bless all of you and me he continue to bless this great country.

aiken: thanks very much to the congresswoman and the bankers association. i have advisers who want me to spend my last minute talking about stuff that congresswoman ellmers has done asking for her paycheck saying $1,000 is not all lots of money but i am tired already of that. but this sending people back to washington who say the same thing then every two years come back and say it again and don't do it they don't do anything i am frustrated with this do nothing congress and the fact we cannot get anything done. we have to kill that culture and send a message to washington if we keep sending back the same people you will continue to get the same nothing and same status quo i am asking for your

vote because i am tired as you are of the thing getting done purposely and send a message that we only get the same thing and we're all in trouble. i appreciate your vote. ellmers: mr. aiken and congresswoman ellmers thinks. also to the candidates you took time out of their schedule to be with us. also north carolina bankers association for sponsoring this discussion and uc tv for their assistance. your best bet is to register by october 10th to make sure you can vote for early voting. whatever you do exercise that precious right. the election is four weeks from tomorrow. have a good night.

real-life with the arizona second congressional district said democrat and republican challenger this is the district that was previously held by gaby gifford that covers the southeastern part of arizona. c-span will have live coverage of the senate debate between the second debate between the two. here is a look at the west rejected debate. >> with obamacare we lose our choice of doctors higher deductibles, higher premium it inhibits our choice that is what west virginia holds dear. >> with pre-existing illnesses health care will

be more costly for small businesses administration to put a big damper on our way of life. >> i approved this message. >> my daughter had open-heart surgery friends and family but the insurance company called a pre-existing condition. we want to make it better for west virginia but i will not go back to the day of insurance companies dictating medical concerns. i approve this message. >> my opponent's attacks my personal integrity with ads that are blatantly false. i am not surprised the

vichy's will say anything deceiving voters some purpose just to get elected. rival foote as i have. i approve this message. >> i'm natalie and i approve this message. >> what you really know about shelley capito on the financial services committee she helps bankers get rich and in return they have given her nearly $2 billion for a west virginia family loses jobs to wall street but her husband a wall street banker has tips making we're the $100,000. congresswoman capito west virginians pay the price

were looking at the idaho governor's race fated to the stage in twin falls idaho the current governor declined to take part the races listed as solid republican it is about one hour good evening from the auditorium of the high school and the editor welcome to the second debate of the 2014 of the election season we will hear from two candidates for idaho governor we did invite the governor to this debate be turned us down but we decided democracy is more about the incumbent so we're

looking for to apolitical discussion tonight with the democratic libertarian candidates please join me to welcome them now. to my right is john bujak. [applause] and to my left mr. balukoff. [applause] we will begin the debate to night with three minute opening remarks mr. bujak will begin the opening remarks. go ahead. bujak: i would like to thank the twin falls times news it is good to be here i am the

libertarian candidate for governor of will tell you about myself i'm 35 years old married with four children i grew up in the central idaho mountains after words i served in the united states navy and afterwards i came back to go to law school during that time i worked as the deputy prosecuting attorney then attorney general then i had my own private practice for just over 10 years. then i decided to enter politics and ran on the republican ticket the sea as elected county prosecutor. i am running for governor because it is time the old boy network i have heard

that club be called a lot of things to the odder crew or the mafia but the bottom line is is causing problems idaho. with that corruption in with the boise mafia governor otter and let me stop for a minute. there was a time when i really respected governor otter disposition i even voted for that man. the with those democratic policies those that adopted a health care exchange for obamacare and as governor otter has been in office medicaid expansion is around the corner. it leaves idaho in a precarious situation i was

elected to serve as prosecutor in an eye interesting and the value of small government to protect the constitutional rights of people to help the free market to determine destiny. that is what idaho needs a lift for to answering questions should proving that i am the right leader for the job that a third party candidate can win the election as governor. thank-you. [applause] balukoff: speesix

and i wish governor otter cared enough about the balance to be there to explain his record on education with understand why he doesn't want to be here to explain double kmvt talking about 50th in her child education and also we're at the bottom with graduates going to college. 85 districts have raised their own taxes because of

the constitutional responsibility to support education. twin falls have to support tax -- raise taxes to support education that was cut back to the four days ago week. your 50th in the nation per-capita with intercom behind every state except one, a mississippi. that is not acceptable. is the career politician putting millions of special interest ahead of people. i've not a career politician i am a businessman i started out as the cpa and today i am part owner of century link arena and a hotel and the hockey team might have served on many nonprofit boards of directors to help

to around troubled businesses and i turned the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior if we don't change the leadership we will continue the spiral to the bottom. the stakes are high. we cannot afford four more years of living in the wrong direction. idaho can do better it will take new leadership at the top that is why i running for governor. [applause] >>moderator: the first question, last night we hosted the debate between the two candidates and the major focus of the conversation was education funding.

the last year's proposed budget recommending $54 million to begin funding the recommendation and task force a requested 350 million the proposal of the five years if elected governor would you continue this approach to funding for education and idaho? >> love dad governor otter record with education he does not have a history of listening to the people. and then the law is repealed to have three good recommendations on education but to be disengaged from the process and with those

recommendations the budget last year for the everyday find and unspecified tax relief that tisch chose me education is not his top priority. and i am governor i will listen to teachers their principles and education may be the top priority and with those lawsuits that should never have happened and did the first place we need to stop that waste. and change priorities. and then more of a priority than a rainy day fund with tax relief. that is why would run things differently.

>>moderator: thank you. you have a one minute rebuttal. bujak: this issue is complex because that is one of the most important duties the government should take seriously. people say throw money at the problem but education requires more funding that may be true but what we need to look at is how this education dollars are spent right now when i talk to teachers around the state the primary complete is they don't have enough training how to implement a common core and they don't believe that makes sense and not enough money makes it to the classroom. not just to do the recommendations of the committee but take a hard look at the budget to make sure dollars debt to the classroom as efficiently as possible teeeighteen you

have a one minute response. balukoff: to clarify he said it is important but i don't know of any business that tries to hide the best employees by paying the lowest salary our teachers are paid the lowest salary in the entire northwest of not the entire country. it will be difficult if we pay them lower than anyone else. superintendents' talk about how difficult it is to retain teachers. part of that funding of a agree with john is important how we spend money but you do have to have adequate funding. >>moderator: discos to you. you both habitations as

being at herb been the guy is. if you are elected what would you do to inform yourself about the magic valley and agriculture and take a stab at what those issues are. >> certainly professionally i have worked in that treasure valley but i will not try to sell you on the fact ivan agriculture guy but the truce is i grew up milking cows and goats and i do know a little bit about the day-to-day operations although i am not an expert. and it goes hand in hand with it too much of idaho's lillian's. that is something that is not given enough attention

and talk about continuing viability or agriculture. and historically of that was not the big issue but it is something every keep on the forefront. the other thing is the government acted efficiently and quickly with our farmers that need help to act on paperwork to declare states of emergency and to keep my eye on that as a prairie as your governor. balukoff: i have not been waiting for the electorate to inform myself i have been visiting people in the agricultural industry farmers and ranchers in the

association's to inform myself of the issues facing agriculture around the state in the magic valley the number one issue is water and good progress has been made and that could probably work very well but what have been since those low water years and where they talk about that aviation canals for the federal government to take a pro-active approach teeeighteen another minute? bujak: i will leave it there. >>moderator: the next

question is about water. that is the most important thing in the magic valley the governor's budget last year set aside $15 million rocker for projects what would you do specifically as governor to shore up the future of the magic valley water? >> we have to be concerned we live on the edge of the desert by definition to have water shortages. the way i would approach that is there will be a lot of demand as the city's growth to have more demand on water. with those water pumpers to talk about the approach to conserving water to recharging the oxford and if

we experience the capacity so it could be used to recharge and we need to be proactive to approach the water issues we know we will have living on the edge of a desert. . .