stability, and in the case of syria weekend definitely say -- looked at the middle east, the arabs spring being reversed in egypt and other places. egypt is a nation states, along nation state with a strong military with a long tradition. you have all these other wheat states of the problem i see with the stability argument is it would make a lot more sense and the russians would make more sense if you didn't have the reality that their central government and military said too weak to take hold of it. ..

spirit that was a good analysis. >> my first job in journalism was middle east times in cairo, and we used to have a layout program. and so is young journalists, we would sometimes to no end try and depict reality as best we could on the pages of the newspaper. to the middle east credit they allowed us to do so. so we put everything on the page and write our words and put graphics and so on. but there was this intense moment where we had to see if it would work or not. there was this button cold snap to grid.

what you laid out on the page which depicted really didn't match the grid, the design looks at you and says we can't do. but in the end i found that the only way we ever published the paper was we had to adjust the grid. there was no way around it. if you didn't, you didn't end up actually solving the problem. these problems are ones that humans have been dealing with for millennia. it is normal for political entities to grow and to contract and to break into pieces. i don't need to, many european friends, these things are solvable. americans working with allies can do this, right? but we need to do it in a way that smart, make sense and actually we try and achieve our objectives that we outline. because if not we will just be, and the russians will continuously be able to do what they've done in the last year, and that is use the militia,

seize territory and annex it over to its own territory and be able to get away with it. they have sanctions to be able to get away with it. until we can counter that -- >> i'm afraid went to close on that but it was fantastic and we will reconvene in a few years to see if we got the grid right. anytime thank you all for coming. thanks to c-span audience, and thank you. [applause] [inaudible conversations] >> today, the american enterprise institute hosts a discussion about education policy and common core standards in public schools. watch live coverage of 1 p.m. eastern here on c-span2.

>> c-span's 2015 studentcam competition is underway. is nationwide competition for middle and high school students will award 150 prizes totaling $100,000. create a 5-7 minute documentary on the topic the three branches and you. videos need to include c-span programming, show varying points of view and must be submitted agenda 20th, 2015. go to studentcam.org for more information. grab the camera and get started today. >> at a discussion about the bull, public health officials discuss ways to stop the disease comparing ebola to other epidemics in africa. the panel's book at the aspen institute in washington, d.c. for an hour and a half. >> we are delighted to have this covered both by voice of american c-span today, so many others can have this conversation. we have some of the leading

thinkers and actors who are working on the ebola crisis with us today and i'm delighted, delighted to welcome you all here. let me give by introduced myself to i'm peggy clark. i'm a vice president at the institute and the aspen global health and development. this program is cohosted by aspen's sister program, health medicine science run by ruth who is in the back. say hello. reuters mr. tiemann is been putting this whole event together and we are delighted to welcome you here today. let me introduce my panelists come and i want to jump us right into the conversation. there's a lot to be covered and we would like very much to be able to get to your questions. to my immediate left is doctor francis almost walked -- dr. francis omaswa, the exact attractive for african centre for global health and social

transformation, achest, based in uganda. he sits on the port of my organization and went known each other for maybe about 10 years now. francis is one of the leading thinkers on health systems in africa. he was the first executive director of the global health workforce alliance and worked directly with the director general of the wh and the capacity. is also founding chair of the global stop tb partnership it is one of the architects of the global fund to fight aids, tb and olympic is also on the head of the high level forum on health related mpg. usage of the global alliance for vaccines independent review committee, among many other things. he's a graduate of one of the leading medical schools on the continent of africa. he is a fierce fighter for improving african health systems come an incredible friend who did remarkable work in a very

rural area in uganda which is recognized by the government and was then asked to be the director of the medical services for all of uganda when heather the first ebola outbreak in 2000, which they were able to handle and put a stop to very quickly. so there's a number of incredible innovations and accomplishments that he will share with us today the less give a round of applause for francis. [applause] and besides francis with a remarkable woman, and so decided she traveled to be with us today but i know you traveled quite a ways, dr. margaret margaret mungherera. she's the current president of the world medical association. she works in a referral hospital in uganda at the senior consultant psychiatrist. in 2000 when the ebola crisis hit uganda, margaret was a

leading actor in helping to solve that crisis. she has been working tirelessly to improve medical association standards of care, regulation of doctors throughout the east african region. to continue to represent the uganda medical association and she chairs ethics and discipline committee for this. margaret hassan magnificent experiences to share with us and is one of the leading respected doctors in africa. so we are honored to have you here with us today. thank you for joining us, margaret. [applause] and our panelist to my far left is dr. lynn black. lynn black is chairman of the board of last mile health. she's a physician director for network development and integration at mass. general hospital. she's on the clinical staff of the department of medicine and on the faculty of harvard medical school.

secretly serves as the chief medical officer of the international medical and surgical response team for the u.s. department of health and human services. her international work is quite extensive. she's worked on projects involving maternal child health, gender based violence and disaster relief. she's worked in a number of places all over the world, haiti, liberia, chad, dominican republic, micronesia. she serves on the mass general hospital ethics committee. her own bachelor's degree was in nursing from the university of vermont. or masters in public health was from university of north carolina, and she completed her internal medicine residency at cornell. dr. black has just returned from liberia where she is the chair of one of the frontline organizations, last mile health, which is working tirelessly to solve the current ebola outbreak. so i'll come, dr. black.

[applause] >> let me jump right in to our conversation, and i'd like to ask each of our panelists to begin with opening remarks. what is happening now with the ebola crisis, and what must be done? let me start with you, francis. >> well, thank you, peggy, for the welcoming remarks. your question is basically asking us to state very clearly, which would then asking for, praying for, now been put on our tables, on our agenda by the ebola outbreak in western africa. four years we have been baking, crying, shouting, lobbying for african health systems. and we haven't had the support that we've been asking for. so basically they told us that

until and unless you have in each and every country a system for addressing the medical health needs of the population you are at risk from your exporting the whole world to risks now with ebola. that to me -- [inaudible] >> francis, could you speak to a moment about when you were leading the medical service in uganda, kenya spiegel that about that experience and what was different about that than what we are facing right now? >> in the year 2000, uganda had a big outbreak of ebola. because it's now -- nothingness by the current epidemic we have. this epidemic we had, we held the record for the largest

outbreak, 425 patients, 425. and at that time what happened with that disease in northern uganda was the killing of people. they bled through orifices, high fevers, and then the doctor in the hospital where these patients were admitted called the ministry of health, said something funny is going on here, could you please come? so that was only a day in october. the next day the ministry said people to the site, and they come back with medicine three days later. we have diagnosis of ebola. and as soon as the ministry of health new that ebola in the north of uganda, 97 meetings

were held. we got the news to w.h.o. to come out at 2:00. by 4 p.m. we had a big meeting in the minister of health, chaired by the minister of health and sell. we got people to go into the internet to understand what ebola was, and the next day we found were epidemic was. we also found because of the infrastructure which is already present in the country that the local health workers, together with the government and administrators, had already organized themselves. patients were all in one ward and people who were treating them were unaware of that that they have to be careful about getting this disease, whatever it was. and from there on the national task force on ebola took charge.

w.h.o. came in about two weeks later, but by the time they came, after they found that assistance was in place, but they came with new knowledge which we didn't have. they totally -- they had supplies was we didn't have. then later it would've been another three weeks or so, cdc from your arrived with a field lab. and that was the first time we were using that lab, and it made our work so much easier because now instead of taking specimens from suspected patients 400 kilometers away, it would, the diagnosis would be made on the spot. and then we would be able to say this patient is negative, go back to the community, this one is positive, go to the isolation

unit. so really the message is that there was an early, robust response. in the end we ended up with a medicine which was led by communities. the uganda had a lot of upheavals over time, but by now when we have settled down, we are a governance system which was established in the country so that every village has a system of leaders who are lifted by themselves. and it is those leaders who took over identification, bringing the cases to the centers for diagnosis and so on. and those are leaders who were tracking themselves so that if the leaders knew that in such and such a home there is someone who is not well, they would

intervene and they would be trusted. the message, get to the community, give to the same people who transmit these messages. so trust. >> francis, why has this not happened in sierra leone and liberia? >> well, i really don't know. i have been following, there are many in those three countries, a group of them was requested by w.h.o. because our experience. by the way, after the outbreak, the big one, we had three more outbreaks, and the number of cases was going down, down, down. i think margaret tells me the last one, one case. was brought under control because the experience is now they are and the public awareness is now there.

so in west africa what i suspect is that, first of all, two of those countries have just come out of war. we were in war in uganda but must've been 15 years after the big war. we have infrastructure in place. so it is likely that just the local government establishment in the country were not there strong enough for them to say something wrong is here. let's do something about it. so something going wrong, but there's no system for bringing in the authority in good time. that is what happened. and also from what i hear from colleagues who were there, there has been lack of trust between the population and the health system. i have got e-mails from

colleagues who are in those west african countries, saying that the population says ebola is just a trick by the government health market to get donor money. there is no ebola. so it's as bad as that. that needs to change. that really needs to change to answer your question. what needs to change, exactly focus should be on getting the communities themselves to own responsibility for stopping it. you know, building hospitals is good for those who are already -- but for more than anything else we need the committees so they don't carry on with traditional practices which spread ebola, and that there able like our people live in

uganda, -- to not pick up those that are suspected to be infected and bring them to the health system. so i'm not quite sure of the investments, if you compare community outreach. then the treatment, and, of course, also the area of developing vaccine in the wrong way. today, if we face had we stopped ebola, my answer would be get communities mobilized and they will be able to control and manage. >> thank you. we will also be talking about your book, "african health leaders" and also, francis, the title of this is who solves the ebola crisis. we will return to the. let's turn to try to.

market, w we're delighted to hae you here with us today. could you provide us with an opening thoughts about what is happening now with the crisis and what you think should be done? >> maybe i should start wit wita correction because the kids i handed over the president -- the immediate past president of the institution, and the second african told this post since 1947. i am the first african woman to hold this post, to be elected into this post. the association represent more than 9 million physicians all over the world, now 110 countries all over the world. and so i will speak as a health professional and i will say that, you know, leadership, contrary to what people think leadership is a concept that's known by the african people. they show africans understand what it is about. out the example, a proverb that

says that a leader without followers is just taking a walk. that same allow in proverb. so leadership is known in the african continent. i think what again, what he's been saying, i think what needs to be done is strengthening the leadership. developing the leadership. a lot of what he said is what needs to happen. i'm going to talk about leadership among health care professionals, and say that, and they keep saying this, if you haven't armory and to have the majors and the generals and colonels and you ask a new recruit, have you decided for the army? you can't win a war. then what's happening on the african continent. and african continent and the health profession and the other new recruits, you have the privates, you have that level of health workers but the senior health workers, the people who

are taking the decisions that need to be done are outside the continent. they are outside in other countries looking. so we need to see how we can support the young professionals who are on the continent. in terms of skills come in terms of just reassurance, in terms of mentoring that i think that is again under the area where resources me to go to, to have the healthiest countries where the professionals are together the and especially the senior professionals. so we need some leadership development there. i want to add that i think those of us who are still there in the african countries who are the senior specialist, a senior professionals who are there, i think the world needs to listen to more what we think should be happening. we have not been consulted, not by anyone really. decisions are being made on

where resources should go, and no one is saying you guys on the ground, what do you think should happen. we do have a few of us there but we are, some of us are there. that is certainly happening. continue consulting. you spoke about the whole community which is very, very important. just to show that the last case that we had was the one case in uganda that had infected and was infected -- the lab had been set up in uganda. i was in charge of the case management, and i prepared my staff and we had that definition, case definition, a group and everything. nobody turned up. nobody came because that one person, they were able -- we only got one case. what i want to say is it did not take much resources.

by the time government said were looking around for money, we are ebola free or 21 days later. so in other words, cost effective, more cost effective to do that sort of thing. so maybe i just want to see a lot of money those in treatment in the african continent. very little money goes to health promotion. that's going to be looking at and, therefore, dealing with this epidemic or the outbreak is not to say we have made a deal to make sure, to deal with this one issue but we need to move on and strengthen the system in terms of prevention. when you look at africa as a whole, the system, the countries down to the eastern and southern part of the continent are more developed in terms of integrated disease surveillance systems, emergency preparedness or respond.

there's been more been done for so many reasons and, therefore, we need to raise the profile in the western part come in the western sub sahara but in the western part of west africa. the western part of africa. so we need to be strengthening those systems as well. so money, if anybody is dealing with this outbreak, it should not be thinking about only immediate what should be their own goals. the midterm and long-term in a long-term will it not a greater health system. >> thank you, margaret. let me turn to you, len. many in this room are really afraid that ebola will turn into a worldwide epidemic and phenomenon. you have just returned. you immediately aware of the panic that is happening right now. in your opening remarks can also address whether you believe this will become a worldwide

phenomenon? what are you seeing right now? and what has to happen? and help us sitting here in the united states understand a little bit about what has gone wrong and your organization, last mile health, at the front lines, what is going right? i give you about four questions. >> thank you. i just want to start off saying i'm really so impressed that all of you have turned out today. this is such an important topic, everybody gives me hope to see that you are all in the august. i am so humbled to be sitting here with these two amazing leaders in africa, and an author like i can learn from them. and i'm here to do what they can to help you. i just want to start off saying that. i'm going to back up and just do a minute about last mile health which is the organization i'm working with and liberia do.

we actually, the founder of our organization is liberia. so we do have that peace. i'm not a liberia can. we've been there since 2007. the civil war ended in 2004 and it was a 14 year civil war. it was brutal and decimating. it destroyed communities. it destroyed families. if one can imagine can the country be left with ptsd? i think it can be. it was a brutal, brutal war. 2004, that's only 10 years ago. so we're talking about a country where we have president sirleaf who is the president their who has been gradually building but definitely building this country back with improvements in many sectors. the child mortality rate has dropped.

so we have this. we have gone in, and our mission, we are a healthy group -- health group, which we to reach the remotest areas, the poorest people, and believe that everyone deserves health care, quality health care. so the models come you're supposed to come to the health center, and we just switched it around and we decided we would train, going to the villages, meet with the leaders, identify people and train a professional staff of front-line health workers and give them all the tools with training, supervision, equipment, pay, ongoing supervision. and we've got into an area that is 15,000 square miles of -- excuse me, 1500, 1500 square miles of dense rainforest and we

have 100% coverage for child illnesses right now. so it is so doable. so this is the footprint. we're in southeast liberia, working with the minister of health under their leadership. and then ebola comes. and it's changed everything. we've gone from our vision is long-term to being asked, could we not respond to the ebola response? well, we are not disaster -- we are not disaster responders, but we are there, and there's a moral imperative and we have a footprint there. so what we have done is the health care workers, we have gone out there all now trained on ebola education. we are now working with ramping up the primary health centers around ebola, of which most have been deserted, really understood by the health care worker.

if you have the right equipment, if you are fed fear, fear has done terrible things. we talk of what's happening in the united states around here right now. so it's understandable they have left. but if we can bring them education, bring them back to work and make this transition from the community health center to primary health center to the major hospitals or the ebola treatment units, we can get this under control. it just has to reach all the way into the communities as you were saying earlier. ..

what has happened is we are seeing really such a fearful reaction in the united states. >> tell us what is happening there. >> let me just talk about ebola, the infection, for a second. ebola is very frightening. i do not want to get ebola. is a very frightening illness.

however it is very difficult to get ebola. let me tell you, influenza, which kills many more people, is so much easier to get. ebola, you have to have contact. you have all heard this, with bodily fluids. i will be kind of graphic year. you have to have somebody vomiting on you. in addition, a mother with a baby who is vomiting or a sister or brother who is vomiting or profuse diarrhea. cleaning up children. i am being very graphic but i think this is what we need to understand you have to have contacted get ebola. if somebody has ebola and they have a fever and muscle aches with it, you can't get it from them unless they spit upon you.

it is not a very contagious disease in that way. the fear in the united states which we are seeing if somebody has ebola keep them away. yes, we need to do appropriate management. i hope i have got this correct, in ebola would treatment in liberia, i can tell you is the best care. it is extraordinary care. it is said in part they are able to give the care and are well protected. the health care workers have to be protected. what happened in texas, they are using what we call it standards that have been set earlier for ebola in africa which did not include full protective deer that we all seek and includes

gloves and a mask, and exposed skin, and exposed hair. there was some of that that took place in texas which is why the nearests got sick. however i want to address why is it ok for that to be the standard of protective gear in africa and not here? it is horrifying to me. the standard should be the same everywhere. let me ask you. >> are you worried that all of the attention about ebola coming to the u.s. will take attention away from places in africa where it needs to be before people say this is hopeless, there is no ability to address it. what is the narrative you want people to understand about how to stop it? >> that is such a good question. the thing that i can say is this

is frightening, this is serious and we can take control of it. we can absolutely control list. the issue is we need to have people like you support getting resources into the communities and develop our health care workers and i will put in a plug the we are following this up closely with primary health care teaching for our community health workers doing ebola teaching. ebola will be back in a couple of years. this has to be a full continuum of managing this. >> thank you. let me ask all of you this question. i was imagining the beginning of the crisis the ebola crisis with that in october but actually it began at the end of 2012 and the

first identified cases in march. 7 months later. how best to understand what happened and why investment in global health in africa were not enough to allow those countries to address the crisis. let me start with you. >> it was december 20th. if we go back to the infrastructure in the countries, it started in guinea as a place where we come to get there. and away from the capital. unless you got into the system, fixing up what happened -- what happened in that, where it is.

the message for us here it is if we are looking at creating a global system that protects not just africa but the americans and australians and italians all together should focus on investing in primary health care so in each and every country, through international arrangement systems, picking up something else with infectious diseases. and in malaria and those who have ebola today. we care is an international community.

>> this is doable under the name of universal coverage. it is doable. it is a matter of the world's organizing and ensure that each and every country and community is a system for the people. >> where things have gone through after seven months, what more should the international community be doing now, why should it happen that we haven't bought it in check in the community be like? >> what we are talking about are not the only countries -- we need to recognize what is around those countries. and stronger health system is

like nigeria which quickly to deal with it, a good response and been able to cover the spread. i think we need to do a bit more in terms of doing a bit more in terms of finding out exactly why the other countries around there have not had the same experience because they have been in conflict too. the global village is more -- the local village and when you have a village and people are on one side of the village who have an issue as you are on the other side with the other side of the village, to deal with it on the other side. that is what is coming up, to look at the world as one world and not looking at it as

something else. the other thing is from the services, we should not take it for granted. the wealthy countries in that part of the world have problems with information and we need to make sure this information and communications systems we have, with this situation, what we felt with this problem in 2000. to know about this, seeking information. we need to make sure we have this information everywhere in the world. >> that is the powerful point of

communication because depending on what you know or don't know, and the media houses, communications people have a key role to play. and the dependency we saw in the outbreak in view gone that in 2000, some of them may be in the houses that are difficult to handle. and argue very strongly that you are the one who is causing the up problem. that has been here yesterday in this country and the activity here or there over the public,

report responsibly. i don't know but delivery here, different thinking like many people within you gone the. i interrupted you. >> the ministry of health. why do you think? >> that is correct, when you are sort of watching the international -- listening to the radio is, you know, some of these. and the epidemic, where is the president of liberia? for the minister of health or the task force because in you gone the we have a lot of

international people, under command of the government of you done that, and they were issued and no one else and it was ok where we had to follow this and we appreciate it very much but we asked to speak in the country. that could be one of the problems. as local people, because seeing them speak for the epidemic also increases the continent towards being strapped of the communities for their leaders and helps them more. my appeal, you should support local and leadership and local ownership and local contractor building because the leader,

actually, you can't say they are not there. >> this is a good moment to turn to this magnificent book isil which we are featuring today that was edited by "after the bell," the head of the u.k. health system in the house of lords, why did you write this book, why did you want to name this discussion to solve the ebola crisis? >> the book is titled isil. look at what is happening in africa, things that are not reported. a lot of things about africa by non africans. this book, this situation would

have to continue that. one is and englishmen. the book has catalogued success by african individuals who in 14 countries have each done something which has made the difference, using local resources, using their own communities. let me give you some examples. in malawi, reducing the momentum in malawi, and 16% in a short time because of the ecb issue, and those with local traditional leader to get women to go to clinics to build the center's in

the sites where we can come and wait, for the river that comes and so on and so on. that is one beautiful set. another beautiful story is from you gone up also. in 2001, and american leaders said africans -- that treatment because they had taking the along time. to take these drugs. this man said not that. the narration, one of the biggest areas of clinics in africa because of the ammunition and commitment, he was helped and so on. and they started over and to

contact what was written by the minister--the prime minister. when he was minister of health they got independent, the progeny's left in those countries. he started to trade and now that program has done so well because of these technicians and now you don't have to have that. in some countries, that situation but that is something. so that is one message. the second message of the book

is about us. there is one more. so much. but we believe in the book the we have let our people down. the leadership which we should be showing to our communities in many ways has been wanting. what we called them in the book, please step up. africa and now is a different africa. then things went very bad. africa is better. and one african initiative, the african union transformed, which is more people -- and also popular it engagement, take

power by force, not allowed because of that -- wide economic growth and more hopeful again. and several of the africans who are here, and to ensure leadership. and what margaret was saying, the situation in why the area, sierra leone and so on. the ones who were there for as to develop institutions in each and every country which were led by people like me and others, africa would transform veterans we need your help to separate

africa during this. >> the book is for sale. i want to leave enough time for q&a but i believe we cut you off. i am so sorry. in our enthusiasm. >> i want to say that talking about leadership, the african political leaders. in this situation this is what happened. it is one thing, finding an epidemic, asking them to speak. in terms of the country. expecting us to challenge. i want to say in africa and government, so many declarations

and policies, it is the implementation where you need to implement -- it was what was happening in this country but in that traditional medicine is the medicine of africa. everything else is alternative. and when you look at 60% of africans go to a traditional healer as the first point of contact and they continue that. the african governments have agreed it is traditional and national health none of them have done that. he has not done as well as it should. in order to deal with that, at not engage in with communities

and in general not able to get to those cycles and that alone is another weakness of the system. i come from a country of such -- 36 of that. >> we have countries in africa with only one set. and psychiatric nurses, and in these countries where they have come, for those things and those problems it is in place and that is coming in. and that is what they have. there's a little bit more money in mental health, more

specialists and we have services for people. >> turn to the audience. do we have microphones? we have one on this side and one on the other side of the room. questions from the audience for any one of our panelists? wait for a second for the microphone and tell us your name and organization. thank you. >> rosemary of the historical society. i was going to ask the do you have any sense of where people are catching the disease? and why do you think that would be? >> to return. >> take that. >> i will start with that.

it was traced back to that and it comes from an animal, and areas of guinea, that was bush meat, that was the first source to come from, now actually more person to person. not really, not eating bush meat. the contagion is more person to person but once this gets under control that does exist in the environment in animals. >> elaborate briefly on that. a residence, the humans and get

in contact to pick of the disease. ebola has been an endemic in the central african region. south sudan, central african republic. this is the first time we saw at ebola, it is going to be there, it is a matter of up and down. and should be prepared for ebola at now. >> another problem quickly on that. >> a lot of other each use like the environment in terms of people moving into that environment and where they should not be living. and living much nearer. and one of the recommendations

that came out in terms of cutting down on these epidemics were integrated. integrating -- linking animal health surveillance systems with human health, usually what we are hearing is whenever you have something coming out, animals dying for s before did people begin to die. the animals, the animal health profession in that arianna actually get to know this before so we should recommend that linking of the two in terms of prevention. >> a few questions in the back. tell us your name and organizations and question. right here.

over here on this side. this gentleman right here and this woman. let's take a couple questions. the gentleman in the front and the woman in the second row right behind. >> i am -- i work in d.c.. and my question is what i the challenges in the supply chain that are going on with the epidemic right now? in terms of what is happening in you gone back and liberia? >> for those who couldn't hear, one of the challenges in the supply chain that are happening? let's take a couple questions and turn to a woman right here. >> i-man educational consultant in colombia. at like to know how full party's traditional medical people.

are they supportive? do they have authentic information? this is the first person who infected people close to see. >> the question here, and -- >> the surgeon general, there are 2 doesn't outbreaks in ebola since it first emerged in 1976. what are the lessons we learned, and community out reach and community workers. and how did they die out in these. and they don't develop ebola or antibodies formed. >> one more question over here.

>> have a question. someone is contract to bull, the individual who has the virus. you seem to say that is not a concern, that you have to be thrown up on or have diarrhea on yourself. very graphic here. this is the major concern and almost makes the disease airborne. >> we have good questions, whether the challenges in the supply chain? traditional medical personnel. are they use for not in this situation? the third question is what lessons have we learned? there have been multiple outbreaks in ebola in terms of contagion, sneezing. let's begin with you. would you like to respond to any of those questions? >> i would love to respond to them all but i won't.

i will start quickly with the traditional healers because that is something we work within liberia. they usually operate with their own traditional belief systems, not as a rule integrated into what is known as western scientific medicine. it speaks to why is it is so important that we actually are speaking again in the communities, reaching out to traditional heroes, we are reaching out to the religious leaders in the area. ..

just to elaborate on that, the health systems have been there all the time and they are near the people and that they are attracted by the people and actually help the people otherwise no one would be using them at all. particularly we have a psychiatrist with us here. a practice that we have done and

communication is very powerful. the african union itself together with who has plans to integrate traditional health systems into the normal health systems. everything is written up but from country to country the message and one of the lesson's [inaudible] this is one of the lessons to integrate the traditional health systems so that they are one

system. >> can i give you an example? we were given three months of traditional medicine and document we try to do understand. this was intended to change our attitude is so we don't look at them like people we should get rid of. when you talk about integration it so that the health workers -- >> the question she's asking is do the traditional healers in the country have the information they need blacks if you haven't gotten them in the system, then you can't get to them, so i think that what you are saying is that it is not happening. it's happening in many countries

in that they attempt to do that. >> in >> what other challenges blacks >> one is having enough material that we need, the agents for the blood testing and then we start to talk to the remote areas and we have to remember that many of these areas during the long rainy season for us in the southeast it's is about 350 miles we can make that in about seven or eight hours.

it was a two day journey. so imagine if you are sick and you need to get from one place to the next place. it needs to be addressed aggressively right now to getting the materials out. >> what would be the recommendation for people that want to support? we have requested this applies to go. we have this material titled we just go ahead and send it. we find out what is actually requested and needed and then

you go through a number of organizations like the director relief which will get the material over there. the next piece is actually supporting ongoing involvement about the infrastructure and road building, telecommunications. we need support for those areas because the bandwidth on the telecommunications is a small so small most of the calls are getting dropped. >> let's address the question about the sneezing and contagions. >> you have to get in contact with the infected person at the time when the disease is active. so if i sneeze i will discharge

from my respiratory system and can contaminate and infected another passenger. the description as if she said the mucus from an infected passenger. let's repeat the point of ebola is not contagious -- i have been there and you can see i'm still here. >> let's take some more questions. >> the fact that you are still

here rings me back to the question on antibodies. so i think the antibody question is a very good question and we don't have data on that right now. that is one of the things that is being looked at in addition to right now investing and looking at are there markers for ebola before someone becomes symptomatic. that's something that would be incredibly helpful. are there ways when someone is in the early stages of the disease to make that diagnosis, that is another piece. but in terms of antibodies, we know the people that have had ebola and survived intact developed antibodies we believe they are resistant to the disease for ten years and so i'm shifting a little bit to the stigma which is so profound we

are going to start doing is hiring for people who have had ebola and what better person to come work with us then someone that is experienced the disease and has antibodies against it and what what would've been due would that do to their stature and their community that they are now in st and healthcare worker. >> [inaudible]

>> i think the most important thing with ebola is infection control. if you have control you have water and soap and things like that. if you look at the situation in uganda it's more than just even that because it's also a awareness and being conscious and knowing that this can happen and how it presents itself. what tends to happen is the community says something that might be ebola can immediately we have a system where people go and compile the whole list of contracts that we have at it and then they are seen every single day by the growth.

we check on them in connection with the communities. it's important and that sort of awareness. it's not cheap and easy to do. health workers you need to have enough of them and skilled and have them motivated so you need to that. the third one is health literacy [inaudible] >> there are many lessons.

you need to be able to know that it's happening in this area someone comes and deals with it from the higher system. then the other lesson, by the way, is that once an outbreak, very robust action needs to take place around the communications and then around isolation and treatment.

and with supplementing money it is a very important point. even when we know what to do we know what we should be doing. so just these ropes of leadership, management and governance again the health systems which the mechanism it now takes a long time. another key lesson about the health caucus it is part of the

professional hazards. the health workers need to know. and in fact to prepare them you are going into this area. and like that outbreak the element of the retired colonel and a health worker has died at [inaudible] where you go to treat the

patients, it's important for the health workers to know that. >> the gentle man in the white shirt. please tell your name and organization. >> i'm from the center of security and policy. i heard that there are other regions of the ebola outbreak in the culture for example in the ceremony [inaudible] is there another example and is

there any other solution that goes on? >> of the gentle man over here and then we will go over there. >> my name is benjamin and i am with the international community. at least 70 members of the congress have supported a travel ban from the area. can you just talk on the effect of a travel ban of the area would have on combating the disease? >> future of peace operations. my question is very short. before building a robust health system don't you need to address the widespread corruption first? >> and this gentleman right here. >> with npr. i was wondering what the adjacent countries are doing right now to fortify their health systems and has ebola

harm to their ability to do so due to the allocation of the funds? >> i think i saw someone else with their hand up. is there someone i missed? yes please. wait for the microphone until it is to you. >> i have some knowledge of the african health system. mine is not a question but to raise an important issue that panel talked about. spike are you from an adjacent country lacks >> i came back from doing a workshop in azerbaijan and from one of the affected countries to see how they are prepared to respond in the case of ebola. and why do we keep saying to be

prepared and try to respond, the countries liberia, sierra leone and guinea have a weak health care system and then you cannot do a good surveillance. so by the time there was something going on it was too late. since 2005, we know what is spreading in that area so we have a good system but something like ebola would come so the health system is key that we advocate for malaria and breast cancer and money in the health care system because these are the things to think about.

they've responded. why? because we have the issues and resources in place to go and respond so it can be done for other countries in the region so let's put more money into health care system. the communications. some of the practices are where it needs to be healed but we need to talk to the community so they understand the situation to get rid of the practice to get used for ages. so communication is talking with the community to get the trust.

>> thank you so much. i think we have a couple questions and only a few minutes to close. first is the handling of dead bodies as it relates to culture. the second is the travel ban and the endorsement of many in the congress on how that will affect and the third is about corruption and forth is from a colleague about the adjacent countries so let me ask would you like to respond first? >> i could respond to them all that i will start at the top. i do want to be very careful and not make it sound like it's crazy. this is people carrying and how they say goodbye. this is how they honor their families. in our culture often we also

case a dead person that is deceased or we touch them or hold their hand. so i want to be very careful as we describe death rituals that we are not talking about something very bizarre. there's just a washing of the body and a ceremony. but it speaks to and i think you said it very eloquently at the education and engaging their religious leaders. people need to know that if they don't do that, their mother, father, child, loved one, brother, sister will be okay and they are not deserving them -- d. searching deserting them. i also want to say something about the corruption. corruption is everywhere.

and i think that corruption does need to be dealt with by the way that but the way that you can deal with it is simultaneously with strengthening. you can't just get rid of corruption and then bring something else in. it's a simultaneous process. so i think your question is a good one and many people have asked if we give money to this as it is just going to go into corruption and i don't think that is the case with the situation at all but i do think that your question is a good one. >> i want to make sure that we get to the questions of the travel ban. can anyone talk about the travel ban in africa? >> a number of countries when you enter uganda every single

person has their temperature taken in the list and i feel very comfortable about that. what i'm saying is when you start this debate been banned from coming into the world is such that you don't know where people have been, they might go to europe, by the time they come into washington a bit to 64 countries and the other thing is because of the nature of the onus of south were somewhere else or by the time you get to washington -- the other thing is we do need help out of their. we need to be allowed to come

back. we need to be able to go and come out. >> quickly because we are out of time. >> and the middle income countries it is being wasted and it goes into corruption but as we talk about the government sector we must make sure those of us that are outside of the government sector can continue and the groups that are needed. >> of this book is about your attitude because in the way you ask the question is an attitude

question. what stops this attitude about africa or nothing will change. africa is not only corrupt. there are very good things happening and we are about strengthening everything including addressing corruption. don't help africa because they are corrupt. that is very bad and i beg you not to repeat a question like that. thank you. >> we need to bring this to a close and i would ask the panelists to say one thing they are hopeful about or or would ask everybody in this room or in the audience to do beginning with you very quickly. is that >> i am very hopeful that we will combat this ebola epidemic because there are people like you in the audience who will do

what you can and what you have learned in situations like this that you can do to help this and i'm very grateful for that and having just come back from liberia i am so grateful for those that i've worked with and if you want to hear about role models and people that will inspire you and bring you to your knees with the work they are doing, that's what really gives me hope. >> when the epidemic does grow lights continue to keep on these issues because in many of the countries where women are giving birth up to 1,000 women die.

the disease is huge and disproportionate to the population but i also want to say we are getting somewhere and i think we can do a lot when we are together. the health professionals and the countries we have only 4,000 doctors in the populations. we are saying we need more health workers out there to come and help. so should i not reconsider coming and helping with this problem because the survival of our trust the debate -- africa is the survival of the world. >> i would like to see more

effort being put into the mobilizing communities and to stop new infections. something is being done and i wish more could be done. that is the quickest way to stop and then once they we are finished with all this, let's all work to create a global system where no one is left behind and i would like to society to be part of this. >> let me turn to the deputy director to give some closing remarks. >> thanks for holding this conversation and helping all of us and fight these folks here. i feel so honored to have you here today. you've given time to share ways in which we can do something.

today they wrote a letter to the world posted in the "washington post" and all africa.com where she says the time for talk is over. the most powerful thing for me is sharing this advice and good word. the folks that manage all of the communications and the folks that put together, rachel and others, thank you for putting this together and thank you all for coming. a plus

>> this afternoon president obama will meet with the newly appointed response coordinator ron. we will look for video or comments on the c-span networks. politico writing about american confidence in the government on ebola writing americans have become less confident in recent weeks in weeks and federal governments ability to fight in the u.s. according to the new poll is released tuesday says 60% of americans said they were very or somewhat confident in the ability to handle the virus. that is down nine percentage points when 61% of americans express confidence in october 12 when they found 60% of americans were confident in the government to handle the situation. read more on that on

politico.com. last night florida republican governor rick rick scott at his challenger and former republican governor charlie crist in a debate that will air again tonight at 8 p.m.. governor scott is running for the second term and mr. charlie crist decided not to seek the election in 2010 but lost to marco rubio and last year he left the gop. here's a bit from that exchange last night. are you saying there are so many races you couldn't remain a republican? crist: my other grandfather are republican and they don't have a racial bone in their body -- racist bone in their body. what is at work if you remember back in 2008 some of the e-mails that were distributed about the president by some members are not all, of the republican party, they were not exactly flattering.

i think you can research and find out what i'm talking about but it wasn't right. and i can tell you the reaction that i had forgotten about gotten about some in the republican party leadership was a possible 20. it was pretty clear to me it wasn't because i was wanting to work across the aisle to get the recovery funds to come to florida it was also apparent because it was the first african-american president. i don't enjoy saying that. it isn't fun to say that i'm but i'm going to tell the truth and those are the facts. >> moderator: governor scott? scott: you are a divider. the entire time you've been in politics what you've done -- you are a divider. look at what we have. we live in a wonderful state and we are the best melting pot in the world. we have so many wonderful people that come from all over the world and you want to try to

divide. i want everybody to have the same shots i have. >> moderator: governor backs? crist: i worked across the aisle and this governor, governor rick scott won't work with the president even to get high-speed rail which is so important to central florida and eventually the whole state, $2.4 billion to florida some say 60,000 jobs he will not lift a finger to get medicaid expansion done and as a result of millions watching tonight are not getting health care again today as a result of that in action on his part plus would bring 120,000 jobs. scott: first you left me with a $3.6 billion deficit, borrowed $9 billion everything you could than you left billions of

dollars cost into you want to talk about medicaid. you were governor when it passed. why didn't you get it passed )-right-paren and expanded rights and? crist: i had worked with the federal government as an example, something that you wouldn't do. you wouldn't lift a finger. you can watch the entire debate from jacksonville between governor rick scott and challenger charlie crist tonight at 8 p.m. eastern. the final debate between the two 8:00 eastern on c-span2. on october 8 the new in new york 21st congressional district democrat aaron woolf, elise stefanik and green party candidate matt funicello. it includes franklin, clinton and washington counties and bill owens is not seeking reelection. the rothenberg political report rating the race as a tossup.

hello and welcome to time warner cable news on the debate on capital tonight. i will be serving as the moderator of this evening along with my colleagues brian dwyer who covers the watertown area and matt hunter who covers the land falls. this district covers more square miles and any other in the state and includes all or part of 12 counties. it's currently represented by democrat bill owens said he decided not to seek reelection. three candidates hoping to replace him are elise stefanik, democrat aaron woolf and independent matt funicello. all three are participating and agreed to the following rules the debate will be one hour long and we will include as many questions as we have time for. the candidate will be given one minute to answer and their opponents will get each 45 seconds to respond. rebuttals will be allowed at the discretion of the moderators.

halfway through the candidates will each be allowed to ask a question to one or both of their opponents and later there'll be a lightning round, everyone's favorite, where the candidates will only be allowed to answer yes or no. each candidate will get one minute for an opening statement in the closing statement and the chance to ask the other candidates one question. the order was selected by a draw. first is elise stefanik. go ahead. a stefanik: thank you so much and i want to thank time warner news for the opportunity to participate today. i also want to take a moment to think the congressman. while we may disagree on certain issues, i commend him for his book service and his constituent services representing the 21st district. for the viewers this evening, my name is elise stefanik and i'm proud to say i was born and raised in upstate new york. i grew up in a family where i learned of the challenges of creating jobs in today's economy. i was the first member to have the opportunity to graduate from

college and after graduating college i worked in washington for six years focused on public policy. i chose to move home to the north country to help my family's small business grow and over a year ago i announced my candidacy for congress. i'm running because washington is broken and we desperately need new ideas and a new generation of leadership to focus on creating jobs in deceiving the economy right here in the north country, standing up for our liberties especially in the second second amendment and replacing obamacare with reforms that put you in charge of your health care area i think the other candidates that are here and i look forward to the next debate. >> moderator: mr. funicello? funicello: i'm running for congress and the green party. i'm speaking to the people watching the debate, the green candidates are often not allowed or encouraged to participate in the debates with mainstream media and i would like to thank

very much time warner cable and the republican after the credit candidates aaron woolf and elise stefanik for graciously allowing us to participate in that process tonight created rather historic. but i would also like to see that i'm the only candidate candidate born in the district, raised in the district and who lives in the district, works in the district and pays people in the district. and basically i don't think that's the only thing that is important in a congressional race. i think it's important in sending a voice in congress that represents you as part of the working class. >> moderator: thank you. woolf: thank you to my colleagues here and to you all. it's an honor to be here tonight. my name is speaking levin and i've had a home home in elizabethtown since 1968. when our house burnt down we build a new one with help from friends and neighbors and rebuilding that home was an investment not only in the

future of my family but in our places in the community. over the years i've helped build trails and to serve on community conservation board and sold and distributed products from farmers and last year i worked with republicans and democrats to help save small town houses in the jobs they support. my father's ashes are here in the district and my daughter's best friend is here and monday i picked her up and dropped her off at school. i'm running for congress because i want her to have a future as both. we have to fight for top quality education, we have to fight for our veterans and make sure local businesses have the tools they need to succeed and to make sure people that work for a living and not only survive but thrive. there's a lot of dysfunction in washington and i know that to make things better we need independent commissioner responsible for the and hard work, what i grew up learning in the north country. >> moderator: thank you all very much. the first question goes to you mr. woolf.

the u.s. again is involved in military action in the middle east in the form of airstrikes against the group known as isis. president obama says no boots on the ground as you know, and instead he wants to arm cerium rebels so they can battle the militants. would you have voted in favor of that proposal and often what do you think of the country's long-term strategy in the region? woolf: you know i don't like to engage in hypothetical questions of what i or what i not have that this is a voluntary changing situation and i would say i am not for the information of president obama or even congressman owings has about this. i'm very skeptical about the boots on the ground and i think airstrikes may be an important steps and he helped to weaken isis but we've should think about our allies on the ground. they have standing armies of hundreds of thousands of men and women i suppose and they should absolutely be in the first line.

we should work in concert with other nations in the region but i would also like to point out that my opponent, elise stefanik was a director of the policy initiative, one of the most hawkish foreign-policy think tanks in washington and they advocate breaking off her boots on the ground. this is something that we deeply do not want. stefanik: we are here today because of the field leadership and this is another vote for the foreign-policy of president obama and even his own secretary defense and secretary of state said he should have acted sooner and addressed the issue of the icy debate for raising isis. we have a weak commander-in-chief and i would be sure to the military commanders advice and i certainly think we need a strong commander-in-chief that speaks clearly and with conviction about what the role in the wilderness and i think one of the commander-in-chief has executive authority to take these actions i think he should go you should go to congress anytime there is a discussion

engaging around the world. it's important in this district and around the world in the most deployed unit in the army that these considerations to military commanders are taken seriously. >> moderator: mr. funicello? funicello: it's important to remember george w. bush and his administration put us in the middle east unconstitutionally. congress didn't declare a war in afghanistan or iraq. we bombed and invaded the nations and we didn't do so according to the law and our own country. we've continued since world war ii to the side of the doctrine that only congress shall declare war. my answer whether we should be taking isis as a serious threat or involving ourselves in the middle east is of course we shouldn't be unless congress is going to declare war. authorizations to the military force are questionably legal. there is no decision when it comes to whether or not they are

legal internationally. they are not. we are defiling the international law as well as our own constitution and i would never do that or vote and i would hope neither does my opponent would either. >> moderator: thank you very much. thank you speaking for momentary issues, towards the economy for the north country and what it does we all know "but it has over a billion dollars economic engine for the north country. we've seen the study of it was the worst-case scenario if they were going what would happen. it would be disastrous. we all know it's important and my question about that is as a congress member you would be the new person on the block. what have you done to make sure that your voice would be heard in congress as a new person to the people making that decision.

stefanik: protecting and strengthening for drum has been the cornerstone of my campaign since i declared my candidacy a year ago, and i'm the only candidate standing here this evening with a proven record of fighting back against the sequester that is gutting the nation's military. i was part of the coalition fighting back against the sequester which led to losing a brigade at fort drum. my commitment i talked about on the campaign trail and people in the community i would request to serve on the armed services committee and on a bipartisan basis with other members of the new york state publication. senator gillibrand and senator schumer is an opportunity to work on bipartisanship to strengthen the military post in the district. i also would ensure that in discussion for the east coast missile defense at fort drum would be considered for that. given the commitments on the campaign trail there would be no advocate of strengthening and fighting against the sequester them myself in this race.

>> moderator: mr. funicello? funicello: thank you. we've used the military in the united states for a number of decades really post world war ii as economic development which is a travesty. the united states military is there to defend the united states if it is under attack. at the bottom line is for drum has economic development within the district and its obviously unimportant. the fact is when we are looking at the government and threatening cards should we hide our heads in the sand and pretend that one congressperson is going to see that or talk about the intelligence transition that could allow us to economically thrive? i would point out that mr. mccue wasn't against the base in the midst of his congressional district before the redistricting and when the federal government decides that's what it's going to do, they are nothing to fix the problem and neither is a brand name green candidate so we need

to look at a transition to a sustainable jobs that pay a living wage. >> fort drum has been a leader in the ideals on sustainability and the military knows better than anybody it's something they have to use all the time. i would be proud to follow congressman a.q. and ellen's footsteps. i think it is sustainable and i would applaud the contract to provide substantial home-grown energy and the economic partnership the fourth represents but i also think it's important to remember the unique military facilities. there is no on base hospital or school and be of the military and civilian families interacting and integrating with each other and to me that is a model where the more responsible military should go.

and as able as when we do have to make the decision to send fighting men and women into combat you're doing it with not some other but people that are in our community. that's what is unique about fort drum and one of the ways i could defend it very effectively. >> job creation and retention certainly a major issue in any race across the country and half any level of government but according to last month's poll, the number one issue for the likely voters in the state and when you look at the latest unemployment numbers by and large most of the counties in the 21st district that are performing well are here in the capital region by all those north and west are performing worse. what could you do as a member to ensure that this job growth is more equitable throughout the district? >> is important to know that for many years now the lobbying that is coming onto the congress

people who are in washington, d.c. has caused a situation where the corporations are deciding much like we have a centralized farming what areas of the country would would have been types of industry. this has created an on the reasonable microcosmic circulation of the small amount of capital. when you look at the global founders and the mark to market and the industries like farming going on in the other parts you are looking at examples of the centralized and decentralized versions of economic development that actually works. my point would be very simple. if you are going to establish a congress that is going to create jobs than you should do so using business people and i would say that again that's not really an answer that i'm 100% satisfied with swing going to have to bail out on the rest of it. >> moderator: mr. woolf?

woolf: i'm proud to support the small business council of america. i'm the only candidate on the stage that has made real recommendations on how to promote tax cuts. ms. stefanik has spoken about tax cuts globally. i'm talking it up a 20% tax cut for any business that hires a new employee or expands payroll. i think the other thing that is important to remember is we can promote small business by raising the minimum wage. it's something that i've come out very firmly in support of and my opponent, ms. stefanik, refused to take a stand either way. we have been having a conversation for years on this issue. i am in favor of raising the minimum wage and i think it's good for small business. but what we have to do is level the playing field because 25 of the 50 biggest corporations that pay no tax at all and unless mr. stefanik agree that we need to raise the field we will not get any jobs in the district.

>> moderator: ms. stefanik? stefanik: jobs are the number-one issue as they travel the district. we do business with hundreds of small businesses throughout the 21st district that they are lumber companies, cabinetmakers. we understand the challenges of employing people in the north country. i believe that we need to pursue fundamental tax reform, throw out the code, start from scratch and get rid of all of the loopholes that incentivizes the families to save more of their money and invest in a generation and also incentivize the small businesses to create the jobs and growth. we have to address the regulatory regime in this administration. it's hurting our family farms that have to fight back against these overreaching regulations. and we need to address obamacare health-care costs are one healthcare costs are one of the rising in the district. my family's business had a healthcare coverage canceled to

reiterate seen an increase up to 30% and additional 15% heading into next year so we need to address those issues and i want to take a moment to respond to the minimum wage issue. >> moderator: we are going to talk about the minimum wage obviously a parody of the obama administration and the real question is how the national federation of independent business said it would lead to job cuts and small businesses actually closing their doors. how do you strike a balance between forcing folks to increase their hourly wage and also protecting jobs? woolf: of the biggest thing is our wage inequality. we need to get a raise and this is good for small business and particularly good for retail

business. these are franchised small family-owned business is all of them have come out in favor of raising the minimum wage because they know they need to get their customers a raise. that will put more cash circulating in the economy and it's an important thing to do and it has the same effect of closing the gender gap. my opponent was the director of the platform which explicitly omitted closing the gender gap. >> moderator: but before we get there let me be clear when you talk about small businesses voluntarily raising the minimum wage is it fair to include franchisee up the food chain? how to small businesses get protected because you hear from them a lot that of that they will not be altered before it costs are rising as well.

woolf: the situation in the affordable care act -- stefanik: at small businesses across the district that i've heard from and when it comes to the minimum wage -- >> moderator: finish that thought. woolf: effect is healthcare costs are rising more slowly than they ever have a sense this has been measured. and premiums are rising and clearly there is some inequity of the affected businesses but this is a time in which it's going to be easier for the small businesses to provide insurance. >> moderator: ms. stefanik? stefanik: i excited i am open to raising the minimum wage as long as small business have a seat at the table but instead of focusing on the national corporations, we need to make sure that our businesses have a skin in the game.

we pay for 50 and above to all of our employees. so we make a conscious decision that we want to attract the best workers and i know that matt funicello does the same at his bakery and i have a tremendous effect for that. [inaudible] >> moderator: you will have the opportunity to ask a question later. stefanik: it's important to note that the minimum wage is different than national. do you know what it is for this district? >> moderator: we will have the opportunity to ask questions later on. >> moderator: the jobs program we are talking about basically taking a lot of jobs formed by economic development at the moment transitioning them into the sustainable renewable energy jobs and infrastructure that

would be paid for federally. when it comes to an imam wage there is a there's a simple answer, $15 an hour. they don't know what it is to live at that level. i also don't have healthcare as a small-business owner. i live with my workers. henry ford said what happened to the robber barons of yesteryear if we were going to be the force of labor and consumption and now letting wal-mart and mcdonald's decide how much we are going to make it stick by 2040 almost half of the in the service industry. it's enough to get off of the subsidized programs like housing and food stamps. i want to give you $15. that's what we deserve. >> moderator: another issue talked about nationally and in the campaign is social security. the possibility of raising the

retirement age has come up in those discussions. there's been some confusion. ms. stefanik can you clarify if you support the higher a higher retirement age and what it should be and also a little bit about your thoughts. stefanik: social security is an incredibly important program and when i think of social security i think think of not only seniors today but also future generations as i talk to seniors in the district they are not only concerned about the program for themselves but also for their grandchildren. my position is clear i would make no changes to the programs for 50 and above but we have to be honest we are facing tough decisions like the do-nothing approach that would bankrupt the social security and it won't be there for my age group and future generations. if i'm the only one that has the courage to not stick my head in the sand at work on a bipartisan basis how we can fix these for

future generations and i think everything should be on the table for those 50 and above, no changes. they need to be honored. >> moderator: also the higher retirement age. stefanik: no changes for 50 and above. i think that we should all consider that. >> moderator: mr. funicello? funicello: we know there's a simple answer and its hr 1029. it takes the tax cap that is currently at $117,000 raises it to $250,000 which should fund to social security for the foreseeable future. now the reality is there's very little sponsorship for the bill and it will probably be removed. i would ask why wouldn't you support that. i know what my answer would be. the republicans are looking to privatize for care and medicare and social security. we need to be careful about of that because how do you make something more efficient by taking money out of a fund that's already been built, how

do you make more money by building the profit margin into something that is currently nonprofit? the democrats won't raise it because they are very wealthy people saying we don't want to pay the extra money just like corporate america. woolf: of the republicans want to prayer ties social security. she said something very different on the campaign to she says a lot of things that don't represent what she has done. as the director of the republican party platform she directed the plan to privatize social security and also recommended boucher is a medicare which i would love to know your position today. >> moderator: hold on. woolf: the question on raising retirement age, i will not raise the retirement age and i would like to know somebody by her

definition at or near retirement what happens to somebody that is a year younger than me that's been paying into the system since they were teenagers when kennedy retired? elise stefanik has lived a very white-collar life and i don't know that you have ever worked manually for a living and i'm certain that that probably has. i don't know if you could say something to a 49-year-old working with their body and her their hands it's different than sitting behind a desk. >> moderator: if you want a chance. stefanik: absolutely. my name is on the ballot and its 2014. you and i both know i didn't read the platform and i've been very specific and voters deserve to know where i stand on these issues. this is exactly what people are so tired of, the partisan political attacks. when i had the courage to work on the bipartisan basis to fix these programs come and they deserve better. seniors deserve better as they are focusing on ensuring that their grandchildren have better opportunities and that these programs are there for them.

regarding whether i've had a job, you were the only multimillionaire running for this race. i'm proud of my experience working in my family's small business. our trucks are loaded five days out of the week delivering to companies all across the district. so with all due respect i'm proud of my work experience and i think it speaks for itself. >> going to change focus. residency has gained plenty of attention at the campaign and i believe it's something all of you if i'm not mistaken brought up in your opening remarks. in the ads, national campaigns in particular have criticized both you, mr. woolf and ms. stefanik growing up outside of the district and until recently not living in the district and in this question we will start with mr. funicello. should voters have any concerns on supporting a candidate that is outside of the 21st district? ..