make this a really effective plan for insuring that people can keep their healthcare plan if they like it and get coverage that they couldn'tly don't have. host: another 15 minutes. back to the 2010 elections. you've been asked to have this red to blue program for the dccc. headlines this morning. . .

guest: i think it is a really strong program. and i am looking forward to working with our candidates across the country and helping them with their individual campaigns and also to make sure that the democratic national can peek main committee has the kinds of tools that we -- bu-- e democratic national campaign committee has because the tools of we need in order to do the job of we did in the last election. host: as a member of the democratic caucus, what are you expected to contribute?

is a portion of it campaign donations? guest: by a relatively new member of congress and my allegations are not as great as my senior members. i try to meet maidu's quarterly. i write a check -- meet right used quarterly. a write a check quarterly. in addition to raising money for and own reelection efforts, and i think what we see here is that these midterm elections are always tough coming off the heels of a very successful general election in 2008. our members are making sure that they have shored up their own campaigns. but i agree with the speaker pelosi that this is a a a team effort. part of the effort is making sure that we pay our dues. host: as a member of the house

you are basically always fundraising. how difficult is it to balance that part in meeting with constituents? -- end a meeting with constituents? guest: requires time and you have a 24 hour day and you have to figure of which part of that day you can put to a fund- raising in which party can put to legislating in meeting with clients. i am in a relatively safe democratic district, but by face a primary challenge myself and i have to make sure i have to do both. being run constituents and being internal meetings and been visible in your community and hearing constituents, when you do that, people understand the value of your representation and they will want to support you independent of direct fund- raising. host: here is a call from mississippi, william and our democratic line.

caller: i would like to say thank you for accepting my phone call. and also, and with like to say that the democrats are doing an excellent job -- and i would like to say that the democrats are doing an excellent job. but there are three or four holes, only one that i have thought was in the intelligence. i would like for everybody to just take time note and think what this country would have come to give john mccain had taken over -- if it john mccain had taken over. obama is getting a backlash from the republicans, but nobody talks about that. host: william, thanks for your call this morning.

guest: i think william makes a point. the president and the congress started out, really, behind the eightball. losing jobs and the financial industry falling apart, the banking issues and we have had to climb out out of that he. -- out of that heat. we have put our time in and tackled many issues. health care reform, we will be looking toward a strong job creation, ensuring that women will receive fair pay as men. we have a strong agenda that we have already managed to work on under very difficult for consensus. but i've think democrats feel confident and strong going into

this election cycle and talking about what our agenda is and how progressive it is for the american people. i do not want to be defensive about it at all. i know for the candidates in the blue program -- in the red to blue program, they will be talking about that strength and their ability to join that agenda for 2010. host: next caller comes from texas. caller: i am a true independent know because a of having been a former republican, they were not listening to us and the democrats were not listening to us. and i am just shocked that the health care bill passed because there are lots of bad things in it, as you well know. and this is just a question because president obama promised

transparency and i was hopeful that he had it to, but obviously, most people had not seen or known what the final bill had in it because of objectionable things and simple things that cross nothing like having a free market access across state lines, that would cost you nothing. i would go for more transparency on everybody's part. and all of this name calling, i mean, i am a baby tea party person, but i resent being called a 80 bagger. host: -- a tea bagger. host: you are in agreement with the two party? caller: the reasonable part.

i wanted to start a party called the fed a party. -- the fed up party. guest: i think the challenge for us as democrats is to continue to be up there and talk with the american people and hear from the american people. these concerns expressed are real. they're not made up or imagined. they are real. our job is to be responsive to that. i have to share with you that in my congressional district, like many of my colleagues, i have gone through every part of my congressional district talking about the details of this bill. i knew this would be important coming up. when it first came of, i pulled it down offline just like everybody else could do and i read it to cover recover. i would not say it was a page turner, but i read it cover to cover. i would come only at night and

stay up watching c-span and watch those markups being held because i'm not on those relative -- those relevant committees. i really wanted to be able to talk about what is in our reform proposal with clarity. i did that is what people expect in their representatives. host: is it part of your responsibility to go out and explain what you have just passed? guest: absolutely. people ask is because of the questions and one of the reasons is because this is not some distant policy that does not affect you. people want to know how it is going to impact them. host:? bill, tennessee, linda on the democrats line -- minoxidil tennessee -- knoxville, tenn., linda on the democrats line. caller: the tennessee third is

currently held by a republican, but he is retiring. i decided to -- i would work for whoever the democratic candidate was and i discover they do not have a candidate. they cannot seem to get anybody to run. one lady has taken no papers, but not turned them back in. and she does not even have a web page, so you can are even finding of who she might be. that seat was held for it -- from a democrat -- was seekinhea democrat for almost 20 years, but that was 50 years ago. i tried to find out when the next meeting was going to be and what i got back -- i kid you not, i got a call from the ladies auxiliary democratic party from the democratic district.

-- from this district. they invited me to a luncheon and i discovered that they do not really have the power because it is a lady's group and those with power are not even interested when they meet. thank you appears to be the personal 5 of 1 singles democratic die -- personal fifa of one single democratic guy. host: the tennessee third, it sounds like an opportunity for this program of yours. guest: we want to make sure there is a candidate in the race that has demonstrated to people in the congressional district that they really have the -- the staying power to run until the end. not every congressional district in fits the profile, and that is

why it is very competitive to be part of this program because we want to make sure we have identified candidates who have already done their homework. i suggest to linda to get involved in your democratic party. when i ran for congress to years ago, i have never held an elective office before i was out in my community talking with people about the need for change. i think there is great for -- great capacity for that. host: what made you make that leap between being involved and one in two go for office? guest: i believe in change and i wanted to have something to contribute to end the way that i did that was being assigned metrostars and football games and knocking our peoples stores -- knocking on people's doors. the least you can do is be involved in your local party organization.

i suggest getting involved in the local democratic party and change that website and perhaps consider running for office yourself. host: next up is detroit, rolling on the independent line. -- rowlands on the independent line. caller: what i was in tennessee i contributed to your campaign financially. no land in detroit finished -- now i and in detroit finishing of school. the house should represent the people in nudges lawyers and surgeons and people like that. -- the house should represent the people and not just lawyers and surgeons and people like that.

host: who is your representative there? caller: john conyers, someone who has been here too long, i think. independents should have term- limits. i cannot get to him, nobody can. my question to representative edward is when barack obama was running for president and he accused john mccain of warning to go after programs with a hatchet instead of like a surgeon who would try to maintain the system. during detroit they have a diversity manager named robert baba who has come in here with a hatchet and is closing all the schools, almost half of them. supposedly on orders from washington. host: we are ready to appear shortly. let's get a response.

guest: been in congress is a of challenging job and my colleagues across the country, whether democrats or republicans, our job is to meet with constituents, work on legislation and to be communicators. we really try to do that. i think democrats have a strong agenda calling into 2010. and we have accomplished tremendous things for the american people. we are on the path to job creation and shoring up our manufacturing censure -- sector. host: he talked about the seven issues in detroit. the state budget issues are a focus in congress. guest: the difficulties that the states are facing right know, our state of maryland is having to face cuts that normally would not have to. who would not face this in a robust economy.

-- we would not face this in a robust economy. our challenge is to make the economy robust again. host: one more call from milwaukee, oregon. i go ahead. -- go ahead. caller: every time i see a democrat on tv, they always complain about things that are going wrong in the united states. they never have a solution host: -- they never have a solution. host: have you heard congressman edwards do that this morning? caller: yes, a half. guest: -- yes, i have. guest: i think it is important to point out what the challenges are and identify solutions for those challenges. if you do not have a job, it doesn't matter where the dirt --

whether you're republican or democrat. if you are a small business and your business is struggling right now, it does not come up -- it doesn't matter if you are republican or democrat. you want to be able to make money in your business and create opportunity to create jobs. i think that so many of the challenges we face, it is important to face up to them. health care been one of them, we faced up to the health-care challenge and we have to create a solution. the we have to do that with all of the challenges facing american people. i do not think that is about being ahman republican or democrat -- being republican or democrat. the reason i identified as a democrat is because i come from the middle class. i believe building this country is about assisting the opportunity for the middle class. i think that is the forefront of the democratic agenda. i am proud to be a democrat, but

also to work on the challenges and solutions. host: representative don edwards represents maryland's fourth district. we appreciate you spending time with us this morning. the new health care -- health care bill has in it a long term government insurance plan. we will talk about that with william minnix, who is with thesthe class x, one of the las- the class act, one of the last initiatives put forward by senator kennedy. the first from a news update. host>> the financial times repog that former treasury secretary robert rubin, as well as an ounce -- alan greenspan will be question this week by the u.s. and financial crisis in glory commission. that committee is chaired by bill and the ladies, who says he will ask mr. greenspan -- by

phil inslee these columns as he will ask mr. greenspan warned the fed -- why the fed did not focus on these issues before the bubble burst. one california city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings after a 7.2 magnitude quake centered just south of the u.s. border near mexicali. it was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit that region in decades. space shuttle discovery and seven astronauts rocketed into orbit today are one of nasa's final missions to the international space station. the liftoff, an hour before sunrise, set a record for the most women in space at the same time. it is and then -- it will be an unprecedented for some. the shuttle will rise above the elbows on wednesday. -- the shuttle a ride at the

space station on wednesday. a spokesperson in islamabad is claiming that the taliban spokesperson is claiming responsibility for the attack in an war that killed a least three people. there are no reports at this time that any u.s. citizens were among those killed those are some of the latest headlines on c-span radio. >> president obama had to prod this week to sign the nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia -- heads to prague this week to sign a nuclear arms reduction treaty with russia. that we live at 10:30 a.m. eastern. with 10 days left to file your taxes, douglas showmen speaks this morning at the national press club. the irs is expected to collect some $2.4 trillion this year. and later, a discussion on

conservatism and what is called the new capitalism, a free market can survive in the global economy at the american enterprise institute by the 5:30 p.m. >> if you have a process where it takes years to get an answer and you are bogged down in the courts, which is what is threatening our industry right now, that is not a good answer for anybody and it certainly does not make the agency effective. >> verizon executive vice paulick -- verizon executive vice president for policy calling the government to take a fresh look at communications policy tonight on the communicators on c-span2. >> "washington journal" continues. host: larry minnix is the president and -- the president with the american association of homes and services for the aging. as the first national long-term

care insurance from the government, how will this run? guest: is meant to be a -- it is designed to be an insurance financed government paul to help us all mitigate against the risks of long-term care. we have an aging population that the blogger relive the more likely we are to -- the longer we live the more likely we are to develop a disability of some kind. we have almost as many younger people with disabilities are no in our society and many of them with a little help can work. the idea is to create this national poll that we all pay into and if you become disabled -- this national pool that we all pay into and if you become disabled, there are some very practical, non-medical things to help you be independent as much

as possible. host: 02 you pay into it? guest: employer -- how do you pay into it? guest: employers would be the largest the mechanism and hopefully, they would decide to collect premiums from your paycheck, pay them into a trust, and they can decide what to do that if they choose not to, but there is no reason for them not to. host: will they be penalized if they choose not to? guest: it is all voluntary and if the employer does not offer the program and employee wants to contribute, the secretary has set up mechanisms to allow anyone to do it. anyone is notable as long as they work is certain amount of tar and per year. -- anyone is eligible as long as they work a certain a note of time per year. host: the numbers are on the screen.

the "new york times" writes that long-term care needs help -- means help with daily activities like getting out of bed, bathing, dressing. nearly 10 million americans need assistance. absent this law, why would somebody typically pay for long- term private insurance? guest: the studies show the family caregivers are giving -- paying out-of-pocket on average of $5,500 per year to support a loved one. that is in addition to what the older person pays out of their own pocket. today, your choices are private long-term care insurance if you qualify and can afford it.

it is a good product if you can afford it. for a self-imposed poverty called medicaid. a a -- or a self-imposed poverty called medicaid. and we know that is causing state budgets to collapse. host: before this law there was no long-term insurance in the guest: federal government that is correct. -- in the federal government. guest: that is correct. host: this is from jesse stone, the executive director of the american association for long- term care insurance. guest: i think that is shortsighted and incorrect. the actuarial soundness of it was judged by the cbo to say that it is solvent, is sustaining, solvent for 75

years. there is plenty of actuarial science that says it is a good program. there are also mechanisms within the bill so that the secretary has to, in effect, assure congress regularly and that it is saratov out 20 years periodically. -- that is ceronsound out 20 yes periodically. there's nothing wrong with private long-term care insurance. it's just that most people can afford it or would be screened out because of pre-existing conditions. host: you think that government walter richards is going to be much less expensive than -- government long term insurance is going to be much less expensive than private? guest: 0 think about medicare

supplemental insurance. it has been highly successful. we believe that some of these companies -- in fact, we have heard that some of them are already thinking of supplement of products to help everyone. host: when is this long term insurance, to be available to everyone? guest: as soon as possible. there are certain milestones that have to be reached, but the sooner the better. host: will on the democrats line, go ahead. caller: i believe it should be a function that is provided by the government from the beginning of live to the end of life. i think it should be taken away from private insurance companies whose whole purpose is to make money. the national sales tax could be used to pay for this.

all of the westernized industrial nations have healthcare, most of them do. i also think that president obama and the congress shall have given them least $100,000 to every u.s. citizen taxpayer as a stimulus package instead of giving the money to insurance companies like aig worker could corporations. -- or crooked corporations. host: what about his standpoint? guest: in the class act, you have a way for citizens to pay into the private pool that can gobble let what the private market are published -- offers. -- that can complement what the private market offers. i think we have an ideal approach to the long term services and support segment.

host: and class a stands for what? guest: community living assistance services and supports. host: and you worked very closely with senator kennedy on this. guest: yes, it came a lot of something called cash in counseling, which worked where it -- very well. we recognize that medicaid was becoming less and less viable because of the growing demographic population. there had to be an alternative. we came at it from an aging stand for and they came at from a disability standpoint -- from an aging standpoint and they came at it from a disability standpoint. host: isn't it