i think it is unimaginable that we as americans could not find a better way. for years to -- for you to say that we should forfeit constitutional right to just for the sake of -- i am completely against that, but that is not the way. there is always a better way. i am going to try to be brief. the reason that china has the resources to buy debt from our country and other countries as well is not only that their public education system is so much more advanced, it is that we buy things from them that we should not add a low-cost, like toys with a lead in them. because the fda does not regulate that, we continue to they pay their workforce nothing.

anybody who does not work that workforce can go work the land. it is a free market utopia. there are low wages and anybody who does not like it can go work the land. it is odd that you mentioned --t the federal government's that the federal government was slow to act. what it sounds like, if i can talk it out, is that you one the federal government to use taxpayer dollars to regulate a private industry, which british petroleum is, during the fallout. that is what you're suggesting. with the exxon valdez -- i am sorry. i am thinking faster than i am speaking. there are required to pay hundreds of millions of dollars

right afterwards. what they ended up paying after appeal and appeal an appeal was something like $20. so you are saying that not only should we pick up the check, but that the federal government needs to do it faster. they're causing not only economic problems, but environmental problems and food and health problems for the people in louisiana and along the coast. all let you comment. -- i will let you comment. >> let me does correctly. -- let me just correct you. i never said that we should pick up the tab for british petroleum. british petroleum should pick up the cost for every single thing. president obama needs to call people back to be able to go out

and put a burma upper -- put a barrier up. they have to be able to get a waiver to be able to do that. i do not think the federal government should sit back and not act. i think if we wait, it is going to be a real problem. i am not wanting to do that. regarding the arizona law, they do not racially profile. they specifically clarified that with amendments. you have to have reasonable suspicion to be able to search theecar. this is the uniqueness of america. we have checks and balances. we have a court system. when i say the government has a responsibility, i believe in limited government, but i think we have a responsibility to protect our borders.

if someone were to search a car, they would only have to do it because of the actions transpiring. we all know that the immigration itself if somebody wants to come here legally is not working. you have to wait seven years. if we are a nation of immigrants, why do we not have a system that works right? why is it that if i send a package through ups, they can track it day or night but i cannot go through immigration and they will not know where in -- where i am? the federal government does have a responsibility.

>> that is because the moment they become citizens, they will vote you out. the people who make the laws know that, and that is why they are making laws that will keep them from having the vote. >> the great thing about america -- all right. let me respond. everybody has their opinions. what i would say, i watched arizona's lot take place -- law take place and the frustration through the years. i also watched a rancher get murdered. bayh was frustrated waiting for

the federal government to act, which it did not. -- the state was frustrated waiting for the federal government to act, which it did not. i want this nation to be able to grow, but i also want the rule of law to be maintained. i appreciate your time. >> high. while i believe that america is a very proud and generous nation, we cannot continue in this social services state that we are in without some jobs. we are going to have to create a tax income base in order to support the social services. notice on my shirt i say no severance tax. i think that is a job killer. >> it only says save our jobs.

>> groups. -- oops. i feel that nava is taking 9000 jobs out of kern county that pay $20 to $25 per hour. it is certainly not the 50 bucks an hour, but having experienced that wage, i was able to educate my children, i was able to stay off public assistance, i was able to prepare for my retirement. i feel that every american should be able to be allowed to produce an be self-reliant. some of these regulations that everyone is talking about, i

think they need to be tied to unemployment. if the unemployment still hhvers around 5%, we get a little picky about who we hire, what they do, how they do it. if this unemployment is up here at 18%, we need to back off. first of all, you don't have very many people doing those jobs that are harming the environment or -- the small business does not have a chance to grow and strive. everyone who is a public servant, i appreciate the job you're doing. but you're not producing anything. we need some producers. we've got to grow it, mining, manufacturing, produce it.

if we can do those things, then we can export some things. the other thing i have a strong opinion about is that 60% of all the oil imported in california, which does not always come from friendly sources, is not taxed. the local producer has no incentive to reinvest in kern county. they are going to take their reinvestment dollars, especially if we do away with the depreciation allowance and various other things, and they are going to other states. even if that other state is in america and on our soil, it is not california. california is bankrupt. we need to keep every job we have and create three or four more for every one we have.

>> she referred to something in the oil industry. when you think about the american domestic oil industry, that does not mean you're going to stop putting gas in your car, it means you're going to think about where you're sending your money. california has 1/2 -- 12% of the nation puts the population. we have 32% of the welfare population. we cannot say that if you are a wealth creator we are going to push you out, but if you need assistance, we are going to give you more than others encourage you to come. the tiger woods. he is a good golfer.

he could've gotten a scholarship to any college. he went to stanford. he had left california when he was 12. look at the williams sisters. we can drive people out if we do not sustain jobs. 7% of all new jobs are created through small business. 70% of all new jobs are created through small business. if you put a tax on severance, that is not going to help. remember, we live in the 21st century. wiser that will offer greater

protections to the consumer and the environment. but think we have to think logically about that. -- i think we have to think logically about that. >> i would like to thank you very much for your help with my brother-inlaw who is a disabled veteran. i would like to thank you on behalf of all the veterans in this country for the help that you're giving them. [applause] secondly, i would like to know what you think we concerned citizens of california can do to help get our country, our state back into shape.

there is an -- there is enough anger and hatred to go around. i do not hate anybody. i am not against mexican people or other people. i am against people being mean or rude to me. i am old. i want everybody to be able to have the kind of life i have had in all of these years. i am afraid my children and grandchildren are not going to have a wonderful country that i grew up in. what can i do? >> that is a good question. what can you do? you are doing part of it right now. i want to applaud everybody,

because we are having a very responsible conversation. this is what the founding fathers devised for government. you should be able to have a healthy debate, but at the end of the day, find a solution. i think we have to hold our elected officials accountable for finding solutions. we should be creating solutions, not punishing one side or the other. we have all different spectrums here on ideas. if we decide at the end of the day what should be the strength, we will have a much better forum. i believe the best days are in front of us. i believe the most powerful and

inspirational message is a common message from a common man. america is having challenges. we all feel frustration. but at the end of the economy -- at the end of the day, we must all find a way to come together. >> i am asking for your assistance here today of around our income, especially our financial assistance initiative. we have several partners that are giving services to our families. there are 37 million eitc dollars being left unclaimed by our families here. what we're trying to do is help our resident reclaim what is

already theirs. we have shown, since 2003, 140% increase of people coming to power centers. it is not about volunteer income tax anymore. we are also serving financial institutions, opening savings accounts. we are challenging and educating. we have seen a spike with the need to have our program here. the president's budget request proposes funding decrease of four million dollars. what we are asking you today is to ask for an appropriation of $35 million for our grants program for fiscal 2011, and

for, at the very minimum, to keep that level of funding at the current state which is at $12 million. that is what i am here today to ask for. >> let me promise you this. i will not pledge to i will ask for that amount of money. i will look at it. i am going to look at where our expenses are, and we are going to prioritize. there is going to come a point when we are out of money. but i do believe in helping citizens. >> that $37 million left on the table does not just affect our families, but also business revenue that is lost here by our businesses. it also represents thousands of positions in job losses.

>> is the microphone on? >> this is a conspiracy. >> i am a grad student at cal state. we had a chance to speak earlier. i am a native american. i am american indian. i am not an immigrant. i believe that arizona has the right to enact its own laws, except in violation of civil open -- of civil rights. mr. mccarthy, you said that there are other solutions, but the immigration center has given u.s. 0 rating on your report card. -- has given you a 0 rating on

your report card. >> as i talked about earlier, i think we should reform the immigration process itself. if you have to wait in a system for seven years, it is not working. first and foremost, i would protect the borders to have a system there. and would reexamine the process itself. in the 21st century, you're going to tell me we cannot process something faster? i would make sure that labor comes in, and that people are keeping their word as to where they are providing it. much like when we talk about health care, i think we would have had 300 votes if we had just dealt with pre-existing conditions and tort reform, and

finding a way to lower costs. that is a page we all could have been on. you may want something much larger and more complex. but there are areas where we disagree. what we find the places we agree, and start with that, instead of dividing everybody further? i would say first and foremost company -- first and foremost, if somebody is racially profiling, that is why we have a court system. they change the amendment on this law. i think we are punishing the wrong situation when we try to punish arizona. the federal government should not sit back and criticize, because the federal government has not acted. >> you are part of the federal government, right? >> i am .

>> in 2008, the republicans did not do very well in the latino vote. traditionally, the party has not done well with latino voters. what we're party do, considering this county is 50% -- what will your party do, considering this county is 50% latino, to do better among latino voters? >> what i will do for everyone, create jobs, create an educational system, create a way for everyone to be treated fairly. i think that is the most honest way to approach any way of going about doing it. . .

>> i just want to talk about one other little thing we would like you to consider supporting, that is the 211 system. 411 gets it back log. it is very successful in a time of need. >> for the benefit of everyone here, it is an information referral line that helps match people up with resources and services in the community. we do have 211 here.

currently it covers about 80% of the country. we are just asking for support hr211 so that people can access the benefits that are available. many of those resources and benefits are provided by faith based groups and other non- profit agencies. [unintelligible] >> united way is a big supporter of community action partnerships and others. we is wanted to ask for your support on that legislation. [applause] >> congressman mccarthy, thank you for the opportunity to be able to participate in this this evening. my question is probably a hot- button issue. i would just preface this by saying that both my parents

came to the united states over 60 years ago. they came and worked their way through the system legally. as soon as they got on this soil, they pledged their allegiance and their lives to this country. so i am very blessed to be able to be here as a citizen of this country, and understanding what a lot of people want to be here, i still have this question. why do we have a system, a provision within the constitution, that allows individuals, especially individuals who are here illegally, regardless of their country of origin, the color of their skin, whatever, why just because they have children who are born here, if they are not citizens that are here legally, why should those children and maybe secondarily their parents as well, be entitled to the benefits and the rights of this

country when they are not here as legal citizens or legal residents? >> maybe you or nine months pregnant, and an interpretation someone has, some people argue the other side, that it was created for a different time in america when we were divided about equality for one another. it is a debate that will continue to transpire, and one that will happen inside immigration as well. >> dec that is being key to any kind of comprehensive legislation or immigration reform that would come about? is it something that you feel like you could stand behind? >> it is something we will have to address. first and foremost, he understand why it people desire to come. now you create a larger problem,

that if the child is born is a citizen and the other person is not, think of all the conflict that is created. is it an incentive for someone to break the law just to get here? what rather costs and effects of that? process that is honest and open if someone can get through. i believe at the end of the day, it will be addressed. >> we get some of the charge you are talking about, a lot of the expenditures are a social welfare programs and things like that that have just grown exponentially. we are no longer in a position where we can just do everything for everybody. >> border states get affected differently than other states in

the country. they are not reimbursed as far as the federal government's responsibility. >> >> would you getting your degree in? >> spanish. >> you have a lot of good professors out there. >> i have a binder here with some information and some contact information from a group. i don't know if i can give it to one of your aides and give it to you. it is just for you, with some contact information i want to give you. i want to ask you a question regarding immigration also.

i am glad to hear that you support speeding up the process. obviously it is a very long process. even if you wanted to come here legally, it takes forever. if your passport expires, it takes a long time to get things done. i am glad to hear that you like to reform that process. but to touch on the dream act, which for people that do not understand what it is, it goes into helping students. as a student myself, i have seen tons of students come to this country. their parents brought them when they were two years old. they had no choice in it. they did not try to break any laws or do anything. they came to this country and became just as american as anyone else, learned english, studied the constitution, done everything it needed to do. many of them went to college. one of my best friends is undocumented. when he gets done with his degree, there is absolutely

nothing out there for him because he has no u.s. citizenship, even though he has been here since he was very young. he has no opportunity. he wants to be a u.s. citizen, but there is nothing he can do about it. can the dream act be one of the solutions you are talking about, to help some of these students that don't want to do anything wrong, make the country better, and have a college education? they are very skilled in their trade. can we not put that in as a part of the solution in the emigration problem? >> i have a couple of different opinions on this. as an individual that is here illegally, are they getting benefits that taxpayers are paying where citizens are not? >> no. he pays for his own education and is paying out of state tuition. >> we want to encourage the best and brightest to compete inside our college system. i think it's something we can debate and talk about.

do i have the perfect solution for it? off the top of my head, i don't think i do. we can address it, but it goes back to a system. if you teach a generation that3 is ok if you break it because we are going to allow it, you cannot sustain that. so there is a way to do it properly. if we had a process system that allowed it to process, i think we could probably get there. until then, is something we will have to debate. i don't have the direct answer. maybe you have some ideas for me. >> i graduate next saturday. >> congratulations. [applause] >> thank you, mr. mccarthy. i believe that the beginning of your presentation is the most important.

if this country does not get their budget squared away, we are going to crumble. all of these other issues we are discussing will be movemoot. i believe we need to get back to basics. the budget should be what the dollars available are. we should arrange our budget according to that. also, anyone who is raised in a household knows that if you have credit, the interest will kill you. we need to pay down our deficit. also, it has only been touched on once tonight. one of the ways to do that is to create and maintain jobs. if we don't have the jobs, we don't have the taxes to pay the deficit or the budget. also, that being said, in regard

to jobs, i would like to know what your position is in regard to hr-173, which maintains six- state meal delivery. if you support hr-173, you will go a long way in preserving over 50,000 jobs across the nation. there is a bill before the congress from the postal committee reducing mail delivery to five days a week. there is also the bill 173 which supports maiitaining six-day delivery. the have a position on this issue? >> the bill has not been before my committee, but i like the idea of the male being there six days a week. i think the postal department needs to be more modernized.

they have come along way, but there is a fundamental difference that there is a way we can change something. how my wife and i pay our bills are different today. we pay a lot of them on line. how we buy our movie tickets. things may change as we go forward. i have not gone through it enough to steady the ramifications on both sides. a more efficient way to do it -- this is another pressure of the government. when you listen to people, they said the only way to do it is to raise more money. could we make the system more efficient and actually lower the cost of that? what we first have to say the stamp has to go up in price? is there a way to do it differently?

there is a different way to communicate with congress and hold them accountable. it has not been before my committee yet, but i am glad to look at it. i agree wholeheartedly with you. job creation should be number one, and deficit reduction. >> congress is the one who decides whether or not to increase [unintelligible] >> i am one of the three registered democrats in kirk county. [laughter] there were four up, until my husband died, and it gets lonely up there. many of the issues that are being discussed here, immigration and so forth, were issues that came up over the past 10 years in congress.

over the past 30 years, they would get started, the plot would get boyle, and then they would drop it because it was in their political interest to drop it. there are thinking of the next election. i have heard here tonight people asking about the welfare department, and after being a retired social worker 40 years, i can say that i never drove that expensive a car. i would say that the staff or under some big difficulties right now. but i have heard people express concern about our veterans. i have heard people express concern about many different issues. you say we are becoming a welfare state. i want to know from you, what are going to eliminate? we are going to have more and more veterans coming as the afghan war goes on and on and on. iraq is still not settled.

their constant boiling points coming up all over the world, so there'll be more people to treat and more people need help. our unemployment rate is astronomical, if there was some center that blocked unemployment benefits for a while for people who are struggling. so i want to see what you would eliminate, and i want to know that there is some hope that the animosity, the rancor, the petty bickering that is going on because they are so worried about the 2012 election, there is some hope for ending at. americans are suffering. they are suffering. many of us pay our taxes, and we want to do all we can. what would you eliminate? would you do away with ssi? we eliminate social security or veterans' benefits?

>> no, i would not eliminate any of those. in the last two years, discretionary spending in the federal government has grown by 82%. how many small businesses grew by 82% in the last two years? i promise i would find one penny out of every dollar the government has and find savings. i would fundamentally redirect how you create a budget. i am a firm believer in structure dictates behavior. he the create a structure where you give all the committees in congress to go out and create a wish list, i will give you every difference study and every revision, every different funding mechanism for every single district to somehow get reelected, and then you go and say you have to get this much money and borrowed is much more. what i would fundamentally change would be to say this is all the dollars we have. now you go back to committee and prioritize. so it would knock out and eliminate some of the waste.

then i read start a national dialogue, much as how we started the debate today. this is the deficit, this is how much we are borrowing, and how to be changed? i would tell line by line. we could probably do it in this room. we are fairly respectful of one another. the one thing that unites us all, we are all americans and we all want this country to do best. i would make the investment. when you put priorities down, i think we make a commitment when it came to social security. we made a commitment long term, too. there may be some changes in the system we have to provide. we also made a commitment in the system as well. i would not expand government into all these private sector jobs, because i do not believe that is getting a return on investment are making the united states as competitive. i would not expand the federal government the way it is. i would simplify the private

sector to grow. >> the issue is that right now, there are so many americans that arr hurting. you are talking about a plan that is going to take a long time. i don't know exactly what your of families in this about next week's groceries. thank you for your time. >> thank you for coming, and thank you for your question. i do understand america is hurting. do we ignore the long term in the short term? the greatest thing someone can do in america is be able to create a job. if they have a job, they can be able to prosper with the next generation. if you bird and that next generation with debt, they will not have the opportunnties that we have 3 gb burton that next generation.

-- if we burden the next generation with debt, they will not have the opportunities that we have. we are well past 7:30, so i will take this question and then come and answer everybody's question individual. i will stick around as long as you want, if you are shy about asking questions. >> thank you for having this forum. we really appreciate being able to voice our opinions and get feedback from you. one of the first things i want to bring up that has come up a couple of times this as a citizen, it is our duty to read the laws and understand them and not take someone else's work for what they say. i think that is the main problem with this arizona law. everybody is hearing what the other side is saying, this is what it means. if you read the bill, there are so many checks and balances in it, there is no way could happen that way. i am not saying human beings are

not going to miss manage it. that could happen, but we have laws to manage it. first and foremost, before you make an opinion, make sure it is your opinion and not somebody else's. it is the government's duty to protect our borders. one thing i wanted to bring up, i am a veteran of the united states army. one of the problems we have with our soldiers and why these wars take so long is because rules of engagement have changed. they have tied their hands. some people are walking into hot areas without ammunition in their guns. that is just ridiculous. you wonder why this goes on and on and on. in world war ii, we had a war where there is a beginning and end. ever since then, it is police actions and no one ever wins,

and no one really knows why we are there. one of the main things we need to do is address the rules of engagement. we have to untie our soldiers' hands, and a lot more of them will come back home. [applause] another thing, high school american history. the first two years of school, what did they deal with world history? this is america. not to mention, when they do hit junior and senior year, the books that are put out there have been gone through, so much history of our founding fathers has been taken out, that they are not even getting the full measure of what this country is all about. they need to know who we are. that is another thing we need to address. [applause] the other thing is tax breaks for small businesses. that is what will bring jobs

back to the country. there are more and more taxes being raised. every time you turn around, they need more money, so they raise more taxes, which puts more businesses out of existence, which lays more people off. and we have more people going on help. how many times are going to extend benefits? it is getting ridiculous. we are in 99 weeks, and is growing. that is the main thing. we have to get back to creating jobs, and not temporary jobs. they are going to come up with these 500,000 jobs, which are census workers that are going to dde off in a few months. we need real jobs. those are just my opinions and things i wanted to bring up. >> thank you for that. one thing i would tell you, the military -- as i said earlier, they have made the ultimate sacrifice, more so than ever before.

we are just coming of memorial day. this community is very patriotic. one thing i am working on, there are a lot of men and women that are not coming back, and some are coming back not hold. we cannot ignore that fact. we have to be able to give them the treatment, from a lot of different aspects. i am afraid that when people are leaving, they are not being screened properly. they are young, strong, and they do not want to admit they have a problem. later down the road when they realize they do, we have to be there for them, but actually screened them earlier. it will cost less, and we will bring them back sooner. that is something i am fully engaged in. small-business -- many of the know the story, i started when i was 19 in my first business. i applied for a summer internship program with matt local congressman, and he turned down. today i have a job i could not

get an intern for. 70% of all jobs are created for small business. that is what we have to focus on. that will bring people back. we have to knock away this regulation. you brought of taxes. just think in your own life. just think for a moment what we pay. when we get up in the morning i take a shower. i pay tax on the water. you stop to buy water or coffee, you pay tax. stop to get gas in your car, you pay state and federal highway tax. the first two hours to work, you pay a tax. you pick up the phone to call your family, you pay tax on that too. i've paid in airplane tax, will car tax, hotel occupancy tax. i pay cable tax.

we put enough money away to leave for our children, and the government comes back with inheritance tax. we are taxed from the moment we wake up until the end of the night. he should be able to keep more of what you make, and more people have the dream. they have turned off the air to try to get us out of this place. thank you for coming. thank you for your opinions. i appreciate it. we may disagree, but i want to continue the dialogue. i think in this room, we could come together and actually find solutions. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2010]

>> both chambers of congress return from their memorial day recess this week. the senate gavels in monday to eastern to consider three judicial nominations. members could then return to work on a package that extends tax credits and unemployment benefits. the house pass that measure before leaving for memorial day

recess. we expect several amendments to be offered an debate regarding the bills budgetary offset. the senate live on c-span2. the house returns on tuesday to plot for legislative business before voting on bills at 6:00 p.m. eastern. later in the week, a bill that provides the federal housing administration with the authority raise insurance premiums of fha guaranteed mortgages, and possible work on a $30 billion fund for small business loan measures. it creates a fund to increase the availability of credit to small businesses. the house is live on c-span. >> president obama traveled to brando, louisiana yesterday to talk with residents and officials about the government's response to the gulf coast oil spill. he gives his weekly address from there and discusses the effects of the spill on the likelihood of those who live in the region. following him, you'll hear the

gop address from a republican national chairman michael steele, who calls for an investigation into the reported job offers by the white house to democratic senatorial candidates process tech and andrew romanoff offcolorado. >> i am speaking to you from grand isle, louisiana, one of the first places to feel the devastation brought by the oil spill in the gulf of mexico. i met with a group of local residents and small business owners. folks like floyd, a fourth generation oyster fishermen. this is the time of year when the ordinarily aren't a lot of his income. his oyster beds have likely been destroyed by the spill. troy has a similar story. he quit the eight agreed to become a shrimper with his father. he has worked long, grueling days to earn enough money to

support himself year-round. today, the waters where he spent his years are close. every day as this bill worsens, he loses hope that he will be able to return to the like the bill. you can put a price of a lost season, but not a lost heritage, he says. the effects of the spill reached beyond the shoreline. i spoke with pattie. for 30 years, she has owned a pmall convenience store, opened by her father. she depends on the sales generated by tourism each summer, but this year, most of the boats that would line the stocks are nowhere to be seen. normally this time of year, rooms are filling up and tackle is flying off the shelves. he has been devastated by the decline in tourism and the suspension of fishing in the waters off the louisiana coast. their stories are familiar to many in grand isle and throughout the gulf region. often, families have been here

for generations, earning a living in making a life tied to the water. it is tied to the magnificent coast and the natural bounty of this place. here, this spill has not just damage livelihoods. as of ended whole communities. the fury people feel is not just about the money they have lost. they have been through tough times before. it is about the wrenching of recognition that this time, their lives may never be the same. these folks work hard. they meet their responsibilities. but now, because of a man-made catastrophe, one that is not their fault and beyond our control, their lives have been thrown into turmoil. it is truly unfair. it is wrong. what i tell these men and women, and what i have said since the beginning of this disaster, is that i am going to stand with the people of the gulf coast until they are made whole. from the beginning, we mobilized on every front to contain and clean up this bill. i authorize the deployment of

17,000 national guard troops to aid in the response. more than 20,000 people are currently working around the clock to protect waters and coastlines. we have convened to up hundreds of top scientists from around the world. where the 1900 vessels are in the gulf assisting with the cleanup. more than 4.3 million feet of boom have been deployed, with another 2.9 ft -- 2.9 million feet available, enough to stretch over 1,300 miles. 17 staging areas are in place to rapidly defend sensitive shorelines. in short, this is the largest response to an internal disaster of its kind in history of the country. we have also ordered bp to pay economic injury claims, and we will make sure they pay every single time owed to the people along the gulf coast. the small business administration has stepped in to help businesses by approving loans and allowing deferrals of

existing loan payments. -pthis week, the federal government sent bp of preliminary bill for $69 million to pay back american taxpayers for some of the costs of the response so far. in addition, after an emergency safety review, where putting in place aggressive new operating standards for offshore drilling. the point of the -- i have appointed a bipartisan commission to look into the cause of this bill. if laws are inadequate, they will be changed. if oversight was lackiig, it will be strengthened. if laws were broken, those responsible will be brought to justice. over the last few days, bp has placed a cap over the well, and it appears they are making some progress in trying to pump oil to the surface to keep it from leaking into the water. as has been the case since the beginning of the crisis, we are prepared for the worse, even as we hope that the peace efforts bring better results and we have seen before.

-- even as b we as bp's efforts to bring better results than we have seen before. there will continue to be a massive cleanup ahead of us. these are hard times in louisiana and across the gulf coast. . . . >> president barack obama promised that he "won't stop fighting to open up government"" and that he would have "the most transparent administration in history." really? of course, it's one thing to

keep that promise when you think it'll help you politically. the real test of a man's word is if he keeps it when it's inconvenient, embarrassing or potentially damaging. on this test, the president and his people have failed. there's a reason we have a law that prohibits federal officials from offering things of value to people for political gain. it's called transparency. and the white house's efforts to use federal appointments to entice candidates out of competitive democratic primaries goes directly against the obama administrations claims of openness and transparency. from day one of this current flap involving congressman joe sestak and now andrew romanoff, the white house efforts to deny, obfuscate, and mislead have only served to raise suspicions even further. three months ago, when congressman sestak claimed the white house offered him a job in return for dropping his primary challenge against democrat incumbent arlen specter, the white house flatly denied it. after sestak refused to recant his version of events, the white house finally conceded that some conversation happened but their message was "trust us, it wasn't inappropriate, so move along, nothing to see here." this exoneration-by-fiat didn't pass the laugh test. it's not up to the white house to judge the ethics of their

behavior that right is reserved for the american people once all the facts are on the table. so the demand for these facts continued. after three months of intense political pressure, we were finally served with a memo from the president's lawyer, admitting that, contrary to previous denials, in fact, the white house did enlist former president bill clinton to offer the congressman an allegedly unpaid position. however, the memo raises far more questions than it answers. first, the law doesn't prohibit offers of only paid positions. so, offering the congressman an unpaid position does nothing to exonerate bill clinton or white house chief of staff rahm emanuel. second, sestak wouldn't be able to accept a position on a presidential advisory board and remain in congress anyway, which casts doubt about whether this was really the job the white house offered. third, the memo claims multiple conversations between president clinton and mr. sestak during june and july of 2009.

but congressman sestak insisted four times, just on tuesday, that there was only one brief conversation. so who's lying? fourth, the memo alleges that president obama knew nothing of all of these conversations. now, why would the white house enlist the help of such a high- profile surrogate like former president bill clinton -- on "multiple" occasions, without the knowledge of president obama -- for months-long negotiations over such a low- profile, unpaid position, and all with a congressman who couldn't even accept the job anyway? and now we know that this is only part of a larger pattern of backroom, chicago-style politics. andrew romanoff, who's challenging democrat incumbent michael bennet for the colorado senate democrat nomination, was offered a choice of one of three jobs by rahm emanuel's deputy jim messina if he would drop out of the primary. again, the white house first denied the allegations when they came from anonymous administration whistle-blowers. but once the actual email from

messina was released by romanoff, who probably didn't like being called a liar by the white house, the story changed: again, the jobs were offered, but nothing inappropriate happened. after all of the stonewalling and denying, what is the white house's latest defense? it was just business as usual. enough is enough. if rahm emanuel has been offering government goodies to inconvenient politicians threatening democrat incumbents, then it's time for him to resign. if it comes out that the president knew about any of it, then we have a larger problem. and, if offering political appointments in exchange for sitting out of a campaign is the president's proposal for "job-creation," then we're in for more economic misery. the time has come for more than just self-exonerating claims from the president's lawyer. the department of justice must step in and assign an impartial referee, either in the form of a special investigator or an independent counsel, who can sort out the facts and answer the burning question what did the white house offer to sestak

and romanoff, who authorized the offer, who else knew about it and what was the expected trade-off for accepting the offer? the president promised transparency. all we have right now is a series of transparent cover-ups. so much for "change you can believe in." >> and freelance journalist jessica stone traveled to haiti in april to talk to aid workers about the aftermath of the january earthquake, reconstruction efforts, and preparations being made for the rainy and hurricane season. approximately 230,000 haitians died as a result of the earthquake, and more than 2 million are displaced. >> when i got to haiti, one of the things that struck me first was the amount of dust in the air, the intensity of the heat.

it was a disorganized airport, barry disheveled. coming out to the street, the dust hangs in the air. it has been over three months at this point. you find yourself coughing unexpectedly because of that dust. you drive through the streets and there is no rhyme or reason, visually, for why some buildings stood and some fell. you can have blocks where there are no standing buildings and blocks where there are jagged, tube-like -- like a seven-year- old lost some of her front teeth. it is amazing that in this period of time one of the biggest things you might have seen in terms of progress is that you can drive the streets. there are piles of stones on the sides of the corners and rubble is everywhere. and people are everywhere. there are not a lot of places they can be right now.

>> it is going to take a long time to recover from this. the catastrophe really -- i do not believe it has ever been -- at least in recent memory, or this century -- an event of such proportions. already, the poorest country -- the poorest capital city of the poorest capital city of the hemisphere. the quake was really center just outside of port-au-prince, where millions of people were concentrated in very inadequate shelters with no enforcement of building codes. just an absolute disaster. the first wave, of course, was search and rescue, trying to pull as many people alive out of the rubble as possible. it was the largest search and rescue operation, really, in history. there were a record number of

people pulled alive from the rubble over the period of a couple of weeks following the earthquake. and the u.s. was certainly part of that group. we brought in search and rescue teams from all over the u.s.. we were also aided by a variety of other u.s. government agencies -- usaid, the organization i work for, was appointed the lead organization, but it should be noticed that a number of departments and agencies of the u.s. government -- the department of homeland security, hss, fema, etc. were all present and working around the clock. one of the things i think is not widely understood about the way economic assistance works is that for the most part we do not provide funds directly to a

government. we will sign an agreement with a government that lays out a mechanism by which the funds are provided for a contract or a grant, or a cooperative agreement or whatever. normally, our agents -- the partners will work with could be the ngo , the private sector. they have accountability systems we approve in advance. we know, because it is our job to make sure, that they have the accountability systems in place to be able to well manage the money. so we more or less know where it all goes. if it was not that way, there would be no constituency for doing economic assistance. we simply our responsibility -- we simply are responsible for+ accounting for american taxpayer money. it is other people's money. we understand that and take that responsibility very seriously. what has been exemplary about this effort has been the cooperation with the u.s.

military. they have tremendous assets. they are incredibly well trained and qualified. probably not a single one of them thought there would be doing humanitarian missions when they joined the armed services, the armed forces, but they have done this work with great enthusiasm, a real sense of mission and purpose, a great organization. they have beee tremendous to work with. they have done a heck of a job. >> the size of the military presence will be dependent upon the requirements on the ground, but i see that certainly as we go forward here in engagement that it is more robust than it has been in the previous years. we are doing projects as we go into the hurricane season -- medical assistance programs. we are looking to do projects with the minister of education to increase the capacity of some of the schools in the outlying towns outside of port-au-prince. i see our presence being in

during. -- being enduring. we also seek to have a great working relationship with all the non-government organizations, as well as the united -- the united nations. they are trying to address the 70,000 people who are homeless here in port-au-prince. >> ngo's are the largest employer in the country of haiti. they are not offering long-term solutions. they are offering cash for work, building projects. at some point, those jobs will not be able to sustain the nation and its economy. there is a real need for ways to incentivize business investment, to put the labor force in haiti to work. >> what we have been working on is trying to figure out ways to take advantage of the tremendous amount of labor that is around

us. everybody here wants to work. if you walk around the camp and speak any french or creole, everyone is right to ask you for a job. more than help or handouts, people want jobs. we are working through several grants. thank you for the support of u.s. aid. we try to get cash for work, paying people for the labor they are doing. >> i come hhre. i work every day from monday to sunday. >> do you like the work? >> i like it. you know, when you are giving water to other people it is like a medication that you give to the people. that is the reason why i loved that job.

>> i am just hoping they will give us more help and help us get back on track. that is what i hope. >> what is it like for you to be able to help these people? >> i am happy, first of all at the mound -- first of all because in the morning i have somewhere to be. it is not easy to work with haitian people. but they need our help. i try to be a good help to them. i am 28. >> thank you. >> you are welcome. >> did you have damage to your home? >> my house was damaged. we do not live in it. we stay out in a tent. we stay there. >> do you know when you'll be able to get back into a permanent structure? >> i do not know. i am just waiting for them to tell me when.

>> i think everyone that is either an ngo or running a private camp or helping these people is getting them prepare for the rain, especially right here. these spots -- these camps that are buult on ridges like this -- it is just a danger zone, you know what i mean? and not only health issues, but you are talking people are going to be living in mud, you know what i mean? there is always -- with an earthquake there always comes the risk of aftershocks. if you have wet earth sitting on top here -- this is all limestone. you have to try to be prepared. >> the rainy season sort of comes into waves. there is the period of may into

june and july, and there is a second period in thh ball that is really the hurricane season. the preparation after the earthquake was two and a half months before there were some sprinkles. that has already made people concerned. the have already gotten a preview of what it might be like. you talk to people who said, "i do not sleep when it rains. i stand all night long so i am not covered in mud." this is a man who has a tent. >> some of them have tense from americans -- have tents from america. not all the people have these tents. >> you said more than that. what else? >> about the wind? when it is raining, we tie bags onto our feet.

i spend the night standing. >> one camp has done a tremendous amount of attention from the media. it seems to be on the tour. you see the damage in port-au- prince. you see this golf club. it illustrates in stark terms the danger of the rain come up because of this hill. when you look over the horizon, you come into this camp and you are already toes to the end of your boots as you walk down the hill. it is a steep hill. walking up it, even more so. you definitely get your exercise touring around the place. the problem is very clearly demonstrated their. it has been the focus of the most immediate relief, in terms of moving people. it is probably the largest camp.

there is about 50,000 people ttat live there. they have created their own society. many of them knew each other before and are living once again next to each other in much harder circumstances. this is a very hoity-toity section of town in which most people would never have an opportunity to even go into this golf course. this is where sean penn is working with his ngo. there are 50,000 people on the hillside, right on top of each other, with a number of privacy issues and other safety issues. in addition, all of the water -- you can even see it -- the smallest trickles -- i saw people carrying water. maybe they would drop it. you would see the trickle go down. you can imagine, if it were magnified, what effect would be on the ability to live in these little four by four spaces in

which their whole family is living. everywhere you look, you see spontaneous settlements in backyards. you see them on street corners. you see them in open fields and on golf courses. you see them in places that used to be places of celebration, like across the street from the presidential palace. there is a very large area there that used to be a place where people would celebrate large events. it was a part and stretched for quite a bit of distance in front of the presidential palace. now it is home to something like 25,000 to 50,000 people. >> those inssghts which are suitable for long-term residence during the rains will stay there. we will provide basic services to them. but there are these seven sites which are not feasible. within those sites, we have done an assessment. we basically have identified between 9037 thousanddpeople who

are in -- between 9037 thousand people who are in ravines. -- between 9000 and 37,000 people who are in ravines. they are in risk. >> there is a shelter effort. people are contributing tarps. two of the biggest nonprofits are catholic relief services and world vision. they have handed out that -- handed out tens of thousands of tarps. they prefer those because they are more percentile. they are not handing out tense. they are handing out tarps because they can be used in different ways. this shelter is 16 by 16. i think in the camp we are going to move towards 12 by 16. the good thing about this shelter is it can move in an emergency need.

you can put tarps around it. it is pretty stable. it can withstand high winds, which will be important for the reins and hurricanes. once people have access to more permanent material, they can build through these walls and make this a permanent building if necessary. >> it is something most of the organizations in port-au-prince who are involved in shelter -- the yard or to have one form or another of this type of shelter. it can be moved, too, which is the beauty of it. it can be moved, it can be permanent, and it can withstand a lot of wind. >> what is on top of it? >> corrugated iron sheeting. >> ngos -- all the work we do and the military does -- we do not know what is best. they know what they need. we explain to them this has a

possibility of collapsing if we do not put reinforcement up. would you like to be a part of reinforcing this ball -- reinforcing this wall, building channels in the camp, clearing areas that need to be set aside for drainage? all of a sudden, people are owning their own protection. >> they are cleaning. i cannot say that. they are making some area for food there. >> are you worried about the rain? is that why? are you worried? >> exactly. about the rain -- you are very worried. maybe in may it will start. the rains will be beginning in

may. >> ok. >> some will go back into their homes when the rain starts. others will go to live with friends or close family. others will probably move to other areas, what we call proximity sites, which are areas that will be cleared of rubble where people can set up their own shelters or tarps or structures that are going to be better than tents. >> there is a kindness, i think, to haitians, and a willingness to work together towards something. but there is a real need now for a clear direction and a clear strategy to move forward and to move beyond the thinking that has been there for so long. >> it is really up to the haitians to define the kinds of

programs that are interested in. the donor's will respond -- the donors will respond by dividing that into areas that either have expertise in or that they care about. for example, the world bank or the canadians choose to look at the education sector. the french may choose governance, for example. the u.s. may choose housing or long-term local government issues, or continued food assistance. there is any number of possibilities, because haiti basically means everything. >> free-lance journalist jessica stone was in haiti in april. some 230,000 haitians died as a result of the january earthquake, and more than 2 million are displaced, living in settlements. to watch this program again and other programs on haiti, go to our website, c-span.org.

in the upper right corner, click on the video library and type in the keyword "haiti." here is our schedule. next, remarks from the ceo of the national rifle association. after that, president obama nominates a new director of national intelligence. later, federal response coordinator thad allen hold a briefing on the gulf of mexico oil spill. sunday on "newsmakers," the secretary of agrrculture talked about farm policy. he is interviewed by ellen ferguson of "congressional quarterly." watch "newsmakers" tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. the new british prime minister and conservative party leader

david cameron fields questions from members of parliament as the head of the coalition government. sunday night at 9:00 on c-span. next, remarks from the ceo of the national rifle association. he spoke last month on his support for arizona's new immigration law and issues related to gun control. from his organization's annual meeting in charlotte, north carolina, this is 35 minutes. [laughter] [applause] >> are you ready to speak out for freedom? do you want to make a difference for the future of your country? it is great to be back here in charlotte with some of the most active, energized nra members and gun owners anywhere in the united states of america.

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