folks, so some of these people may have to make a decision about whether they want to come back or not. >> they are trying to dig out of massive amounts of debt. people generally spent the off year trying to get out of debt. you are going to see some members starting to raise money. a lot of the focus is going to be on the republican presidential campaigns sucking

up money. >> for our viewers who want to follow this, they are national political reporters. thank you very much. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> c-span is washington, your way. on tuesday the tea party held its first meeting. speakers included or in high--- orring hatch. this is an hour and a half.

>> as you probably know tea party x was held an important role last year. this party has grown in leaps and bounds, and we can have rallies and protests and conventions and stuff, but ultimately if we want to change what is going on in washington, and we have to change the players in washington. he party expressed got involved in the campaign, and we worked to bring together new people to represent our values and to have people reno we can work with.

-- we know we can work with. we want to have a working relationship because we know we can get our country on the right track. we want them to be here to listen to us from our around the country, and people could not be here in washington, so we have taken questions on-line. the office where we are here tonight, and are want to kick it dolton are introducing someone we are very proud to support out of kentucky, and he has come to washington and shaken things of the -- senator groundball -- rand paul. i am going to him first, because i want to personally thank hammonim for starting thet

tea party caucus in the u.s. senate. [applause] >> i cannot walk with o'dwyer. are will just stay here, because i am already hooked hopkins -- i will just stay here, because i have already been hooked up. do you want me to come over there? now we really feel like we are at a grass-roots reilly -- rally. i have never seen anything like

this. i was involved in politics. i have never seen anything like this. it is a movement that comes from city by city of. if you want to believe 50 party does not come from the top down, and realizes -- believe every tea party comes from the top down common it is hard to say there is a unified kentucky tea party, because it is city by city. they all came together spontaneously during good i went to a tea party in april. i said, i will be gone 20 minutes. with other people who had been yelling at the television set like me for years. they said when we came to washington, "we will be coopted. they will co of the us."

the week before we are sworn in or two weeks before we are sworn in, we had the republican caucus and earmarks. i get he, and i hear a first state of union, and it w, "it is like we have, what did the president. the president know gets these." is a real problem. i see that and feel the significance of the situation changing because of the tea party. i am glad to be part of it. it is not even now being led by me or mike or west or michele bachnn. we are not telling the tea party what to do. they are still telling us what to do. we can be part of the solution. but we are still asking what the

tea party once, and i am glad to be a part of it -- what the tea party wants. thank you. [applause] >> thank you, senator. i guess we will go straight down the line. the latest member of the tea party caucus in the house of representatives, congressman west. [cheers and applause] and senator mike lee from utah. he is new on the hill, another great conservative frnd. so do you want to come up here? >> i will stay right here. this one works. that way, i can use both hands. it makes it easier for me. i am still getting used to this tethered-microphone situation.

i am glad to be here tonight and with some of my colleagues that are here from both houses of congress. this is an important movement. this is a moment that is not a passing fad. interestingly enough, there was a profile piece done on the in "the washington post" over the weekend, and it was kind of odd because it was in the "seinfeld" section, and if someone had told me years ago that i would be in the "seinfeld" section, i would have thought that to be awed -- it was odd because it was in the section, and if someone had told me years ago that i would be in the "style" section, i would have got to be odd.

you see, if he thought about it very much, he would realize that the tea party movement did not start on february 19, 2009, when that first meeting happened somewhere in florida. it started in 1773, when a group of americans decided they had had enough. this was not based in washington, d.c., because this place really did not exist then, as such, and that government was oppressive to the people. it did not respond to the concerns of the people and was slow to respond to the needs of the people, and they decided to take some action, to show them what ty did not want out of their national government. it took us years to get from boston -- to get to boston, where we did decide what we

wanted to get out of our national government. that is an important step. it is interesting. the set of principles that they explained is still the same as it is today. the tea party movement today reached the same conclusion, that our national government is far from what we call a general police power, passing any laws they think is important. really, our national government is set up to do just a few things, to control our borders, establish a uniform system of weights and measures, conduct laws governing copyrights, patents, and trademarks, our defense, and then there is one that i hope to exercise one day, the power to issue letters. all past and issued by congress in the name of the united states -- all passed and issued by

congress in the name of the united states about piracies on the high seas korea -- high seas. but the point is, there is no power granted in that document. to tell us where to go to the doctor and have to pay for it. there is no power to tell us to do a lot of the things they are trying to do, is it? america is coming together and is saying the american government has limited power, and it is time that its legislative body, congress, starts acting like there is some limit to its power. that is why we are here. that is why we are not going away. [applause] >> thank you, senator lee. now, congressman west. >> i will make sure i do not trip, because a lot of people

would have fun poking fun at me on youtube, but it is fun to be with you here this evening, and as senator orrin hatch asked me, "how are you enjoying this," as i said, i protected the issues that make this country so great as it is, and now, to have the opportunity to serve in the u.s. house of representatives, i am and body in the american dream, because years ago -- i am in bodying -- embodying the american dream, because years ago, my parents would never believe that i would be standing here. that is what makes the american dream boat -- dream. some people come after the tea party because they do not understand it, and other people come after the tea party because they are afraid of it, but if

they recognize that this is a constitutional, conservative, grass-roots movement, so now, all of a sudden, folks are going back to reconstitution and the federalist papers, and when you talk about montesquieu, locke, hobbs, when you talk but the fact that people are getting together to look at these large pieces of legislation and having legislation reading parties and then coming back together with summary sheets, this is an incredible thing that is happening in our republic, and it is truly what the founding fathers wanted it to become a representative democracy, so you have people you have elected to come here to speak your voice, that you can continue to watch these people accounble to simple things. they want effective and sime constitutional government. understanding the left and right

limits, the mandates for the federal government. that is what we have to get back in line. the preamble to the u.s. constitution establishes this, to provide for the common defense, to secure liberty. those are the mandates that we have, and when have people who do not really understand this whole thing with illegal immigration and bringing a lawsuit against a sovereign state in the united states of america, all you have to do is good to article 1, section 10, and others, and understand that if we fail in our responsibility at the federal-government level, the state has every right to defend itself. [applause] so i am absolutely honored that i can stand with the american people, and anyone who does not want to believe in the effective and constitutional government, anyone who doe not want to

believe in our national security, being able to identify the threats from our enemies and the emerging capabilities that cause us concern note, it you know, i served at fort hood, texas -- cause us concern, you know, i served at fort hood, texas. someone gunned down 43 of our warriors and also civilian contractors, killing 13. we are on the 21st-century battlefield which is totally different than any battlefield we have ever stood on, and we have to be very serious about the security for the future generations of americans, and then the last thing the tea party stands for is the free enterprise solutions. they believe there is risk out in the free market, but it is the inherent responsibility of ceo's and then out in the private sector to mitigate those risks. it is not about you, the

taxpayer, coming out and then being held responsible for their field practices. those ar the three cornerstones police of the tea party, national security, free-market, free enterprise, and everyone here in washington, d.c., who does not believe in deh, then they do not know what made the united states of ameca great -- who does not believe in fact, than they do not know what made united states of america great. van they do not know -- then they do not kn what made the united states of america great. so it is my honor to be here with you. but >> thank you, congressman. >> i was not leaving. the senators, they boogied out. i see there are free hot dogs here. >> i thought everybody was leading me. senator hatch? thank you so much for being here

tonight, and all of these rowdy tea party people. >> i have said before on a number of occasions, but let me just say that i am proud to be here with these wonderful men. i am going to vote for your vote -- for you. this is not working? then maybe i had better use this one. this one is not working either. ok, i will bring it up closer. we are in perilous times. we now have a $14 trillion national debt. by 2020, according to the presidential action korea, that will be over $20 trillion -- according to the presidential figures. this country cannot take that,

and we are not going to take that, and the fact of the matter is we have to fight for the country. i have been in the senate 34 years. i have worked on every judge that has come through, and i have to say that one of t biggest issues of picking the president is that that president is going to pick the judges in this country, one-third of the separated power in this country, and you really get a different set of judges when you have a democrat in the wte house, and, frankly, this is what has evolved here in many respects. 1982, strom thurmond and i led the fight for the balanced budget amendment, the first time it passed by a record two-thirds vote. we brought it to the senate, and we got 66 votes later. there were two people, who i will not mention their names, but we had the votes, and it had been passed in the house, and we ha got to work very closely

together and get that balanced budget amendment passed, because if we do not, we will not get spending under control, because it is too easy to go around the current system and continue to spend. i have been in the senate 34 years, and we have never had a fiscal conservative majority. usuay the more from blue states, who will go with the democrats on most spending sues. even bill clinton, from time to time. the fact of the matter is is that we need to have a fiscal conservative majority, and that is what the tea party is going to do. [applause] and let's just take theealth- care bill. the constitution comes into play in so many ways. i was the one you raised the issue of the job-killing employer mdate. that is a big issue, because if

that is allowed to stand by the current supreme court, and there are differences on this issue throughout the country, and i have to say, if that is allowed to stand, it will be the first time in history that th type of situation would actually fit within section 8 of the constitution, and i have to tell you, in order to have article one, section 8, work, it has to be in commerce. it is not to force someone to buy what they do not want to buy. if we go that far, it means united states government can do anything to you that it wants to, and there are no limitations. liberty is built on limitations, and, frankly, when there is no liberal -- limitations, liberty is gone, so we are really looking at some very, very important thing right now, and

i, for one, what to think the tea party for what they hav done. -- want to thank the tea party. they are going to double the unemployment tax from $7,500 to $15,000, so they have money for more employment in this country -- $1,500. the businesses are not going to put up with that, and they would just get rid of employees. we have to remember of the things that made this country so great. all i can say is that i am so grateful for this great nation and what it means to the world. i have been all over the world for our country, and i have to tell you, everywhere the we go, people have always been amazed, and yet, we are in danger --

everywhere that we go. i am very happy to have all of the wonderful citizens fighting side-by-side and doing everything they can to get this country back. god bless you, and thanks for being who you are. [applause] >> thank you, senar. right on time. congressman steve king. >> thank you very much. thank you very much. my tiny, apparently, is impeccable -- my timing. my wife will never agree with that. the calvary has arrived, 87 freshmen. they are the constitutional conservatives that have been produced by the heart and soul

of constitutional america, fiscally responsible people,s well, and they have arrived just in time, when congress has been way too much money, and the president has done this. we need to turn this around in the vision of our founding fathers. there is much to talk about. we talk about the debt ceiling that comes up in a couple of months later. the debt ceiling is not the pivotal thing we are looking at. the c.r. is the pivotal item we are looking at. i was working at the president and harry reid as much as i could, and then the next 30 days, we will do it all over again. i would do that every 30 days. we need to. [applause] and yet, it seems that that decision may have been made to

extend funding out to the end of the fiscal year, september 30. it will be the largest appropriations bill times 5 ever voted on by congress before, en though it will be rolled back to 2008 level, and it will still be five times larger than anything voted for before but -- before. i can get my mind about that, but the most important pivotal component of important pivotalc.r. -- important pivotal we canwith the c.r., choose this grant to fight on, and if we can stand cella, there is not -- we can choose this ground to fight on. and if we can stand, it will be possible to shut off any spending to be used this year to a force obama care -- to

enforce obama care. those of you know me know that i am not easily satisfied. there is the position i have taken. >> ready? >> solutions waiting for a problem. so in december, when it became clear, when the c.r. was tasked to fund the government, we must not only shut off all funding for obama care for the rest of this fiscal year, but we should follow the model of the fundi that shut off the four -- what shut off the funding for the vietnam war. that is there, and it exists in other scenarios, as well. notwithstanding any other

section law, all funds that have been heretofore appropriated, and obama care automatically appropriates as well as of the rises, we can shut those ofcom and if we do not come obama in here will become a growing malignant tumor -- we can shut those off, and if we do not, obama care will become a growing megan touma wrote -- malignant tumor. shutting off all funding that has beenut in the pipeline for the funding of obama care must be done. fight on. if we do not fight on this ground, i do not know how we win. >> thank you, congressman king. so we're going to go to our first question. haute >> all right, first question. >> thank you. can i address any of the i am from pennsylvania, and i am

the co-chair of an organization, and my question to congressman king, a good friend of mine, it is, what is congress going to do to stop the fed from printing money like it is going out of style? it is causing an inflationary style -- time. >> the first answer is to do something with the fed. and then, to follow up on that, i think we have got to expand this national dialogue, and part of what goes on is that the american people have to be the ones pushing on congress. they are also reactive, so the higher we raise the knowledge base, the better chance we have to slow down the inflationary base to support that. thank you. >> and our next question is going to come from ytube.

>> you have to read their lips. >> government benefits? >> anybody care to jump into that one? senator? >> this is the problem of our time. this is exec be the reason why we have to have a balanced budget amendment in place, because cuts are going to be painful. cuts are painful by definition. that is why they are called cuts, but we have to have them in order to prevent things from getting a lot wor, which they very, very quickly will. study said and done recently, looking and economies that have collapsed under the weight of excess of national debt, and

what a number of economists have concluded is that once a nation debt to gdp ratio passes the 90% threshold, it starts to really impair the nation's economic growth, to the tune of about 1% per year. instead of growing 3%, it might grow 2%, 2.5%, 2%. that can result in to job losses of about 1 million over the course of a single year. we are now close to, we are between 90% and 100% with our debt to p ratio. some say it is 100% already, depending on what figures to look at. the job losses we are incurring are painful. the inflationary cycle that we are already in and that is about to get a lot worse in the next few years is going to be painful, so a pain-free exit is not an option. i wish it were, but it is not.

and that is part of what the tea party wilckens should be to our national dialogue, is this an acknowledgement that a paid free exit is not really on the table, so we have to look at the one that is going to do the least amount of damage and restore government in the process. that is why i think we need a balanced budget amendment. my colleague from my home state, senator hatch, has proposed anher. we need some version of the balanced budget amendment to pass. with all dueespect to those who served in this body over the last few decades, our money has not been well managed. i hope that you do not disagree with me too much on that. that is not an overstatement. and so, congress has to be put in a straitjacket so that it cannot continue to do this. we have got to draw this line. once this line is drawn, then we can fight about exactly where the cuts will go, but we have to fight that battle first, and we

have to win that battle, so, please, contact your representatives in congress and make sure they vote for this. >> yes? >> hi. congresswoman bachmann. >> congresswoman bachmann. [cheers and applause] >> the ultimate ideological question for the united states of america is, in this country, can it survive? that is what we're talking about. we're talking about, when you look at the objective of this current government, if they can get more people wedged into the the government either by subsistence check or in " mischa, what happens when the production cuts is exceeded? when you look at the fact of our progressive tax good system, where you have 47% of americans who are not paying federal income tax, and we are you

talked about how they want to raise the unemployment tax on our businesses. bill hall goal is to meet more americans victims, and that is not part of who we are, and if we allow that to happen, in the united states of america as we know it, we will not be able to pass this on to subsequent generations, and i do not think anybody here wants to be a member of the first generation that leaves something less for the children and grandchildren, so that is something we have to recognize, and by 2045, for example, iwe do not get retirement programs under control, we will forever be a permanent bar were nation, -- borrower nation. the people know what is facing us, but if we in washington continue along with the belief of the election cycle sound bite rhetoric, where we tell people every two years or every four

years or every six years what we think they want to hear so we can get reelected, then we will continue to go down the road to perdition. it is time right now for visiary leadership to stand by and say there is a situation, but you know, it is not just about the united states of america. we always find a way out. you go back to the first battle of world war ii, north africa, in the united states military got there butts handed to them, but they brought in a different type of leader, and they kicked tailcoat -- tailcoat -- tail from there, and that is what we need to do. >> kong worse womanbachmann, -- congresswoman bachmann, thank you for being here.

she is on a really tight schedule, so we would like you to give us a few ideas of what you are here, why the tea party moment is important, and then we have a question for you. >> there is only one reason why i am here, and it is because of everyone who is here and everyone is watching. you are the reason we're all here, because we heard what the american people were saying in the last two years, and we resonated with the american people. we agreed with them, and we were thankful with them, because of all of the people we are watching, they are the cowberry that came in and did the rescue work in this last election. -- they are the calvary that came in and did the rescue work in this election. escially the election of 2008. we saw such a change in this country that we've never seen before. i will be 55 years old. i never, ever thought i would ve to see the day when the

press -- federal government would own the largest bank in america, a private bank, or when the federal government would own the largest insurance company in america, aig, or the fact that the federal government essentially just aull ownership of fannie and freddie, anthose are not just crazy aunts and uncles up in a room somewhere, in the cellar. the federal government owns 50% of all privately owned mortgages, so anyone listening, half of you who have a private home mortgage, the government under home right now. about it, and the government also for t first time owns the largest car companies in america. it also own 100% lock stock and barrel the industry, and i think the final thing that was the frosting on the cake wa the federal government taking over the health-care industry, because that is what it is.

ey will eventually realize their goal of collapse in the private health insurance industry, and then they will take it over -- of collapsing the private health-insurance industry. that is the federal government, a provider of health care, but that is not the system that brought us to this country. we have always been about free markets. that is who we are. that is the beauty. if you look through all of our history, we have been about risk takers, the people who came to the united states, other than native americans who were here, all of us have the same story, and the story is we came from someone who was a risk taker from their country, it does not matter what their country is, but they took a risk, and they came here, and they knew when they came here, they were not coming for a welfare state. they were not coming for an insurance -- note for

unemployment insurance. whatever their abilities to take them to whatever heights that they could do, it is a uniquely american, and what is wonderful is that this country did not attract rich people. if you were rich, you were going to stay where you were. you were doing pretty well. we did not attract nobility. if you were nobility, you stayed where you were. who do we attract? people who wanted a better life and who did what it took to get it. necessity is the mother of invention. it works, and they made it happen. this was the place, literally, where dreams come true, and we have done that. do you realize that 21 generations in this country, 21 in generations, for 21 generations, every generation has successfully passed the torch of liberty and freedom to the next generation, and i think it is different now in

2011. i think that question is up for grabs, on the table. no one is really quite sure if we will successfully transfer that torch of liberty to the next generation, and i mean begins today who are 18 to 24 years of age. will they successfully come to their prime earning years in a country that is truly free? because i think it is almost breathtaking to even say it, but can we truly say that today, we are truly free? are we truly free? i think what we know that we have obama care hanging over us, and we know that we have the epa under orders by president obama to, despite the fact that congress did not pass this law for cap and trade, the president is, you know, full speed ahead. let's put it intolay. is that nt the american people

want? are you kidding me? they do not want a new national energy package. over the rest of the economy, and now, once the energy industry, too. -- he once the energy industry. no, you cannot have it. watching or listening by radio, people are saying, "we want to the american dream back, because even though we are not guaranteed an income, we are guaranteed health care, we want the right to choose our own destiny. we do not want the federal government to do that for us." that is what i see, that is what i see. >> just real quick because i know you have to run, but i have a question from todd in oklahoma city, okla., and he says, "how do you respond to the criticism in the house and it said that it

is divisive and not in the best interests of the nation, the tea party movement?" >> well, i would say you have not been to the tea party caucuses in the house and in the senate, because far from being divisive in any way, i think what we are trying to do is bring together a great unity. that is what we saw in the last election, because, quite literally, the umbrella and the glue that held us all together is a very parchment of the declaration of independence, the constitution of the united states, and the bill of rights. that is our umbrella, and that umbrella is so wide that we saw the democrats come under that umbrella, independents come unr that umbrella, libertarians, the constitution party, people in the tea party or political, no political party and all, -- or apolitical.

i think everybody here up on this day is believes this. these are our founding documents. on this guy is believes this. they are brilliant. we believe in them -- everybody here on this dais believes this. this is not divisive. if anything, all we're trying to do is ignite that love affair that all of us up with america's founding. that is what the tea party is reminding us, to republish those documents in our hrts, and that is only a unifier. it is not divisive. >> thank you so much, congresswoman. thank you. [applae] i am being given instructions by somebody. >> should i go now? thank you for allowing me to be a part of this. you have got great people up here, by the way. >> as michele leaves, some

people criticize her accuracy, and she mentioned 21 generations, and 21 would be 399 years, just celebrating the 400th anniversary of jamestown, so you are right on target, may be understated by half a generation. i just wanted to say that. >> see you later. >> thank you, congresswoman. >> thank you, thank you. >> thank you so much, congresswoman, for coming and joining us. she is truly a leader and a strong voice for us on the hill, and we appreciate her. our next question is for senator hatch, and this is coming from online, and the question is from provo, utah, mr. young, and he says, "will the realistic response to obama b.p. to --

what other provisions will be in it, and will it include tort reform? " -- boat toward reform?" >> the president has said he is for tort reform. do not believe it. president obama, the personal injury lawyers. they talking to forms of -- they talked in terms of tort reform, and he cannot mean it in ter of continuing on as president of united states. they spend about $1 billion every few years. it is pretty hard for them to go against the unions, and that is something that has been very noticeable to me over the years, because about 40% of the unions are republican, and so all i can

say is, you know, there is a real difference between democrats and republicans. there is no use kidding. i was a democrat of the way through byu, and you have to be a pretty strong democrat to make all of the way throat byu as a democrat, and realized, my gosh, these people are not be a. they can be very, very helpful from time to time, but i've got to tell you, the party is dominated by special interest groups that are the most liberal inur country, and they cannot take them on. he will not take them on on this court reform. i would like to see it, haute -- this porker reform -- this tort reform. defensive medicine because of the litigation, and one of the

things i used to do, i was a medical liability defense lawyer, doctors, nurses, health- care providers, and most of those cases, 90% of them, were frivolous. spi 200 thousand dollars. you can make a pretty good living. in a day of runaway jury is, attorneys can make a lot of money just by bringing these cases, and insurance companies are hardressed to not pay the defense cuts, it is they do not know if they will get around a cheerier not, so i do not think he can do it. i do not think he means it really, and it is nice rhetoric, but i do not think there is any reality to it. >> thank you, senator. let's another question. i know we are all getting short on time, so let's move straight

to lisa miller, who is from alexandria, ander question is, and whoever is there can take this one.-- oh, yes, there you go. i will give it to you. >> thanks. ok. you of a bill before you, the senate does, the faa reauthorization, and i wrote down the bill and what they want to add to it. i know there is nothing to limit air traffic controllers, and right now, they went to filling up with satellite technology, and in 2001, in february, they were talking about privatizing it so the air traffic controller or the airports would have access to private financing for the satellite technology. now, we are 10 years later, no privatization and to know satellite technology, and now, they are looking at what they

have to pay in the private sector. what do you propose? >> we are way behind the technology with the airports in this country. something has to be done. satellite technology is the best system, so that is what they're trying to do. i can remember the exact, something like $8.70 billion to do this, and, you are right. we have to scrutinize everything that comes up. we do want people to be safe, but privatization, i am not sure that it is not privatized right now, it is ever since reagan through the union out, and it has been a little bit different than it has ever beebefore, but keep in mind,we have 53 democrats in the senate, 47

republicans, and what i am counting on, and i do not mean to change the subject, what i am counting on is for the great people and the house to take it to the senate and to continue to put it to the senate and literally will cause the senate to, if they are going to vote against them, the year 2012, but you sure what the air-traffic system to be safe, and we want the highest and best methodology to be used in that system, and it will be seen. no question about it. >> and the other responses to that question? if not, why do we not just take a five-minute break. we have quite a few questions coming up, and many of them -- >> we do not need a break. >> are you guys ok? are you guys ok?

let's do it. >> we may not look like much, but we are a tough bunch. [laughter] took, let's move straight this next one, which is from bruce. are you here, bruce? all of the way in the back, ok. i would come over there, but it would take me a long time, so i am going to read it. have you considered elimination of the income and payroll taxes, consolidating all tea party bergert regards to win back the white house? >> all tea party groups in regards to win back the white house? >> with the irs, i had to decide whether as on the stand on principle, and tthis day, i believe i was right, they were wrong, but i paid.

i went back and clients in the seat of my old be a bulldozer, and the smoke when out, and i concluded that we needed to be rid of the ira's entire, and how would we do that? .[cheers and applause] -- we need to be rid of the ira's entirely, and how would we do that? -- with of the irs. the only way to fund the federal government if you're going to get rid of the internal revenue code it is that you have to of a consumption tax, and it has to be level. it has to be on everything, and you have to tax pharmaceuticals and everything in between korea note just having come back from simi valley and the reagan ranch and the reagan library, ronald reagan said what you tax, you get less of, but if you look at it by definition, the federal government has the first lien

on of productivity in america. they tak all earnings -- they tax of earnings and investment. once they get theirs, then you get yours. if we stop punishing production and puon consumption, let people in best all they want to, we will see this economy grow, and we will invest trillions backed from overseas, facing capital gains tax. i will better stop right there. i have taken all of your time on this, but i'm going to talk about this this weekend, so this weekend, there will be more detail on fair tax. that is what i have wanted for a longime. >> thank you. amy, do we have a new question from twitter or facebook? >> actually, yes we do. there is a question for alan west, from the great state of florida. >> thank you very much for being here, eachf you. .there is a lot of talk right now aut the debt ceiling, from

both ends the spectrum. there is severino on the debt ceiling, definitely yes, and now, i am hearing a lot of rhetoric, and a lot of people are using it as a negotiation tool. i think our congressman dan webster in district 8 has said that he is yes if we get a repeal of obama care, and i think that there are a lot of people using that as a negation -- negotiation to. are you a note, or are you a yes? >> i see this vote coming up as an opportunity for leadership, and i think it is an opportunity to leverage some things to make sure that we make this federal government fiscally responsible, so therere things i am looking at. i think the number one thing you're looking at is we have to tap historical spending. right now,e're on our way towards 26%. the second thing we have to do, which is the exact thing that senator lee talked about, most

of our states have balanced budgets. you do not run your homes or your businesses with of balancing the budget, so that is the second thing. the third thing is we have to have the courage to stand up and say that the big entitlement programs have to be taken away, and we have to sit here in washington, d.c., and come up with the bottle submissions with which we can strengthen social security and strengthen medicare. but then, how to incentivize health? how to restart create options for the american people to allow them to be the ones in charge of their retirement? and most in koran condition for me is to cut the corporate business tax rate. the president said that in the state of union address, so now, we should hold them accountable to do that, because, charlie, ladies and gentlemen, if you want to spur on long-term, sustainable economic growth, it comes in the growth of the private sector, not the public sector, and if we're going to love the public sector to grow, it is about cutting the

corporate business tax rate. it is kind of funny. the purpose of extendi this tax rate -- tax rates was not about punishing people who are " and " rich, -- quote-unquote rich, now you look at a 5%, 6% increase on these business owners, so i see the debt limit gives us the opportunity to set conditions to be fiscally responsible as we move forward, and west says no. [applaus >> ok, we are going to take another youtube question, and this is out of waco, texas. >> as a hard-working american citizen, i strive to create citizen-led solutions in my

district. i want a representative that promote se-government. what are you doing as a representative to improve representation on your district level? >> i am happy to take it even though he during a two representatives. we even though heat -- even though he geared it to representatives. it was representative with a small "r." we understand that people governed themselves better than people can. people govern themselves better of the local level than they do of the national level, and that truly is a substantial part about what this tea party movement is, is this idea of people like us, pushing power out of washington and back to

waco, texas, and back out to utah, and all other places throughout the country. we need people back in our home states. i just had this conversation with the speaker of the utah house of representatives, becky, a few days ago, and she is on board. there is whole team of legislators back in my home state who wanted this to happen. we need to be pushingower back, and our state legislatures need to be pulling it back. those boats that to cast last november for federal officials are eclipsed in importance perhaps only by the votes that to cast for your state legislatures. those are exceptionally important elections. please, do not overlook them, because they are every bit as important, if not more important, in this fight to restore the proper balance of power. we have got to push the power back to where it belongs. [appuse]

>> i would just add to that that when i look back to those years when things were causing me to change the direction of my life, i was inspired by the leaders now, and it caused me to put myself into the public life, and from the state and i am from in iowa, we support a lot of local things. -- from the state that i am from in iowa. working with finnerty party organizations and our grass roots organizations, -- working with our tea party organizations. i think each one of us can go back and have some points on the map that korea followed to see who inspired us, constantly up there trying to identify talents and encourage people. doing the right thing, always. eventually, we have got a big army that is coming in here now.

the tea party rally, tens of thousands of people surrounded the capital a couple of times, and i see people making new signs, and new leaders are out there, and they are coming, and they are the next wave behind us. >> but i think the critical challenge of the tea party is, are you out there raising up the next generation of leaders? you have got to be out there. are you having a candidate to seminars? are you instructing people on how to articulate the issues? -- are you having a candidate -- having not -- having candidtaate seminars. let's be very honest about this, because this is par of the self assessment, so what i would say to all of these local tea party greece, wh are you doing for the next level of local

elections, elections, and also national elections as we move forward, because it is very much the same as in baseball. where is our single lay, aa, a system, so we can get people ready to come up in -- where is our single a? [applause] >> i completely agree, and we are all in here together. we are responsible, too. we are actually responsible. the people are responsible for the mess we're in now, because we have been taking care of our families and goings to school and working and not paying attention, but we are awake, and we're paying attention, and we are saying, "no maur." >> -- "no more."

the next question, i imposing this to all of you. what can we do to stop the bailouts in places like california and illinois that have liberal legislatures that refuse to quit spending money that they take in? >> just say no. >> yes, you do not do it. >> i mean, how can we stop that? because that is where we are headed? >> we say no. this is a very simple answer, especially in the house of representatives, where we are the ones that have the constitutional control of the purse rings, anwe have to say you have to get your fiscal house in order. if you continue to reward bad bevior, you are going to get more bad behavior, and i remember when i used to get with

things as a young kid -- get whippings as a young kid. >> this question came up a few times in the audience tonight, so i know there are aot of people looking for the answer. right over there, and also lopez, right over here behind me. there he is. >> hi, my name is -- is this working? so i think one of the big issues that consolidated the whole network of teaarty years -- tea party-ers, about to wbc go, there was a report issued from the sclc committee on the bailout and the whole crisis that hapned in 2007, 2008, and it is clear in their that this

crisis was avoidable, and therefore, a bailout was not necessary. and now, that is a positive step, but also, they emphasized glass-steagall. if we actually pass this glass- steagall, there is a way to actually get them out so we do not have to bail them out. no, my question is, are you with this report, or you -- or are you oppos to this fdic report? wall street. >> i do not kiss anybody is, you know -- -- anybody's, you know. history has a way of repeating itself in teaching you a very bad lesson.

to reall understand, you have to go back almost to 1976, 1978, with the jimmy carter reinvestment act. one of the things we have been talking about is constitutional mandates. when they say that every american has a right to own a home, that changes the entire complexity of the mortgage industry. all of a sudden, the governmen comes in, and we start to lower standards, and we start with of things to happen that in 30 years, look at what comes about. when we repeal the glass- steagall act, that was very good for regulating financial industries. now, listen, you get financial industries that go in and out, all of a sudden these bad mortgages get locked up with good mortgages, and a big bundle together, and they get sold off from big two banks, foreign banks, and and people realize, oops. people are going out there to get mortgages they can afford, but because the government

changed the standard, ok, that is what led to the collapse in 2008, and we saw this with fannie and freddie and some of the very nefarious things that they were doing, but when you allow such an incredible influence of special interests, that is why people continue to turn a blind eye to it, so this is what we must understand, but the public sector, gernment, cannot get involved until the private sector, as we saw with the mortgage industry, but guess what just happened? once again, government has said that everyone has a right to health care. so 30 years from now or maybe even shorter than that, where will that end up? so what you're talking about is really simple. we have to start looking at the causes of some of these things, and it is a failure of the government appear -- up here to not overstep these mandates.

>> let me just follow up on that. i and the chairman of the society, and i went to a breakfast. -- i am the chrman. there was a discussion that was just beginning to percolate its way into "the wall street journal." there was a financi advisor with 30 years in the banking industry, and i will never forget what he said. is what what you'd do everybody else does. that way, if they are making money, you are making money, and if there is a bailout, you will be bailed out with the rest of them. this is part of this. the implicit federal guarantee. and bad loans and bad neighborhoods. the implicit guarantee of fannie mae and freddie mac is a guarantee where now we have got

a statutor guarantee. to be clear which businesses are too big to be allowed to fail, determining which ones will go into receiversp and who would receive them, and i have not seen anybody introduce this legislation. [applause] >> another question that has come on line, i am not sure where he is from, but we heard this repeatedly throughout this town hall tonight, is when will the 112 congress take on the issue of defunding of the departments that are not included in the article one, section 8, of the u.s. constitution? [cheers and applause]

>> i think it is too long and too expensive. >> i talk about this a lot back in the home district, and a great example, the department of education, back in the 1970's, when we celebrate the education from welfare, there were about $18.10 billion for their budget. the department of education know is closer to an $80 billion budget and 5000 employees. but what has happened to education? it has been an inverse relationship, so i think now is the time we have to ask questions. this is a no-brainer, so i think it is very important that we

start to ask these questions within ourselves, and we must bring those things up, because this is part of us serving you, and if it does not make sense, if it is a duplicitous program, if it is a feeling program, if it is a redundance program, if you look at the department of homeland security and the command, you will see a duplicity of tasks, missions, so what are we doing? we are creating a bureaucratic united states, and it is truly outside of the leaps and bounds, so, you are right, we do have to put these things on the table and to start discussing them. >> we know there are tough decisions to be made, difficult decisions, and we are here to support you, because it is much more difficult when you have these people support a new -- much less difficult. and now, we want to go to another youtube clip that we have.

>> this is a question for senator paul and senator lee. the stock market has rebounded. unemployment, for college graduates, remains high, about 20%. is this the new normal? what are you doing in the senate to promote job growth? thank you. >> the president talks constantly about wanting to create jobs. bob he speaks this word "create" as if he was the create for, and he is not -- the creator, and he is not. we have a technicality, a little probleme cannot legislate jobs. it does not work. i cannot create or destroy a matter or energy. i have tried it at home. it does not work. no matter how hard we try, we

are not going to korea a single lasting job. islly, what we're doing taking money from peter and giving it to paul. what we have to do is get the federal government the heck out of the way. [cheers and applause] now, in the end, we will be here all night if i list all of the things that we would have to do, but number one, we have got toslash the corporate inme-tax rate. it has to happen. it that is not fun to say anymore now that the president has said it. we have to start taking hold of regulations. in addition to all the tax burdens that we see, this is

costing hundreds of billions of dollars every single korea to industry. one of the problems with this, we talk a lot in the constitutionally limited government program about the need to get congress to stop doing tngs it was never intended to do. that is one symptom of the problem we face, one reason why we focus on the constitution. other bad things happen. when congress does not do the things it is supposed to do. the very beginning of article one set up the legislative power of the united states governmt shall be invested in congress, not in executive-branch agencies. [applause] and yet, what happens? every single day in this blessed town? well, we of legislation that

never makes it across my desk, never makes across your desk. it is promulgated by an executive-branch agency, so if theyecide, for example, the way you are admitting -- emitting ash or ozone, they do something. somethinthat congress has enacted, saying, for example, "we shall have clean air, and it is the epa authority." if you do not like , who you talk to normally? you talk to one of us, your senator and congressman, in you say, "this is bad." when we do, we say, "i did not vote for that. if you do not like it, go talk to the epa."

they say, "we were not elected by you." note so, a "bug off." -- so, "bug off." that is why i will be co- sponsored legislation with rand paul and some other senators to rein in some of this regulatory morass -- what i will be cosponsoring legislation. -- why i will be. every time there is something that has a significant economic impact over a certain threshold, we are going to provide that th regulation will not remain in effect unless or until congress adopted by law. that way, it is on the table. >> thank you, senator. right now, went to go to somebody who is local here in

virginia, and anytime we have put together any event, i can always call on this person to help, turn people out, and be there for support, so i mean going to go to tom with more right now. he has a question for congressman king -- tom whitmore. >> congressman king, you'll be happy to know that your colleague, congrs will michele bachmann, has got your back to repeed dog frank. do -- dd-frank. -- dodd-frank. you have been there, from the very beginning. my question for you, would you agree that one ofhe reasons th the tea party has generated so much excitement and been s effective is because they represent the conscience of america?

>> the answer to that question. we had a conversation at one of the rallies, and was so descriptive of what i think has emerged here, i have taken but upper, and i believe that tea party is are the conscience -- tepee -- tea parties. the conscience is here, speaking to us. we are hearing it now. this is our faith, our american traditions. the things that made america great are going to make america even greater again, if we can stick together, if we can build this movement, and this is why we will have the state of

consciousness of america, and i appreciate that. >> thank you, tom. standing together than apart, that is for sure. >> i have a question that has come up a few times. the question that a few people last was is it a priority to have more senators and representatives joined that? is this something that you do not see as anssue right now? >> in the senate, we have started a tea party caucus with three members, including iran paul, jim demint, and myself -- including rand paul. get asked this question very often by reporters to what the answer to this question to be,

"yes, i am devastated." this is three more than we had one year ago. next year or next congress -- first of all, i do expect more to join. even if they do t. >> we are getting close to our indian point, so i want to take one more question from the audience. i want to take it from somebody who has traveled here from seattle, washington, to be here tonight, in she is another one who has really supported this tea party movement from coast to coast. catherine. >> well, i have started a group

called theoctor-patient medical association, but i am going to ask y about something that is on the horizon, and that is the u.s.-korean trade agreement. a number of us who are free traders are very concerned about what is in a trade agreement, which includes that foreign companies are operating in the u.s. to discourage u.s. law and instead go to the u.n. and the world bank tribunal. so we are concerned that what is masquerading as free trade is not worth the tradeoff in u.s. sovereignty, so we you, as a free traders, -- president obama is counting on republicans to help him pass this, so we are hoping you will take a second look and consider that. >> when that was first negotiated, i took a look at it. i have got to go take a look at that.

yes, i am a free trader, but i want to be a smart trader. we should not let companies operate in that fashion. this is something we need to pay attention to. >> thank you, catherine. one more question here. i understand that most of you in the audience know that the federal government is trying to regulate our internet, and the internet is critical to this te party movement. it is big issue. we have all seen it receny. we have seen it in egypt and iran, and so, right now, i have summoned you want to ask a question regarding internet regulation. -- i have somne here who wants to ask a question. >> as everyone knows here, 90% plus of what the tea party has done has been on the internet, from its generous to its axis,

deuteronomy. [laughter] -- from its genesis to another. speaking to a rogue agency, december1, the sec just voted themselves. the sec cannot do anything unless and until congress says they can come and they have never done that. the d.c. circuit court unanimously ruled that they do not have the authority, and it went ahead and did it again anyway. i know one act is one in its way through both the house and senate. i know congressman has a bill to undo this, but i wanted to get in front of you all know, and i wanted you to comment on -- we know how important this is, and from the economic standpoint,

the internet is one-fifth of the nation's economy. it ties with health care. it is a free-speech issue, an economic issue, and more. >> thank you. >> i think it is very interesting that back in the 2008 election cycle, president obama and, of course, the democrats used social media very well to their advantage to win the election, and now, all of a sudden, they see that on the conservative side, we are able to do that and learned that lesson, now they want to shut that down, and i do not think we can allow that to happen. something else has happened, when you look up and see that area well has purchased the huffington post.-- aol has purchased the huffington post. we cannot allow ourselves to be suppressed and allow them to take the internet.

i stand firmly, if it comes down to it, the biggest pressure we can put on some of these regulatory agencies, cut off their money. [cheers and applause] >> just to add to that, if you look back in the 1980's, ronald reagan eliminated something thatequire there be a balance between the left and right in the public airways, and the liberals did not do very well on talk radio. people did not want to buy air time. fair enough. i see that fairness doctrine and the same philosophical category as the control of the internet. mubarak did control the internet in egypt, and i certainly do not want to have anybody being able to control the internet or shut it off, so i am with mr. west, especially, to shutting off the

funding to people who do not listen to that. [applause] >> i do not want to say anything that is duplicative of what has enaid, but not to be confused with the real inteiews, never in the history of mankind has it been so easy and inexpensive for so few people with so little money to speak to so many people. that is what has enabled this movement to be reborn. i say "reborn," because we started back in 1773, but we got a real boost with the internet, with youtube, facebook, email, internet, blogs, everything else. it is how we exist. it is how korea build and a monopoly -- it is how we have

built a monopoly. the facts are out there. it exists beyond what the mainstream media has been willing to report. not everything on the internet is true. a lot of it isot true. but people can find trees and ferret out the truth and separate fact from fiction. -- people can find truth. we will shut them down. [cheers and applause] >> thank you all for being here so much. we have come to t end of our time, but before we totally wrapped up, i want to take a couple of opportunities -- before we totally wrapped in up -- wrapt it up -- wrap it up. i want to taktime to recognize somebody in the tea party movement.

sh is a mom, somebody out there taking care of her family, and she has decided to step up to the plate and challenge senator webb in the state of virginia, in she is here with us tonight. [cheers and applause] so we are working on that, and i want us to take something away from here, and a action item, so this is not just for show, and we have something that we have to go do, and i want to tell you that we are going to continue to build this movement, to bring people into this movement, because we all identify with this responsibility. we do not have a revenue problem. we have a spending problem, and we need you guys to rein in the spending, and we are here to support you to make those tough decision when you have to make them, and in the meantime, we

are going to go out, and we are going to find some more conservatives to support you in november 2012, and we may have tried to fire harry reid once, but we will take the gavel away from him in november 20, so that is what -- note [applause] -- [applause] we all work together. this is a nationwide movement. so that is what we are going to be working on. so i just want to ask briefly, what do you need from us? senator lee? >> mark levin wants to talk to me. >> be excellent into each other. this is a movement that is not going away. it is worth fighting for. it is worth fighting together. we will win.

[cheers and applause] >> mr. west? >> if any of you ever get the opportunity to come to our congressional office in the longworth buding, there is a eight pictured that is very indicative of what we are as american people, and it is a picture of george washington kneeling beside his horse in the snow of valley forge and praying. contue to get on your knees and pray. a man or woman, avail of much. thank you. [applause] >> congressman king? >> i think that is right on target. i want y to think about this. when i first went into the state

senate, making principled arguments to reasonable people, and they will come around. that was 90. people who are principled are generally already there. sometimes they will come around, and that is easy. and so as many times as i have made the argument compaq -- argument, i will go back and say, the staff will take them off. they are hearing from their constituents, and they have a fine political barometer. we would like to think that we are a world leaders, and to some degree, we are, depending on the arena that we are in -- we would like to think that we are warned leaders. -- world leaders.

it changes the minds of the members of congress because they have to hear from you. if they do not do their job. [cheers and applause] >> thank you so much for being here, not only to our congressmen but to all of you who have come from far and wide. thank you so much, and, hopefully, we will do this again several months down the road. thank you all. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> next, "q&a" with r. gerald