to parkersburg for stepping up and helping their neighbors. host: tomorrow we will be joined by the 2011 student cam grand prize winner to discuss the top i can -- the topic of compromise in the government. you can lean more at c-span student cam.org. in just a few minutes we're going to bring you campaign 2012 coverage. and today we're going to be showing you live coverage of a radio show in des moines, aye aye. -- from des moines, iowa. and our campaignal coverage of campaign 2012 will continue. we will cover shows from iowa. on wednesday at 1:00 p.m., the exchange out of iowa city. and then on thursday at 3:00 p.m. eastern time, the jim fisher show out of davenport,

iowa live on c-span for campaign 2012. before we go here, i want to take a couple more phone calls if we can as we're waiting for this radio show to get under way. can you hear me? ] host: yes. caller: i had watched a program with jesse ventura. in this documentary he indicated there were several fema camps set up around the u.s. they snuck into one camp and there were over 125,000 casket there. i was curious as to what this was all about. thank you. host: we will move on to phil on the democratic line in

pennsylvania. go ahead. caller: my problem is with fema and would never government agency is. they seem to get nothing done. they talk about it. they express their opinions and they say we must do this and that, but they don't do it. it is like [unintelligible] why doesn't anybody go to jail? that irritates me. host: let's go to pennsylvania. now live coverage of "the jan mickelson show" stout of des moines, iowa, taking your calls about the upcoming presidential election. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

[inaudible]

>> once we get started, we will keep on rolling. this is radio. it is not like it is important or anything. just tell me what you need and we will get started in about a minute and a half. ok. and then we get serious. i will do a scene setter and

then people will start calling in. i will give out the phone numbers. ok, that's fine. we are about a minute and half a way of getting started formally. for those folks joining us on c- span, my name is jan mickelson. i've been here at who-radio since the late 1980's. so i have gone through the caucus system several times. c-span has been kind enough to broadcast microgram several times in the past. sometimes we have presidential candidates lined up back-to- back. this morning is going to be different. we are simply going to talk to iowa residents about what they expect out of the caucus season and next presidential race. we are certainly not going to leave the rest of the country out of this process. i am going to be inviting a

dialogue here this morning between the united states and the iowans in general because we have dispersed in the nation status, the first caucus along with massachusetts port or with new hampshire which has the first primary in the country. we share the first in the nation status and that gives us an artificial advantage or disadvantage, depending on your point of view, of examining the next generation through the political process. once we get started in a few moments i will give you a more detailed background. i will give you some phone numbers and i will give you a couple of e-mail addresses because i really would like to get a dialogue going between iowans and the rest of the country because i suspect a lot of you have questions about what about iowa gives us the first in the nation status? we will join our radio station

right now. ♪ ♪ >> the news opinions expressed are not necessarily those of who-radio. >> good morning, friends. welcome on this tuesday morning get together. times have changed a little. the normal format is still intact, but we are joined by c- span this morning. c-span live. , if youn c-span 1 would like to watch a lot. if you are regular at viewers and don't want to be disenchanted, don't do that. i refer you to have the mental image of what you have ever conjured up in your mind what i look like. so do yourself and me a favor. on my face account i have a

picture of clint eastwood. so far that is working. [laughter] here this morning we are joined by c-span. they come over here every once in awhile to find out what we are doing in the state's relative to the next stage in the presidential selection process. it is very early in the season so far. they flat asked me to say what is on the political mind of people who live in iowa? just as curious about iowans as the rest of you are, we are just as curious about the rest of the country. when i get going here i would like to give you a couple phone numbers of how to get involved in the conversation. 515-208-1040 is our local line. or you can call the toll-free

number. that's if you like to be part of the process from outside of the state. i have also selected as special e-mail account this morning just for out-of-state people to use. if you cannot get through on the phone lines, which is often the case, you'll still be able to participate with an e-mail question. if you don't want to participate in the normal way. i fired up my wife's ipad. she does not know it yet, but it's a christmas present that she's not aware of. i have a special g-mail account this morning. janmichelson@gmail.com. it will take me three minutes to get this started. so the rest of the country is on the same page, at least in my opinion, of what our state of

mind is in the state of iowa. if you'll give me three minutes i will give you a brief travelogue, some political background. i will became a state in 1846. during the time of great turmoil as you remember, leading up to the the war between the states. my side of the family immigrated from norway just in time to be drafted into the union army. eventually settled as farmers here. my wife's family came over on the mayflower. the laden family-- alden family. i what is in the middle of the country. i what is cut in half by interstate 80 east and west. interstate 35 north and south. des moines, iowa is in the middle. we are largely an agriculture state. we produce a good chunk of the nation's food. we export a bunch of it around the world. corn, soybeans, pork, chicken,

and more. iowa farmers are incredibly sufficient suppliers in food and security. by the way, we do have a state song. >> interstate 80, iowa ♪ ♪ mississippi river davenport corn, corn, corn what's that smell? i was city -- iowa city corn, corn, corn there's that smell again. corn, corn, corn ♪ >> we had a delegation that opted to pay me not to play the song, but they did not offer me enough. anyway, back to the true story. because of the weakness of the

dollar, commodity prices soared as well as the value of iowa farmland. i would is a low wage state. because of that we have fairly low unemployment. little more than 6%. iowa does have for a manufacturing base, a handful of fortune 500 companies. i think three of them. and a bunch of mom-and-pop factories subject to the same economic pressures of downsizing and outsourcing and moving to mexico as the rest of the nation. iowa has republic universities. our self-esteem rises and falls on the football schedule. although we are slowly growing in population, we did not grow fast enough during the last census to maintain five congressional districts. we lost one. the ensuing congressional musical chairs will be fun to watch. 97% white with a growing minority population, mostly in hispanic and some of them are here legally. in 1973, i will permitted

collective bargaining. for the public employees. since then in one generation contracts for wages and benefits have established the largest wage gap between public sector and private sector jobs in the country. wisconsin is #two. the defined benefits expected by the same bargaining agreements with the same kind of havoc on our economy as they have done to a general motors, the state of illinois, and wisconsin. in one generation the i would teachers union equipped with a monopoly and progressive education system has reduced our previously held best in the nation status to the middle. i oppose the upper level kids still excel, but the rest have dropped to 27 in the nation. the political class has been radicalized in iowa. democrats are farther to the left than the mainstream and produced obama.

79% of democrats are happy with obama's job performance. only the hard-core would consider a primary challenge at this stage. in which case they would support hillary clinton. the idler republican party is the mirror image of the democrat party, hard core to the right. with a growth spurt fueled by the tea party. last time that mix selected mike huckabee, pushing aside mitt romney. senator john mccain for the most part by past iowa for new hampshire. both parties have litmus tests. and this party platforms. the world views which produce them could not be more different. the politician who once said there's not a dime's difference between the two parties could not have been more wrong. about the political situation in iowa. these are not talk so talking points, they're just based on a measure of the objective distinctions between the party

platforms and their policy objectives. the iowa democrat party is a coalition of the gay lobby, the abortion lobby, gambling lot, and the state employees union, which includes the state teachers' union and open borders community. the iowa republican party is generally pro-life, traditional family, limited government, balanced budget, and pro- business. the iowa republican party is a moderate by temperament, but contains a constantly irritated and frustrated hard core committed conservative base. the best example of i will pose a cultural war in action in a recent dustup over the same- gender merritt issue. a few months ago after three terms of democrat majority, the gay lobby, try to challenge the iowa defense of marriage act and the iowa supreme court voted to declare its illegal and to unleash same-gender merits. that decision set off a firestorm. it cost the last governor his

job and the democrats the iowa house republicans gained a 20- seat majority and democrats cling to a two-both the rarity -- two-vote plurality in the senate. the rest of the supreme court would have been fired had they been up for pretension. it is into this soup that the next presidential election falls. iowa is caught up in the same cultural war stuff that divides the rest of the nation and is expressing the same economic pressures that are squeezing the rest of us. just as iowa has a disproportionate influence on presidential selection processes, we have a disproportionate representation in our nation's wwars. ever since the civil war, our service to the military has been over-represented. some of our national guard units

have been called to service over and over, several times now in afghanistan and iraq. you should know, 3 iowans were killed in afghanistan over the last several days. we are struggling defined a meaning for those sacrifices, purpose, and exit strategy. we are very patient, but that patients may be coming to end. i would democrats are happy with their president, so they will be sitting this one out. the only people applying for the job are on the republican side of the aisle right now. n s -- iowans take this very seriously. we really want to do the right thing. we are just as disgusted by the political clash as the rest of you are. as a country, we are involved in three wars or one with three fronts. with an economy that is in the dumper. top bubbles, and sustainable

safety nets, soaring gas prices, and the dollar so weakened that it could lose its status as the world's reserve currency. it is always a cliche, that this election cycle may be the most important in recent history, but in this case it probably is true, c-span wanted to known what i are looking for this time around. we have been visited by everybody on the list of prospective candidates. some are just making headlines so far. i think i could say without contradiction that nobody in iowa outside the political class has made any commitments so far. so, with that being said, i would like if we talk to each other and with each other. iowans talking amongst themselves and with the rest of the country listening and participating as well. at one level i would like the rest of the nation to interview

an iowans. if you have questions of us, i would like to hear from you. as always, i would invite iowns to give us a call to tell the rest of the country what we are looking for in a prospective presidential candidates. i am not going to be that much involved in this conversation this morning. i will express an opinion if someone asks. our style this year is conversational. our style here. we enjoy over the counter conversation. i would just have a couple of starters.atisation who or what do you want the next leader to do? what steps should? he or should takes who has impressed you so far? or has anybody impressed you so

far? i have just one celtuce question i would like you to ponder. maybe this is too philosophical for the rest of the universe. i'm kind of curious. for me the question is, the united states of america still capable of its promise? are we still capable of being a self-governing constitutional republic? 515-284 1040. the toll-free number for those who would like to join out of state is 800-469-4295. if you cannot get through but still would like to participate. go to my g-mail address.

keep it short if you and are going to e-mail me. i won't be able to read a lot of stuff. this is to be conversational. ranting is for the bloggers. i don't need speeches. you don't have to be disagreeable. i would like to hear from you. i will take a brief timeout for the locals and we will just start the conversation. those watching and listening on c-span, we will go right to the phone lines. everybody else, stay put and we will come back in a moment on 1040 who-radio.

i have one guest this morning and i will have our farm market protractdirector because i knowe going to get calls about agriculture stuff. let's begin whips gary in houston. thanks for joining us. >> good morning. >> how are you? just fine, thanks.

i did think i still have the radio program in my ear. it's gone now. thank you. first, i heard your question and i will try to frame my response in that context. one of the biggest issues today is the economy and i appreciate the fact that iowans have set the tempo to the upcoming campaign season. in that respect, i think one of the people that has impressed me is mitch daniels. i know he has not officially declared yet. >> the indiana governor. he has no presence here so far, but his name has been raised. people like his -- i think he calls the debt the new red scare or the red menace. everybody would agree with that. >> yes.

>> i do. and i believe that he is one of the governor's early on that demonstrated some principles in addressing some of the tough of his state.ues setting aside his popularity or even a chance at reelection and everything, he went after the issues and big hands out for him. it really helped his state will forward. >> he got the state turned around and got a lot of the entitlements under control. he admits that he has a charisma problem. is it possible for a person like that to get elected? >> that is a great question. i understand that, because he

does not fit that physical image that probably most people look at in a president, but when you look at him you can see a man with conviction. >> thank you, gary. rejoining our regular listeners on who-radio, 1040. ♪ >> i am jan mickelson broadcasting live on 1040 who- radio join this morning by c- span. we will be doing this until 11:30 central time. that's 12:30 eastern time. if we will pretty much go back to back and even talking during commercials to national collars and local callers as well. i don't want to leave anyone out of the conversation. you should know that, for reasons i expressed already, this is a republican show this

time around because obama is the incumbent. he's not likely to be challenged by anybody on the democratic side. so the caucus is here. the upcoming political season will largely involve the republican party. according to public opinion surveys, unless you are a junkie, and that would be us, c- span viewers, you guys are political junkies, and i have my hand raised and i'm not even interested in a 12-step program, but the rest of the nation cannot name any of the republican presidential candidates yet. outside of the junky class, that is what the republican party is facing. they have a tough act and there's all whole bunch of republican candidates that are already signed up to stroll through this area. getting the attention of iowans and the rest of the nation is

going to be very difficult .hrough this entre point this is very early in the process. that's probably why c-span is here, to find out what's on the ground. let's go back to the conversation. el from st. louis. good morning. >> hi. >> what would you like us to know? >> i am an obama supporter. i am not at all interested in this upcoming election for any of the republicans. i feel that we have our man in place and i plan to revote him back in.

>> you are perfectly fine with the incumbent? >> absolutely. we all have this new election to look forward to, i suppose, but i feel that obama has complete control and i cannot see replacing him. >> has he disappointed you in any respect? >> not at all. >> thank you. i appreciate it. from virginia this is james. good morning, james. >> good morning. hi,. i really liked your opening statement about the republic and the fears that i have is that being a tea party person myself and coming from a family of diehard republicans, i am scared that the community is going to get so angry'at policies -- angry at obama's

policies and take that anger and attacked him and his family so much that when it comes time for politics to be put aside and for the safety of all americans as his number one priority, that he is going to have a pecking order where he feels his family is safe to be. i am scared to death of being in richmond, virginia, that my city is not going to be covered over his protection in the future as the next president. >> i'm not sure i follow you, james. what are you hoping for? >> i am hoping for tea partyers to dichotomize policy with loyalty to the man who is putting his life on allied the o

lead this country. >> thank you. iowans, asking you to get involved, we have had this conversation before. we have left the rest of the country out and now it's your opportunity to put them into it. we have a number of candidates that have come through the area already. ron paul will be in iowa later this afternoon. he will be announcing the first part of this process, which is opening an exploratory committee. he will be here late this afternoon. if he were not in the air at the moment, we probably would be talking with him in that process. haley barbour, who has been in and out of iowa couple times at the beginning part of the campaign has already dropped out. rick santorum is in the state of iowa right now as we speak. he had several talking spots today. mitt romney is the fellow that was squeezed out by mike huckabee in the last campaign and is not actively campaigning here.

he is in the polls right now running behind mike huckabee, who is not directly campaigning either. he still has his job on fox on the weekends. he is up in the polls and does not have to lift a finger yet. we still don't know for certain if he is in or out. sarah palin made an initial big splash, little or no pleasance in iowa -- presence in i will proceed has gone through a couple times on books findings, but has made little or no effort to advance yourself in the next process. that spot perhaps has been taken over by minnesota congresswoman michelle bachmann, who has spent a great deal of time here. she has iowa groroots. she is very popular amongst the tea party people see is also a person who has combined forces with our congressman steve king to resist obamacare and its

constitutionality. so she has had at some feed on the ground. herman cain is the pizza magnate. he has been here several different times. he participated in a recent event in des moines and made a big impression on tea party people the serbs a lot of red meat for that wing of the party , very good communicator . mr. daniels has no presence here. the john bolton has been here a couple times, but his main biggest foreign-policy. i think that's one of the reasons why he just wants to come out and get some of the issues on board, just to keep foreign policy in the next. nuking which has had a presence here with frequent visits at one time or another -- newt g ingrich. tim pawlenty has a campaign organization in the state. he is from minnesota,h former,he

former governor. his main advantage is minnesota nice and his main disadvantage is minnesota nice and mike huckabee, as i said. one of the things that got our attention is the skyrocketing presence of donald trump out there playing around in the weeks. iowans initially responded to his announcement well. they really enjoyed his grenade tossing and some of the fuss that he made. he has not yet campaigns here. he promises to do so. those are the people that -- also, chris christie has not declared, but iowans like him for the same reasons they find donald trump attractive, because he blurts out what he thinks to

be the truth and select the chips fly. let's get back to the conversation. iowa.talk with steve in >> i want to respond to your question about what our number one issue is in this election cycle? for me it is the constitution. a couple years ago i might not have said that. but today it is the number one thing. the current occupant of the white house, his treatment of the constitution, by his actions, is barely an optical to achieve his ultimate goal. i would like to see a candidate who stands for the constitution and is willing to back it. it looks like ron paul at this point might be that guy. >> were you supporting ron paul the last time? >> i did not.

but when you listen to all the current powerhouses in the republican party speaking, the one that speaks -- has the most credibility with the constitution. >> he has done the most riding on the subject. he was marginalized during the last campaign and then most of what he said has been vindicated. especially in the economic sphere. >> he was marginalized by the party blue bloods that don't want to see an upstart like him sitting anywhere. >> absolutely. thanks. i appreciate your participation. this is still appear you are is philip.-- this s >> thanks. what i'm looking for, what i would encourage other people even nationwide to do with regard to the upcoming election is something that my parents gave me an idea about. that is somebody who can

communicate canwho is not apologetic about what they have to say and who is an adult. what i have seen so far on the republican side is that the people who seem to be fearless, courageous adults are john mccain and donald trump. i'm not necessarily endorsing either one of them. but if we have someone like them, we can put down the political tantrums that happened in the more juvenile sectors of the political spectrum that we are all capable of participating in and have the adult side of us say this needs to happen for these reasons and communicate it well. >> therefore? who? >> i like -- at this point i like herman cain for many

reasons, not just because he communicates and is an adult, but because there is less -- there's more devotion there than there would be. with be trump's as far as the other candidates go, i am very wary of the media tousing the republican candidate, because for the past few elections the republicans have acquiesced to the media and let them choose their candidates through a series of preliminary reports and polls and everything and they say mitt romney is getting the attention and john mccain is getting attention and then that puts the seed in our heads that that's the guy that can win. >> interesting what he said about the media influence. in the last election cycle mitt romney spent a fortune. i mean millions of dollars getting traction here. he came close, but mike huckabee

pushed him aside. steve forbes in a previous election cycle tried to use his own personal wealth to buy traction. he did buy some, but was not competitive. the media keeps pushing once. in iowa is difficult for the media to have an enduring influence on the caucus process, because this literally is a grassroots process. we will continue this in just a moment on 1040 who-radio.

>> and my ok? i think we can go back to just chatting with folks on the line. we will go to one of our local farm markets. we can talk to listeners several minutes. some feedback we got from santa ana, california. i'm not sure how we can get a feel for what's iowans are thinking when a program and audience such as yours is clearly so right and center? well, that's a fair analysis, my program is right of center. i would classify myself as sort of conservative and libertarian. i really find ron paul a very attractive -- a lot of his policies fairly attractive. but as i explained earlier, we are talking about the iowa caucuses. this time around the iowa caucuses will be only about republicans. the iowa republican party as a

base are largely a right-wing conservative or libertarian people. therefore, the people who will participate did exactly what you are criticizing me for representing. i'm sorry. that's just the way it is. the independents in i have not mentioned so far. they are usually the ones that are in the middle that swing one way or the other. the independents are now less than 50% supporting obama. the hard core of the democrat party still supports obama. the independence which elected him have softened in their support, especially in iowa. they are up for grabs. the question is which direction that group of people will move. that is what the republican caucuses will decide. this is jeb from texas. thanks for joining us.

>> i was wondering, if the independent voice throughout the nation is growing, and -- if -- >> would you describe the independent as disaffected or unaffiliated? >> honestly, i believe an independent is truly unaffiliated. in order to be classified as an independent, you have to be able to do that. >> all right. >> but i don't believe that is the general population. i believe there are a lot of people that are classified themselves as independent and all they are is moderate. in exposing that, i was wondering, do you believe that foothold in iowaol

is slipping and losing its membership to independents where they turn their backs on the party, but more of a moderate view and wanted to hear more of a voice from a candidate that will provide a more moderate tone, being that we are all fairly moderate in our everyday lives? >> the short answer is yes. the hard right is getting harder and the hard left is getting harder left. the people pick in the crossfire in the middle are going to have to decide what principles are more important to them than there third-party neutral observation scott. the stakes are extremely high. the voices of moderation among the polar opposites here are not going to resonate in this election cycle. the people moderate by temperament are not resonating in the polls. and the people moderate by

policy are not resonating either. there really is a cultural war. there will be winners and losers. the people in the middle of this are the self-describe independence and they will have to describe to us what your important issues are and by a moderate approach to those issues -- ♪ ♪ hang on. i would like to hear your response. . we are coming back with our regular listeners on 1040 who- radio. we are in a conversation with a texas caller describes himself as independent and wonders if there's a place in iowa, especially republican politics for independents. i told him, yes, independents, but moderation does not tell us anything about a voter except

their temperament. this is going to be an issues- driven process. as a moderate or as an independent, what are the issues that drive you? personally, the primary role is the government taking needs to be separated from partisan politics. >> why? >> completely. it's really difficult for me who is a self professed political c- span junkie. >> people who are paying attention are interested in the direction our country is going. it is difficult to take and above the fray if you for that. it worries me at one level that after the conflicts that we have

and -- have seen in ideology and politics that you think there's a third party spot anymore that's nmeaningful any more? what are you independent from? >> i believe a lot of the issues have no place being combined with the other issues. >> give me something concrete. >> i don't believe that's my opinion on abortion should play in any manner along the lines of my opinion on gay marriage. i could be pro-life and anti-gay or pro-day. >> now i understand. those are the cultural war issues we are fighting over. i will have to taste that, but those are huge platform issues in the state of iowa -- i will have to chase that.

this is david. thanks for joining us from georgia. >> yes, sir. i want to put a plug in fort gingrich -- for gingrich. he is the complete package. he knows how to articulate on the fly. i think that he will eat obama for breakfast, no doubt. i do like the other candidates, some of them. i like michelle bachmann. i like rand paul. >> gingrich's from your state. >> exactly. >> that means you have given him a lot of thought for a long time. you have clung to him for a long time. >> absolutely. i did not even know he was from georgia when i first noticed him. its is a completely unbiased opinion. i do like other folks. i just think that he, from

georgia-- >> what's your number one issue? >> the number one issue is to stop obama from driving us off the cliff. >> what is the driving and what is the cliff? >> it is social issues moseley. he is tying it into economics and he's trying to drive us back into the dark ages of europe. -- it is social issues mostly. those things need to be talked about even more than a distraction with abortion. >> thank you, david. julia from cedar falls, iowa. >> hi. listening to what everyone has been saying, two things. first, the media and republican national party telling us who we should be choosing for candidate instead of them listening to us

telling them who we want. as for picking someone, donald trump has been speaking the points of things that need to be said on the economy. absolutely. if this country is not going to survive the way we are going and where driving it over the cliff is the best way to describe that. i am an independent and i am because i keep waiting for somebody who steps somebodywho cares about america and what america is and what america was. i would like to have a fighter in them to come back and say this is who we are. europe or any other country. we are a unique country. why people come in and want to

change what america is, america is america. if you don't like what we are, go to the place where you like what they have. they're trying to change us. >> did i understand you to say that you like donald trump? " i like what he is speaking about. i don't necessarily know him well enough. i cannot read him yet that i would completely believe what he is saying. i liked tim pawlenty. i am just waiting for someone who has a fighter in them to come out and stand up for america and say this is what we are and we are not apologizing to anybody and bring us back to the strong country with the moral of this country was founded on. >> thank you. i need to take a short time out in a moment. i got an e-mail a moment ago from a listener. it says, "time from tennessee,

give us a short primer of the caucuses in iowa." i could, but i will not. i will have the tier of the iowa republican party to do that in-a moments. -- the chair of the iowa republican party. he might have some insights class to its candidates are likely to show up here. should i take a timeout? my producer is ross peterson in the other studio doing the hard work, screening calls and getting everybody on the air. you can reach us on 1040 who- radio at our regular call in line. and we also have the 800 number for people out of state. if you would like to participate and you cannot get through on the lines, drop us an e-mail.

i am going through the e-mails even as we speak. back in a moment, 1040 who- radio. i will take a couple of calls. >> [inaudible] >> i will take to the phone lines again. come on in, matt, have a seat. let's go back to the phone lines for those of you observing us on speedc-span. james, thanks for joining us. what would you like us to know? >> if most people look at it -- i just started voting last year. i voted for obama. i figure that he's doing a good job. when i voted for him we were down in the hole. you can tell that he's doing a

good job because now you have everybody against him. the republicans are against him and the tea party coming now and they are against him. >> isn't that the nature of the job? as soon as you are the president, everybody wants your job, everybody comes after you? >> if it was that, why did they not go after bush? obama does a better job of bringing us out. there are people out there that don't want him to succeed. >> that's true. they don't want him to succeed because they think that his policies are destructive. as you said earlier in your call, james, you said you are just getting involved in the political process and you voted for obama and that was the first time. but your memory regarding the bush years needs to be refreshed, because they came after bush just like they're

coming after obama. the rhetoric was just as intense and just as nasty as it is now, unfortunately. >> i'm not into it as much, but the parties are not going after we did or not going after bush as much as they are going after obama. look where bush took us and look where obama has brought us. how will people say they will not vote for him again? >> i appreciate the call. -- shall we go to that? mr. strong, you are the only guest we have this morning. the reason i invited you -- this is matt strong. he has been in iowa five generations. you are an old guy. you are the chairman of the iowa republican party.

we would invite the chairman of the democratic party, but there's no caucus. they will not -- unless something really weird happens and somebody decides to primary and go after an incumbent, which -- with almost never happens, we are stuck with you people, the republicans. you have been the chairman since 2009. >>, january of 2009 our was selected to my second term. >> people want to know several things. a lot of our listeners are familiar with the caucus system. if we have c-span viewers from around the world participating. this word "colorado" will be an unknown thing. everybody knows what a primary situation is. -- this -- -- this word "caucus." hang on a second. we will be rejoined by our

regular listeners. ♪ ♪ we don't want to waste anybody's time. our studio guest is the salmon of the iowa republican party. i've just asked him to explain the principle of the caucuses to the rest of the nation. >> iowa are well aware of the process, but for those wanting across the country, the process requires more voter participation than your typical primary. you just don't walk in, cast a vote, and leave. you are not only voting pure presidential preference, but you are going over your party platform issues, you are electing delegates to your county level party organizations. on the republican side, it is a 60 minutes to 90-minute process. you'll hear from the candidates themselves at the start or their surrogates. we have 1800 precincts across the state, so you are gathering with your friends and neighbors

in the local community centers, high school gymnasiums, community buildings across. the across it is grassroots politics at its finest. -- community buildings across the state. >> let's assume it comes down to the final process. when is that going to be in, when our the caucuses held? >> february 6, 2012. there is still some issues with other states that may want to move up in the calendar. right now it's february 6 for iowa. my precinct, we meet at one of the local elementary schools and everybody techs in like you would check in when you go to vote. you need to be an eligible ellet registered voter. you can declare that you are republican that night. you don't have to do that ahead

of time. >> somebody hasn't been an e- mail that it's a potential for mischief, because -- let's continue this. we will say goodbye to a are who listeners and continue this. -- our who listeners. so we can continue. the call is from around the country are wondering, so the obama folks and democrats want to participate in their caucuses this time, so they are going to be board that night. [laughter] they might say, there's a caucus here. it says in their rules you don't have to be declared candidate, you can be an independent or democrats and you can come to an iowa caucus and register as a republican this season and start to do mischief. >> most of the hardcore liberals

i run a tour around the state, i cannot fathom them taking the republican box without trembling. >> it would burst into flames? >> exactly. let me explain how it works when you check in at your caucus. most everybody is settled in. the precinct chair then allows for the seller gets to speak on behalf of the individuals running for president. there's not a printed ballots so you don't have to be eligible. after the surrogates' speeches are done, there are slips of paper that are handed out and you write the surname of your preferred presidential candidates. either you go in front of the room and a drop in the ballot box or one is passed around. at end of all the votes collecting, a representative for each campaign along with the leaders of the precincts in the room will count the votes, tabulated totals for the different presidential candidates, reported to the group and include it in the statewide tally.

>> is it a simple plurality? is it a simple majority in that room of all those candidates and all the people who voted, they win the delegates or that precinct? >> >> but they win that precinct? >> no. it's based on the aggregate votes they have received across the united states. so the actual delegates are not eye signed until our state convention in june. >> would they be in direct correlation with those in june? >> no. there's no binding with the delegates. >> what's the common practice then? how does it work out in practice? >> in practice, the last cycle, for example, huckabee and romney and ron paul people all

have the opportunity to be delegates for the national convention. so they still have the opportunity to go ask the people to elect them. it was really a great healing process. we come together behind our nominees and state convention. >> how was that different than -- >> no. now the primary state under the new r.n.c. rules, if there was a state that goes in the march windows, you cannot have a winner-take allstate. so if you go after april 1 and one to be the knockout punch during the nominate -- nomination process, it has to

be a winner-take-all state. >> so what some of the parties within the states are doing now, is that pretty much over? are there still some schedules that are in flux? because ohio and new hampshire, is that at risk or is that still influx or have we nailed that down? >> well, if you're with the republican party, you're on a constant state of high vigilance. now the r.n.c. rules that were passed last year by a 2/3 vote provide -- they are the only states that may go. the other states must go after the snates marcht and the penalties for not being in compliance with those rules are they take your delegates away and you don't get convenient

hotels or passes for your party's major contributors. but at the moment florida is currently out of compliance. there have been some discussions with folks in florida. i believe they set up a committee to hook at getting in compliance. >> is that when you're like guido going around saying if you do this, you're going to lose your status? >> well, we believe in following order. >> if that doesn't work, violence. >> issue the threat to move the convention out of florida, in my retirement years, -- [laughter] >> but we're still working with our friends and it will be

iowa, new hampshire, south carolina, nevada and but we do reserve the right that if we have to move the date up, we will. >> c-span is other here. they want us to talk about this. how early is this in the process compared to the last few years? >> well, you had before the democrats and republican in an open -- similarly you had mccain, giuliani, romney, those rerepublican campaigns were already announced. >> and they were getting ready for something that happens every caucus summer. they have a straw poll and they invite all the candidates to set up tents, picnics, bribing people with food. >> with iowa, how do they get our votes? through our stomachs.

>> and then there's a fundraiser for the party? >> yes. but we can't lose sight of with republicans in this state after the caucus ends the general election starts the next day and we are a true classic swing state, and obama can't get back to the white house without obtaining those votes. >> so can i throw you a curve here? i'm reading email, and i think i committed some kind of a faux pas. it says mick michaelson, -- they said jan mickelson, anyone who uses that -- at least try to use the correct grammar and usage. it's the democratic party. i didn't realize that i committed a talking point.

>> is that a talking point? >> and i should have corrected you, i suppose. >> is that -- >> yes. that is accurate. >> well, i guess i am an ignore aimous. it's really not a good thing to be corrected by a republican chair of anything. i don't know if i -- that's what's crucial is you do need leaders in all those precincts. so if you were a presidential campaign? n iowa it gives f you the test amend aw -- >> why do we trust them to do this in iowa for us? >> well, we take this process

seriously, and we expect that we will get opportunity to meet them and the people asking for the votes, the candidate with the greatest bank account that can run ads and speak to 4,000 or 5,000 voters isn't necessarily the candidate that can twin caucuses. we put them through the hard and fast and ask them the questions. >> and have the -- and massachusetts governor mitt romney would have won the last time around, too. >> this is what we discussed with the r.n.c. they were afraid we would have a move toward the national primary. it will effectively become a fundraising contest and the candidates won't get an funt to be tested by actual voters.

ask them a tough question eyeball to eyeball in coffee shops and our community centers. ♪ >> this is the views of the host, guest and callers. >> and we're back with our janmickelson@gmail.com dd with radio radio. and matt strom is the -- donald strump not even a declared candidate. he's made a big ripple in the last couple weeks. is he going to come out and. -- >> and he will be headlining the annual lincoln dinner here in des moines, and we anticipate it will be the most

attended lincoln dinner we've had. we've had other candidates over the years as well. one thing i heard from tea party members and democrats and republicans. they may not adeprea with him, but they know where he stands. the first thing that was said when asked what are you looking for was backbone and someone who was conservative. i think he's giving it a serious look. i don't think anybody comes to iowa by accident. >> unless their g.p.s. is busted. >> another event tonight .

>> 75-year-old congressman from texas. what do you think of that? >> we had the opportunity to feature ron paul the night before the convention and we had his son host the night of the rising stars event. that event brought a lot of newly-engaged tea party activists. so for your national listeners, obama is a state he can carry, because it has the ewhich snofe >> so back to the rest of us here, if you're just joining us here. i'm jan mickelson. and you're listening to the conversation here today, and we've just confirmed the ron paul is going to be on

janmickelson@gmail.com dd with radio this afternoon with on simon's program between 4:00 and 6:00 this afternoon. he'd be talking to us right now, but he is rudely flying. [laughter] in the air right now. the rest of us, however, going back to the previous conversation. if you're just joining us here, i'm inviting a dialogue eff the -- also we pay attention at an earlier level than most folks, so we'd like to inhave it you sfofe >> who, if anybody, has impressed you yet, and has the united states full filled --

going atlanta again, this is dave. >> good morning. first off i want to say thank you to c-span for opening up the dialogue other people aren't in iowa. and i have an issue. here's an issue for iowans. i'm a disabled vet. not in any form or fashion putting down the military. i loved the military. but the one thing i do have a problem with is i don't find any politician at this point making a bells making a sound judgments on what to do with those coming back from iraq. i asked ask that because of what i enduring my first tour.

>> what's missing from the conversation? >> more counselors and doctors. i've moved three different states to try to see if three different v.a.'s would give a different solution to the problem. but a lot of those want to help, but they are overworked. i had a very very good doctor. unfortunately i couldn't continue my care with her. >> david, i appreciate your sacrifice and service. usual on the record displaying the need for disabled vets and i expect it varies from state to you tate -- state to state. and we have large commitments represented in most of the

recent and the current war froonts. and i hope i'm not speaking out of turn. but i think we do a good job of taking care of the vets here. but if you have a disabled vet that feels that is an important issue that needs to be resolved at the federal level. this is jafmente good morning, jay. >> yes. how are you doing? >> great. >> you started talking about the differences in wages between the public and private sectors. >> yes. >> in my opinion, the private sector's union and e. 3789 a. and congress have driven our jobs out of the country to communist china. and the candidates need to address how do you compete when

they don't have a congress or anything? it's a major problem. i'm not smart enough to figure out what you do. >> that should be your number one issue. international trade. >> well, it's the economy and what drives the economy? jobs? all our jobs are gone. the e.p.a., unions and tax policies have driven them out of the country. >> is where you can find us. that is our toll-free line. you can also email at janmickelson@gmail.com. the dialogue i'm trying to get involved between iowans and the rest of the country. >> yes.

what i like to talk about is -- your last guest touched poon it. you have -- touched upon it. you have -- declaring yourself as a republican. >> yes? >> all this excitement. >> you can't help yourself. >> no. i'm a liberal. [laughter] >> so is you're a man with high country. >> bad news, i kind of hide a lot. but i am going to look at the republican party and not do anything in the -- way. one person that you have not brought up is the government. governor from nick manty co-. >> mr. johnson? >> i'm looking for the very

first person that will get us out of these wars. i'm an iowaen, and i take my politics very seriously. i know there's ron paul. but we have, what, 30,000 people in germany. >> but john, you just said you're a liberal democrat. i am figuring you voted for obama and getting us out of the wars is number one in your mind. >> yes. >> you've got to be really disenchanted. >> yes. i'm not part of that 79%. >> so you would be willing to go shopping based on that issue. >> i'm going to leave that as a retorqual point. i'm going to take a short

time-out and you're listening to janmickelson@gmail.com dd with radio. all right. this is kind of unusual we don't normally continue a conversation during the commercial is the. but this is one of the nice things about having a very, very well-equipped radio station and my producer ross peterson has enabled us to do both things at the same time. so he is a multitasker. let's go back to the conversation with you at or janmickelson@gmail.com. and to michigan. good morning, mark. >> good morning. thank you for taking my call. you ever notice? >> probably not. >> based on your caller. i'm guilty, too. but 60 years of bad trade policy always seems to get

blamed on the current president. >> yes. it's an intergenerational messup, isn't it? >> yes. it's one of those things that those who forget the past are destined to relive it. yes. i'm a dyed in the wool politician or you know -- >> junkie. >> yes. it's never going to change for me. every time a good conservative gets through iowa. gets through new hampshire. low and behold the republican party zeros in on him and takes him out. >> can you give me an example. >> ron paul, even the democratic media would not let this guy talk. >> not him?

>> huckabee is your most powerful reason or example. he won here in iowa because iowa got to know him. he was unable to translate that to his fox news gig. >> donald trump, i think when it really got hot and heavy, the media can bring out these guys having the opposite opinion. i know that sounds crazy, but when the debates were going on, everybody was talking about -- look at the last republican sleep walker all talking about jobs, jobs, jobs all they are doing is eliminating the giant infrastructure jobs that were created when we all had private

jobs. so the whole economy has shipped most of our economy offshore. >> thank you for your participation. or i shouldn't be saying that. oddly i was giving you the wrong number. but it's [phone rings] those are the only kinds of principals on which -- so far. ♪ >> hang on for a second. ♪

>> we were talking with mike, and who do you choose if you think the current crop is not up to successful in -- >> for those folks, i didn't include him on a list, but the fellow roy, was a very high-profile, controversial judge who refused to take down 10 commandments and for his disagreement with the foreign policy, he lost his position as supreme court judge in alabama. that didn't make him go away. it just made him irritated. to take out that irritation on the rest of us, he's baseline on a quest to recover some of what this culture has lost and

he announced he also wanted to be considered as the president on the traditional values and constitutional platform, right? >> i would think so. >> this is your opportunity if you're outside iowa to interview iowans and tell us what you think is important. it's your opportunity if you're an iowan to bring fourth what you consider important and has anybody impressed you so far? and i ask this question.

has the united states delivered on its promise to be a recovering republic? janmickelson@gmail.com dd with radio is one of those 50-watt stayings. we've always been a honored to have a drew here. -- to have a crew here. as we reported to you earlier, we are extremely happy to be included in the national dialogue. let's go back to more conversation. and an and this is january is from new jersey. oops, we lost you. good morning, charles. >> good morning. >> you're calling from pennsylvania. which part? tell me what you would like us to know. >> am i speaking to jan? >> yes.

>> what i'm seeing the -- is the problem of the economy. but also some foreign policies that have yet to be addressed. >> ooches. we lost you. are you still there, charles? i don't know what happened but he's not there. that was not on our end. anyway, if you'd like to be part of the conversation. you're closing our borders? really? stop sacrificing our dream and our money to every group who hates us. we are not the keeper of the world. and we should not apologize for being americans. i'm interested in the donald. and what's he say? stop the insanity. this is from a person's iphone, not identified.

i want the candidate that will open up drilling in our nation's oil rombs. the candidate that should not be asfrade to take on the environmentalists and the e. ment that comes from bell monday, iowa which so do we all think we should continue to follow the so-called best qualified educated people in america ? i'm asking folks to kick in on this conversation whenever you're comfortable. good morning. questions on self-governing.

conservativists believe in self-sacrifice. thank you for watching. watching on c-span. from minnesota. let's talk to some more folks. thank you for hanging in there. this is chanda from houston, texas. >> yes. hi. mr. jan mickelson? >> yes. >> how are you doing? >> i'm doing great. >> well i personally think the president is going the best he can and i think a lot of his policies would help. because i'm told it is going down. so i just think he's getting a lot of resistance because he is half black. people don't want to -- a lot of people even with clinton and bush, they supported him. but with obama.

>> i have to ask you. you're talking to iowa. iowa selected obama. and we're 97% white here in this state. >> no. when he was elected, people got past color. but that was one of the things that people looked at him, because they were so bad people said we're going to see past color. >> so why do you think they would elect him and celebrate if fact that he was our first african-american president, and yet turn on him only because he's an african-american? >> i'm not saying only but in part of the -- i'm not saying he comes up with all the best policies in the world. but just the things that he had to go through, not all the of

them had to. just the anger that is on. it's just so misplaced. >> you're right. the country is pretty angry and scared right now. and i really don't think it has anything to do with the president's racial mix. >> i mean, that's your opinion. but as an african-american myself, i believe in part that it is. >> what have makes him more suspect? the fact that he's part stpwhite >> you're funny >> thank you. this is gary. good morning gary. >> hey. how are you doing? >> great. i'm in a little town west of texas there. i had an heard y'all talking

earl jer that in nebraska, what do you have a lot of libertarians in nebraska? >> well, i think in nebraska they do and we have libertarians here in iowa, too. >> that's a neighboring state to the west. >> and that's a lot of corn growing. >> yes. >> libertarians don't believe in big government yet there's a lot of corn subsidies and i think $15 billion in corn subsidies for growing the orange that way. i'm in a republican county. i'm an independent. but i believe a lot of what ron paul says, because i don't believe question should have been in iraq or -- >> i wondered how long it would take for on? traysing a business and subsidies and farm subsidies

and the ethanol question. since i knew this was going to happen. later this morning in about 20 minutes, i'm going to instreet farm director to come in and give people an overview, because we get hammered almost every time the subject comes up, corn-based ethanol gets hammered. and this gets caught in the crossfire every sfpblet >> if you noticed when they built that bike on the discovery channel, the complete ethanol bike, yet they have a carburetor twice the size of a normal carburetor, so ethanol

is not really that good of a choice as for as gasoline. you can take regular beetle grass on an acre of that and get almost as much as so acres of corn. and using corn drives up food prices. i believe i agree with ron paul but his stance on the war and everybody was in this do, this do that mode. but higher taxes, somebody's got to pay for that. >> we'll address some of the issues you just raised. about the corn. because there's a lot of cliches about it. some are true. some are not. and it's difficult for those of us who live in the center part

of the country that is so smack dab in the middle of the corn belt to have an objective do to -- we'd like to think of oists as somebody who is serving up the country a bread basket or food basket of the nation. the ethanol we can deal with later. i'm not trying to shh trink subject. right now you can join us at 800-469-4295 and this is joe in cleveland. >> i'm from scleeled, the greatest health care in the world with the cleveland clinic. yes. the government has gotten too wanting us to use g.e. lights

and the new toilets. the government never used to tell everybody how to drink and what to eat and it's like we're beginning to beor wellian. >> so you want to government to shrink a little bit. >> yes. >> like to get iowans involved. tell us quhaur thinking about and match what you've heard so far with your own perceptions. are any of the candidates, impressing you yet we heard a lot about donald trump and ron paul. but nothing about the other candidates. governor paw lenty's name hasn't come up. a minnesota congresswoman who

has a lot of prens here. love to hear from you. let's go to floy texas. >> troy in texas. >> hello. anybody in office right now that accepted the raise they gave to themselves in secret should be -- >> you can't vote yourself a pay raise within your own term. it only applies to the people after they've been re-elected. they can't vote themselves a pie raise until they've stood for re-election. >> maybe -- >> it doesn't apply to the ones in office until they've stood for re-election. >> ok. ste second of all, any of the

judges that tries to prevent an inquiry into a potential president's background should be removed. >> give me an example. if -- >> is that an issue that's important to you? >> yes. it's a totally democratic run -- dreamently-run organization that people are rebelling against. >> a listener says obama is our african-american president, and if you are a birther, be proud and admit that much at least. so you instead of -- that's the undefined to have --

>> some people suggest he wasn't been in the feoff and not therefore constitutionally qualified to be president. i think that's kind of a tough sale. >> ok. if a birther means the his authenticity of a born-american citizen is not allowed to proceed through the courts through judges, i believe those judges were controlled and should not be allowed to -- speaking about that is donald trump. >> there's a real question about -- >> there is no question. >> i know exactly what you're getting at. >> he's given a certificate of

-- it meets the standard. >> george, you are the one -- >> obviously obama had his minons. a certificate of live birth shot? the same thing by any standard. >> george, it's so simple. >> let him show show the birth certificate. >> you refuse to accept that the president -- >> he said if i decide to go and use this -- i don't want the use this as an issue. i give up a lot if i run. a thing like that, i also give up a lot of my free, private life. i have a great company. i've done a great job. you can see, because maybe i'm

going to do the tax returns when obama does his birth certificate. >> oh, that's the point the last caller was mentioning. there's a cultural flash point. as you heard a couple of callers earlier, they are thoroughly convinced race is behind all of this. we're going to take a short time out for our farm markets and reconvene the conversation. we'll be back in a moment on janmickelson@gmail.com dd with radio. let's go to decora, iowa.

this is carol. >> we like donald trump and his common sense and if the shoe fits, wear it. but if he's weak on the pro life shurks we won't vote for him, but i want to add we do like michelle. >> my chevy bawkman is a minnesota woman who has spent quite a time here campaigning, and she has spoken at many public events. she really gets the tea party folks up and going. my name is jan mickelson. you're watching a who radio conversation this morning on c-span. we will go right back to the conversation with you. here's how you can find us.

800-469-4295. i've also added janmickelson@gmail.com if you would like to participate that way. i'm reading a whole bunch of your communications as we speak. and i really appreciate that as well. this is troy. thank you for joining us, troy. caller: i appreciate it. >> what would you like to know? >> the the -- inquiring about him and his staff that he appointed after he got into office. >> i understand you're concerned about the incumbent. but our conversation is about the caucuses and who you would like to be addressed going

forward. i know you're not satisfied with the current document. so what are you prepared to do about it and why? >> i'm prepared to have sarah palin run if the republicans will leave her alone. stop telling her what to say and how to dress. number two, if she's not going to be the president or vice president. mike huckabee would be a good choice. that's my opinion based on whatever she said. >> that opens the line for sff -- opens the line for our next caller. caller: it could be democrats, republicans, but you're never going to find out the problem until you look at the root of it.

the problem is getting caused by this shadow government, these people that anybody has any idea, because you never know who they are or their names, but they are very powerful people. >> my question for you is who do you choose now? what do you want to do in the future? who do you think is capable of representing the government now? >> well, of course, i mean most americans would agree it keeps -- they never want to show this guy on tv. >> well, ron has been on this program over and over. he's campaigned a lot here. ron paul gets a lot of exposure. he in fact gets any exposure he wants, he can get. i don't think the question is

that is he underexposed. i have a brand-new book called "liberty defined." he's produced best sellers after best sellers. e gives his -- ♪ >> we're back on 1040 who radio. i'm jan mickelson and we've rejoined our who radio listening audience. what are your important issues? iowans, i would like to get you back involved. this should be a dialogue. we're not really campaigning as much as we areer doing a little bit of comparison shopping. if you could help --

>> i wanted to talk about school items and maybe touch a little bit on this qe 2 thing. >> right. >> we've got issues with sending money all over the place when we've got plenty of resources here in our own country. we can keep those here. >> yes. and then basing school supplies on corn ethanol fuel. >> it's not a question, here, vance. how much field corn do most people eat? >> well -- no clue. >> mostly if you eat corn, most of the corn grown here is growing for the production.

like the course of action we tate meat. most people don't tate corn directly. >> i'm just saying that there's a much better way to go as far as efficiency and corn doesn't cut it. no disprospect to stop at iowa. but we're sitting here -- it's not because we're growing corn in iowa for ethanol. >> that's my point. there's a much better way to go about it. let's talk about modesto where you have got 35%-40% unemployment. it's the bread basket of the world but dry as a bone because

the e.p.a. said you can't release the water. it's a joke. the e.p.a. has gotten way out of control. you can't drill in california. we can't drill into our own oil shale. we have so many resources but because one well got tainted with some natural gas stuff and truned water supply, all of a sudden that's the argument against natural gas. >> well that's not an important issue to you? so far in this process, have any of the candidates appealed to you? >> you know, i have a couple of names. i haven't heard anybody mention chris christy. >> i did mention him early in the program but many iowans like the way he stood up foe --

for unions. >> vance, i appreciate it. you're on the record. from washington, d.c., this is wanda. >> hi, how are you? >> i'm doing great. >> i heard a guy say obama needs to fix this and that. did they realize when they brought obama in things were already broken? as far as donald trunk, he is a rich man. he thinks being rich is going to buy him the presidency? >> well he can spend some of his own wealth in the initial stages that the rest of the candidates won't be able to do. the question is will that do him any good? >> yes.

but can he run his own businesses, but >> there's nobody that pressed another where he came from. >> that's because he was -- that's not an issue at a senate or gubernatorial level. it is an issue when you run for president because of the explicit constitutional language which requires candidates for that office to be the reason why that's important this time around. they invited him to produce the certificate he provided a

certificate of life birth certificate and if you watched the public opinion surveyed this morning, a high percentage of americans have serious questions about this. mainly because guys like donald trump are launching the proverbial hand grenade. but many of us have asked why isn't the president simply producing it? this would have gone away a long time ago. the fact that he hasn't produced the paperwork in a non-controversial way, it just continues to leave the as a festering sore. and i really wish he would get rid of the issue. because there's a lot more things more worthy of our president than you-all bona fideys. good morning, yeb.

>> i think people are making a big deal out of obama. he said he was going to change our country. he changed it. it's not what everybody was hoping for. he's making us the poorest country in the world and using all our resources. >> well, who are you for? >> i'm for anyone who is going to get our oil . >> a brief time-out. we're going to come back and add another voice to the conversation. a couple of times the ethanol question has come up. i think we're going to head that on directly when we return.

>> ok. we're back on the air. bob quinn is going to be joining us here in a moment he is a farm director. let's go all the way to rachede. i think is in virginia. good morning, richard. caller: yes. >> what's on your mind? caller: one thing you can -- i have a vehicle parked out in front of my house with a ron paul bumper stickers on it, but the main thing i wanted to talk about. >> ok. >> we need fundamental changes. everybody says term limits. you're horrified. going to get rid of thehold old stage of holtigses in our

government. i think they could have 12 years in the senate and then live with the laws they made for 12 years and then they can come back. they can't just go get elected in the senate and just stay there forever or until they feel like leaving. >> this is arthur. good morning, arthur. >> good morning. >> hi. what would you like us to know, sir? >> well, i am really getting so fired hearing people talk about the birther issue. to me it's a non-issue. what gets me is i'm tired of people who took the country that was in the surplus at the end of the administration po -- then allowed through the free

enterprise system -- now instead of talking about issues that are -- they ought to focus on the tax structure. to me, it's loaded too eehly towards the rich, and i just feel obama has taken on the one issue i've heard for 20 years or more about the health care cost. i think the health care system probably needs to be improved in some ways. >> so you would be part of the 79% giving president obama high narks? >> yes. heartbeat frust if -- to me, i think the problems about the birther issue are covering

other issues that are important. >> and this has come up twice in the discussion about quinn. the agri business here in iowa, ethanol, farm subsidies, they are almost eff -- you can pick up a newspaper or political analysis. the iowa farmer is viewed as a recipient of subsidies. and ethanol is a bad deal. and the only reason we have it is we have this first-in-the-nation status and cow come apply -- we have the

poverty and shouldn't be using food for the production of ethanol. we'll continue our con very sation -- continue our conversation. for c-span viewers, my guest is bob quinn. he's worked for who radio. he is our farm director and produces mainly ad issues. commodities are a huge part of iowa's business and farmland value is at the highest it's

ever be a because we are an ag state. and a great deal of wealth is created here by the farmers that live and work here. and ethanol has been a big part of our growth. give us a little bit of a background. why is this important? why did it ever get started? why was it ever designed to replace fuel and be competitive with opec? >> to answer the last question first, ethanol is not designed to replace fuel. maybe a portion of fuel. utopia, if we used everything that we produced, we would be able to replace somewhere around 7% of our fuel. so is it a drop in the bucket?

no. it's a big amount. but it's not designed to replace gasoline. >> it was originally designed as a fancy word, as an oxygen ate, something to replace gasoline. it was an additive fempfofe -- and when that began toer -- we had some very bright people out here in the midwest saying hey, we can fix that. we can grow some ethanol and enhance the oxygen level in the gasoline and make it burn cleaner, and not only that, it's renewable. >> we started the process 30 years ago doing research with ethanol. >> what we're going to do for

iowa listeners. we're going to continue the conversation with news on our c-span connection and then to -- ♪ >> ok. we can continue our conversation. >> ethanol really started to be researched by the corn industry back about 30 years ago. of course ethanol is not new. ethanol was probably invented the same time perment corn was. so about 30 years ago as a way to produce another product out of corn. it was not designed necessarily to replace the fuel industry. ethanol, as you feoff -- and to make it burn cleaner, other

things were added and that got in the ground water supplies, and that was not a desired product. so then ethanol was used as something else. it's mixed in with gasoline. most places at somewhere around a 10% level although the e.p.a. says it can up to e85 in flex fuel. >> the criticism is it takes more energy to produce ethanol than you get out of it, and we are subsidizing the iowa farmers and should not be doing that. to what degree is corn production subsidized at all? >> corn production is not subsidized in the sense that we make direct payments to farmers. those are called a counter- cyclical payments.

when a certain price level is reached, then a countercyclical payment is provided to farmers for certain program crops. the latest one probably was in the dairy industry, because they are the ones that are suffering with the lowest prices right now. corn has not had a countercyclical payment for quite some time. >> corn is being shipped all over the world. to go out of a 13 billion crop, 5 billion goes into ethanol, the rest goes into feed. >> many people say you should not use food to make ethanol, but what happens at the production level? >> there has been a shift away from the white corn, which was a food-type corn to a field corn. not very much. the fact of the matter is people do not eat what we grow and iowa.

livestock eat it or we produce ethanol. we make sweeteners out of it as well. that is really not a people food. that argument is kind of lost. that goes into livestock and livestock are consumed by people. what is grown in iowa cornfields is not people food. i what does not get a subsidy for that. -- iowa does not get a subsidy for that. and >> they have no incentive to add ethanol at all. the government gave them an incentive to open up the gas station so they could lend this. >> you could say that. epa has an incentive to put ethanol in gasoline to make it cleaner burning. so you get the blender credit that goes to the blender, which is usually the oil industry.

here in the state of ohio what we have a tax credit on ethanol at the pump that you and i get as consumers. when we buy gasoline and makes it cheaper. that is given back to us. and so ethanol was never intended to replace opec? >> no. using --stantly looking for places to produce that. >> this is going to sound really awful, but literally people would burn the cord to heat their houses. >> there were some stoves that were built in the midwest that burned corn. we had amount of corn to move.

>> the next up is, will corn ever be the permanent supply for ethanol? corn-based ethanol is not ever contemplated to last forever? >> i do not think so. cornice of the we have a lot of and readily available and we know how to handle it and store it and pick it, so it is an easy conversion right now. is it the best thing to convert? maybe in the midwest, but not world wide. >> by a diesel is something that is part of the biofuel industry as well. -- biodiesel. >> they are producing for the market. farmers do not care whether there corn goes into ethanol or whether it goes into livestock or whether it goes into sweetener. what they're doing is producing for the market. >> some people think that people

are starting to get some more on the planet because we are using corn for ethanol production. is there any merit to that argument? >> people are starving to death, not because of the corn, but need only becomes demand when people can pay for have that food. we are not starving people. if you would give them the corn that we have, they still would not really know how to use it. the starving people are looking for a different grain. they are looking for wheat, rice. they are not necessarily looking for field corn. that is not true we are starving people because we're putting corn into ethanol. >> you have been doing this a long time. you hear all of the conflicting stories about the good and evil, the bad and the subsidies and removing all of the subsidies. i talked to farmers to say we have to have a market and

whether put a lot of what we do our risk. there has to be a safety net. >> that is crop insurance right now. farmers are able to buy crop insurance that will protect their revenue and protect their cost at a level. crop insurance is a subsidized product for agriculture. to go just like flood insurance is a subsidized product for people who live in flood-prone areas. >> there is a program called prop. insurance, and that is a safety net. a lot of people say if we have a massive flood, we will have disaster assistance. that is not in current legislation. in the past that has happened. explain the difference between feed corn and people corn. >> generally speaking feed corn is what we grow in iowa. it is field corn and geared

towards livestock. ethanol and proves that as a food -- improves that as food. when you take the starch out of it to make ethanol, the food you get back, which is out of a bushel of corn you get 17 pounds back. you are getting about 30% of that that goes back into feed. it is a perfect food for cattle. the difference between field corn and people corn is that the white corn is generally for people and it is ground in and build into a flower. >> tell me when. bob quinn is joining us. thank you. it looks like we're back.

[music playing] bob quinn is the farm director that deals with a lot of the of the mob-related and subsidy issues a lot of time. will understandf iowans this, but a lot of people who live outside of iowa will have no idea. the ups and flows between subsidies and the influence of the oil companies and people who are working the other side of the street. there is a huge amount of competition for energy dollars. this will be part of the mix. the discussion is just like this that will be part of the mix during the next election cycle. that means the rest of us can get back to action. i hope that cleared up some of

the confusion. it probably added to a lot more. just about everything that we say is subject to fact checking, and i hope it is. there are other ways of interpreting the facts, and i am sure we will hear from people who disagree with everything that just got said. your turn. you can still get through at janmickelson@gmail.com i am reading as fast as i can to get as many people in the mix as i can. this is vincent. >> i just listen to what bob have said. i was pretty much against the whole using, even if you are feeding cattle there has to be another market for that that will not affect food prices.

>> food prices are mainly affected by the cost of the dollar in the energy costs and the farming community is just as affected by that as everyone else. fuel prices are hammering iowa farmers right now. we hear from truckdrivers were getting killed by the $4 per gallon price. when all of that gets factored into the delivery cost, that will rise things up. we adjust only begun to see the ripple effects of what we've done to the dollar. >> do you think a trade-off between lead in gasoline and using foodstuffs in the gasoline is worth the tradeoff? >> the trade-off was not by lead. it was an oxygen that made the fuel burn cleaner in smog-prone

areas. the trade-offs, i really do not know the answer to that question, but i do think over the short-term, corn-based ethanol will be an important part of the mix. here in iowa we understand it will not be the long-term situation. they are looking at switch grass and biofuels produce out of soy or diesel. we are not cleaning to this simply because we can milk it. we are doing this because we were asked to, and we got really good at it quickly. it is one of the most efficient development of an energy-spatial illusions -- energy-based solutions in the history. in the western part of the native states, algy development might be the next phase of this. we have no illusions that this

will be a permanent thing. this is maverick. good morning. >> you are doing a great job. i really learned something from your last guest pertaining to the fact that oil companies were being subsidized to do a blend of ethanol and gas. >> that is a tax credit. >> that is amazing to find out. >> they gave them an incentive to do it, because otherwise why would they? >> i was listening to the radio once traveling through southern california and there were talking to a gentleman from canada. it seems to me they have a process that has been perfected, and they're willing to match market prices to sell oil in the united states. i wanted to know if you knew anything about that. >> the sandpits in the sand car

is very competitive. it is a huge part of the mix. -- the sandpits and sand tar is very competitive. and i keep telling listeners who are writing us and saying you cannot tell me that you cannot grow food for human consumption versus for animals. we are not saying -- that is a false choice. this is in temporary mix that is likely to revolve to another level. we're not clinging to this as a cash crop that we have to have in order to survive, but on the other hand iowa farmers are tired of being blamed for the high food costs of a grocery store and having ethanol blamed for all of the ills in our economy. thank you for your call.

i really appreciate it. this is steve. good morning. what would you like us to know? >> energy is a key issue with the whole economy and our country as a whole, and it is what will bring us down if we do not get something taking care of soon. in all forms. we're using our natural resources. here and i though we are mostly timber and mining, but it is still the use of our natural resources is what needs to be dealt with. that is the reason why i am thinking it sarah palin decides to run she has my vote. >> from idea what this is the key. -- from iowa this is vicky. >> i would like to say that he should look michelle bachman who was clear on energy, fiscal

policy and social issues and had the world you to match, which means she is reliable. when it comes to a president for canada there is nothing more important than world view. >> who are you supporting? >> right now michelle laughlin. -- michelle bauchman. what do iowans think of obama care? >> it should be repealed immediately. those and the political class me to get a backbone. we have put them in power and multiple places, and they are not doing anything with it. it is totally unconstitutional, and moral. -- immoral. >> i had an e-mail a few moments

ago that you should tell your listeners i am very happy. i just got out of the hospital and all of my bills were paid for by the taxpayers. i rejoined the healthy members of society. i could not have afforded my own health care, but i am now a taxpayer again because of obama care. >> every single person needs to look at what the immediate personal sacrifice they are willing to make to save an entire nation and the ideal of a constitutional republic, because it's we have our little thing that we want to withhold that we say you all should not get a subsidy, but mine is important to me, that is how we go down. it is covered in this. it is definitely not trusting in god. if you put the government in

god's place, you will get exactly what your looking for. >> thank you. i need to take a short time out. the last one we will have. one segment remaining four are c-span viewers and listeners to participate. you are getting a sample of the opinion from around the country as well as here in iowa. we have talked of jobs, the economy, debt coming energy, morality. what you want from the next leader? has anyone impressed you yet? we will continue in a moment. >> who. we are back with my c-span listeners and viewers. we should try this during the rest of the week here. wait a minute, i do not think we could pay the bills.

we have to stop the conversation in the middle of the most powerful rhetoric. this is the best of both worlds. from illinois, this is jim. >> i am really going to try to perspective back. my grandfather was a farmer and illinois. we had a tremendous corn surplus. , and id on the forarm also work part-time on a barge. there was so much corn that it would be dumped in the river. the government came out with subsidies. they paid farmers not to grow corn because we had too much. people that are thinking that we do not have enough capacity to

grow corn in feed people and make ethanol are completely wrong. all we have to do is start growing corn on the land and tell them they are paying them not to grow corn on. >> they only -- the only land because of the demand for the products, one of the nice things about having a real awakening economy worldwide is the demand for commodities produced here. the wealth that is being produced now in india and indonesia and china is now capable of buying american food products. that is one of the reasons why commodity prices are so high. the weakness of the dollar is another reason. the world can now move past the

rice diet, and they are now buying enough food from here in the midwest to live in american class lifestyle. that is the upside of this the demand for corn is now such a worldwide phenomenon and the ethanol production -- back to the point. the only land and now that qualifies for a subsidy that is paying farmers not to grow on is the margin of land that is next to reverse and next to water supplies. where if they actually grew corn on that would be -- would cause erosions and runoff of pesticides and the nitrogen in the fertilizer.

those are set aside in order to preserve the land and keep the pollution away from the water supply. that is an environmental subsidy not a corn subsidy. it is complicated and weird. before we start tearing down walls and structures, we should know why they existed in the first place. back to theht conversation. this is derrick. good morning. what is on your mind? >> i would like to know why they cannot agree and come together. there is no compromise if you take something off the table such as tax increases -- >> hang on just a second. we're going to rejoined audience.

right back to the conversation. we are broadcasting with c-span here this morning. we're talking with gary in georgia. you wonder why republicans and democrats cannot compromise. can you give me an example over which you think they should? >> first of all, i think they should compromise over raising the debt limit. it has to be raised any way. i feel like the republicans are trying to hold the democrats hostage. go into negotiations to see what can come about. a lot of the republicans make it seem like the economy is so bad when you look at all the businesses and things and the stock market they are making record profits. it is not as bad as it seemed last year.

>> thank you. jim in oregon. good morning. >> i am doing great. because we have talked about energy, we have steered the conversation in that direction. you are welcome to go ahead. has drifted a little bit. and i have no ill effects to the people in iowa or ohio or any farmers and producers. i know they are suffering the effects of the economy just like everyone else. it is not isolated to me or to them or to any other individuals whether emma -- whether i am a democrat or individual or what ever. i am just wondering why there has not been a little more application in the thoughts to ethanol production as to looking into switch grass. of peoplee a lot

looking into that. we have a whole department devoted to trying as quickly as we can to develop other forms of supply for production of ethanol. switch grass and other forms are high on the list. the bottleneck is the enzymes to digest it. that is still not economical. there are west coast people that are doing the same thing with algae. there will be all kinds of energy solutions out there, and if we do not mess up the market well we make the transitions, we do have upright energy future ahead for us. if we do not get the whole process caught in the crossfire in anticipation of this. it is your turn. we are on with lee roy. thank you for joining us from missouri. >> thank you.

an interesting discussion you have. >> who do you think your next leader suggestion will be? who do you like? >> i am not sure. i like ron paul. i would like to see someone who would utilize the renewable resources to produce renewable fuels instead of us continuing to steal from future generations by using up the non-renewable superior in when we have some like carbon dioxide water and human-resources to provide jobs, we can capture those raw materials. >> i agree with that. the other question we have, and thank you for calling, a bunch of people summarize their argument this way.

aren't all forms of fuel and energy subsidized? yes is the short answer. the biggest subsidy that is unspoken and all of this is of the u.s. military presence all over the world. theoretically to spread democracy but also to keep the flow of oil coming to the u.s. economy. if we were to factor those costs, defense costs, and the borrowing cost to fund the military excursions are broad and apply those costs directly mp, the people's objections would pale into insignificance the cost of of blood, the cost of debt, the cost of all that we have put into our forum and ventures.

if you were to put a price tag on that, i think it would scare most of us. let's talk to barry in california. thank you, barry. >> i just wanted to say -- say the wrong paul issue -- keep your hands off, because most people with medicare and medicaid cannot afford it. i will never vote republican until he can prove that. one more thing, my birth certificate says live birth. thank you very much. time.re just about out of lorraine, good morning. i would support sarah palin or

michelle bauchman, but there was a call to the health care bill. that does not take affect get. there is no way that gentleman that called was using any part of obama care to pay for his treatment. as a nurse, i know that. and second, in brazil we have seen -- we have paid 2 billion for helping them drill offshore. this administration put a moratorium on us. i do not understand why that is something that was not brought up by any of the callers. >> you just did come in you will be the last one. i would like to think thank theo listeners and c-span viewers. hopefully we get a chance to see you again. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national

cable satellite corp. 2011] >> usually about this time in the morning they pushed me out of here. usually the farm crew picks in and it gets violent if i do not move fast enough. we have about a filler of a minute or two of commercials. it gives me another opportunity to thank the c-span viewers. mr. lamb has always been one of my favorite developers and pioneers in this industry. he has unleashed upon the rest of us way to close of a look at the inside of politics. maybe we should not forgive him for that. thank you for being part of this. hopefully we see you again. >> that wraps up the coverage of

the jan michelson show. tomorrow we will cover the exchange from iowa public radio and i was city. that is under way at 1:00 until 2:00 eastern. tuesday in davenport, iowa it is the jim fischer show. both of those will be live on c- span. also coming up on wednesday, ben bernanke will hold the fed's first ever news conference to present the economic outlook and report on any interest rate changes. we will have the news conference live for you tomorrow at 2:15 eastern. >> all this month we have featured the top winners of the student can documentary competition. now meet the grand prize winner in see his video tomorrow morning. watch the documentary tomorrow and meet him life at 9:15.

-- live at 9:15. >> if they send me the bill and its present form, i will sign it. ok. any questions? [laughter] >> are you still here? >> almost every year the president and journalists meet of the white house correspondents meeting to make fun of themselves. watch live or " back and watch the past dinner. search, watch, a clip, and share online at the c-span video library. every program since 1987. >> the federal reserve bank of chicago and visa convened its fifth literacy summit in early april.

this panel explores how to equip students and consumers with the tools they need to make good financial decisions. on the panel the president of the federal reserve bank of chicago, the u.s. treasurer, world bank official, and the chairman of president obama's advisory council on financial responsibility. this panel runs just under one hour. finally, should it regulation and education be designed to complement each other? these are some of the questions our panel's will tackle today, and i cannot think of a better person to moderate our first

panel, maria boltomoyer gets powerful answers out of powerful people. as the anchor of cnbc will streetreport -- walls tree report and "closing bell" she has broken down countless walls. she has received many prestigious awards, including an emmy and a greasy. she will be conducted this year into the cable hall of fame for her impact on the cable industry. closer to home, maria is no stranger to the topic of financial literacy. this has been a topic for over a

decade. please join me in welcoming her. [applause] >> great to see you. what an important topic. i think we all come together today because we know this needs to be taught to our children at a young age. the fact is no one ever teaches you this stuff. i am talking about basic things, why you cannot charge and charge and borrow money forever, and why you have to have a nest egg in place and save for your dreams and why we all need a retirement vehicle in place. all of these things are basic things that we all need to have and understand. unfortunately because nobody ever teaches you about this up as a child, you go through life and become an adult and then you are too embarrassed to tell

people you have no idea what your talking about. i know sometimes when i am on the air my girl friends from high school will say nice haircut, agree shoes, but have no idea what you're talking about. in particular on this panel we have really powerhouses that you will hear from in a moment to will talk about the role of the private sector and the role of government, because really much of this stuff begins at home. i was lucky to have a mother who had the wisdom to always drove down on me, even if it was can i get an ice cream cone? she would say you can get an ice cream cone, but how can you pay for it? and do you have any change you have been saving? little things, these things that are drilled into your head at a young age means so much at a later point in life. it can begin at home, but

sometimes it does not begin at home. we need the participation of our homes, schools, and government. but may bring on the panel, and we will also look around the world. we will look at what is happening in emerging markets and other places. in china kids are going to school 10 hours per day seven days a week. there is a real focus on education in china, and we want to find out what the rest of the world is doing and how we can learn and share cultures and education. we kick it off with the united states executive director at the world bank. [applause] >> thank you. it is really great to be here, and i applaud the public-private partnership to put this together.

i represent the united states on the world bank board of directors. building financial capability is a global issue and should be a global priority. thinking of it that way has real benefits for american business and for the american economy. the world bank makes investments in low and middle income countries to fight poverty. it is an indispensable partner for the u.s., leveraging are constrained resources. we work closely to help countries build sustainable markets that not only help get the citizens out of party, but create markets for american goods and services. building sustainable markets and capturing the opportunities of global growth means strengthening the financial capability of the 95% of the world consumers who live outside the united states. first and foremost, literacy. the ability to understand how to use financial products and manage resources.

second, some level of savings. even a small amount. third, access. access to financial mediation of some kind or another. fourth, consumer protection. finally, behavior. literally, savings, access, protection, and behavior. before the financial crisis the global economy was adding 150 new consumers each year. most of these consumers are in developing countries were financial with history and consumer protection is still undeveloped -- financial history and consumer protection is still under developed. it is not clear how many borrowers understood their risks in taking long-term debt in foreign currency as an interest rates.

this is consequences for us. what do we know? first, middle and high-income countries would benefit from national strategies and financial literacy. i think there is a consensus in this room for sure. financial education should be focused on teachable moments. third, it may be more effective to teach simple rule of deng -- rule of thumb concepts rather than standard fundamental accounting training. let's be -- let me pose a simple equation. global financial capability mean stronger markets overseas, stronger markets overseas means more u.s. exports. that means more jobs here in the u.s. and that means more prosperity. thank you. [applause] >> thank you for their -- is

very smart insights. we will hear from each panelist for a few moments before we get into an interactive discussion about solutions and how we can take this to the next level. charles evans is the chief executive officer of the federal reserve bank of chicago. thank you for all you have been doing for this issue. >> thank you. >> good morning. [applause] on behalf of the chicago federal reserve are want to say it is a pleasure to have you here at this event. given the economic difficulties we have recently faced, financial education and the ability to make good buy natural discussions have become increasingly important as -- to make good, financial discussions and decisions have been increasingly important to us.

the federal reserve plays a role in helping to protect consumers. we insure the financial institutions provide essential information and prescribed format so the consumers are able to compare products. we will continue to work to protect consumers in this and a variety of other ways. however, regulation can only take as so far. -- can only take us so far. we have a number of strings we bring to this conversation on financial education. we strive to be recognized as a neutral party that is well- positioned to forge an leverage relationships across the private and public spectrum. wheat actively reach out to communities and especially educators to discuss the importance of understanding our

our economy works. -- we actively reach out to communities and especially educators to discuss the importance of understanding how our economy works. i want to take the opportunity to highlight a few research papers recently published. a comprehensive literature review of the effectiveness of financial education finds that some programs improve financial behavior, but not necessarily a financial literacy and vice versa. think about key studies that are geared toward a specific decision and how much people learn from that particular study vs general studying and learning in that way. another paper recently published finds that math abilities mattered most in terms of financial decision making. i remember distinctly the first time i learned to write a check.

it was sixth grade math class. the studies did interesting insight into the decision making and its relationship to education. i think it is clear from this study and many other studies that financial education can work, but i think many studies promote not relying strictly on financial education. we some work underway looking at howard our employees make retirement investment decisions. -- we currently have some work under way looking at how our employees make retirement investment decisions. in conclusion there is no doubt our goal as a community is to empower people to make better financial decisions but the path to get there is not clear or easily defined. think you for your time, and i

look forward to the panel discussion. [applause] >> think you, charlie. next we have treasurer of the united states. let me congratulate you for being such a great role model, not only for our children but for women. [applause] >> thank you. i want to thank you publicly because you are keynote moderator for our symposium last month where we highlighted the goal that women at our peak -- the role that women are playing in the financial recovery. this is a big passion of mine. i oversee the bureau of engraving or printing the currency and the u.s. mint were coins are produced. i just want to say no one makes

more money than i do. [laughter] the other hat i am wearing today is a senior adviser to commit the geithner. -- to timothy geithner. this is something that the department of treasury takes very seriously and with a strong commitment to promoting financial education among all americans. we believe financial education is critical and ensuring americans make sound financial decisions and helping individual families and communities gain greater financial stability now more than ever. as we have learned, we must focus our efforts on those tasks where we can be most effective and combine with the efforts of the private sector, state and local governments, academia, and individuals to to move towards a culture of greater parental capability.

critical in this effort is to make it timely, relevant, and pragmatically connected to say, are for it products that enable people to execute on their benefits of choices. last november the commission created by congress and consists of 22 federal agencies promoted its national strategy of the first meeting of the president's advisory council on financial capability. i have the pleasure of chairing the last committee, in this strategy is something we're very proud of. -- and this strategy is something we are very proud of. it provides concrete goals for the government, non-profit and private sectors to strive towards in order to increase american's financial literacy and improve the financial decision making. the the members of the commission are working on implementation plan in accordance with the strategy. we hope you will find useful,

and it is available on our website. local you what -- hopefully you will adopt all or part of that in your own personal life. we hope you will share that with us as well. we realize it takes all of us to effectively bring about a change to a more financially literate incapable country. thank you. [applause] >> as part of the strategy that the treasury just mentioned, john w. rogers jr. is chairman of the council on financial capability. you have done so much in the field of financial literacy. you are the chairman, ceo and chief investment officer at area of investment. thank you. -- at ariel investment. [applause] >> this as been an exciting opportunity for me to help our

country are around this very critical issue. similar to you, my family got me started in investing early. my father started to make sure every birthday and christmas i got stocks instead of toys. and that was not done in the beginning -- not fun in the beginning, but he made the decision of allowing me to get the dividend checks. my father was not wealthy, but i started to look forward to the quarterly checks every three months, and he let me spend them any way i could. it was a great way to get started. i had to learn about a checking account and savings accounts, because he gave me the exposure of an early age. that has been the inspiration for me to 14 years ago along with our need duncan to create the aerial community academy.

we have approximately 500 students. treasury rios has visited the school. it has been an extraordinary experience. several of the kids have had a chance to be money-markets of the year. that exposure has been wonderful for the school. aery first dagrade class is $20,000 first great gift. we invest the money and do the research on the stocks. starting in seventh grade the kids start to pick real stocks with real money so they have a chance to work together to decide what stocks they want to invest in. the come down down and work with analysts. we give them tips and ideas on how to make the choices. every year we take the kids to the mcdonald's annual meeting to see what a real annual meeting

is about ending date was some of the top officers in that way. we do think having the kids having that exposure they get comfortable with the market's. finally when they graduate and a great they get $20,000 back -- finally when they graduate, they get $20,000 back. they decide on a philanthropic act for the school. that has worked out well. with what is left over, they divide it among themselves and put it into a 529 program. we have given each get $1,000 to match. they start learning about matching and thinking about 401k programs in the future. it has been a very successful program. thank you. [applause]

>> so many insightful and important idea is to set the tone for a child so that that child has the proper responsibility and ownership of his or her money as they get older in life. let me tick off the discussion with asking treasury rios and president evidence about what it takes in terms of the government's role versus the private role. -- president evans. can you talk about the role the company should have and private companies should have. >> one thing that we are very proud of is this national strategy. what was important about the strategy is it provided the framework to reflect what was happening in this current economic recovery. the strategy focused on four

different areas, which was increasing awareness, determined and integrate core financial competencies', and improve financial education infrastructure, and identify, and it's come and share affected practices. this has to be relevant to what we're seeing today. i had a chance to teach your personal finance course at a local high school last week. i found it very and lightning. the core competencies i realize our basic areas that we all need to know fundamentally. it is earnings, spending, saving and investing. it is borrowing and also protecting against risk. for us as a government entity to be able to provide the infrastructure, the foundation of what we believe is important with these 22 federal agencies, that really provides the first up and moving forward for us.

-- the first step in moving forward for us. >> i agree. there are a lot of programs that are available. one of the classic public versus private type of questions is how do we most effectively and efficiently delivered the best type of education? i think that experimentation is pretty important. as i heard byron talk about the different games and events that are being planned, i think learning which of those programs work very well and excite people, children especially to become interested in learning, is very important. money smart, we grew out of a desire to take stock of what the private sector is already providing, because they have an

obvious incentive. they have finished products and want people to use their products and not their products. proor's so i think experimentation and pilots are very important. >> that ducktails to something you said a moment ago, and that is to make sure you have the right products and education available at teachable moments. let's talk about some of those teachable moments. are you referring to things like a wedding, having a baby? big moments in a person's life, and that is when you should use those moments to actually go into lessons? >> i think they can be the big moments like the birth of a child or a wedding. that is one teachable moment.

there are also the transactional moments. it makes a big difference in terms of savings with each transaction so i think it is the big and small moments. to go back to the previous question, one thing the research is showing that the senator regulators have a very big role to play in financial literacy education. they also have the best sense of where the gaps in financial literacy our puritaare. this is an important area for both private and public sector to work together. >> you said something that was really resonating, and that is taking the students to a mcdaniel is -- it mcdonald's annual meeting. make them feel comfortable with something they already know something about.

mcdonald's, apple computer. things you can make more understandable. >> we think it is so important to get the kids to exposed to all types of businesses. mcdonald says an extraordinary job posting the kids, but we also want them exposed to the financial-services industry. i read recently 30% of the princeton graduates are going into a financial-services. that is where wealth is being created these days. so what we try to do is have terrific speakers come down to the school and talk about their careers so the kids can understand that this is possible for them. that if their work really hard and get into the bright high- school and college they will have the opportunity to really be a part of the economic system and fully participate. >> which is what you said role models are very important.

everyone on this panel is a role model. >> exactly. you have been a role model for millions of women when they see you on television. recently there were 127 partners in chicago, one african-american and two hispanics. that same audit firm had six in hundred partners nationwide, african-american, one african- american female. if you are an african american female, what are the odds of becoming a partner in one of these lucrative types of institutions? the odds of you becoming a successful professional women's basketball player are much higher than being a partner in one of the major financial services companies. >> you have to make the achievements and goals reachable and understandable.

>> let me ask you to go through what the world is doing. you told me the emerging markets are also approaching financial literacy and smart ways. what can we learn from the rest of the world? >> it is important to note there is a lot we do not know. we need to do a lot of research in this field. it is a portion to start documenting them and see what seems to work and where. -- it is important to start documenting them and see what seems to work and where. we need to be sensitive to this. there are couple of interesting studies that have been done recently. the one i mentioned about rule of thumb was a project in the dominican republic where they went to small business people and tried to teach them in a formal accounting standards and also a few rules of bums and how

that change the business behavior. -- few rules of thumbs, and how that changed the business behavior. there were experience in india and indonesia, and we also usually think minutes of education is a way to promote financial assets, but it is not the most cost-effective way. and in fact, giving people a small subsidies was 2.5 times more effective. and it gets to the point made earlier about the relationship between education and behavior. we're not just here to educate for the sake of educating, we are here to influence behavior. i mentioned some surveys in russia, and these revealed that people are interested because they are worried about consumer protection. they were demanding education as a way to protect themselves from fraud. fraud.