tv Capitol Hill Hearings CSPAN September 28, 2011 6:00am-7:00am EDT
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and really control public policy in a way that serves the interests who funds the campaigns and fund the operations of these super pacs but not the interest of the country. as we move forward, your peers are going to have to struggle with this. if unchecked, it could help shape the course of the future in ways that you and others will not find pleasing. i will not justify it. we have to live with it. we have to come at it the best we can. but it is not healthy. i think anyone who argues otherwise will have a tough case to make.
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[laughter] >> sorry about that. thank you for coming out this morning. i am with the sheet metal workers in new hampshire. it was interesting to hear your remarks as he opened up the got -- as you opened up about the middle class and how our wages have gone down since the 1970's. it is a direct correlation to your membership and it did see -- union membership and union density dropping as witches have gone down. the unions have always supported the middle class -- middle-class and risk that the standard of living. right now in new hampshire, we are getting beat up that. my guys and gals working construction are wondering what we can do to put them back to work. the jobs bill is great. we support it. we need it now because three years ago and four years ago at the campaign, they were working. now, they are disenchanted. they are having all kinds of problems.
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we need some help. we need jobs now. we do have something like an employee free choice act which would grow union membership and would grow the middle class and give people health insurance. you can hit a lot of problems directly with that. that employed free choice act. >> obviously, i feel strongly about the jobs act as you mentioned. when you look at what happened to the economy, and new hampshire has felt some of this, we have seen a decline in manufacturing leading up to this crisis. a lot of folks who made a good living in manufacturing moved over to construction. and then the construction industry deflated as a result of the housing the collapse. you have a lot of people -- construction workers, tradesmen, who are working before.
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we have to get people back to work. we have heard from the folks on the other side of the aisle that they might perk -- they might approve some of the president's plan, but they are not short -- isure about most of the plan. at first, they said none of the plan including the payroll tax cut for americans. i think it finally came clear that it is not really a tenable ought political position to say we will not raise taxes on the raising, but we will raise taxes of 160 million working americans. there seems to be an indication that they might be receptive to that. the other components of the plan are equally important. the infrastructure element of it is very important for the reason that you suggested, which is that will go right to the heart of the people who are most severely hit by this
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economic downturn. it will get people back to work. more than that, it will get them back to work rebuilding our schools and doing other work around the country that is so desperately needed. this is not just about putting people back to work, it is putting people back to work doing the work in america needs done. i am hopeful that -- i do not think left to their own devices, the guys across the aisle are going to embrace any of that. what the president is trying to do now as he has been out and about his engage the american people in this fight. the great thing about democracy is ultimately the american people have a say in this. to the degree that people make their voices heard, it will be harder to say "no." if they do say no, it will further describe what this battle is about in 2012. as the president said in his speech, others cannot wait 14 --
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your members and others cannot wait 14 months. they are desperate for work now. the country needs them working now. it is important to our economy that they are working now. we are going to keep plugging away at that. the employee free choice act, as you know, there is a new normal in washington which is it takes 60 votes in the united states senate to pass anything. that makes a lot of things more difficult to do. as the president said in his speech to congress, he is committed to the idea. he is committed to the principle of collective bargaining. he very much understands the connection between the right to organize and is the strength of the middle-class. >> why do we not do one more? >> hawaii. thank you for being in new
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hampshire. i heard your remarks, and i appreciate them. let me ask you -- there is a perception on leaders in the state of all stripes. the reality of those who are down and out at the moment that this administration and this congress with both parties are unable to get control of this economy. with the headwinds as he said blowing in from europe as well as the headwinds in this country, before the election occurs, this gridlock that we see in washington right now is just not going to change. >> is not going to what? >> is not want to change. as a strategist, how you deal with that? this is not something that will change soon. it is a deep concern to business leaders in particular, which i am one of, in terms of getting the capital we need to expand in hiring. the gridlock is something we
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look at with jaundiced eyes and wonder what in the world is going to undo it. >> i think it is a very good question. we have had a number of blows to our economy this year. the arab spring and its impact on foot oil prices pretty -- on oil prices, the japanese earthquake had enormous negative impact. the ongoing situation in europe is tremendously negative in terms of its impact on our own economy for a variety of reasons. the biggest hit we have taken is a self-inflicted room -- a self-inflicted wound is the debacle in the summer when we had those willing to walk a america over the cliff of defaults. i think that has had a chilling effect on markets and businesses to express the concern that you expressed. i am not willing to stand here
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and accept that it is ordained that we cannot come to terms. there is good reason to believe that we cannot come to terms on some of these things based on past experience and based on what i said during my remarks. when you have leaders who say, our strategy is not to cooperate. you have leaders who say that our number one priority is to defeat the president. it does not treat a climate for progress. -- it does not create a climate for progress. we have to stop thinking so much about how we tear the other side down and how together we can build this country up. that is going to only happen if people demand it. i will say this. i am not willing to a sign a sort of equal blame for what has happened in washington.
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there are democrats in this room i think you would argue that the president was too eager to try and find a path order -- forward. he was too eager to try to bring people together. that is in the face of evidence the other side did not want to do it. i do not regret him making the effort, because i think people elected him to get things done. they did not elect him to wage a partisan war. his treaties have been almost uniformly rejected. we had a few patches of sunlight in this long dark journey. last winter, we were able to get a lot done after the election and before the new congress took office. i think ultimately the american
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people are going to have to demand that we do find the path forward. most people understand that this is not -- we are a better country than we are getting from those who would simply make this a partisan deal one after the other. i accept your premise in that we do not solve this, it will have negative effects on the country. we are going to keep trying to find those paths. as the president said in his jobs speech, one thing that has been offered has been offered time and again by republicans. there is no reason we cannot come together on these issues. i hope we can, and i hope we find common ground on physical challenges. -- on long-term fiscal challenges. the only thing that will make that happen is if the american people demand it. we are trying to recruit the american people in this fight. thank you very much for having
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me here tonight. [applause] >> thank you very much, david axelrod, for coming. we usually been the speakers to do that. he actually said, i want to spend time with students. we appreciate that. thank you for all the sponsors whose banners are on the wall. thank you. >> i appreciate it. thank you very much. [applause] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> and heat on tomorrow's "washington journal," a
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conversation with chris hoene of the national league of cities. and then tom friedman and michael mandelbaum, the authors of the book "that used to be s." and then a look at the freight industry -- the rail freight industry with michael mandelbaum as our guest. later in the morning, presidential candidate and minnesota congresswoman michele bachmann will be at liberty university in lynchburg, va., with her remarks live here on c- span. >> usually start out with the assumption that when the a politician or a ceo is saying something, they are not telling you the truth. they may be telling you the truth, but the burden should be on them to prove it. >> he is an eagle scout, held a brief stint as editor of "mother jones," produced several best-
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selling documentary's of all time, and discussing his memoir. michael more, live on book tv on c-span to. >> now remarks from chris christie at the reagan presidential library in simi valley, california. he said he is not going to run for president. following his remarks, he was asked about that decision. this is about 45 minutes. welcoming governor chris christie. >> thank you. thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you.
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thank you very much. it is great to be here. we are here. it is an honor for me to be here at the library to speak with all of you today. i want to thank mrs. reagan for her gracious of irritation -- gracious invitation. people become passe after a while about things that have happened. i have a partner year that majors in passe. he says this will even impress you. a written this letter over the phone. i said it is signed by nancy reagan. it is great to be here. thank you for your invitation.
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he believed in this country. he embodies the strength, the press serbians, and the faith that has propelled immigrants for centuries to embark on dangerous journeys to come here, to give up all that was familiar for all that was possible. they would be better for more americans in future. it is this vision for our country that guided his administration over the course of eight years. his commitment to making america stronger, better, more resilience. it allowed him the freedom to challenge conventional wisdom. it dared to put results ahead of political opportunity. everybody in this room has his
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favor ronald reagan story. it happened 30 years ago on august of 1981. the air traffic controllers went on strike. president reagan ordered them back to work, making clear that those who refuse would be fired. in and, thousands refuse. thousands were fired. -- in the end, thousands refused. thousands were fired. as a parable of principle, ronald reagan said what he meant and meant what he said. those who thought he was bluffing or sadly mistaken. he was not an empty political ploy. it was leadership. he said he could convince
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people that i meant what i said. i would have been just as forceful as i thought management have been wrong. i recall this pivotal moment. most americans viewed his firm handling as a domestic matter. this misses a critical point. the whole world was watching. what happens here does not stay here. this is not in vegas. another way of saying that americans do not have the luxury of thinking that while we have long viewed as purely domestic
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matters have no consequences before our borders. what we say and what we do at home a backs -- at fax -- affects how others see us. america's role is defined by who we are at home. it is defined by how we conduct ourselves with each other and how we do with our own problems. did it is determined by how we set an example for the world. we still understand form policy. it is carried out by ambassadors and others overseas. to some extent it still is. one of the most powerful forms of form policy is the example we set. this is where it harkens back to
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president reagan. his willingness to articulate that he could be predicted to stand by his friends in stand up to his adversaries. if president reagan would do that at home, they realize that he would do it abroad as well. principal would not stop at the water's edge. it supported terror was the same. it does have a meeting. it is not what it was. it is that what it can be. it is that what it means to be.
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this is been the case. we pay a price and our political system cannot come together and agree on the difficult and necessary steps to rein in entitlement spending. we pay a price one special interest went over national interest. we're saying justice that made it impossible to reduce our staggering deficits to create an environment in which there's more job creation and job destruction. this is where the contrast between what happened in new jersey and what is happening in washington, d.c. is the most clear. in new jersey, you have actually seen divided government that is
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working. it does not mean we do not have arguments or acrimony. you have all seen my youtube videos. there are serious disagreements. sometimes it is expressed loudly. this is what we did. we propose specific means to fix them. we educated the public on the dire consequences of inaction. we compromise on a bipartisan basis. this is what people expect. how do we do this tax how do we do it?
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thru leadership and compromise is the only way you can balance budgets. leadership and compromise is the only way. you reform the health benefits system. it is collectively $121 billion underfunded. leadership and compromise is the only way you can cap of the property taxes. there's some of the most powerful public sector unions in america. we have done this before. the executive france has not set by and waited for others to go first to suggest solutions. [applause]
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this is happened in trenton. we have done this with the legislative branch held by the opposite party. it is led by two people who often but the interest of our state above the partisan politics of their caucuses. that is why i call them my friends. they set a tone that has taken hold against many other states. it is a powerful message, a lead on the tough issues by telling your citizens the truth about the deaths of our challenges. tell them the truth about the difficulty of the solution. this is the only way to lead america.
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we watched a president to talk about the courage of his conviction but still found the courage to lead. we watched a congress at war with himself. they're unwilling to leave campus in south politics at the door. it made our democracy appear as if we can no longer effectively govern ourselves. so we continue to wait and hope that our president will finally stop being a bystander in the oval office. we hope that she will shake up the paralysis that has made it impossible for him to take on the really big things better so obvious to all americans who are watching and anxious. we hope.
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his steelyard is our failure, too. the failure to -- his failure is our failure to. it is a report the president asks for himself. the failure to act on the crushing unemployment and ever expanding the entitlement programs, and the failure to discern pork barrel spending from real of-archer investment. the rule is simple. it is the one ronald reagan knew by heart. it is the one he successfully employed as social security and the cold war. you cannot wait for someone else to do it. we pay for this failure of leadership many times over. as it slows, high levels of
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unemployment persists. it makes ourselves even more vulnerable to the unpredictable behavior of skittish markets with the political decisions of our lenders. there's also foreign-policy price to pay. we diminish our ability to influence thinking and ultimately the behavior of others. there's no better way to persuade other societies to become more democratic and more market oriented than to show that our democracy and markets work better than any other system. why should we care? why should a matter to us ta? we believe in democracy is the biggest protector of freedom. history shows that mature democracies are less likely to resort to force against their own people or their neighbors.
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increases consumer choice and keep their prices down. around the world, people are debating their own political and economic futures right now. we have a outcome in those debates. we'll have a middle east that except israel and is a dependable source of energy. there's no better to enforce the likelihood that others will opt for more social societies than to demonstrate at home that their own system is working. a lot is being said about american exceptional as some. we are different and better in the sense that our democracy and
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our people have delivered. for american except journalism, to truly deliver hope to the rest of the world, it must be demonstrated. they will be more than likely to follow our example. if they see what we are doing and are out to emulate it, it is a reflection of our country's innovation, determination, ingenuity, and the strength of our democratic institutions. one there was a crisis at home, we put aside parochialism and the greater interest first. we did it their strong leadership. we did it through reagan like
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ileadership. we have failed to live up to the traditional of exceptional as a parent. when the only look at comments from the recent meeting of the european finance ministers in here's what theere finance minister had to say. i found a peculiar that even they have more fundamental data set and the eurozone they tell us what we should do. without strong leadership, without our domestic house in order, we're taking ourselves
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out of the equation over and over. we must be prepared to act and lead. it is for diplomacy in common security. the united states will be able to sustain a leadership of the resources are there. it is a security issue as well. without the authority that comes from real american exceptional as some, burned exceptional as some -- exceptional -- earned exceptionalism, which cannot be
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a beacon of hope. ronald reagan face today's challenges. we know exactly what he would do. he would face the problems directly with leadership and without political calculation. he would take an honest and tough approach to reforming our programs and our tax code. we would confront our unemployment crisis by giving certainty to businesses about our tax and regulatory future. we would unleash entrepreneurship their long-term tax reform. we would reform the system by applying free-market reform principles, rewarding outstanding teachers, the
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demanding accountability from everyone at in system, increasing competition, and making the american public patience -- public education the best in the world. it must always be put ahead of the comfortable status quo of adults. [applause] the united states must become more discriminating in what we tried to accomplish. we cannot force others to adopt our principles through coercion. local realities count. we cannot have forced makeovers of our societies in our image. we need to limit to what is in our national interest so we can
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bounces here at home. this needs to be built in part so we can sustain a leadership role. this is not an argument for turning our back on the world. we cannot and should not do that. our economies depended on what we export and import. we are vulnerable to box cutters and bonds and viruses. we need to remain vigilant and be prepared to act with our friends and allies to discourage or deter against traditional aggression, to stop the spread of nuclear materials and the means to deliver them and continue to deprive them of the opportunity to succeed and kill
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our people. i realize that what i'm calling for requires a lot of our people and officials. i plead guilty. i also plead guilty to optimism. i believe in what they can accomplish. if they understand what is being asked of them and how we all benefit if they meet the challenge. that's no doubt in my mind's our economy is strong and the largest. risk-taking is a part of our collective dna. there's no better place in the world for investment. we have a demonstrated record as a people and nation of rising up to meet any challenge. today the biggest
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challenge we must meet is the one we present to ourselves and not become a nation that places entitlement ahead of difficult troops and not become a people that think so little of ourselves that we demand and a sacrifice from each other. we are better people than that. we must demand a better nation than that. the america i speak of is the america and ronald reagan challenges to be every day. it is what his leadership helped us to be. there are conduct, indeed, it demonstrated principles and for the greater good of our nation. we become emulated throughout the world.
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another is because of what we said both home and abroad. american excess alyssum can set an example for freedom around the world. we must lead with purpose and unity. illinois state senator barack obama gave us a window into his vision for american leadership. he said this "even as we speak, there are those who are preparing to divide us to those who embrace the politics of anything goes. americanot a liberal and a conservative america. there is the united states of america. there's not a black america and a latino america. there is the united states of america.
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seven years later, president obama prepares to divide our nation to achieve reelection. this is not a leadership style. this is a reelection strategy. telling those who are scared and struggling that the only way their lives can get better is to diminish the success of others. trying to convince those who are suffering that the american economic one is no longer growing. we must tax and take and demonize those who already achieved the american dream. did that may turn out to be a good reelection strategy. it is demoralizing message -- a moralizing message for america.
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what happened to state senator obama? when did he decide to be one of the dividers? there is a different choice. it is the way ronald reagan led america and the 1980's. he spoke during a farewell address. he made clear he was not there just making a time. he is theirs to make a difference. he spoke of the city on the hill and how he made a stronger. he does not know if the ever quite communicated with what i saw when i said that.
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it is a tall and proud city built on when set -- on people living in harmony and peace. it had freed ports that hong. if there had to the city walls, they had doors. the doors were open to anyone with the will and hard to get there. this is how i saw it. this is how i see it still. that is american exceptional as empyrean r.j. exceptional -- exceptionalism. it made as an american
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revitalization. we will be that again. not until we demand that our leaders stand tall by telling the church, confronting our shortcomings, celebrating our successes and leading the world because of what we have been able to actually accomplish. only when we do that too finely ensure that our children and grandchildren will live in second american century. we owed them as well as ourselves. thank you for inviting me. bob pleasant view -- god bless you. god bless the united states of america.
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thank you. thank you very much. thank you. thank you very much. thank you. gov. christie has been gracious enough to answer questions from the audience. i like you to pay attention to the one role we have. if you could wait for one of our staff to handle your microphone so it can be picked up. with that, let's get on to the questions. >> hello. could you please tell us more
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about how you think our immigration prices in this country should be handled as well as the education expense associated with this problem? >> thank you. there is some very basic principles that we need to stand by. our borders have to be secure. we have done an awful job of doing that. we had to take every step necessary to make sure that happens. we have to make sure we have a fair way to allow people to continue to legally immigrate into this country. this country is built on immigrants. my relatives or immigrants. we need to make sure we are a country that expands the american economic pie by expanding the innovation and thought and dreams and hopes of
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having people coming here of looking for a better life. i doubt this problem in new jersey. i need to be crystal clear. i want every child to comes to new jersey to be educated. i do not believe that for those who came here illegally that we should be subsidizing with taxpayer money to restate tuition. let me be very clear from my perspective. that is not a heartless position. that is a common sense position. >> you are known as a straight shooter was not giving to playing games. can you tell us what is going on here deck?
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are you reconsidering? are you standing firmly? >> listen, i to say the truth. you are an incredible this appointment as an audience. the fact that it took the second question. [applause] is shows your of your game. to that is not american exceptionalism. i will be six think about this. i saw something on a political -- succint on this. i saw something political were they strong my answers back to back of running for the presidency. it is right on the front page of politico. cut on it. it is in the answers.
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>> you have some grumbling. i have rules, too. item 56 town hall meetings. we have all the same rules, wait for the microphone. to say who you are. we have a role that is really important in in new jersey. even though i am on foreign soil, i will enforce this rule. there could be people who do not like one of my answers that would disagree. we walk and then to stand up. if you express said in a reasonable and respectful manner, you get a reasonable disagreement in return. however, if this is the day that you decide you want to impress your friends on television and you decide you want to take the governor out for a walk, i will
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give you the role i given new jersey. we are all from new jersey. if you give that, you are getting it back. >> never mind. >> if you are running the country, what would you do to win people -- wean people off entitlement stacks what would you -- entitlements? would you do to turn around the country? >> we have examples of what we have done in new jersey. equivalent on the federal level is medicare, public sector pensions, and health benefits provided.
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i mention that those items where underfunded when i took office. $121 billion underfunded. that is four times our annual state budget. what did we do? i went out september 2010. i put out a specific plan. not a plan that says all of light to rein in these expenses. if i can come to agreement with the other side of will tell you what they are. no. that is not leadership. [cheers and applause] i set some very specific things. i said you have to contribute more to pensions. we're not going to pay coal as
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any longer until your funds reach eighties thermos solvency. we will make sure that only full time people get into the system. on the health insurance side, when i came into office many were paying nothing for their health insurance. the drop in to every collective bargaining agreement from the school board all the way of to the state vessel. i make people unhappy. i honor them for what they do. i went to the firefighters' convention after our proposal.
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i went to new jersey. about four dozen firefighters were at in room. nots just say that i did get their reception gave me tonight. they continued to boo. when they saw me they really started dbooing. i said you can do better than that. and they did. do not skip ahead to the next jury. [laughter] you're killing me. this is in essence what i said. i said i understand your scared. i understand you're angry. i understand you feel betrayed. for 20 years, governments have been coming to this convention
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telling you they will be the more than a band and a bigger pension and do not have to pay for it. every year they voted for increase benefits. they never gave you money. now you sit here and agree -- angry and scared. i understand why. why are you booing the first guy who told you the truth is that there's no political upside for me doing that. [applause] 19 i told them you may hate me now and you may vote me out, but if we do what i'm saying we should do 10 years from now, you will be looking for my address to send me a thank you notes. you will be collecting a pension. that is what we need to do on the federal level. we need to tell people the truth.
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medicare, medicaid, and social security are eating away at every dollar we raise and in taxation. we need to get to a common sense approach to reduce the benefits, to test some of this stuff and to get people who do not need it to stop taking it so we can give it to the people at an affordable price to people who do need it. that is common sense. i am no genius, clearly. why can we do that? every time someone says it, every time someone goes near it, it gets vilified. they read the polls. they say, ok. real leaders to not read polls. they change polls. [cheers and applause]
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>> i've been there for 2.5 years. you make is so proud to be from new jersey and be americans. and my italian mother told me to tell you they have to run for president. >> and led to press my luck and respond to that. press my lucko and respond to that. if you're italian mother wanted to run for president, what redoing in california? come home.
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what are you doing? i have a plane. you can come back if you want. we will take you home. >> get team more taxpayers one at a time. >> i have been listening to your very powerful and eloquent speeches. aquino had to tell the american people what they need to hear. i say this from the bottom of my heart from my grandchildren who are at home, i know new jersey needs you. i really implore you -- i really do, this is not funny reject we urnnot wait another fo u years. i implore you as a citizen of
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there are a lot of people who have asked me about this over the course of the last number of weeks and months. that is all i will say about this tonight, i hear exactly what you are saying. i feel the passion with which you say it. it touches me. i can tell you. i'm just a kid from new jersey who feels like i'm the luckiest guy in the world to have the opportunity that i have to be the governor of my state. people say to me all the time now -- and folks like you say those kind of things for as many months as it is being said -- why don't they to leave you alone? your party given your answer. isn't is a burden? what i say to you and everyone was nice enough is that it is not a burden.
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anyone who has an ego large enough to say please stop asking me to be leader of the free world -- [laughter] it is such a burden. if you could please just stop. what kind of crazy ego maniac would you have to be to say "just please stop." it is extraordinarily flattering. by the same token, that heartfelt messages you gave me is also not a reason for me to do it. that reason has to reside inside me. i know, without ever having met president reagan, he must've felt that he was called to that moment to leader country. my answer -- to lead our
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country. i thank you for what you are saying. i am listening to every word of it and feeling it, too. please do not ever think for a second that i feel like i am important enough that somehow, what you are saying is a problem for me. it is a great honor. this country is a great place because the folks like you. thank you very much. [applause] >> thank you so much, governor. on that night, if i could ask everyone to remain in their seats. governor, we cannot thank you enough for gracing us with your presence. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national
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cable satellite corp. 2011] >> watch more video of the candidates, see what political reporters are saying, and track the latest campaign contributions with c-span's website for campaign 2012. easy to use, it helps you navigate the political landscape with twitter feeds and facebook updates from the campaigns. candidate bios and the latest polling data, plus links to c- span media partners in the early primary and caucus states, all at -- c-span.org/campaign2012. >> the united nations security
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council meets this morning in new york to consider palestinian statehood and full membership in the human. a formal vote is not expected for several weeks and the u.s. has said it would veto the request. we have live coverage at 9:30 a.m. eastern on c-span2. "washington journal" is next. later this morning, presidential candidate and minnesota congresswoman michele bachmann willie at liberty university in lynchburg, va. we will have her remarks live here on c-span. and then a discussion on u.s.- russia relations after the weekend announcement that vladimir putin will run for the presidency in march. you can see live coverage at 12:20 p.m. eastern. coming up in 45 minutes, a conversation on the
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