will discuss the stand your ground laws in florida. then we will wrap up the program with marc lynch about uprising's in syria and international response, as well as secretary of state clinton plan the trip to saudi arabia next week. we want to thank you for turning into this addition before turning into this edition of "washington journal -- to mean into this edition of "washington journal." we will see tomorrow morning, at 7:00 a.m. eastern time. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> republican presidential candidates in mitt romney, rick

santorum, and newt gingrich are participating in a safe and free them coalition in wisconsin. c-span will have live coverage at 11:00 a.m. eastern. here in washington this weekend, the clinton global initiative university is holding its conference. we will take you live to the campus of george washington university to look at how young people are creating opportunities despite the tough job market. chelsea clinton will act as moderator of the panel. bill clinton will be interviewed by jon stewart about some of the domestic and international issues facing the next generation. this weekend, c-span will re-air the supreme court argument of

the constitutionality of the health-care law. at 5:00 p.m., if the expansion of medicaid is an intrusion of the states -- on the states. at 4:25, if the mandate is constitutional, can the rest of the law stay intact? the feminist majority foundation hosted an all-day forum thursday in washington, d.c. focusing on issues important to women in the next election, including a review of ballot measures affecting women. teachers speakers were from the american association of university women and the national coalition on -- the

national organization for women. >> if everyone can take their seats, we will start the afternoon session. again, i am thrilled to be able to moderate this panel. you will be hearing from some of the many feminist leaders who have come together to fight to preserve the most significant gains women have made that are at stake in this next election. welcome to our c-span.org audience. we are live on c-span. this is the women, money, and power forum. welcome.

you will hear from key leadership about what we are doing to mobilize women for the 2012 election. in recognition of the great 1963 civil-rights march on washington, which happened in the same month as women got the right to vote, there was the announcement of a new multi organization in his attempt to preserve the rights of health and economic rights for women at are at stake in the 2012 election. there are 52 groups that represent millions of activist women in this country that have

come together to harness the growing power of women in the united states. women comprise half of the paid work force in this country. women are increasingly a powerful political force. if you are following the pulling in these elections, you know that we are witnessing unprecedented gender gaps around these issues going into the elections. the gender gap is holding true against all ages and all races and ethnic groups. it is not a small phenomenon. this is a powerful political force that can determine the outcome of the election. "her vote" has outlined the top 12 threats to women in this election. you can find out a lot more

about these issues by going to hervote.us. -- hervotes.us. you can get to it from any of the coalition partners' websites. you can find the incredible information available on the website. very quickly, and then you will hear it in more detail about the threats, but more importantly what we are doing as a collective force to mobilize women's votes going into the 2012 election. women's jobs and protection against sex discrimination. you have heard about the impact of the recent supreme court majority ruling and the attack

on unions in this country. women have a lot to lose and much to save in this election. number 2, the affordable care act. as you know, it covers a broad range of preventive health services that women desperately need in these modern times. number 3, women's right to vote is at stake in these elections. in 30 states across the country, conservative legislatures have implemented voter suppression rules and vote are id requirements. many women do not have proper documentation with their current legal name, which is going to be asked for when they go to vote. number 4, birth control and the

rights to privacy. i do not have to say much about that. it is the rallying cry of this year. we have so much to say about these so-called personhood and this is is that will appear on ballots in this election. title 10. in the first time in the history, the house of representatives voted to completely wipe out the title 10 program. many states have already done it. now-states including -- nine states including new jersey and texas. more than 1000 pieces of legislation have been introduced in the state legislatures across the country that, if passed, could threaten the constitutional basis for our

right to privacy, family planning, and abortion. number 7, social security, the bedrock of older women's finance and security in this country. it has come under attack. financial security in this country. it has come under attack. medicare. number 8. more than half of all medicare recipients, 56%, are women. you have just seen yet another budget introduced in the house by the conservative majority to end the marriage -- end medicare as we know it. number 9. medicaid. it provides 19 million women with vital health services at all stages of their lives. what you might not know about medicaid is that more than 2/30

of the elderly in nursing homes -- 2/3 of all elderly in nursing homes depend on nursing -- depend on medicaid. number 10, the violence against women act. it expired in 2011 and has yet to be authorized. number 11, title 9, which prohibits sex discrimination in education. it is being threatened by administrative budget cuts, regulations, private school about your systems, and pressure from congressional opponents that continue to threaten to weaken its enforcement. and finally, number 12, the thymic -- the family and medical leave act, the only federal law that helps men and women meet

the dueled demands of family and paid work. we just had a terrible decision in the supreme court. a favorite target of conservatives is to gut the enforcement of family and medical leave. that is the bad news. there is good news. there is an incredible coalition coming together determined to mobilize women's votes to make sure women's the voices are heard at the ballot box and we all take for women also writes. i would like to introduce you to some of the key leaders in the her votes coalition who are mobilizing an impressive campaign within their own organizations and constituency to mobilize women's votes. first, let me introduce linda

hallman, president and ceo of the american association of university women. >> aa uw, 130 years of breaking through barriers for women and girls. who would have thought that at this point in 2012 we would be talking about those barriers, much less the kinds of barriers we are seeing every day. what we are trying to do is our major get out the vote effort. we have geared up for it and we are about to roll it out. we are putting on president of human and physical resources behind it. aauw has always done a get out the vote effort for many years. is it any wonder that women are sick and tired of being told what to do and that we are ready

to make our voices heard? we are tired of our rights being used to score political points, writes? -- right? it is about time women are treated fairly and equally. they need to be respected by lawmakers. out our initiative is called, "it is my vote and i want to be heard." use that phrase any way you would like to use and with any reflection -- with any intellection. there are many ways you can use that in flexion. it depends on how this of you are on any given day. what is the campaign going to look like?

aauw state organizations have 100,000 members and owners throughout the united states. we have branches and chapters in every congressional district in the country. we are on 600 college and university campuses with our partners. we are hosting a series of nonpartisan voter education training events across the country. we will train and support outreach volunteers who will collaborate on voter education and turn out campaign, targeting women in their states. in april, the action fund will be hiring on the ground staff to coordinate volunteer activity and education efforts. we will be producing and disturbing public service announcements, campaign materials, and other resources specifically designed to under

score the impact on the issues women care most about. in the months leading up to the election day 2012, we will be using all the resources of the action fund, our social media reach, our mailing list, our relationship with our partners, and to drive home the message that elections matter for women and girls and to go and voted. i encourage you and your organizations. we are already having coalition partners come in with us. we want to help you in your efforts as well. we have hired a person on the staff to be targeting this now. i encourage you. we will help you. we need to be together in the coalition. women are ignored at politician's peril.

in 2008, women had a higher turnout rate than men, with 64% of women turned out compared to 55% of men. this gender gap continues to hold true across all ages. women have had a long history of being the key demographic. we need to keep that going in this election year. when voters wants candidates that will move the country forward, a short economic prosperity, and protect the health and -- ensure economic prosperity and protect the health and well-being of families. there is a list of things you can do to encourage your friends and colleagues. come to aauw.org and find out all of the different ways we can help you. vote is a habit.

at the voting behavior -- voting is a habit. it is habit forming. once you all today, you are more likely to vote again. we are targeting millennial women. we need to get that demographic, those young women, into the voting habit. we are nonpartisan. we want every woman to go out and vote and think about the things that are important to them. wittman voters cannot be underestimated by candidates, -- when men -- women voters cannot be under as delay -- under estimate did -- underestimated by candidates, both republican

and democrat. [applause] >> i should have had you come to the podium. thank you, linda. i know that what the american association of university women is doing is unprecedented and need it. i would now like to welcome to the podium melanie campbell, president and ceo of the national coalition on black civic participation. [applause] >> thank you, thank you. here you feel good in today? don't you feel the power? live mic. [laughter] i am at honored to be here representing the national

coalition on black civic participation. we are a 35 year-old organization that started in 1976. the first exhibit director was the woman who started the black women's roundtable with dorothy haight. they knew that when we talk about coming together as a coalition, black women were key. when you talk about the way we all today and who we all take for, who -- what we are focused on is to maximize -- and who we all day -- vote for.

we have been focusing and exciting to work with the her votes coalition that to build the kind of coalition that crosses all kinds of areas, whether you are talking about race, gender, age, income, or wherever. if we thoroughly came together, the mess that is going on as we speak would not happen. coalitions like her old days -- her votes know that we have not yet fully exercise our power. we have just had our first summit last week. we have been working for a year

on a tour for the black women's roundtable focusing on economic security and system and the ability for women and girls. -- economic security and sustainability for women and girls. we are trying to get a handle on what we want to do. we left there ready to fight. our coalition will be focusing on something called the power to vote. the kinds of attacks that have been going on when it comes to worker rights. gillibrand of acts as a partner of ours. -- gillibrand off -- the look -- phillip randolph is a partner of

ours. we are all coming together when it comes to voting rights. from the family perspective, we cannot walk away from this microphone without talking about trayvon. [applause] i am from a big city in florida. i know everybody has been there. it is 20 minutes from sanford, florida. it is an issue of criminal justice. we have our black youth vote, who are led by young leaders, who are coming together next week around the banner of the black youths voted focusing on whether young people are fully engaged around the issue of justice.

our target is to focus on the issue of jobs and employment and under employment. there is a major sport -- a major focus for our target on underemployment. a big focus for us will be on the voter rights issue. those who do not believe in inclusion have done a good job studying what happened in 2008. they look at the fact that we alternate on sunday in some places. -- that we alternate -- we voted on sunday in some places. we have to keep fighting. there are some folks who got in a room that we were not invited to. they look to see how it turned out got so high amongst women. how did it get so high among african americans and other people of color?

they looked at these things. the newspapers will tell you who it is. alec did a good job of finding a way to exclude. talk about the 99%. it is about those who want to have it all and those who want to get a little bit. in that kind of fight, the voting rights issues are threefold. the lawyers are doing everything they can. we also have to have a street fight among those who have to make sure they know what to do. they do not have to go to jail. -- someone will have to go to jail to fight for our voting rights.

we saw the march in selma. there were people who died. there were people who went to jail and did what they have -- they had to do. if you want the enemy to know that you are ready, we need to make some noise to say you are ready to fight. can we make some noise up in here? for us, it is about being organized. we had our round table last week with women from penn state, who came together. we brought young ladies with us to learn how all of this works. we have our youth training last -- next week. we are getting ready for the fight. we will focus on 100,000 new black women and 100,000 youth and be able to make sure we are prepared.

fay anderson is somewhere around here. we have because of freedom act we are about to launch. -- we have a cost of freedom app we are about to launch. south carolina for instance. people say, why not get an id? if you are talking about someone if is elderly or seasoned, you have to prove who you are, it is in the bible. not everybody had a birth certificate. when you look at issues like that, the reality is it is not that simple.

we know we have got to help those who have to get an id. we are not acquiescing. the voting rights act does not impact all 50 states. we have to get started now to organize those who have to get ids and fight with the justice department when there is pushed back on the unjust laws. it is about our impact and our power and how we get out the vote with all of you. [applause] >> melanie, thank you. our next speaker represents the moms rising organization. she is the debt -- the executive director. please welcome kristin rowe- finkbeiner. >> thank you. i am honored to be here today. i will start out by saying, i

love soccer. i love watching my son and my daughter dribble the ball down the field. i love putting on my five layers of clothing and standing on the sidelines. i absolutely, 100% loved soccer. but i am not a soccer mom, as some political commentators have defined to me. and neither are the tens of millions of mothers across the country just like me. why did you take such issues -- why do i take such issue with the soccer mom? it brings an image of a mother standing on the sidelines, on the sidelines, be left out of an important game. we modern mothers are most definitely in the game. [applause]

we are all of the sidelines. and like the mothers of 1996 when the soccer mom moniker was born, because of new modern technology today, we are powerful the networks. we are network moms. watch out. let me run some numbers by you to give you an idea of what i am talking about. of the 40 million moms with kids under 18, 37 million of them will be online by the end of this year. i want to give you an idea of the reach of utilizing the mother of a framework in this upcoming election. would anyone who is a mob please stand. when everyone -- which anyone who is a mom please stand. would anyone who had a mother please stand. we are talking about everybody

with bellybuttons. who are these moms? who is on line these days? 77% of blacks, 76% of whites and 72% of english-speaking hispanics are reading their news online. we are talking about a different landscape than in 1996 when the soccer mom moniker came on the scene. our power to collect, to network and create our own news has been growing. we are an increasingly powerful force that cannot be ignored. coupled with new communication technologies like facebook, twitter, e-mail, and blogs allow women to reach hundreds of thousands, even millions, of other women with the click of a button. this has important repercussions in the upcoming election.

it accelerates communication, education, organizing, and impact. we are talking about women whose issues have not been regularly addressed by the traditional media. we have created our own media. we do not have to wait for reporters to come to us and cover our issues. we can go to the huffington post, which has more readers than the new york times. we are creating our own blogs and writing about our own priority issues. we will be doing that in the upcoming election. we can bring critical issues online that have been ignored, critical issues that can impact the impact of -- outcome of elections. we can bring up paid sick days that say, knowing where candidates stand on paid sick days will determine whether or not they votes for them. getting the word out about where

a candidate stands is important. let me give you a number to back up the idea that many women are reading blogs. 36 million women are either writing or reading blogs. that is a significant number. that is a revolution. we are created a powerful media force. not only have we made our own media through the proliferation of blocks, we have made our own powerful -- blogs, we have made our own powerful networks. that has had an impact on leaders at every level, candidates, and traditional media reporters. does this change the political landscape for the election? the answer is most definitely. take the case of the recent case of the komen almost cancellation

of the funding for planned parenthood. the defunding was reversed and the komen brand will likely never be the same. [applause] take the absence of women's choices on contraceptive coverage. you could have gotten away with excluding women 10 years ago. but today, when you can put an autograph on the internet and have it spread from friend to friend and -- but able to grasp on the internet and have it spread from friend to friend and go viral, you cannot do that anymore. ignore network women at your own peril. [applause] how does that relate to the election? moms rising is and on the ground organization that is

fighting to increase economic security for families, to decrease discrimination against women and mothers, and to build a nation where families and businesses can thrive. one of the biggest hurdles for the modern feminist movement is that we have to break down the maternal wall so that women can get to the glass ceiling in the first place. it is time to break down that wall. [applause] together we can do this. our much -- our members are young mothers and grandmothers. they recommend -- they represent the economic diversity that is our country. mom's rising is and media -- a estimated at over 3.5 million readers. forbes just named us a top website for women for the second year in a row.

we are ramping up our moms vote campaign and our voter registration programs. our moms vote program will be utilizing the internet to engage voters and let women know what i did the vacation they need to bring with them to the polls. who changes their name more than any other? it is mother's. it impacts us all. -- it is mothers. in the busy cluster and noise of modern family life, what is breaking through for us to hear each other, to hear news, and to organize? is the words and actions of our friends and family. -- it is the words and actions of our friends and family. it is an important, powerful

political tool. the personal is political. that has not changed. how many of us skip reading the paper some days, but we find ourselves reading a bizarre link that leads us to take an interesting action that we never would have before? our mission is to harness that reaction to engage voters in 2012. these efforts are more and more critical. women and mothers votes matter. our votes matter. as a reminder, i want to tell everybody that in the last presidential election, married and unmarried children helped determine who was the president by voting for obama. 51% of married women with kids voted for obama. and 71% of unmarried women with

kids voted for obama. moms votes matter. with a number of groups working together, we have a fast-moving tool to unite us and to have our impact be maximized together. we are able to amp up our impact in record time. everyone here should get your own facebook page, get your own twitter handel, and to make sure you have access to -- handle, and to make sure you have access to a blog. social mean it can engage our constituencies and grow the women's movement in ways that were previously unheard of, in ways we are doing through her vote. at mom's rising, we can seen how, -- moms rising, we can see

how supporting our organization can support other organizations. we are calling on the power of american women for real economic and health justice for all in the 2012 election. i want everybody to leave this room know when you can be a media outlet. for the first time in history, you can be your own media outlet. [applause] and i want everyone in this room to remember that some elections, particularly local elections, are won or lost by fewer boats -- votes than the average person has friends on facebook. we can bring wittman's voices forward and we can have an impact -- spring women's -- forward ands voices

we can have an impact. it is not time to sideline women. we do not want to be on the sidelines any more and we are not. candidates need to take note that we are rolling forward. we are often beside lines and we are getting involved in the 2012 elections. thank you. -- we are off the sidelines and we are getting involved in the 2012 elections. thank you. [applause] >> you are hearing a lot about these voter mobilization plans on the ground, online, and in the court wrote. i would like to now introduce they o'neill, president of national organization for women. after her presentation, we will be able to take a couple of questions.

please join me at the podium, terry o'neill. [applause] >> good afternoon, everybody. i am thrilled to be here. i would not take up a lot of time. i want to have time for questions and answers. moms rising are taking a lead in the her votes coalition. those blog carnivals are really fun. it in days. they are really needs. you will see more of them and more things going on through her votes. the national organization for women is engaged in a massive voter education and mobilization

project. we know we have to get the word out to women about what is at stake this year. this really is a pivotal year for women. somebody gave statistics about what the women's vote was in 2008. 64% voted in 2008. in 2010, the number of women voting plummeted. that is the word that is used by the noted pollster. she said plummeted is the right word. when women did not get out and vote in 2010, what was the result? the tea party. an unprecedented war against women. tea party elected officials flooded into the united states

congress and legislatures, taking over all three governing bodies, the house, the senate, and the governorship in many states. what is the result of that? we have seen the sorry and pathetic spectacle of a panel of men considering contraception and announcing to the world that contraception is not about women. contraception is about the religious sensitivity of some extremist religious zealot men. that is what we learn from women and not voting in 2010. what else did we see? we saw a man that is so empowered that another -- that none other than david frum declares that this man is the most feared man in the republican party.

that man's name is rush limbaugh. this empowered and arrogant man spent three days, three hours every day, excoriating a young law student that had the temerity to talk to the american congress about what birth control means about women. what i loved about watching sandra fluke give her testimony, she was asked, what is your qualifications for talking about birth control. this is what she said. i am a young woman who uses birth control and that makes me an expert in my health care. [applause] the italy's, when she said that, she empowered every single -- beeping -- the thing is, which

she said that, she empowered every single woman who uses birth control. it was a brilliant and amazing moment of empowerment. one of the consequences of women not voting in the 2010 is the empowerment of the tea party vote. they are so powerful now that mitt romney has never condemned rush limbaugh's attack on sandra fluke. day after day when rush limbaugh did manage to see a videotape of sandra having sex, mitt romney says the word slut and prostitutes were not the words he would have chosen. somebody said, what would you have said, lady of the night? that would of been ok? rick santorum, the number 2

candidate this ended rush limbaugh's abuse of this young woman. -- defended rush limbaugh's abuse of this young women. either of those young men -- those men could become the nominee for president of the united states. the folks trying to defeat president obama are exceptionally well funded and exceptionally well prepared to suppress our voted. we have to be ready not to let that happen. i want to throw in one thing about the other aspect of the war on women. today, the house is expected to vote on the rise and budget. have you heard about that? paul ryan from wisconsin, the chair of the house budget committee, has come out with a budget for 2013 that privatizes medicare, but -- forces people

into for-profit insurance systems that will cost $6,000 more for everyone on medicare. that is what their health care will cost if paul ryan has his way. more than 50% of medicare dollars go to support nursing homes in this country. the majority of residents of nursing homes are women. if those cuts go through, possibly thousands of nursing homes around the country will be forced to shut down. the rise and budget attacks social security and called for future cuts in social security. the rise in budget calls for a slashing family planning clinics. all of those programs would be cut. all of these things disproportionately serve women.

something we are not aware of, but need to me, all of these programs disproportionately employed women. -- but need to be, all of these programs disproportionately employ women. at the state and local levels, government are cutting back and cutting back. that means women are losing their jobs. today, more than half of the women are needed the sole source of income for their families or an essential source of income for their families. families cannot afford for women to lose these jobs. the rhine budget does not make all of these cuts to balance the federal budget. not even close. what he wants to do is take all of the savings from cutting these programs and use those savings to increase military spending and to enhance tax breaks to corporations and the

wealthiest people in this country. that is what is at stake in the 2012 election. we let another year ago by like 2010 and we will see even worse. we have got to be mobilized to stop that. two pieces of good news. i think it was the two weeks ago, the afl-cio executive committee had its annual meeting or its regular meeting and passed a resolution in support of birth control for women. and we were thrilled. [applause] but what i was really thrilled by -- there is a sentence in their statement about birth control. the executive committee said, we know these attacks on unions around the country and these attacks on working families around the country are having a disproportionate impact on women. we are not going to stand from

it -- stands for it. that is coming from the labor unions. they are with us and we are with them. we are all going to work together. the one thing i want you all to do is to go home and organize your communities and organize your friends and get them engaged in education and mobilization. talk to the candidates. make sure the candidates know how to talk about the issues that so disproportionately impact women. if the candidates are talking about women -- if you scratch the surface of almost every issue does a little bit, what you will find is a disproportionate impact on women. get the candidates to talk about how this impacts women. you will find that women will say to themselves, that person actually cares about me and understand what is going on in my life. maybe this is someone i should

all take for and someone i should volunteer for. maybe i should decide that political engagement matters in my life. it is not just a football game. the candidates are recognizing the reality of my life and recognizing the struggle i face. it cannot just be up to the women to mobilize the women. we have to get the candidates to talk about the women so that we can mobilize them. if we can work together and recognize the impact of all of this on women, we will win in 2012 and i look forward to that. thank you so much. [applause] >> i want to thank terry not only for today. she has been doing a magnificent on "the ed show." and a strong voice.

we already have people lined up. let me say two thanks. 70% buttons. -- 17% buttons. get them and wear them. we are only 17% of the congress. when those votes are taken, we are only 17%. it is not enough and we want to constantly remind people that we are terribly under represented in the halls of congress and the decision making tables. i would like to quickly say that if he wants more information on some of the key issues at stake, we have a book. you can get it on the ms. magazine website. it takes a look at all of these issues. i urge you to study up. being able to debate them and

talk about them to your network -- visit the hervotes.net website. it is a wonderful resource on these key issues that are at stake in this election. we want to hear what you are doing in your communities, what obstacles you are finding when it comes to your right to vote and how we can be a larger coalition as we move forward in the 2012 election. if you will introduce yourself if you are with an organization, and where you are from, and if you want to direct your question to a specific catalyst, we will take them now. >> kristin, i take it is wonderful what you have done. i have heard that in terms of the policy issues that moms rising cares about, but control

is not one of them. women want to choose where and when they have children. the majority of americans and voters are in favor of birth control. is it a possibility that you could serve your members and find that it is critical because it is important for economic security. >> i am proud to say that is a mess. i wrote a big article on the huffington opposed. the fact of the matter is that 99% of american women have used birth control at some point in their lives. 98% of catholic women have used birth control. mothers' use birth control. the average family -- mothers use birth control.

it costs over $200,000 to raise one child to age 18, not including college. until we get family economic security policies, people are struggling to support the children they have with 1/4 of the american children living in poverty. when to have children and how many is critical to the economic empowerment of all women and mothers. [applause] >> i guess that settles that. >> i am with unite against the war on women. i would like to thank linda and terry for supporting what we are doing. my question is for everybody in this room. who is going to join us in this war on women's rights on april 8. ? if he did not know about it,

there are flyers on every table. we thank you for your support. if you have questions, you can go to our website, unitewomen.org. >> i know it is helping -- it is calling on all over the country. marches and rallies across the country april 28. >> hi. i am a people person. i represent people. having been in this business since right after world war ii, i would like to know from you where is the american medical association, where are the obstetricians, where are the pediatricians, and where are our husbands, ok. i represent the people.

[applause] >> i cannot tell you how many e- mails and phone calls and tweets i receive from men about the importance of birth control. one of the phone messages i had, this man said, i want to thank you for what n.o.w. is doing to protect women's access to birth control. it is not about my wife and my daughters. if we did not have access to birth control, we would not be where we are today. the extremely good news is that the men are with us. that is demonstrated by the afl- cio statement about birth control. >> the a.m.a. only has a small amount of physicians as their members today.

they have a large presence in lobbying, but their members have been going down for many years. a lot of the importance is on the states and the grass roots areas in the medical profession. we need to talk to men of good conscience, that is what i call them. some of them are in this room right now. we need to say to men and not be worried about saying it, they need to speak up for reproductive rights. it is a health issue. it is a family issue. >> 20% of our volunteers around the country are men. >> i am 14. i would like to ask the panel -- a lot of the issues you are talking about is they don't affect us now, they will affect

us in the future. i know the younger generations do care about a lot of these issues, but knew but -- but do not feel like they are boys matters because they cannot vote. -- but do not feel like their voices matter because they cannot vote. what can we do? >> you can speak up now. you can make your voices very much heard. you can if you go to the museum -- the newseum. >> we had a youth summit that was led by a high school student from schools without walls. this past saturday, we had about 30 young women, young girls, of middle school and high-school

age, who focus us on what they need for us to do, which is to remember to voted for them. they laid out the issues they are concerned about. they are concerned about their futures. engaging young women and young girls to gather around the issues they are concerned about. they are looking and worried about what is going to happen in this election. i have a fresh understanding about what girls are thinking about from that youth summit. they are concerned about whether or not they will be able to go to school. they are concerned about health and wealth and the fact that their parents do not have the job they need. they say, you have to voted for us. we engage young girls in listening. and young boys. i mentioned trayvon because, there go i.

i am, we are, any of us could be trayvon. engaging -- just because you are not of voting age does not mean you do not have a vote in your family. you have to feel what we are doing is also about you. engage young people and get their issues. we are doing that with the national >> just one moment, i will add to these comments. the wonderful thing about college-aged, those getting ready to vote for the first time, they are outraged about what is happening. the feminist majority foundation has over 600 campus networks,

alliances, and affiliated groups. we are having a big conference this weekend. we have almost 500 collegiate leaders coming together to self- organizing a massive get out to vote campaign for this next election. [applause] >> so, do not worry about young people. we have them. we need to get the resources together so they can overcome the voter repression measures targeted at young people. two more questions. >> cathy, i just want to remind everyone to do answer the question about where the american medical association is, and everything like that, but key -- there are those on our side, even if the ama is not.

>> my name is andrea and i am from a small town in central new york. in 1984, the choice group organized with the idea that the perception of power is power, so we have pulled can't -- polled candidates on women's issues, and of late, we are not getting responses. then i learned that project vote smart -- democrats and republicans are telling candidates not to fill out surveys. it forces us to do a lot of research to find their positions and confronted candid to confront candidates. it is critical to do the research -- confront candidates. it is critical to do their research. women have to know who will stand up for women's rights.

>> also, we put on the table the congressional voting record. please take those with you. do not throw goes away. inside, there is a poster you can take out and put up in your communities. new paris use this. it is my vote, i will be heard, but it has everyone's congressional voting record. this is how you know where the candidates are standing. take it with you. give it to your families and friends. it does not matter how old you are. but the poster up. >> thank you for supporting that. >> yes, you will see the candidates that have been endorsed. these are very vocal supporters. but me just say that i have this wonderful fantasy, and i do not know where we will find their resources, but i really think whoever is the nominee for the

presidency needs to be asked repeatedly and often to sign a pledge for birth control. rick santorum, -- promised to work to press the pass laws to declare that life begins at fertilization. whether the candidate is, we want canada to sign -- mitt romney, by the way, refused to onhood pledge.o let's get them to sign a violence against women pledge, we have a lot of pledges. get them to sign the pledge or say why they will not. [applause] >> i am from cleveland, ohio, and i just want to say that i was so pleased to see the 70% pins, because i think the visual

reminder to people is so important, and i am here to announce that in ohio this year we have seven women running for congress, and that, i think, is amazing. [applause] >> these seven women could be part of turning around the ski battleground state from red to blue, and also adding some many more women to the congress. thank you. >> thank you. i will have to move next. we will ask >> -- take questions and answers at the end of this one. if you had a burning question, hold on to it. first of all, i want to citywide to all of you for joining us today. [applause] >> and to be in such a key part of the coalition. we will mobilize an

unprecedented turnout of women in the november elections. thank you to all of you. if i could ask the next panel to approach the stage, so we can keep on schedule. we are still on c-span. the next panel will be on c- span. for more information, do not forget hervote.us to keep up what is happening in the elections as it impacts women. >> taking now to the wisconsin faith in freedom coalition formed in waukesha, wisconsin, with three of the presidential candidates making an appearance. we will hear from mitt romney, rick santorum, and newt gingrich. newt gingrich is scheduled to speak first. all are making an appearance ahead of the state primary on tuesday. >> listen gentleman, please

welcome back to the stage, ms. joyce, to lead us in our national anthem. ♪ oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light what so proudly we hail gleamingilight's last whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight

for the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming and the rockets red glare the bombs bursting in air gave proof through the night that our flag was still there o, say does that star spangled banner yet wave for the land of the free

and the home of the brave ♪ [applause] >> now, ladies and gentleman, welcome to the stage, chaplin and lt. colonel, andrew hayden. >> please join me in this prayer. gracious god, king of the universe, we thank you for the gift of this day, and thank you as well for the great privilege that we share to the citizens of these united states. we ask you for the discernment to understand the times, the

wisdom to know the right, and courage and boldness to be and do the right. give us, we pray, leaders of character that will lead us to the justice and righteousness that pleases you and enables your will to be done on earth as it is in heaven. we ask you this, lord jesus, for the honor of your great name. amen. please be seated. [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] >> latest and gentlemen, please welcome back to the stage, the chairman of the wisconsin faith and freedom coalition. [applause] >> all right. are you ready? i am. [laughter] >> our next guest is the chairman of an organization dedicated to providing real,

significant solutions to the most important issues facing our country today. general chairman of american winning solutions for the future, and former speaker of the u.s. house of representatives, newt gingrich was the architect of the contract of america, which led the republican party to victory in 1994. also captured the majority of the house for the first time in 40 years. former college professor not -- professor, and international expert on military affairs, and the longest-serving teacher on the joint war fighting course for major generals are some of the titles he holds. ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor and privilege to welcome to the stage a true american patriot, newt gingrich. [applause] ♪

[applause] >> wow. i asked my wife to come and stand with me, because we spend all week campaigning here in wisconsin, and we have been having a great reception. some of you also know our son- in-law is from sheboygan, so we have connections on both sides of the state, and last night we were up at green bay inspecting the team that we have a share of, so we are really glad to be back in wisconsin. i am delighted so many of you are out here. wisconsin, and june 5, will be

the most important center of decision making in america, and i am glad you are committed to being for the candidate that is determined to protect the taxpayer, protect our children and do what is right for america. [applause] >> we came back in 2009 and did a fund-raiser in milwaukee for scott, and i came back here to waukesha, and he was saying what he was going to do. he was open. he was out there. as a result, the people of the state elected a republican senate, the republican house, a republican governor, and the people were not confused. the entire flight of the last year and a half has been the effort of 100 -- of a small interest groups to change the will of people that is very much against democracy and self-

government. i commend you for willing to be fight june 6, and make sure that we win. it is one of the most important elections in american history and it will change behavior across the country to the country. thank you for been active citizens. -- it will change behavior across the country. thank you for being active citizens. [applause] >> we are very proud to be associated with ralph reed, and the tremendous job he as the across the country. the number of folks that are here today, the number of people who are organizing, it is very encouraging. this is the most important election of your lifetime. the reelection of barack obama will be a disaster for our children and grandchildren and our country, and you are key to having a grass-roots campaign that stops the left from continuing to be in power in washington, d.c., and i thank you for your active involvement. [applause]

>> let's be really clear how big the stakes are. the american civilization as we have known it is under attack on two fronts. on one front, there is radical secularism that would drive got out of our life, language, government, and make us a country of the extraordinary on american nature. on the other front there is radical islamists. we saw it with the leaders in saudi arabia but said every church in the peninsula should be destroyed, with no complaint from our state department. we need to understand, this is an historic, cultural fight for the survival of american civilization. let me be clear, we believe that this is an exceptional country, not because you and i are

exceptional, but we are the only society that says power comes from god to each one of you personally, and then you loan power to the government. [applause] >> this means that you are a citizen, and the government is supposed to be a public servant. obama has the opposite model, a european elitist model in which the government is sovereign and tells us what to do. that is why this fight is so fundamental. it is not just barack obama. it is the academic community, the news media, people in entertainment, the judges -- there is an entitled -- an entire elitist people that will

dictate to us. callista and i did a film about pope john paul the second called "nine days that changed the world." it is a remarkable movie. we were doing a movie on reagan, and we have gone to europe to interview the president of the czech republic and -- czech republic and the president of poland, and we ask both of them what was the decisive moment in defeating the soviet empire, and we thought it would give us a great ronald reagan antidote, but they both said it was when the pope came in 1979 and spent nine days and a pilgrimage to poland. and the first morning, he had 3 million people in victory square for mass, and we suddenly realized there were more of us than there were of the government.

now, that is the point of the mobilization that you represent. there are more people in america by a huge margin who believe that our rights come from our creator, then there are people who believe we should he raised dodd from american memory. we need to assert that -- -- embraced dodd from american memory. we need to assert -- [applause] >> we need to break normal politics, reach out to every person who agrees that rights come from our creator, and we need to build a movement dedicated to changing the judges, the bureaucracy, the politicians, the news media, and college professors, until we get back to an america that understands where its rights come from, and understands what its future is based on. [applause] >> i take this so seriously that our campaign manager and die

spent nine years working at -- and i spent nine years working on a paper that is a 54-page outline about what to do about judges. we are not helpless in front of an anti-religious bigot. we are in a position as people to use the legislative branch to balance off the judicial branch, and i would urge you to look of that paper and he will realize that intellectual we have been given up an argument we should not give up. of course law schools believe in judicial supremacy. none of the founding fathers would agree. the number one complaint was no taxation without representation, and the number two complaint was british judges who day regarded as kings, rather than judges. the judicial branch is the weakest of the three branches.

will never fight the other branches because it would inevitably lose. the notion of the supreme court being supreme over the president and congress is nonsense. it is one of three equal branches, and we need to assure that we, the people, are the ultimate the fibers of america, not a handful of appointed judges. [applause] >> you also need to reassert in your state legislature in your local school board that you expect teachers to actually teach the facts. [applause] >> every child should encounter the declaration of independence and explore the question, what did the founding fathers mean -- "we are endowed by our creators ." why does the northwest ordinance of 1787 organize illinois,

indiana, ohio, part of wisconsin and michigan -- why does it say religion, morality and knowledge being important? schools are vital. notice the order. religion, morality and knowledge, it eliminated by the modern left to the only knowledge, which explains much of what is wrong with our culture today. [applause] >> so, you not have to have a theological agenda. you could have them use president lincoln's second inaugural -- march, 1865, four years of civil war. he had been dramatically reshaped by the pain of war, and he knew he personally in posted because at any point he couldn't accept the south's leading, and the war would have ended. he became a dramatically more

religious person. he read the bible every afternoon. if you get a chance, go to stand in the lincoln memorial and read the gettysburg address, which says "one nation under god" which lincoln wrote by hand. that is what got me into politics when it was concluded that that was not constitutional, and i concluded that was hostile and we needed a long-term strategy to replace charges that do not understand america. -- judges that do not understand america. then, turn, and read aloud slowly the second inaugural -- 702 words, 14 references to god, and you tell me how a historian could explain lincoln

without god? it is impossible to be historically accurate in describing a secular lincoln because that person did not exist by 1865. it had been replaced -- replaced by a deeply-religious person. [applause] so, callista and i talked about for a long time, and we knew it would be hard, but we decided running for president matter because it was an opportunity to take to the american people fundamental, basic decisions about who we are and what we have to do, and they all come together in the same pattern. if you want to take on radical islam, you need to have an american energy policy that creates american independence so the no future president will ever again bowed to a saudi king. [applause]

>> if you truly believe in religious freedom, you have to take on an administration which is able to simultaneously apologize to a fanatical radical islamists were killing americans while waging war against the catholic church and sees no contradiction in the fact that if you are a concern -- christian, they can oppose it, but if you are a radical islamist that kills americans, they owe you an apology. that is how bad obama is. [applause] >> the administration has adopted a principal since the burning of the korans , which should have been responded to by the president calling on the religious leaders to condemn muslim prisoners who had been defacing the koran, and using them to get messages out of jail.

in an ongoing effort to appease everyone who is our enemy, a new slogan, which i think is clever, says we will hold those things to be sacred which others have called sacred. they did it for the koran. my challenge for the obama administration is simple. put up the cross is that have been taken down by judicial fiat. you want to hold things sacred, we will let you hold things sacred. [applause] >> tel the moslem brotherhood if they keep burning churches in egypt, you are cutting off the billion dollars you just gave them. [applause] >> we need an administration that actually think religious liberty includes christians and jews. [applause] >> men, we need to turn to entertainment television and say if you're going to run a

television show that has the word christian in a derogatory name, try to run the same show with the word muslim, because if you cannot say muslim and you can say christian, it shows you how derogatory the show is. that this house fundamental the fight is. an american energy program will create american jobs, keep the money at home, strengthen the dollar, increased royalties to the federal government, lower the price of gasoline. if gasoline dropped as much as natural gas has, it would be $1.13 a gallon, so -- [applause] >> you can simultaneously week and radical islam, and improve life for americans, and that is kind of is the kind of policy we need that put us back in charge

of our life and dramatically reduce the size of washington. as speaker of the house, i led the effort to balance the federal budget, and we balance it for four straight years, the only time in your lifetime. [applause] >> paul ryan, who you will hear from is a great guy and is doing a great job as the budget committee chairman, and he is moving us in the right direction. the key to balancing the budget is very simple. we want to shrink the government to set the revenues available, not raise the revenue to catch up with obama, the credits card. [applause] >> i will close with this practical example of morality -- it is immoral for us to spend so much when we crush our children and grandchildren to death. it is a moral obligation to go back to a balanced budget.

if we do it correctly, and you will and oppose it -- you would have to impose a balanced budget on washington, and at the same time you could put the royalties from natural gas and oil into a sinking fund to pay off the debt. if we had discipline and did that, and open the american energy independence, you would simultaneously pay off the debt for your children and grandchildren, so literally by the end of their lifetime, america would be dead-free and that would have the effect of no ball into saudi kings, and no worrying about chinese stakeholders. he would be back in an independent country. you would have american foreign policy based on american interest, not appeasing enemies, and you would be committed toward leading the world towards genuine religious liberty that the imposition of foreign beliefs. i think all of this is possible, but only possible if we defeat

barack obama. we have to repeal obama-care. we have to repeal the anti- religious behaviors. he has given us a long list. i believe we are up to it. with your help, it will start to work. our goal will be that the new congress and you will have to help when the senate seat here to make this possible, we need the new congress to stay in session, and by the time they swear in the president we should have revealed obama-care and dodd-frank. as president, i would sign them on the first day, and the first executive order would eliminate the white house czars of that moment. -- at that moment. [applause] >> the second executive order would reimpose ronald reagan's mexico city policy that no u.s. money goes to pay for abortion

anywhere in the world. [applause] the third executive order would reinstate george w. bush's freedom of conscience provision and repeal every one of the obama anti-religious moves in the administration and return us to genuine religious liberty. [applause] >> the fourth executive order would move the american embassy from tel levied to jerusalem in recognition of israel's right to define its own capital. [applause] >> i participated in 1980 with ronald reagan in a remarkable change of direction for america that ended up creating 16 million new jobs, rebuilding our belief in america, and defeating the soviet empire. in 1994, i helped to architect the contract with america, which

changed congress in one day. with your help next tuesday, i will look for to defeating barack obama device -- decisively, debating him in october, and i am confident that he will look like as much of the radical as he is, and we would have a remarkable debate, and at the end of that process, the country would repudiate the most radical administration of our times. thank you. [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the chairman of the wisconsin gop, brad courtney. >> good morning. first of all, i want to say that we as conservatives in wisconsin over the last 17 months have had

a lot of wonderful victories, and i want to say thank you to everyone of you in this room for making that happen. keep up the fate. we will win june 5 and take it through november. thank you for your support, but keep on moving. now, it is my privilege to introduce one of the most influential voices for the republican movement in the united states and chairman of the house budget committee. congressman paul ryan -- [applause] ♪ >> and good morning, everybody. how are you doing? this is awesome. i will not start singing. this is great. thank you a lot, brad. thank you. thank you very much.

i am not going to start singing like bono. i will tell you that. how many of us have been in this room about six times? it is great to be here. my kids love the water park. let me say one thing. i have known ralph reed since i was 25, and you know what bothers me most the -- about him, he still looks like he is 25. i want to give you some good news and some bad news. the bad news -- our country is on the wrong track. america is headed in the wrong direction. the american idea could be lost for a generation if we stay on this path of that, doubt, and declined. the good news -- it does not have to be. there is still time for a choice. we have a choice of to the

bureau futures in front of us, and that is the good news. we still have time to get it right. we really have a choice in front of us -- debt, doubt, and decline, where president obama is taking us, where a renewal of the american idea. what is the american idea? it sounds like a the platitude. america is not just a country with a lot of states. america is an idea. what is that idea? our rights, they come from nature and god, not from government. they come to us naturally, before the government. we are the first country founded on an idea like that. thank you. thank you, mom. [applause] >> this debate is going on today between the american idea and the transformation the president

and his allies are trying to impose on the country -- it is between natural rights and government-granted rights, between a constitution of limited government and economic freedom, and the school of thought that we should have a living and breathing constitution, there are no less to what commitment can do. a debate between classical libbers -- liberals and modern liberals. it is a debate that is coming to a crescendo. while in this election the debate will not be completely lost or won by one side or the other, but this election will put in place a trajectory because of mass momentum that will last a generation and be difficult to reverse. so, that tells me we have some bad news that we have to deal with, the massive momentum, and the man that is bringing it about. we have a debt crisis coming.

everybody knows this. turn on the television, what is going on in europe could happen to us next if we do not skip this situation under control. we cannot keep spending money we do not have. we are borrowing 40 cents on every dollar. the president gave us a budget that says let's do more of this. his fourth budget in four years, giving us a trillion dollar deficit every year for more spending, more borrowing, and a lot more taxing. the senate has not passed the budget in going on three years, over 1000 days. we have a law that says not only is april 15 tax date for americans, it is also a budget before congress. congress is legally supposed to pass a budget every year. we did it last year. we did this last week. [applause]

>> because we want to respect you by being honest with you. we believe that if americans see the truth, they get the facts, they will make the right decision now, that is the math. it is ugly. it shows a debt crisis. it shows empty promises that politicians from both political parties have made to americans. if we keep going down the same path, they will become broken promises to seniors that organize their lives around these promises, to people that are struggling to survive and get by -- that is what happens in a debt crisis. everybody hurts. everybody loses. america's economy goes down. we want to prevent that. what about the momentum? i'd describe the fiscal tipping point. we have another tipping point. it is even more dangerous. immoral tipping point. we can come to this tipping point where by more americans

become takers as opposed to makers. more americans see the government as the provider of their livelihoods as opposed to they, themselves. you know, there is data and statistics out there, and one of them is alarming -- the tax foundation says 70% of americans get more benefit from the federal government in dollar value and a payback in texas. 49% of americans are not paying income taxes. there are a lot of reasons. recessions. plant shutdowns. the economy is not where it needs to be, but the question becomes have we lost our zeal for the american dream? have we lost our quest for the opportunity society, where we make the best of all our own lives, reached our destiny, tap our potential, and make our kids better off? a lot of people are down and out and not doing so well.

i have friends that of lost their jobs at the plant, and they're in a tough position, but they have not given up hope on the american dream. if we keep going down this path, if we allow the health care law to kick in, the empty promises to continue, we might find ourselves in a place where more americans see themselves as a dependent. we convert our safety net, designed to help people that cannot help themselves or people down on their log get on their feet, we turn the safety net into a hammock that lolls able- bodied people into the lives of complacency. whatever you call that, that is not the american dream. we have these tipping point coming. we have ugly mess that we have to face up to. we have momentum going in the wrong direction, and that brings me to the man. we have a president that is making it worse, bringing us in

the wrong direction president -- direction. president obama cannot run on his record. has anyone fill the gas lately? i filled up my truck last night, and i could not get it to fall, because it cut me off at $100 because the credits card will not let you buy more gas. the tip the economy with the poverty rates. president obama can not -- look at the economy. look at poverty rates. president obama can not run on his record. a lot of centrist told me he will triangulate. he will work with you guys just like bill clinton did in welfare reform. not this guy. this is not a bill clinton democrat. he is committed to his ideology he is committed to the transformation away from the american idea, away from our first principles. so, he will not run on his

record, and if he is not want to change his tune and ideology, what does he have left? he will have to divide america in order to distract america. he is going to play in the politics of envy and division. we see it every day. he is speaking to people as if they are stuck in their current station in life, and victims of circumstances outside of their control, and the government is here to help them cope with it all. when i was flipping burgers at mcdonald's on the interstate, when i was working for oscar meyer, selling bologna, real bologna, by the way -- [applause] >> when i was working three jobs out of college, waiting tables to pay back my student loans, i did not think of myself as a victim. i saw myself on a road of

opportunity, trying to realize my version of the american dream, pursuing happiness how i define it for myself. [applause] >> the idea that we are stuck in some station and the government is here to help us cope with it is an old idea. it is an idea that the president wants to create this new narrative said that we think if you go with the republicans, they will throw you to the wolves. it is a dog-eat-dog world, and if you want security in your life, stick with us. i tell you what, it is a false choice. it is an empty promise. if you want to look at what this false choice looks like, we have already been given a glimpse of what an obama presidency un plugged would look like.

did you see that thing with the russian president? unbelievable. if you see what they're doing in implementing this health care law, in my view there are hundreds of new regulations that have not come out with this thing. if he is willing in a controversial election year to have these new government- granted rights trampled on our constitutional rights like our first amendment right to religious freedom and liberty in a tough election year, what do you think he is going to do after he never has to face the voters again in implementing this health care law? so, the good news. -- we can turn this back. we can do this. we showed you how to get off of debt and decline, on to prosperity, pay off our debt, we apply our first principles -- if we show you exactly how to do this. we need to offer the country a

choice of two futures -- have a sharp contrast, so the american people can decide which they want their country to be, not some backroom commission. we owe you the respect of letting you decide what you want americans and american to be in the 21st century. if we win that kind of affirming election, then you have given us the authority, the responsibility and the obligation to save the american idea and the american dream for a generation. [applause] >> we can do this. we can turn this around. the country is not going to be fooled. people know what is at stake. people know we are on the wrong track, and good news is if you reapplied the ideas that made us great, we can get right back on track, and that is what this is all about.

i want to make an introduction. i, like the rest of you have a vote on tuesday to make, so i, like the rest of you, our thinking, what do i do? who is the best person? i have known these gentleman for years. newt gingrich is a brilliant man, a friend for a long time. i serve with rick santorum for a long time. i have nothing but good things to say about these men, the one i've of the votes i have to make on tuesday, what goes to my mind is who will be the best president? who is most likely, most willing and able to deliver on the reforms that are so necessary quickly, and who has the best chance of defeating barack obama? [applause] >> i think the primary has been helpful. i think it has been constructive. it has brought these issues to

the fore, where we are having the debates we need about the big ideas, but there comes a point where this primary can become counter-productive. if we keep dragging this thing on, it will get us off of the mission and the goal which is this -- save our country in november by replacing barack obama as our president. [applause] >> that is why for me and my vote, i think we need to coalesce around a person who we think is going to be the best president, who is going to deliver these kinds of reforms with the courage, experience, and ability to do it, and who gives us the best chance of realizing this vision and putting it into practice, and in my humble opinion, that person is mitt romney. [applause]

>> this is big. you know what? wisconsin, we have a big responsibility. we have a big opportunity. the whole country is watching, wisconsin, and we, on june the fifth, tuesday, and in november, we can take back our state, reapplying our founding principles, and we can help decide the fate of this country. then, we will look back at this moment and know it was a time in history where this generation stood up to do what was right to protect the next generation, just like our parents did for us. please join me in welcoming to the stage, governor mitt romney. [applause] ♪ i was born free i was born feree

. >> thank you. thank you. please. thank you. what a remarkable thing to do which it get up on saturday morning and, listen to politicians. you guys are just fabulous. i appreciate you being here, and i know you're not just here for me. i particularly the trichet extraordinary introduction of your congressmen paul ryan. what a leader in our party. what a conservative. [applause] >> i very much appreciate his support and endorsement, and appreciate the that the you are focused on doing what has to be done, getting our country back on track, and replacing barack obama. that is a job we need to get done soon. [applause]

>> i listened to congressman ryan, and he described almost every policy area that we confront, the challenges we have, and the importance of this election. i thought i would take a moment to talk about the process, the experience i have had of getting a chance to go across the country and meet fellow americans. i had not expected as a young man that i would have the chance to do what i am doing. i thought i would be in business like my dad was all my life, yet he later in life decided to run for office, and the opportunity opendoc past -- opened up after the olympics in 2000 to to go back to my state, and i now find myself with the chance to go across the country and i meet the people they you do not see on the news. the people you see on the news have done something unusual, and generally not a good thing. i get to meet every day

americans who do not make the news, but nonetheless inspire. i come away from this process more enthusiastic and more optimistic about the future of our country, because i have seen the american people firsthand. [applause] >> i mean, i was in appleton yesterday. i met a husband and wife in their 60's. they expected to be retiring about now. they purchased a couple of duplexes as rental properties to be the end, for their retirement, but the home values have collapsed, some 30% under the president, so they are not able to require. one is working at a company that only has $1 million in revenue, and he is a salesman, so how many sales people you can afford a small company is something he has to worry about, and his wife works at a department store. both are working hard, but both

are committed to making sure their future is bright. they have a son out of work, but they are helping him. tough times, but people that are not discouraged, not despondent. i met another woman yesterday from avastin who was born outside of this country, came here, and has two children, sons in their 30's. one of them is disabled. she works as a translator. she loves her work. she provides for herself and her family. a remarkable story of american spirit. i was at saint louis to get a guy was working for the city in the landscaping division, and decided to start his own landscaping business. he has some two hundred people working for him. his only worry is gasoline prices, driving around from

home-to-home, which is not easy to do with the price of gasoline, and he hears that the epa is thinking about regulating carbon emissions from lawn mowers. then, he thinks how can i afford replacing lawn mowing equipment and snowblower snacks not a lot of snow this year. he did not have to get them out often. another man i met in san antonio, texas, he came from this country from cambodia in 1976. he went to work in a restaurant, then as a taxi driver in new york city, decided to save money and apply to business school, got an mba and started working in government-related positions, ultimately became part of the white house team for george w. bush and was appointed ambassador to the united

nations. 14 years after coming to this country. he said you could not imagine the motion i have as i stood before the foundations, said that i come representing the people of the united states of america. [applause] >> there is no other nation on earth like america been -- america. i used to travel around and see different countries, and i was always proud of the fact that i have a special gift no one else had. i was american. there was no question in my heart said it was special to be american. i wonder why it is as i tell you these stories and meet people across the country that we are an extraordinary land with extraordinary people who live done more to lift people around the world of poverty than any other nation. free enterprise, as we promoted -- [applause]

>> and of course, the greatest contribution was not just free enterprise and the concept of freedom itself, but the sacrifice of our sons and daughters over many wars to free people from tyranny and despotism. this is a remarkable land. [applause] >> i wonder, as i think about those things, if it does not all go back to the very foundation of america, that when the founders of the country crafted the words of the declaration of independence, i believe they chose in those few words and principles a vision for america that would make this unique and exceptional in the world, not only the freest nation, but the most prosperous and the greatest. you know those words. they concluded a call by

brilliance -- concluded by brilliance or inspiration that we were endowed by our creator with the rights, and among those rights would be life, liberty and pursuit of happiness, and those rights, and those associated with them, i believe, are what made america what we are, and today those rights are under attack by this administration, which is one more reason why we have to replace this administration. [applause] >> this is an election not just about a person, not even about a party. is about a vision of america. we are going to choose the destiny of america, just like the founders chose a couple hundred years ago. we will choose what america is going to be like over the next hundred years in this election.

this is an inflection point, where we decided we're going to be committed to the life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, or a different course. president obama believes in a government-centered society. he does not call a. , but if you listen to his speeches he believes government calling our lives will do a better job doing so that individuals. you see that item after item. think about the economy. did you realize that government at all levels today consumes 37% of the total economy? 37%. if we allow obama-care to stand, it will consumed directly almost half of the total american economy. then, when you consider the intrusions of power they are putting into industries like the automotive industry, the financial-services industry, the

energy industry -- they will control either directly or indirectly over half of the american economy, and we will have to stop and ask ourselves, are we still a free economy? do we believe in free enterprise, or are we becoming what some of the most successful -- unsuccessful countries have become, a government-dominated economy? these are the choices we have to make. the president continues to build governor -- government larger and larger, creating more and more dependence upon government. this is a time when he is willing to put together trillion dollar deficits. can you imagine that as your legacy, and he has done it every year. if i am president, we are going to cut federal spending, cap federal spending, and finally have a budget balanced be balanced budget amendment.

-- balanced budget amendment. [applause] >> government-centered society is crushing economic freedom. you understand the impact of regulations, for instance, and how it could make it harder for small businesses to grow. let me mention another one. taxation. we know high taxes make it harder for people to make ends meet and kill jobs, but let me give a little granular to that. the president wants to raise the marginal tax rate from 35% to 40%. think about that for a moment. do you know how many people in america were in businesses that are taxed at the individual level, at the marginal tax level, not the corporate tax rate? 54% of american workers work in businesses that are taxed as individuals, so when you raise that tax rate from 35% to 40%,

you kill jobs. that is what he is doing. he would rather have money for the american people than for small business that encourages free enterprise and economic and fatality. there are some other ideas. one of the special ideas on obama-care is to apply a 2.3% tax on sales of businesses. if you want to start some new idea, you haven't on profitable business, you will get tax even if you are not profitable. -- and on profitable business, you will get taxed even if you are not profitable. one russian company said they would have to lay off two hundred people to pay the new tax on their business. then you heard the vice president yesterday -- did you hear him yesterday? he has a lot of things to say, does he not? [laughter]

>> the vice president has a tawnya material for us. [laughter] yesterday, he was talking about taxing companies all over the world. if you are here as an american company, we will tax you for your enterprises. does he not understand this means the enterprises will leave and go somewhere else? they just kill economic freedom. they make it harder and harder for our economy to grow and would be allowed to work. the proof is in the pudding. look at this recovery. the weakest recovery we have seen since hoover. this is a time for freedom. it is not a time for the government to dominate society or the economy. [applause] you know, i think the american worker should be able to join a

union and form a union if they would like to. i do not think you need to be forced on them and i do not think that unions should be able to take money out of a worker's pay check and give it to a politician that the union boss wants to give it to. [applause] you know that religious freedom is under attack. again, under obamacare. they want to dictate to the catholic church that the employees of the catholic church have to be provided by the catholic church with health insurance that gives them free contraceptive entry sterilization treatments despite the fact that this violates the conscience of the catholic church. if i am president of the united states, this great choice we have will make sure that in my

case, i will restore and protect religious freedom. we are one nation under god and that must be maintained. [cheers and applause] life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. life was the first of those. i want to protect the sanctity of human life. if i am president of the united states, unlike this one, i will restore the mexico city policy. i will defund planned parenthood and i will take our money out of the united nations population fund. [applause] i mentioned to you what it was like being able to travel abroad and standing in a little taller, a little straighter because i knew i had a gift that others did not have and that

was i was american. something we all share. i think that means a different thing to each of us. but did mean something important to all of us. -- it mean something important to all of us. people understand it is important to be american. it is exceptional and special to be american. our president does not have the same feelings about american exceptionalism that we do. over the last three or four years, people have begun to question that. on this tuesday, we have an opportunity to vote. to take the next up. to bring back the special nature of being american. it to not turn us into a government-dominated society like we have seen other nations pursued but to restore to this country of principles that made this nation the greatest in the history of the work -- in the history of the earth. to restore our commitment to the pursuit of happiness. i represent someone who believes

in the stunning principles. the president says he wants to transform america. i do not want to transform america. i want to restore to america the principles that made us the hope of the earth and together, we will do that on tuesday and every day thereafter until we get back the white house. thank you. thank you. ♪ [born free plays] ♪

>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage, from the wisconsin coalition, jesse garza. [laughter] -- [applause] >> hello, everyone. are you having fun today? [cheers and applause] what an amazing lineup of speakers we have this morning. well, has seen an explosion of the hispanic population of wisconsin. the population increase 73% and

we now have more of a 100 feet thousand eligible hispanic voters here in our great state. -- 103,000 eligible hispanic voters here in our great state. if we want to maintain that, we must capture the strength of the faith in the hispanics and see if there is engagement. and i have the distinct pleasure of introducing to you a true defender of the hispanic vote. judge alberto gonzales served as the 80th attorney general of the united states and the first inning to lead the nation's largest law enforcement agency. as white house counsel to president george w. bush, benzol was played a vital role in the administration's fight in the war of terror. he is currently a chair of law at belmont university and his counsel at the national law firm. he was born in texas and raised in a household that personified the core values of hard work,

personal initiative, dedication to family, and perseverance in the face of adversity. gonzales serve the air force. he attended the air force academy and graduated from rice university. he is the first member of his family to graduate from college. after receiving his law degree from harvard, the dollar is practiced law at the houston law firm -- gonzales practiced law at the houston law firm. he was the secretary of state of texas in 1997. he was a justice of the texas supreme court in 1999. i am honored to present to my friend, the former attorney general, allbritton gonzales. -- alberto gonzales. >> >> thank you -- thank you.

thank you. my message today is really quite simple and very direct. we, as a party, we need to reach out to the hispanic community. we need to make hispanics fill welcome. we need to educate hispanics. we need to encourage them to participate. you know, i have served in the white house with a man who understood the importance of the hispanic timidity to the future of this party. president bush also realize the importance of hispanic unity and to the continued greatness of our country. -- unity to the continued greatness of our country. some people believe that hispanics along to the democratic party. hispanics, we believe in a job, not a handout. [laughter] -- [applause] we value opportunity over more

government. we believe in a society that rewards us based upon our ingenuity and creativity, not based on our skin color. [laughter] [applause] we believe in god and family. we love america. how we love america and all the opportunities that it provides us. we love it so much. the hispanics are willing to enlist to fight, to die for this country, even though we may not be eligible to vote for its leaders. this is what i believe that this is why i am a republican. we have some major challenges confronting our country today. emon we need to do everything we can to ensure -- we need to do everything we can to make sure that changes occur in the white house. the hispanic vote is -- the

hispanic vote is decisive in arizona, texas, colorado. tomorrow, it will be decisive in states like wisconsin. today, i do not believe that any republican candidate, and the of the gentleman you are listening to this morning, with respect, can win the white house without hispanic support. [applause] that is why it is so important that the way the party deals with issues like immigration -- let me take that back. the with the party talks about issues like immigration will impact the future course of this party into the future course of this nation. -- and the future course of this nation. i love america so much for the many opportunities it has given me. the son of a mexican carpenter and cotton picker and i became the united states attorney general. [applause] but we, as a nation, we are at a

crossroads. we need new leadership. it is time for us to take advantage of the natural alliance that exists between the hispanic community and the republican party and take back our country. thank you very much. [applause] ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome back the chairman of the wisconsin faith in freedom coalition -- faith and freedom coalition. [applause] thank you. i brought a lot of family. that is why the applause is that out. [laughter]

to it is a great. right now, we want to take an opportunity to thank all of our elected officials with us today. i asked you hold it was until the end. as i call up these things, please rise. county executive. you cannot take direction. [laughter] senator dan when guard. ok, go ahead. rip just on. -- representative jeff stone. representative bill kramer. mor.esentative don pride mor tommy thompson. [cheers and applause]

representative justice breyer -- jeff fitzgerald. good luck in your u.s. senate race. now, you can applaud. [applause] thank you. this is one of my favorite parts of any gathering. i would like to have all our veterans and the families of veterans please stand. [applause] thank you for your sacrifice that gives us our freedoms and our liberties and protect us. thank you. god bless you. i am excited to be able to introduce our next speaker. he is the founder and chairman of the faith and freedom

coalition. he is the senior adviser to bush genie campaigns -- bush-cheney campaigns. they're only a few of the titles for him. [laughter] at least one relative is here. as chairman of the georgia republican party, he led the gop to its biggest victory in history, helping to lead the first republican governor and -- to elect the first republican governor since reconstruction. as executive director of the christian coalition from 1989 to 1987, he built one of the most effective public policy organizations and political history. he is a best-selling author, husband, father, and a true patriot for conservative american values. ladies and gentlemen, please help me welcome to the stage, the founder and chairman of the faith and freedom coalition, dr. ralph reed. [laughter]

-- [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. thank you so much for having me. are you having fun? [cheers and applause] i heard you had a primary coming up. is that right? but, we have one more presidential candidate who will be speaking. my good friend, former senator rick santorum. we're glad to have him. [applause] it is great to be back in wisconsin. when i came here in may of 2010, i was flying in from overseas. i was pretty jet lag. they said, we why you to come to the state convention for the republican party. i believe that your state chairman was a guy you may know.

he is doing a fabulous job. he called me up and he said do you believe in free speech? i said, yes, i do. he said, will you come to milwaukee and give a free speech? [laughter] so, i did. and after i spoke at the prayer breakfast and we prayed for our state and for this nation, we have an organizational meeting to begin building faith and freedom in wisconsin. we had an audacious plan. our plan was simple. in 2011 and -- in 2008 and as far as i'm concerned, the most out of the mainstream individual to ever be elected president of the united states won, not in the cliffhanger, but in a landslide. there were 17 million evangelical christians who did not go to the polls.

either because they were never registered to vote or because they were registered to vote and they did not even make the effort to cast the ballot. our goal at stake and freedom coalition is to make sure that every single one of those 17 million bible leading evangelical christians and their faithful catholic allies, every single one of them is registered to vote. is educated in formed -- is educated, informed, and goes to the polls and primaries on election day. [applause] that is our goal. i share that vision that morning and the chairman honored me with his presence. the former head of christian coalition and was counted attended that meeting. tony and his wife were there. tony came up to me after the meeting with tears in his eyes that he said, you know, i would

not -- it was not looking for a job. but i am committed. you sold me. in the fall campaign, not just here in wisconsin, but all over america, we made over 60 million voter contacts to voters upstate all over america. what happened here was an earthquake. the election of one of the finest public servants in america today as your governor, scott walker. [cheers and applause] the election of my good friend and your good friend as lieutenant governor. [cheers and applause] the election of one of the most articulate and effective conservatives in the u.s. senate, run johnson. -- ron johnson.

that was quite an improvement. conservatives gained control of the state house and the state senate. but they're cutting taxes and streamline government. we elected new members of congress. three months later, we had a new chairman of the republican national committee. 30 days later, the green bay packers won the super bowl. that is a pretty good run. [cheers and applause] let me tell you, we are not done yet. we are not done yet. the eyes of america are on wisconsin again. beginning on tuesday. ite busey is invented the present there -- busey, wisconsinites invented the primary. whether it was john f. kennedy defeated hubert humphrey from the neighboring state of minnesota in 1960 in a huge upset that propelled him to the nomination or it was jimmy

carter upsetting mo udall here in 1976. this primary has a history of sending a message to the nation. then again on june 5 comeuppance -- on june 5, the eyes of the world will be on wisconsin. america will decide beginning here on june 5 whether or not we are going to go forward into the optimistic future of limited government and lower taxes and a return to time-honored values, or whether or not we will continue to go down the path of government bankrupting future generations and government policy being in the hands of public-sector union bosses instead of taxpayers. i believe, on june 5, governor walker will be retained as the governor of this date and we will do -- we will look towards the bright future. [cheers and applause]

you know, the pundits and the press are continually amazed by the persistence and the endurance of the pro-family conservative voters. they have been writing our obituaries for 30 years. saying we were going to go away. well, you know, as mark twain famously said, the premature reports of our death are greatly exaggerated. [laughter] if you look at the network exit polls for two to 12, -- 2012, there have been 26 contexests. we of exit polls for 18 of them. if you aggregate that total votes, that is 10 million votes cast so far, 50.53% of them, nationwide, have been cast by self identified, a bible-believe in it, evangelical christians.

they're not just republicans. there the mainstream of america. 92% of the american people tell the gallup organization they believe in god. 80% say they believe that the bible is the literal word of god. 57% of the american people tell people that they pray every single day. that number has been on the increase since barack obama was elected president. [laughter] now, who are in what we believe? -- who are we and what we believe? we believe in the ethic of work and personal irresponsibility and individuals of initiative. -- and personal responsibility and individual initiative. we believe government should live within its means just like

we have the balance our checkbooks every month. we believe in god. we believe and that faith is what built america and we further believe that in america today, in the 21st century, faith in god is what is right with america. it is not what is wrong with america. it should be celebrated and honored again. [laughter] -- [applause] we believe in a government that is limited to the specific purposes, that are laid out in the declaration of independence and the u.s. constitution and the filovirus -- in the bill of rights. the government should not do anything beyond those founding charter. [applause] we believe in the sanctity of innocent human life and we believe that the institution of marriage defined as a man and woman is one of the foundational

institutions of a free society. we will continue to preserve it. [applause] we have got new allies on this agenda of faith and freedom. just out of curiosity, how many of your members of the tea party movement or have attended a tea party event? there you go. i attended one of the first rallies in the country in atlanta, georgia and early 2009. it bubbled up from the grassroots from kitchen tables and small businessmen and women who were looking at the stimulus package that obama wanted to bring about. they were fighting it when everybody had given up. when newsweek put on its cover that america was a socialist nation -- they went bankrupt

shortly after that cover story. [applause] we have been viciously attacked. nancy pelosi called us not seize. -- nazis. people have said we should be taken out. when a member of that family says you should be taken out -- [laughter] they do not mean for pizza. kaur then there -- then there is joe biden. [laughter] he is a last line. joe biden compared to terrorists. or them and news f if they don't know it, they will find out. our right to speak out and addition our governments --

petition our government has been purchased by the blood of patriots who paid the ultimate price and bore the ultimate burden and gave the highest level of sacrifice that you and i might be free today. i do not care how much they attack us. or try to stigmatize us or our leaders. we are not going to be intimidated. we will not go away. we will not be silenced. [cheers and applause] so, we have a big job to do. i want to challenge you, as your friend, to work harder than you have ever worked. pray more fervently than you have ever pray. this is not just a political

struggle or an ideological struggle. this is a spiritual struggle. this is about what is most important, not just in washington, but in our hearts and in our lives. we have to make sure that what happened in 2008 when 70 million our brothers and sisters in christ did not even bother to vote because they believed this was the greatest nation on the fate of years the -- face of the earth, we have to winter that never happens again. in 2012, we are currently building a file of 27 million social conservative voters. we are building a fire at -- file 5 million conservatives who are not registered to vote. go to our website right now -- ffcoalition.com ne unregistered social

conservatives of whatever faith or denominations will come up. you can contact them directly. there is a script there. our goal is to register a minimum of 2 million new social conservative voters. before october 1 of 2012. and then, we will mail them. we will phone them. we will tax them. we will e-mail them. if they have not voted by election day, we will go to their house and knocked on their door and we will take them to the polls and i will tell you,, election night when we are standing on a ballroom floor like this, you will see the longest faces of network news anchors you have ever seen in your life. we will be celebrating the biggest victory in american history. [cheers and applause] you know, ronald reagan said that a federal program is the closest thing to eternal life on

this planet. [laughter] after listening to the oral arguments on obamacare this week in washington, and this was -- it was my privilege to be there for some of the rallies outside, i am not so sure. i will tell you this. even though the supreme court has an opportunity to do the right thing, and we believe the right thing to do because this legislation is a dagger aimed at the heart of religious freedom and the sanctity of life in our country from taxpayer-funded abortion, which is allowed under obamacare for the first time since the high amendment in 1978, to the ability of 15 unelected bureaucrats and what is called the independent in an advisory board to sequester funds under medicare to deny care and a certain procedures to

certain patients, threatening the ability of the disabled and the elderly to get access to the quality care they need. to the mandate on religious charities and educational institutions, schools and universities. forcing them to fund services that violates their conscience and directly contradict the teaching of their deeply held religious faith. this is not a minor issue. yes, it affects the catholic church. one in every 10 men and women in america live below the carver level is -- below the poverty level is catholic. one in every six is lying in a catholic hospital. this is not about to put together domination. this is about whether colorado christian university or ohio christian university in

columbus, ohio or whether concordia university in wisconsin should be forced by the federal government to violate their own conscience and their own faith. my friends, this is -- this is a travesty. it is the supreme court -- if the supreme court does not do its job, in november, we will do the job for them. moving vans will be pulling into the white house to take obama back to chicago, where he belongs. [applause] then, let me tell you what will happen. on january 20, 2013, we will be gathered on a lawn in front of the west -- in front of the capitol. a new president of the united states will put his hand on a bible that will be held by his wife and john roberts will

administer the oath. when he takes his hand off the bible, the crowd will cheer. a band will play. 21-gun salute sounded from cannons nearby. we will celebrate, as a nation, that once again, we did not allow the most free and the greatest country on the face of the earth's to slip through our hands. when that ceremony is over, but new president, in their first official act, will walk up the stairs of the west front and go into any room just off the front of the capitol and he will sign into law legislation that will have already been passed by a new senate and a new house, repealing obamacare once and for all. it will be left on the ashes of history, where it belongs. [laughter]

now, this is a great he bent. if you really mean this, if you are not just here to cheer can reach to the acquirer. i want you to come to the front of this room when senator santorum is done anything. we are holding a meeting right up front. i will be here. tony will be here. our field staff will be here. we will talk about the county's, churches, and making this vision a reality. i invite you to come up afterwards. i promise we will keep it short. it will not last more than 50 or 20 minutes. if you cannot stay for that meeting, then i encourage you to go on our website or your mobile phone and get involved in this organization. i want to close by talking about a man who was the best friend this country ever had, winston churchill. he loved america. you may know his mother was an

american. he said something once about america that i think captured us pretty well. he said "the american people always do the right thing." after they have exhausted every other possibility. [laughter] he knew was pretty well. we have tried a lot of things. we have tried to, if it feels good, do it. we tried keeping up with the joneses. we tried the government. we tried having washington -- madison take care of every need. none of it worked. in our dna, is a unique combination that yearns to be freed. he desires to rise as high as far as our talents under god will carry us. let us make sure we redeem that promise. let us work as hard as we have to. thank you very much god bless you. -- thank you very much.

god bless you. ♪ >> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the executive director of the faith and freedom coalition. >> good afternoon. we have still got some exciting speakers for you today. i will introduce one, but first, i want to say a special word. we have hundreds more in our overflow rooms in the hallway. i want to say to them watching on camera, we appreciate you sticking it out. we appreciate you guys being part of it. [applause] the conservative movement today owes a debt of gratitude to senator rick santorum. even though pennsylvania is no longer have the privilege to have him represent them in the united states senate, he is now a leading figure in the

conservative movement. rick santorum is a passionate defender of the unborn. defender of religious freedom. an advocate for the greatest wealth creating an engine in history, american free enterprise. as a native of pennsylvania, i have had the pleasure of seeing him working for pennsylvania families. it is not a pleasure to see him working for american families. please welcome a true conservative leader, senator rick santorum. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. g 2 very much. thank you for being here. -- thank you very much.

thank you for being here and showing an overwhelming presence to those focusing their time and energy on wisconsin, showing that wisconsin stands for eighth and freedom and the values that made this country great. that is what i am hearing is across this great state of wisconsin. the first thing i want to do is to send you. thank you for your hospitality. karen is that some other events today here in wisconsin. we have been holt -- we have been very warmly welcome. things i hear everything i go as i cross the state and across the country is that people are saying the same thing over and over again. i am praying for you. i can tell you that we appreciate it very much. people say, how do you go on and go to 385 time hall meetings in iowa and then continue to cross this country ever since june?

i have had a few days off but i have been out on the road every other day. going across, trying to deliver a message to this country. this is the most important election in our country's history. we have been able to do this because of your prayers and support. i just want to thank you. all of you. it is holding us up. it is making a difference. one of the campaigns for president a week or so ago suggested that he would take an act of the -- act of god for rick santorum to win the nomination for president. i do not know about you, but i believe in the act of god. that is where we are coming from. [applause] you know, a lot of issues have been focused on in this

campaign year people are saying that their races be about the economy. economy. economy. economy. that is where all the energy is. the economy is important. i talked about it all the time. also talk about the other issues that are important. i was just out at the jelly belly factory. [laughter] i give a talk to remind us -- i gave a talk to remind us what conservative means. this was not just focus on one issue. never has been because we understand it is insufficient. you cannot have a strong economy, as you are safe from threats from around the world. you cannot have a strong economy unless you are built upon a strong moral foundation and a strong family. that is the message i have been delivering across this country. it is a comprehensive message. it is the reagan message. it is the three-legged stool.

why not -- why? not because they happen to be very nice principal positions. because they work together. they interrelate. we cannot be a party or movement that just focuses on one thing because it happens to be the most important issue at the time without understanding that what rallies and encourages us as conservatives are issues far beyond just a moment. the pressing issue of the day. certainly, you have to have a plan to address those issues. we have. we have gone out there with a message that the wall street journal refers to as supply-side economics for the working man. we talk about energy, growing the energy sector of our economy. we talk about manufacturing. one of the great manufacturing states of this country is wisconsin. we see manufacturers still leaving the state of wisconsin. the opportunity to compete against foreign competition makes it an even playing field

for america. that is why i have gone out with a plan that repeals every single obama regulation that he has put in place that cost over $100 million a year. [applause] we will do that on day one. we can do that on day one. i am the only person that has gone out there and made that bold statement because is constricting the growth of our economy. number two, to take the tax code -- the tax code and simplify it. we have to rates. -- two rates. simple, five deductions. children, a charity's, pensions, health care, and housing. pro-growth. corporate tax, cut in half. we can compete on the world -- so we can compete on the world coming eliminated. we have a plan.

we will reduce the deficit 5 trillion dollars in five years. we will get to a balanced budget in five years. all of these things we have been out there -- [applause] we have another talking about how we are going to grow the economy and shrink the size of the government. let us be honest. shrinking the size of the government, we can try to do that but it is we do not have strong families and, we are only temporary bit closer to getting the numbers down here without a strong basis for the government to be able to receive someone else -- for the government to be able to receive, someone else has to pick up the slack. senator grossman showed me a chart that if you are a single woman owning fifth -- earning $50,000 with two children, the state of wisconsin provides $38,000 in benefits. $30,000 in benefits.

i am sure it is well meaning. he went to help people in difficult situations. -- you want to help people in difficult situations. if she gets married, she loses $30,000. what have we done? in an attempt to help people who are going through a difficult time, we have destroyed the opportunity for marriage. we have destroyed the opportunity for people to get married, even if they are co- habitation. it is government doing things they think are being helpful. they're not. the federal government is not at the state is not. that is why we have to get these programs out of washington. we need to get them back to the states and they have to get them back into the local communities. we have to start understanding that, as much as we try to help, if we do not have families the more stable and secure in america, limited government is impossible.

the unemployment -- the poverty rate amongst two-parent families is 1/5 of what it is among single-parent families. almost 40%. we know that you cannot have a stable and growing economy as the family breaks down. it is. in america today, 51% of people over the age of 18 are married. that is down from 71% 30 years ago. down 5% in the last three years. it is dropping like iraq. in part because of -- it is dropping like a rock. in part because of the leaders who disparaged the institution of marriage and are trying to cheap and it. ladies and gentlemen, we need someone who will go out and tell the truth to the american public about what is concerning our economy. what is concerning the american family.

we need to be able to tie the two together so we can have a resurgence in america. a resurgence that allows us to cut taxes and create energy policies to grow the economy, but also one that understands that we need someone to remind us of what made this country great. [applause] as ronald reagan did, this country is a great country because we were founded great. we were founded on the idea of limited government. we saw that debate in the supreme court justice week. is the constitution a document that actually says you can limit the power of the federal government or have we reached a point where the constitution is not worth the paper is printed on? the court will decide that. we get to be said that, too.

we get to the side that in the election. this election has to be about big things. limited government. the omelet at -- the unlimited potential of the american people. whether we will build the great society one church, one school, one community and civic organization, one small business at a time. or whether we will be ruled from the top. the two biggest issues in this race that we have talked about a lot are obamacare and energy. i would just share with you that if you want obamacare repealed -- anybody wanted repealed? [cheers and applause] we cannot rely on the supreme court. we have to rely on people who want to stand up and fight for freedom, just like you are doing here in the state of wisconsin. standing by your governor and fighting for freedom and opportunity is here. [cheers and applause]

you have to fight for that. the central part of that fight is government takeover of health care. as justice kennedy said, it changes -- it will change the relationship between the government and their people. why? because our country was based on we the people. we the people govern. the government is there to serve us. when the government controls or herron your -- your health care and tells you what you must purchase, tells you to do things that may be against your conviction, you know longer rule the government. the government rules you. that needs to change. [applause] that is why, if we are born to win this election, we have to make this the centerpiece.

there is no issue before us that has a greater impact on a greater number of voters in such an important way. number one, those who do not want to see the government grow -- unemployment. the congressional budget office says the they will increase unemployment. slowing down economic growth. again, raising taxes. spending money. and, of course, the relationship between you and the government. you will not be told how to run your life when it comes to your health care. your economic freedom will be taken. your religious freedom, as well. think of all of the richness that if we make this the

centerpiece and repeal obamacare and have someone who can go out and make the arguments -- i never supported those arguments, ever. ever. [applause] on monday, i stood at the steps of the supreme court and i said, if you want obamacare repealed, you cannot rely on the supreme court. we have to pick up 13 votes to win the senate. you have to have this reached the mandate for repeal. that means you have to have someone who can make the arguments, a ticket to the public and take it to the president. unfortunately, the choice you have before you in this election in wisconsin on tuesday -- one person who can make that case. you have when you cannot. why? he presented the blueprint for

obamacare and advocated it. they said a prescription on what you can buy, taxes employers, people who do not buy insurance. that is the massachusetts health care plan. the people who developed its actually went and health obamacare. obama developing his plan. he is uniquely disqualified. the reason karen and i decided with seven children -- we knew this would be the biggest issue in this race because it is about freedom. it is about who we are. whether we will be that country, that shining city on the hill bedstands for a beacon of hope and opportunity for the world -- the city on the hill that stands for a beacon of hope and opportunity for the world. i knew this would not work unless we can have someone who takes this without reservation.

someone who says over the, this is what you said. this is what you did. it is obama's achilles heel. 75% would like to see it repealed. it is the most pressing issue of our time because it is about who we are. why in the world what they republican party give that issue away in the general election? [applause] if it is not just that, the other big issue right now is energy. i guess prices. i never once -- i never agreed to mandate global warming. never once was i a member of the club who bought into political science and man-made global warming. [applause]

nor did i see it as a reason to go ahead and expand the size and skill of government by imposing a cap and tax program. again, maybe the second most visceral issue, $5 gasoline and who knows what it will be later? the most visceral issue that will harm our economy and hurt the average person, those folks were in the middle who swing elections one way or another, there is only one candidate that did not buy into this political science. only one candidate who did not say, higher gas prices are a good thing. we need to have less consumption of gasoline in america. there is only one candidate who said that we need to have a pro- energy program to grow the economy here it to another area is on federal lands to reduce the budget deficit as well as the economy. there is only one person who can beat obama without him saying, by the way, you bought into this too.

why? why would we give this issue away? a top two economic issues as to who we are as americans and what is affecting the american public -- we have someone who can make the argument and make it to all conservatives. to rally conservatives. how did we win the 2010 election? we won it. we wanted by energizing the tea party -- we won it by energizing the tea party and storming the polling places. now with moderate candidates. with conservative candidates whom you can trust to do what they say. no etch a sketch. written on your heart. [applause] governor romney says he will run

as a conservative. i will not run as a conservative. i am a conservative. [cheers and applause] i ask for fellow conservatives -- someone who understands the reagan coalition is lives because it is not the reagan coalition. it is the founders coalition. if you stand by that, if you stand by that, do not listen to the pundits. i bet you there are a lot of people out here to get frustrated when you elect members of congress or others and they go to washington and they say they will be a conservative and in order to pass a bill or two, the compromise. -- they compromise. poll ratings are 10%.

they're telling you the same thing. to compromise. they're telling you to give up your principles in order to win. how has that been working out for us? giving up our principles in order to win. do not do what you criticize your elected officials of doing. stand up for what you know is right for america. stand up and vote your conscience because you know what, what you know is right for america is also a winning message for america. you do that and we will win. thank you very much. god bless you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> ladies and john, please welcome the chairman of the -- ladies and gentleman, please welcome the chairman of the

freedom coalition. >> wasn't this awesome? [cheers and applause] thank you. thank you everybody. we are almost done. just a couple more hours. [laughter] that we have a couple of announcements to make and then we will have our closing prayer. everybody hold up one of these. you got it. pull them out. text ffc 669227 and receive updates automatically. we will say that again. text ffc to 69227 or you can

donate and text ffc 27138. all right? ffc 27138. i wasn to t -- ellenton thanks. -- i want to thank everyone for coming out tonight. i want to invite my close friend it and faith and freedom advisory board captain to lead a benediction. she has taught me back from the ledge. [applause] >> let us about together and go before the lord. dear father, we praise you and thank you for this time together

this morning. for us, these are no ordinary days. and we thank you that no matter what the circumstance is, we can be confident that you are in control. with republican presidential primary to be held in wisconsin on tuesday, we ask that you lift up the candidate that you would have as the nominee for the party. thank you for each one of them. we recognize and applaud their character, their families, and their dedication to the principles of our founding fathers. to righteously guide our nation. morally, and economically. we pray for the recall election soon to be held. we awknowledge -- awknowledge that in your 17, -- your sovereignty, you raise dust to elective offices, governor walker and each republican center of for recall.

their leadership has had a positive effect on the economy, jobs, family is, local governments, and individuals in our states. therefore, we ask for your protection and pray for the conservative leadership and grassroots that you give them the wisdom, the volunteers, the resources, and the energy needed to win. father, i pray for the president. according to roberts 21: 1, where you say in your word, the king's heart is like a stream of water. directed by you, lord. you will guide it were ever you please. i also pray, based on our economic decline, family members without jobs and our fragile national security, that by the majority of the people's vote this november, that you remove him from office. as you also say in your word, when the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice.

we the people have been running for these past three years and our hope is to rejoice again soon. father, one of the premiere organizations to help get out the vote for the conservative candidates across our country is this one. the faith and family freedom coalition. please give or ralph and terry wisdom -- gary wisdom. please provide the volunteers the resources needed to help make a conservative victory a reality. present year before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy. i pray all of this in the wonderful name of jesus. amen. [applause] >> ok. that is it. we have one more important

thing. if you guys want to get information on how to connect to the grassroots tsunami coming through wisconsin, please come up and we have some information for you to get you connected. thank you, everybody. have a wonderful day. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012]

>> maryland, washington, d.c., and wisconsin hold primaries on tuesday. live coverage starting at 7:00 p.m. eastern. you can join in the conversation by phone and on facebook. you can find all of our coverage dedicated to the primaries and the campaign one place online. we are going to be going back to george washington university.

we were here yesterday to hear bill clinton. speaking with his secretary of state madeleine albright. today, his daughter chelsea clinton will be moderating a discussion on the ways young people are creating opportunities in the tough job market. c-span will have live coverage of the closing session as well featuring the founding chairman bill clinton as he is interviewed by john stuart about some of the social issues here and abroad facing the next generation. that is scheduled to begin at about 4:00. let's take a look at what a local reporter had to say about the clinton global initiative. >> the fifth annual clinton initiative this weekend at george washington university, a reporter writing about it this week. how did it start? what is its purpose?

>> bill clinton came up with the idea five years ago. it is connected to the clinton global initiative which brings world leaders together to talk about the big problems of the day. the first group gathered in new orleans after hurricane katrina and they looked at a whole bunch of different service projects that students had come up with from all over the world. president clinton wanted to take these projects and help the students figure out how to make them scalable to make some of them into reality. it is being more ambitious with the idea of community service. >> aside from being the former president, what is his role with the initiative? is it fundraising? is it reaching out to the students who attend the event? students who attend the event? >>

>> i think he sees this role of creating the venue for it. these people need each other because you have a woman from new york university who is stitching dolls for kids who have night terrors. he has a team that has made bamboo bicycles. you have another team's that is working toward health care needs in sub-saharan africa. the idea is to get these people together in one room and to learn from each other and experts. bill clinton brings his name and credentials to the event. >> do a number of these groups leave with some commitment of funding from the group? >> let me think. i do know that each participant has to have a commitment to a specific thing that addresses a

problem in a novel way. i do not know if anyone is guaranteed funding or a future for their project. the the whole idea is to get these people together to learn how to make the thing actionable. a lot of them all they know how to be students. not how to launch a company. >> you can read daniel's reporting at washingtonpost.com. thank you for the update. >> thank you. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2012] >> we will be hearing from chelsea clinton moderating a discussion on the ways young people are creating opportunities in a tough job market. >> thank you very much. we are going to quickly go into announcements so we can get on

with the panel. but i would first like to invite an undergraduate at carnegie mellon university to talk about his commitment dealing with models. it is very important to me because it involves haiti. the haitian government estimated that 300,000 people were injured, many with long term disabilities. today, an enormous percentage of the population, as high as 10%, qualify as a disabled. in addition to that, 75% of the haitians do not currently have salaried employment. something i have worked every month to do something about. about 70% of them live on $2 a

day or less. to address these issues, brett will create a sustainable business model for mobility impaired individuals who need jobs. the program will train them to build functional schools out of disposable plastic bottles -- functional stools out of disposable plastic bottles from the streets. he will recruit and train 10 people to prepare people to become furniture makers. the program will employ a group of 20 bottle collectors from the local community. and estimated production time of 20 minutes per stool, the haitian furniture makers could have the capacity to earn $24 for an eight-hour day.

you spread that over a seven-day week, that will give them 10 times the average weekly in come for the haitians in the aftermath of the earthquake. it is a very, very good idea. let's give him a hand. [applause] now, i am going to introduce a friend of mine and an amazing person who is slightly older than the average participant. but perhaps younger at hart. he is a former u.s. secretary of

commerce, a successful business person, and incredibly generous philanthropist who has an interesting idea about involving the american students here in solving the long term debt problem of the united states before it can compromise your future. and he is working with a company, and i will introduce the ceo of the company after he talks. i want to bring him out now so that he can announce his proposal and thank him again for being one of the sponsors. pete? [applause] >> mr. president, i wish i could

magically repeal the 22nd amendment, restricting the presidency to two terms. [cheers and applause] i have greatly admired the extraordinary range of projects in your foundation. in every continent of the world. i believe history will judge you as the best post-president ever. [cheers and applause] some of you might ask what about george washington. actually, i knew george well. [laughter] and he was no bill clinton.

[laughter] [applause] mr. president, i am also an admirer of your charisma. i have been loaded with negative charisma. i am often asked why i am devoting so much of my resources and myself to this foundation. doing something about the long term debt that i consider to be a transcendent threat to our collective future. because i and the luckiest of american dreamers, i want to be sure the american dream is there for your generation. just a few words about my background. [applause]

my parents were greek immigrants who came here at age 17 with only a few pennies in their pocket. third grade education and not a word of english. my father went out to nebraska and took a job washing dishes in a caboose on the railroad because no one else would take him. he was able to eat, sleep, and save everything he made. he opened the inevitable greek diner not known well for its cuisine but for the fact that it was open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for 25 years. after 25 years when it came time to shorten the hours, he had to get a locksmith because the

front door had never been closed before. that concept of the american dream was that their sons would do better and they would get the best education money could buy. and they did that. my main purpose now is i want your generation to have the same opportunity that i have had. [applause] now, i know how deadly the subject of death can be. i even terrorized a terrorist. for example, i was introduced the other day by someone you know, mr. president, the ambassador to china. he stood up and said, "i went down to guantanamo and i interviewed some of the terrorists and i discovered that

being threatening on a speech about debt from mr. peterson was much more threatening than waterboarding." we are confronting two risks. one is the possibility of a short-term european-style financial crisis. second is a longer-term growth crisis. critically needed investments in education cannot math, engineering, infrastructure, and so forth. these are not about the future. they are about the past. there is another downside. in addition to stagnating wages and a low growth economy, if we were to try to finance the current entitlement programs,

your taxes would have to double. and there are all kinds of special interests you will find in this political system of ours. they vote, they write their congressman, they contribute financially, and they usually ask for more breaks, more benefits, and more tax breaks when we cannot afford what we have now. what we are critically lacking in this country is a new kind of special interest, a special interest of the general interest, and interest of the future, a special interest of the young and their parents. now -- [applause] a famous german theologian once said the ultimate test of a moral society is the kind of world its leaves to its children. in the inevitable political

battle, you will have a political multiplier that comes with this moral force and nothing would do this cause more good than 100,000 of you and your parents marching in washington to the movie "network" which some of you may recall. nothing would do more to move this cause than to have that kind of march on washington. so, thank you for joining us in this crusade for america's future and your future. good luck in the competition. thank you again, mr. president. thank you. [applause]

>> the commitment here by the peterson foundation and by net impact is to challenge students at universities to figure out how to involve their fellow students in first of all supporting and then taking action to deal with the long- term debt problem. partnering with the peterson foundation will be net impact whose mission is to inspire, educate, and equip people to use the power of business to create social and environmental good. it is one of the most influential networks of students and professionals anywhere in the world today. they have 250 chapters in cities throughout the united states and the world. they are headquartered in san francisco. their executive director is here with us. i would like to ask her to come

out and talk about what they are going to do. [applause] >> have you ever had a campaign phrase sticking your head? friends don't let friends drive drunk. "it get better." "got milk? " campaigns like that make people act differently. whether it is stopping something or starting something or making a purchase. with you like to learn how to make people act differently? a project is your chance to learn how to do that on a critically important issue facing our country. our country's fiscal priorities are important for everyone in this room and everyone back on your campus. next fall, we will provide teams with an outstanding leadership

and campaign development experience. you will learn how to drive action. you will learn how to organize events from logistic professionals. you will learn how to create buzz who got this man sitting to my left elected to office. next winter, your team will run the initiative on campus. you might decide to run workshops, rallies, or petitions. is up to you. we cannot wait and see what you come up with. a year from now, he will be up here on this stage with president clinton and mr. peterson who will recognize you for the change you have helped us spark on campus. he will be changing the heads, the hearts, and the actions of your fellow students. who is in? awesome. thank you.

[applause] net impact is about training future leaders to solve problems through our campus network on over 225 universities and through our skill-building projects and it through our online career development resources. starting today, we will be collecting names of students interested. you can go right there today to the website to sign up to learn more. we will keep you up to breast on campaign developments. it is up to us. it is up to you. think you. [applause] -- thank you. >> think you very much. we are about to start the panel. thank you. [applause]

>> ladies and gentlemen, please welcome our moderator, board member, clinton global initiative, and william j. clinton foundation, chelsea clinton. and our panelists. president of the inter-american development bank, luis moreno. chief executive officer of wello, cynthia koenig. environmentalist, research foundation for science, technology, and ecology, dr. vandana shiva. [cheers and applause] >> thank you. mr. peterson just exhorted all of us so i may not be a member given that i am 32 and probably

much older for many of you in the audience. to turn out to hold our government accountable for the decisions being made now that our fiscal future. we saw tens of thousands and hundreds of thousands of young people turned out in the past 15 months from the arab spring to the protest of higher university fees in chile, affordable housing in tel aviv. and new york city. yet as much as young people may be in the vanguard of so many of these social protests and movements, we are notably behind in employment. painfully behind in employment. in the united states, youth unemployment has been above 16%. last month, it was 16.5%.

in much of the developed world, it is actually higher. and eurozone, it is 21%. increase, over the last few months, it is just below 50%. in the developing world, it is often somewhere between 26%, 27% in the middle east and northern africa. and in the high teens in much of southeast asia. clearly we are confronting many challenges. those that we just heard about from net impact and mr. peters and. another challenge is how do we build the next generation of entrepreneurs business entrepreneurs, a social entrepreneurs, and the government of entrepreneurs. i hope that is what we will talk

a little bit about today. cynthia had an idea when she was in school that became not only her job but became an mechanism through which she very much is adding to her and our bottom line. >> about a year ago i was graduating from the university of michigan's urban institute and looking for a job. i think the real turning point for me was sitting in an interview and being asked the question why are you looking for a job when i had one already. at the time i was looking for a job to support my hobby. from there, it has really snowballed. >> can you talk about what wello is? >> it is a venture that

develops equipment for the developed world. we are launching it in india. we are now employed in other people. last month, our team doubled and we will probably double again in the next two months. >> terrific. at the inter-american development bank, and maybe you can explain what that is, how do you find people like cynthia in latin america and the caribbean given that 60% of the population are under the age of 30? how do you connect with people who have these great ideas for their own advancement and also for society as a whole? >> first of all, thank you very much for having me here. it is great to have the

students' thinking about these ideas. day inter-american development ban -- the inter-american development bank has a focus on development. this whole purpose of helping governments find ways to have development finance to do schools, roads, hydroelectric projects. along with that, to incorporate best practices. we are more than just a financial institution. we are a complex but very focused consultancy institutions that looks at best practices. having said that, what cynthia was just describing is the larger story of the emerging world. if you look at the 1980's in latin america, the lost decade when we had the financial crisis at that time, the real issue was

unemployment. today, the issue is more security. it is connected to many areas. how to reach what people like cynthia do, we use a fund where we provide grants to help small entrepreneurs kickstart, to provide some of the technical assistance needed. this is the one area where the jobs are created. most countries around the world have them with small and medium-sized enterprises. real skills that you can help develop that small business over time. we worked with students. we got some of the students to go to peru helping women

entrepreneurs and helping them set up their own business. some of the things that cynthia was saying are the kinds of groups that we helped to support. it is ideas like hers and others like her who need the support from the institution to provide some of the funding to help her efforts. >> you in many ways embody the paradigm of doing well and doing good to get there. what you have been able to do it in india is really remarkable with now 500,000 farmers affected. could you talk a little bit about that work and what lessons you think are applicable to students in the audience who are thinking about what they want to do when they graduate? >> what ever you studied or are studying, it will not necessarily follow you in your

life. >> this is i i asked the question. >> in 1984, we had the worst industrial disaster. terrorism took 30,000 lives. something was strange in agriculture killing so many people and also killing species. we started to promote a non- filing farming for ecological reasons. it became increasingly economic because a high price tag was pushing farmers into debt. they are trapped in high-cost materials. eventually, less and less value because of the subsidies, etc. so we built a network of

farmers who grow diversity and have doubled their incomes and nutritional outputs. most importantly, they are rebuilding natures economy. what is wrong with the present model of the economy is because it came from fossil fuels. we cannot afford to keep thinking that fossil fuels are at the center of work which displaces people which is why unemployment is linked to ecological destruction. [applause] we now need to link stabilizing, maintaining, conserving, and rebuilding the nation's wealth of soil, biodiversity, stabilizing the climate. about $80 billion is the cost of extreme events. we are not doing terribly well. the kind of agriculture we

promote is getting rid of 70% species destruction, water waste. a lot of the water crisis is related to waste. 30% of greenhouse gases. 70% of the dispose ability of human beings because of fossil fuels and toxics. how is that relevant to all of you? the five function of quantum theory. [laughter] at the end of it, we are all eaters. all of law should be caring about what food we eat and how it is grown -- all of us should be caring about what food we eat and how it is grown.

about 1 billion people are hungry and about 2 billion people who are not hungry are suffering from disease or malnutrition of all other kind because of that food. i did learn math. what is wrong with the current economic model is the math is not right. [applause] what i realized it is 50% of us will always be involved in the food system. we can be involved in the destructive component of it, speculating on commodities, shooting up prices, creating toxics, driving wal-mart trucks, or 50% could be in the creative work. every month, we have 25% of

people around the world who become chefs or organic farmers. the food system is inviting us to a diversity of creative work that we have not even begun to explore. we need to go there. [cheers and applause] >> i think you certainly have begun to explore it. one thing you said that elicited a lot of whistles is that our math is not right. certainly the math of student loan debt in this country is staggering. [applause] we now have more student loan debt outstanding than credit- card debt. we breached the threshold of more than $1 trillion of student loan debt outstanding last month. it is staggering particularly

when we heard mr. peterson just talk about how he was so grateful that he got "the best education money could buy." a college education today versus when he went, in inflation- adjusted dollars, it is six or 12 times more expensive today. it is actually a lot more costly to go to school and a lot more costly when you get out of school to have gone to school. that is one of the things i hope we will talk a little bit about, how we think about these impediments of people who are clearly motivated to get the best education available, the assessment of their own potential, then to truly go out and push the work forward that is being talked about. how do we think about that? what should we be asking our

policymakers to do? >> great question. the big generational shift that has happened from your parents' generation to yourselves is a great cost shift in terms of who pays for higher education. the shift has been from a public responsibility to your responsibility and primarily by taking on a lot of debt. the implications of this are profound. i also want to talk a little bit about the overall context in which this shift has happened. we have a double whammy for a new generation entering adulthood which is the steady jobs that aree available job available particularly for those who will not get a college degree. we hear a lot about the american dream and whether it is broken

or not. there has been a significant decline in economic mobility and social mobility. those are abstract ideas. item going to tell you my story. i grew up in middletown, ohio. any ohioans? [cheers] yay! i grew up in a blue-collar middle-class family. my dad was a machinist at the local steel factory which at the time employed two-thirds of the people in the town. my mother was an office manager at the local orthodontist office. they were able to send make to a public university, ohio univ.. [cheers] go bobcats! we did great in the n.c.a.a. by

the way. they were able to pay for my college out of pocket. what did that mean for me? i entered school and exited school in four years which is now the exception because it now takes about five years for the average student to complete college. i had zeroed debt and i did not even have to work a job while i was in school so i could focus on things like clubs that would help my professional career when i graduated. fast forward to your generation. not only has the price tripled, but the jobs that our parents have had declined bank that factory now employs about 20% of the population. the wages for those jobs are not nearly what my dad was paid. my mom got laid off from her job and now makes half what she

used to make and is without health care for the first time in her life at the age of 60. when you think about what we have lost, it is not just we have handed over the levers of opportunity over to the shoulders of students to pay for but we have also lost an economy that provided good, quality jobs for everybody who needs one which is true right now in the post-recession. even before the recession, we had a serious structural problem where wages have declined for all but the best educated workers. if we get a chance, i would love to talk about how we can turn that around. one more point. that is how it plays out in the individual level. in the national level, this is why public policy is my domain. i care about the laws that we passed to create opportunity for

people. the united states right now leads the world in the level of education of our older population. we are number one in the world. among 25 to 30-year-old, we are number 12. americans did not become dumber. our public policies changed. the doors that we opened over the course of a generation to a whole new cohort of college students have slowly been closed over time. we have this system that will leave most of the with $25,000 in debt. >> on that sober note -- [applause] >> sari. >> i hope we get back to talk about some of the solutions. i do not know if a lot of people are aware that the all world

bank system is not only the largest funder of public health programs in the developed world but it is also the largest funder of educational programs in the developed world more so than unicef. could you talk a bit about what you think works since we are very biased toward action and solutions here in terms of accessing young people's potential in both formal educational systems but also through vocational programs? i know you have done a lot with apprenticeships said and i think there is a lot of interest in this room working with those models. >> this is very important certainly in the case of latin america. the protests in chile are very different than the ones in the middle east. this is much more about the

growth of the upper class. the average age in latin america is 27. you have all of these young people coming into the labor market with a growing middle- class and there is definitely a change in aspirations which is driving this anxiety. how fast can they get a job? not only can they have the right skills for the changing jobs and our economy which is a paradox to what we see today in the united states. one of the key areas is how to develop skills to work. some of the things we are doing is working with corporations who are doing business in latin america, both u.s. companies, global companies in general, and companies from latin america, and have them work and identify

the kinds of skills that they need for that new labor force that they are engaging. that talks a lot about some of the faults that we know of. it requires much more on the job training. it is that phase that we are introducing which i think in many ways the united states saw years ago with your community theleges and some of you possibilities of vocation. these are some of the things that we are working on, marrying those two. it begins with early childhood education and working with teachers and the whole society's interest in what matters.

which is then leads to those skills to work. >> the larger ecosystem. >> yes. >> when you first started this work, how did you convince farmers to try something new? often, people will want to be second but there is often a great hesitancy to be first. how did you convince people that it was worth trying? given the many years you have been doing this work, do you see in younger people that children of the original farmers a different mentality toward their own lives and their responsibilities to our planet? >> when i started, i would go village to village and sitting with the farmers. because they were all brainwashed to believe the

chemicals were giving them more. that is why i say the math is not right. how much do you spend and how much do you earn? by and large, the net income was negative which is why the suicide epidemic. once they did a cost-benefit analysis themselves, and farmers are not used to doing it -- two years later, the land is being taken away. we worked with them. we helped them keep diaries so they would work on how much they spend on chemicals and seeds that are not renewable and how much they make. she describes the crisis of education and the loan burden

in terms of the destruction of the public education system. the same thing has happened to the agriculture system. now you have an unreliable seeds with royalties. i am starting a massive campaign this year and i hope all the young people will join. i think something is terribly wrong. seeds are being extracted with the cost of farmers' lives. we have four crops. genetically modified, patented. that is not the best food system that humanity can invent. we can do better. >> you are doing better. [applause] >> so many people from the cities are moving back. as a young boy who used to work

with me in the office went back to his village. in india, we make everyone a relative. you are doing good work. he looks at me and says you are doing good work. i left my village to come to the city. i am going to go back. within the first year, he made 200 villages give up toxic chemicals and pesticides. [applause] >> now you work with 500,000 farmers but they are not all in one location. >> we work in 16 states. now we work with the government of bhutan. they measure gross national happiness. they are organizing at the un, redefining the economic paradigm. the prime minister has asked us to go 100% organic and waiting

for the day when this country and makes that commitment. [cheers and applause] >> what do you think some of the solutions are that we actually collect the valleyhere can and should be advocating for? understanding the current financial situation of our country is in. understanding how many states are in a more financially precarious system because they cannot have a budget deficit year over year. what should we ask our national government to do and our state governments to do to try to change this equation such that we are not the 24th in education for the next generation? >> well, i think a couple things. i think we need to think bold

here. a lot of that start with not allowing this idea that we cannot afford to invest in people in this country. we can afford it. it is absolutely true that we have a long-term debt problem but we also have a short term and a long-term priority problem. we have the money. our gdp nearly tripled in the last generation. per capita income grew by 66% since 1980. that does not tell you how it is distributed in society. we know the majority of those gains went to the very top. states and our own federal government have been constrained from doing the things that benefit our entire nation. i think we have to get back to some real fundamentals.

the best investment this nation can make is in the future of its people. [applause] we are a richard nation today than we were when i went to college -- we are a richer nation today then we were when i went to college. we are not without resources in this country. i also want to say a big area where the united states lags considerably at the complete other end of the educational spectrum which his early childhood education and care. [applause] we are one of the few developed nations that, by and large, leaves the that stage of life to chance. it is another responsibility that we put on the parents or people to figure it out by themselves. it is also probably our best

shot at creating a level playing field in this country and doing something about the huge disparity of race and ethnicity that we have been this country. [applause] -- have in this country. >> you spoke about being in a job interview and a someone saying to you you already have a job. what inspired you to start wello when you were at the university of michigan before it became codified? what sort of class work had you done that led directly to that idea cohering in your head and motivating you? >> it originally started with my curiosity about the global water crisis. over a billion people are

negatively impacted by the lack of access to water. it shocked me how this happens .n i would write papers about the global water crisis and started studying business strategies. then i started competing in business plan competitions. it slowly snowballed into something much bigger. i think one of the benefits you have as students is everyone wants to help you. i had the benefit of looking into any professor's office and saying i have a question so can you help me answer this. do you have a contact that i can talk to to continue to learn? the more i learned, the more .uestions i had been beei would i would say you are at a unique

moment. apply for an internship. it is a great time to explore that opportunity and you might surprise yourself. >> i think there are two big crises. the water crisis and the food crisis. i am so happy young people like you are turning to this. i was invited by a little village 10 years ago because their water was disappearing because coca-cola had set up a plant extracting 1.5 million liters per day. the water level had fallen and what was there was polluted. women were walking 10 miles. one woman said no more and they sat in front of the gate.

they called me for my support. within a year, that plant closed. [laughter] water is a public good. it is not a commodity. whether it is education or the water crisis or the issue of food and seeds that i work on, we are talking about an e pic contest betwee. [applause] >> turning to one of our questions from twitter. although those are cardinal

challenges because if we do not have access to clean, reliable water and nutritious food, we cannot do anything else. yet there are so many other challenges facing us. in latin america, how can entrepreneurship thrive despite ongoing drug problems and violence? >> when people stop using cocaine in the united states'. [cheers and applause] >> that isn't entrepreneurship of a criminal kind. >> look, i come from colombia. i know this problem. [laughter] i will always be extremely grateful to president clinton for what he did for our country because columbia is beginning to turn the corner largely because of what he started. [laughter]

[applause] 1 of the paradoxes i see it is in latin america at a moment when we have the best growth in many, many years, if you look at it and most violent countries in the world, six of them are in latin america. we have about 8% of the population of the world and about a third of the homicides. that requires a very vigorous government response. it has to bring society to get there. we did a steady in central america alone what this means. about 8% of gdp. imagine the cost of drug trafficking in these countries. this is a part of some of our growing things because of entrepreneurship is thriving and there is huge potential.

the huge potential is in the growing middle-class as you have to think about disruptive business models. it is the theory that you are used to selling the regular toothpaste to a certain set of consumers. but today, you have some consumers who have never bought that toothpaste. because maybe the packaging makes it expensive. how to rethink to begin to produce products for the growing middle-class that has a different set of the aspirations. we see it in all kinds of what we call investments. we have developed a number of very fascinating projects. you have seen for instant networks of the private sector to reach the the majority. if i were any of you here, this is what i would be thinking. the biggest growth market in the world it is in the base of the

pyramid which is growing very fast around the world. you have about 1.2 peoplbillion people in the middle class. in two years, more than 3 billion. that is a big opportunity. >> how can the base be the middle class? the base is the poor. >> the base is definitely the poor. government policies have to support that movement to get people out of extreme poverty. initially through government form ofes and some fou entitlement. something that we developed at the bank which consists of -- we do not want to let your child not go to school. on the contrary, we want you to

send your child to school. the government will provide a subsidy of about $50 a month. then the child will go through medical checkups to begin their learning process. this is something that has begun to become important throughout our country. we are having a difficulty of teaching a whole generation with limited capacity to learn. the one thing that breaks that cycle of poverty begins with giving access to people. >> now my question to you from brian. ken lessons of delivering affordable sustainable agriculture be applied to other global challenges like access to health care? >> i think the two are so intimatelyin