7:00 eastern tuesday morning on c-span, c-span now or on my not c-span.org - or online at c-span.org. ♪ >> c-span now is a free mile app featuring your unfiltered view of what ihappening in washington. live and on-demand. keep up with the day's biggest events from live streams of floor proceedings and hearings from the u.s. congress, white house events, the courts, campaigns and more from the world of polits all at your fingertips. you can stay curre with the latest episodes of "washington journal" and find scheduling informion for c-span's tv networks and c-span radio, plus a variety of compelling podcasts. c-span now is available at the apple store and google play. scan the qr code to download it for free today or visit c-span.org/c-span now. c-span now, your front row seat to washington. anytime, anywhere. ♪

>> c-span is your unfiltered view of government. we are funded by these television companies and more, including charter communications ♪ >> charter is proud to be recognized aone of the best internet providers. we are just getting started. building 100,000 miles of new infrastructure to reach those who need it most. ♪ >> charter communications supports-spaas a public service. along with these other television providers. giving you a front row seat to democracy. ♪ ♪ host: it is the washington general for the first day of 2025. happy new year opinion do you find yourself oking at it on -- optimistically or pessimistically? you might be focused on the

presidential electio in november or your personal finances. perhaps you look attrom the lens of foren affairs. call us and let us know if you ta an optimistic view of the year. if youake a pessimistic view, call (202) 748-8001. and you can text us at (202) 748-8003. you can also post on x. the washington post takes a look at the ls of the presidential election thicoming year. whether that might change your view of whether you change -- view the year pessimistically or opmistically.

trading direarnings. dystopian dictatorship othe american values nstantly on the brink of collapse. the greatest threat trump poses is tower democracy. if we lose, we lose everything. if biden wins second term, americans nlonger have a country. going on to say, as long as joe biden is in the white house, american dream is dead. the to be a leading candidate's.

phenomenon experts say it is reflected of the pessimistic views. that is ju one sry. that is how you look at the year ahead. if you go to the hills website, take a look at congress specifically and that government funding fight. the funding fight could play out inanuary. they also look at the concept of passing the stopgap funding asure. one of the things that could happen this year, the government could shut down. if they failed to pass leslation in time, lawmakers

agreed to exnd funding for four of its bills in january. that includes funding for offices and the department of agriculture that leaves congress staring down at a bigger batch to handltwo weeks later. it is something that republicans haveong railed against. are there congressional ways? if you are looking at the year optimistically, call (202) 748-8000. if you are looking at it pessimistically, call (202)

748-8001. and you can text us at (202) 748-8003. a call on our pessimistic line. happy new year. go-ahead. caller: happy new yr. i think you started of perfect. look at how congress is being managed. the other one is women's rights. we have slid away from what we had. it is because of a bunch of ite men. happnew year and hopefully it will get better. i pray for our military people. they are the ones supporting

this country and our fight for democracy. thank you, all of you out there in the military for fighting for us. host: sandra in virginia taking an optimistic view. good morning. caller: good morning. i am still optimistic. i just finished listening to a convsation with craig and he s talking about calvin coolidge's biogray. he talked about how he felt powerless to save his own son, even though he was president. all of a sudden, i had an epiphany. why i feel the way i do and even though i am an outspoken person,

i was werless over my own mind it gave me a great start and i can put aside my novel that is growing by leapsnd bounds, and i can write my autobiography. i am a naturallyptimistic person. i feel that we will come to our sees as a democracy. we always have. we will come to our senses and fight for our rights. especially having gotten that little piece of a nugget from susan and craig. i'm veryappy andspecially you,edro. i hope you smile and be optimistic with me. host: this ll be the question

for all of our three hours today. mainly, we will hear from you. we will be vited bseveral people but largely we willear from you about your optimism or pessimism. give us call during the three hours and we ll getn as manys we can during our time together. we will hear from david who is timistic. thank you for calling. go-ahead. caller: i am optimistic and hopeful.

i feel like the main reason for th fod of immigrants into the u.s. is likely due to the sanctions that was brought out when lincoln was in mexico. the president of mexico mentioned that heing these countries would likely ease stem the flow of illegals coming here but sanctions make things difficult. they have no jobs and no hope. they leave their country and they come here. if we drop the sanctions, it may solve the problem. the adage of love your neighbor is definitely something they

should do. help them make a better life within tir country and they may stay. host: let's hear from mary maryland. hello and thank yofor calling. caller: i totally agree with the last colony. he was totally on point. i pessimistic because we have a broken congress. theyhose not to. we had our seniors in two wars a proxy war in ukraine that was lost and that u.s. new this. now there is a genocide in gaza and we are watching it with our

own eyes. our leaders doothing. i amust angry aut this country right now. we are in trouble. we have a congress that rules b racism and a separate court that is just nasty. and then we have a criminal tried to get back into office with people during him. i do not know about thatord, hope bause it does not have a plan and it, but we need to get busy to make sure that thing es not get back in office and that we have a country that can bring us progress. host: s spoke about those

issues overseas, putting. responding to a distress call from a vessel. u.s. central command said four small boats were attacking it. getting within 20 meters of the vessel. helicopters from two ships responded and sued verbal calls to the boots. they fired upon the helicopters and the service members word returned fire. that is the report coming out

this morning. when it cos to president biden himself, he did a short interview talking abt his view of the year past. here is a bit of that interview yesterday. president biden: my dad used to say, your job is about a lot more than a paycheck. there factories are shipped overseas. we brought a lot of jobs back to the u.s. they have created a lot of jobs. i justeelood that the american people got up. they have been through a rough time but they are coming back. >> so many eyes are on the g golfer tonight.

what are your hopes for the new year? pres. biden: my hope is that everyone has a happy, safe new year. we are in a position to lead the world d we are coming back, and it is about ti. dr. biden: be positive, be opmistic and be kind to one another. host: are you optimistic or pessimistic for the year ahead? this is new jersey. caller: i am extremely optimistic. i'm sick of hearing about th line about american carnage. i remember a lot worse times. you want riots inhe -- in the street?

there were riots in the street. he want a baeconomy? i started working on the oor of the american stock exchange. you want inflation? the inflation rate was 20% and now, it is nothing compared to that. i think we are starting off from a strong place. we came on the ship that they called the mayflower. we come in and we sing an american tune. host: from steve in california. hello. caller: i am pretty optimistic. i only have 12 more months and then this guy is out of there.

but personally, i would like to see -- the only one in the senate that knows the issues. i have seen him a few times talking about global warming. and a few other things. a pleasant change to see something change, but i do not think that will happen. i'm still optimistic for the reasons i said before. host: the editorial takes a look at four things to be optimistic about. one of the categories is the candidates for both parties. they arentitled to ask. president joe biden and donald trump are egregiously flawed

candidates and should not be allowed near power. indisputably helping his son take money from foreign adversaries. if that is not corruption, what is? many other points to be made. if you want to check it out, you can filter those things in with your view ofeing optimistic or pessimistic. allen in florida, hello. caller: thank you for having me on. i love washington journal. i am neither optimistic or pessimistic. i was a little disappointed that when he heard the list of your guests, they were announced as

being conservative or progressive. none of the guests listed were considered moderate. the rest of us are moderates. i think it is important to look at the middle of the country and our mindset. we are moderates and we know how to get along b the extremes at one end and the other are causing a raft. thank you. host: what does it mean to be a moderate? caller: to have policies about abortion, the border crises, which is sensible. i'll tell you one that i lk about all the time. people talk about people coming over the border. we need labor.

i'm getting older. everyone gets older. ifou end up in a nursing home, you need someoneo be your caregiver. i talked to one general contractor in florida and he told me the average age of a plumber is 59 years old. we need people to do this work and come to this country and work in this country. host ok. duke in maine has a pessimistic point of view. caller: good morning, everybody. i amery pessimistic. i am sick and tired of how congress is acting down there in washington. they are actingorse than a bunch of three-year-olds. one way to t this stightened down so that they act like grown-ups is to tell them that

until they get their fingers out of their rear ends, the pay and benefits stop right now, as of right now. if you did that and really meant it, you would see them bringing bills on the floor witn two days, i guarantee it. and we areaying these people to act like a bunch of kids because they have no desire to do athing for us. they are self-serving or they want to be in their lling each other names. grow up and act like a bunch of human beings and adults. host: on our line of fire optimiic, hello. caller: i hope this yeawill b peaceful.

i hope it is a peaceful yrly. i hope there are more peaceful years to come as well. host: calling us internationally, giving us a ew of either optimiic or pessistic. we will focus on you. if you want to call us and give us your thoughts about why you're positive or pessimistic. you canlso post on our social media site as well. during the course of the morning, we will get our guest's take on where ey think this

will go. first to join us, a talkshow host. thank you for your time. guest: thank you for the opportunity to be back on again. host: how would you describe your audience? guest: i have been a radio talkshow host for years. my background is as a reporter. to me, i focus less on individuals. we focus more on the issues and less on individuals. focus on the issues. that is the way it should be. host: if you take that kind of viewlooking at the year ahead, what do you think the main issues are?

what will the issues be about? guest: 2020 was a wild year. 2024 could be boring. if you get trump versus biden -- is going to become boring and mundane. you may see a merge a little bit more. but the economy on our show, there is always -- to we go into a mild recession? unfortunately, it will be the same old same old. we will be to defensible. host: you talked about the economy and we saw some improvement from retail sales.

do you think that carries over into 2024 and people may change their perspective on how they view the economy? guest: retail sales always do better in the fourth quarter. sometimes it is the consumer sentiment. the questions are very interesting. over the next month. look at the surveys. the majority -- if you look at the numbers, it is unfortunate that a good amount of jobs that were created were government jobs. a lot of people are just trying to make ends meet.

we will see if this translates into the new year or if the later part of 2024 will be stronger. host: you are talking about well-known floridians in this race. when it comes to the campaign to date, how effective do you think they have been? >> i think a lot of people like the policies. you cannot avoid personality. we forget about the issues though. we will see how well desantis does, but let's be honest, i think they are going to see what happens. they will see what happens about whether or not they are found

guilty in georgia. they will be waiting in the wings to see what happens. they will be looking at the sidebar. host: in the tweet th you wrote, joe biden had low approval numrs. same load job numbers. we lost in 2018 but we act like those elections never existed. guest: it is amazing. we had higher numbers. this should have been a golden year. it is supposed to be biblical proportions.

the senate should have been won. but it killed the chance for the republican party. we ignored 2018's. we act like it did not happen. this is not the election year that happened last year. i think the republican party was supposed to have this gop analysis autopsy of what happened. we just ignored it. biden had garbage numbers and he still won in 2022. it could still transla for a bidevictory. host: locally, what are people concerned about in jacksonville? what are the local issues they are concerned about?

guest: the statues that were taken down for confederate monuments will be an issue. the economy is an issue. ron desantis has done a good job. state-controlled versus local control. the fed versus the state. but if you do not like a tax policy, should they come in and overrule that? if a local government could get it to go out, do we need more tallahassee involvement? host: optimistic or pessimistic when you're looking at the year ahead? guest: it depends on the issue. we have seen it happen before.

i think with a lot of voters, it will be more pessimistic. it will be a divide. i think it becomes more pessimistic if it is. it is the flagship staon. go to wob.com. host: thank you forour time and happy new year to you. guest: happy n year. it has been a pleasure. host: varying pitical stripes and our guests this mning. if you have a pessimistic view call (202) 748-8001. if you areptimistic call (202) 748-8000. caller: thank you for taking

call. i am normally a very sangue personality. however, now in my neighborhood, twice in the past week, i have had people egge on to a fight because they think i am a democrat. i am just a guy who opposes this guy trum this type trump is a monster. i have never seen anyone like him in my life. he generates ts outrageous january 6 insurction. one of our san diego ladies got shot. she is dead.

but that guy donald trump is a monster and he has upset some many. a lot of churchgoing folks around me. they all have ideas tha donal is the savior of the u.s. but i do not think so. i think you will be the e of this country. i just hope he does not n the next election. we have a mixed variety. chris christie is really down on trump rit now. but now he has figured the guy out. host:hile your support be for the coming -- incomi president? caller: i wld ratr vote for joe rather than donald, if he is the candidate. but i will vote.

i did register democrat. i normally call on the democrat line. host: let's hear from robbie. hello. caller: hello, paygo and hap new year to everybody. i am optimistic. you can look at this beautiful day in the new year and our attitude and how we feel about thin is how we are. if we are negative about things, things are going to be done. so we need to come together and be glad that we are americans and that we have freedom. just share with people and come together. that is all i wanted to say. happy new year, everybody. host: from maryland, someone who

views the year as pessimistically. hello. caller: [indiscernible] i believe that donald trump is very divisive. people have really entrenched themselves whether you like him or do not like him. people are just not willing to negotiate or come to type of agreement. people are so entrenched in their beliefs. they see the opposition as being evil and they cannot really compromise. so unfortunately, i think people -- this will be one of those things. whatever the outcomeit is not

going to be accepted and we are going to see a more aggressive form then we saw before. host: baltimore, maryland. it was before the end of this year that they talked about the year ahead when it comes this coming election, describing it as t presidential election nobody is really jazzed about. no one is excited about a rematch of the 2020 election between biden and trump. more republicans would be satisfied to have trump as their nominee, but emma kratz would have biden as their standardbearer. the palpable apathy fr voters comes as both gentlemen are facing few obstacles in their path. biden has amassed broad support from officials.

mr. trump's grip on primary voters shows no sign of loose needed -- of loosening. just a week away from the iowa caucus followed by the primary and new hampshire. stay tuned to c-span for both of those. there mabe other factors as well. anything that falls under that umbrella. if you view the year optimistically, call (202) 748-8000. if you view it pessimistically call (202) 748-8001. and can also text us at (202) 748-8003. caller: hello.

i am optimistic with joe biden in the white house. i have been involved in politics r over 30 years. show me any president who has not stumbled getting off of air force e. they all do it. people who want to magnify the stumbles, a man who has seen many yearsn congress, many years of how things can work. i can put my confidence bend him. he has had a lot of successes and i think we should look at those ccesses as something that shows us what is coming in our future. host: you have probably seen low polling numbers despite the successes you artalking about. caller: it is about what is covered and not covered, what is emphasized.

the prlem is one-on-one, people go to the grocery sre and they see those high prices and the price of gas is comin down. i'm hopeful that as we go through the year, prices will stabilize an people will see their lives turning to a more noal standard. host: mark in michigan calling to express his optimism. jan and florida is on the line for those who are pessimistic about the year ahead. caller: whai am looking at is senators and representatives need -- when they do not pass a bill on time, there has to be

consequences. both sides seem to enjoy calling each other names over this and i am done with the names. there needs to be consequences. they passed bills when they feel like it and if they happen to be in session. thank you for listening. i preciate it. host: se of you expressing your thoughts on social media. the other seems hell-bent on holding up the worst ideas. joseph from facebook saying that trump would win. mark lundgren saying he is optimistic. doing everything possible to destroy america and others sang the west is a

civilization in decline. trump is obviously a symptom of this, i am a pessimist. you can reach out to us on various sites. if you want to text us, that is (202) 748-8003. let us know whether you view the coming year as optimistically or pessimistically. various guests join us along the way. in nebraska, this is mary. go ahead. caller: i'm optimistic because people tend to forget but in our heart, we are all americans. we can get through anything. we have done it before and we will do it again. america is not going anywhere. you have to keep a positive stock.

put your hand over your heart and pledge of allegiance. this is america. you need to be positive and know that we are not going anywhere. if history repeats itself, w will be over. host: sandy in michigan, on the line for those who are pessimistic. caller: i am 78 years old. for those of you who have been around tt long, the soviet union td john f. kennedy in the 1960's and allhe drugs coming in from china and south america and everything, there are people my age who have been hooked on these drugs. i'm not saying you have to close down the border completely, but something -- politicians whether

democratr republican have own about this for years and have done absolutely nothing about it. congress is gridlocked and the ddle-class are gting sk and tired of carrying this country. host:hat wld turn your pessimism into optimism? caller: [laughter] that is a very good question. i would not vote for donald trump and i have a hard te voting for joe biden. congress has been in a complete gridlock. host: joining us for michigan on the phone this morning. many have you have been calling in. numbers to watch and 2024, particularly in the world of politics. again, that caucus is coming up in a f weeks. eight years ago marco rubio made

second place. now he is dominati this block. that is according to a recent foxbusins pole. she will need to improve on a gender gap as the strongest womacandidate. a poll this moh showed nikki haley at 30% overall. only six points behindhe former president. a whopping 25% quite shy. number three, the president's name will not be on the ballot

in the first of the nation primary thanks to efforts to put south carolina first in the neup. itas launched a campaign in an effort to represt phillips. the move is not without risks. it could fall short of expectations. another one to share, the approval rating significantly below. mr. biden's approval ratg -- herere numrs to watch. you can find it on politico's website. this is john. hello. caller: good morning. i am optimistic. host: why is that? caller: 200 years ago, sleowners broke up families

and forbade literacy. the same thing is going on today. i am optimistic that trump will continue to fight against that. thank you. host: marvin in texas. hello. caller: good morning. i am pessimistic about our future for this next year, even thou i am normally an optimist. so manpeople today do not understand. i doot think they understand life as it is. in the bible, jesus said we are supposed to ve our neighbors as ourselves. i do not see how people today can even call themselves christians, even tugh we are in a christian nation. a ly loved everybody as

herself, she would never have an abortion because s would love that child as much as she loved herself. our countr wouldn't -- would be a better place if we ved our neighbors as oursees because there would be laughs -- less theft and murder. we cannot continue in the direction that we are going. i'm not sure who should be the next president because nobody seems to care aboutther people. it is take re of me fit and then we willorry about you someday when we haveime. host: marvin, there in texas. t'hear from you about if you are optimistic or pessimistic.

if you are optimisc, call in at (202)48-8000. if you are pessimistic, you can call (202) 748-8001. or you could text us at (202) 748-8003. be joined by various guests to talk about various issues. susan is theditor and chief. happy new year to you. guest:appy new year. host: who do you write for and who do you reach out to? guest: we are a nonprofit location. we are focused on policy and how it affects people. host: you focused a lot on your own state. a big year for them. can you highlight that?

gut: the democratic governor won reelection which was not necessarily a surprise. what was a surprise is that democrat took control of our state legislature for the first time since ronald reagan was in office. about 40 years of pent up priorities. needless to say, it was a very busy year. we saw a lot of legislation for abortion right, for lgbia rights, gun control and clean energy. that, in addition to many other issues like transparency for lawmakers disclosing conflicts of interest, financial disclosure, down to other issues

like restoring the prevailing wage. host: if that was a large year, as far as accomplishment, what is the year ahead look like? guest: 2024 is an election year. that will play a role, no doubt. in addition, we will have a u.s. senate seat that is open. so, we have election-year politics and an addition, we have complications right now we have resignations and the house is deadlocked. we d not expect a lot of movement.

probably will be quiet the first part of the year but then democrats will continue to go down their list of priorities. they are still hopeful to do more on the abortion-rights front. we also have our presidential primary in february. no doubt that will dominy a lot of the conversation, even though you pointed out that both concepts do not see particularly interesting at the moment. host: the supreme court and what they decide to do about donald trump. what do you think about what they decided about trump? guest: the michigan supreme court ruled that donald trump could not be removed from the ballot because of the 14th amendment.

the argument is that our constitution and electoral laws are different than colorado because there supreme court came to a different conclusion. they say they will fight on what they are calling a narrow ruling. i expect we will see one mor haram on that -- hurrah on that front. host: michigan now being considered in autocracy when it comes to the election. what do you think? guest: i think that is largely in part because biden's members have not been good here or anywhere. but there seems to be a eat deal of denia with votershat this will be a biden and trump rematch. i'm curious to see that once the

contest seems little more formed, how numbers show up in michigan. our governor, gretchen, who was considered a strong presidential candidate for 20 28 -- democrats overall have favorable rating, which might help the president. he will get a boost because he walked the picket line for the automaker strength. labor is still a huge issue in michigan, so that will ultimately be one thing that helps them. host: do you think it plays out larger for president biden? guest: i do think it is a help for him. it is not a guarantee. the biggest issue the democrats have going for them is that biggest issue that they had in

2022, which is abortion-rights. the supreme court deciding to overturn roe v. wade had a huge impact on voters, especially female voters. even in states where abortion rights are guaranteed, like they are in michigan. host: there have been stories stemming fromhe events between israel and hamas about the handling of this by the president. dcd stories? do you share these concerns? guest: there have been a number of pro-rallies. certainly, this has been an issue that some younger voters feel very passionately about. they are very critical of biden

for his handling of that. in michigan, the arab-american though is pre-small. in 2022, there was a huge sling because there was a lot of concern about lgbtq books in the school system. those are not popular issues with that block. they did not like the iraq wars. they did not care for the anti-immigrant policies of trump. these are socially conservative voters and they line up more with republicans on that. there are a lot of different things going on. host: optimistic or pessimistic.

how would you describe yourself? guest: i am a pessimist, overall. i have two children who are making their way in the world. they are optimistic about their future. i do believe in the concept of america and what we stand for. the general population has fought for democracy. we are at michigan advanced.com. there is no pay wall. we are a nonprofit. we have very excited to discuss what is going on this year. host: happy new year to you.

this is virginia and maryland. go ahead, virgia. you are on. caller: i am optimistic. i have confidence in the american public. from what i am listening to today, it seems like we are stepping up and we are going to remove the politicians that want to do fisticuffs and senate hearings. i have faith in us, that we will come together and basically shake up the government. host: len on our lin for those who are pessimistic. caller: i am pessimistic because believe we are living in an era of american where we now have perverse incentives throughout are entitled --

entire political system. politicians now put party ahead of country and i think they he been doing that sie they started inhe 1980's and now it has become a majority of policians putting party ahead of country. i think that to be a really good suggestions by other callers this morning, one was the man wh said let's start giving more of a platform to moderates. what we can every day is to get more questions asked for morates. that man gave good suggestion and defined moderate as being reonable, listening to reasonab solutions as the

immigrant situation, recognizing the need we have for immigrant labo. there wille consequences for th piticia, wherthey maneuvered theelves in these positions wherthey ce more about party and untry. you can see examples of that. or when there is evidence that they are voting against their country and for their party. but it be fancial, chairmanships even memberships. ere needs to b consequens. hostet's hear from julie in wisconsin. guest: good morning.

i think i am a little bit of both. i do nothink we are a christian nation. belie that the premise that we were founded on -- we could chse whatever we -whatever religion wwanted to. we could worship any a god and worship however we wand to. i was surprised the other day when people were calling on e news stoes and nobody mentioned throe v. wade. i believe that we have the right do what we want to do with our dies. host: what do you base that on? caller: optimism? while, i think we should a get involved to some exten in

trying to have peace in the world and t golden rule is important. we should also try to live i the moment, as much as we c. i have a thr-year-old eat-granddaughter and when i am with her, im in the moment. host: paul is up next. hello. caller: i am utiously optimistic. 75 years of expernce, i ha learned that e only person i can really have any influence for changing is myself. and i have been searching high and low for a number of months an years to find something. it is called braver anls. essentially, it is a grassroots

moment thais trending themselves to show the politicians as well as any otr leaders in life, how to talk respectfully and yet be able to relate to one anoth positively rather than reactiveays. it's extraordinary challenging. i have a background that is been in leadership in number of areas in life. i know what it is to be without food. i also know what it is to be a corporate exutive. essentially, i'm getting myself

involved as an ambassador and hope to begin working with people in my community and i already have contacts around the world. i engage with them and but it's going to be a difficult process t all of theeople i've heard this morning thaare pessimistic and reactive to the way other people are behaving, i just remind themhat we all need to realizehat none of us is as bad as the worst thing we've ever done. host he talk abouthe braver angels program. we featured one of their leade on this program back in 2022 in september, talking about the

fort of bridging potical divide. yowill find tha program and others related to it on her website at c-span.org if you wish. over the next two hours, we will continue as we've been doing for this past our. we will take your calls and whether you are optimistic or pessimistic for 2024. we will be joined by our guests for short conversations long wa if youre optimistic, it is (202748-8000 a you can tell his wife and if you are pessimistic and you want to tell us why, (202) 748-8001. you can text us at (202) 748-8003 and post on our social media sites as well. starting off this second hour, william in california khmer line for those who are pessimistic, go ahe. caller: hi, i was just thinking,

regarding 2024 in particular, onef my main issues that i'm most pessimistic about is that i do not want to have a trump/biden rematch in the general election. if the polls are anything to go by, it's a foregone conclusion. if anyone was not livinback under a rock in 2020, you would probably know the reasons why we would not want a trump-biden rematch. there is that blue moon possibility but probably not that much of a new moon that nikki haley will wind up winning the gop nomination but i don't want to go into the possible things that trump might wind up

doing to her. host: as far as a top rean to not want this rematch in 2024, what would be that reason? caller: in that case, i would say the top reason partially because of how the show of the debate we saw, you recall that debate? host: the presidential debates from the 2020 cycle? caller: yeah, specifically the one between trump and biden. it was a shouting match. host: i get you, go ahead. caller: also the fact that the problem i feel between themaga movement and the democratic parties constitution, it's very

tribal if you will. either you support our policies and ideas or you are an extremist. i know people on both sides. i wanted to ask you personally whether you think that someone is going to win the nomination from trump or if people will d up supporting a third-party. host: there are several third-party candidates making their bid outhere. as far as how far they will get, it will be up to the voters to determine. we leave in those hands. the pessimistic one is next, hello. caller: how are you doing? give me a minute to get my thoughts together. what i wanted to say is as an

african-american, we've been fighting for this country since its inception. it seems like more we give, the more they take, the more we give, the more they take. they give everybody everything. can you hear me? host: you have to stop listening to the television. keep going. caller: what i'm saying is pretty much i hope we've been voting for democrats for the last 50, 60 years and to be quite honest, i hope black people would let it go down the drain. america is not o time done anything right for afcan-americans or black americans. the more we do, the more you all take.

the harder we work, the less we get. to be quite honest, i say let it go down the drain. host: sharon in maryland oeric line f optimt, go ead. caller: good morning and happy new year. i am optistic and the reason why is i have grandchildren. i have one greatrandchild. we as decent adults that call on your show, they should be doing better thawhat they are. why would you vote for a man that tells lies and schemes and rapes and do all of these things but you are for him? if jesus christ was here, and all the sff going on in our world today could be stopped. we do't have got an our life, we don't ve jesus christ in our lives. that's the way are going. there is more people in the

bible that were evil than good but god took them down. i'm trying to have tish help my family and i pray for family. i stay in prayer. god has blessed me. my sons are not drug addts a date work and went to college. they are doing well and th own their own homes. two of my sons own their own homes and they are getting ready to buy a home. i always pray for them when they come to my house a when they leave my house, i pramy children becausenow the' so much evil and wickedness in this world, it doesn't make sense. host: tt's sharon expressing her optimism and you can do the same. textus if you wish at (202) 748-8003.

when issue thacame up the sunday shows yesrday was that ofmmigration. at's about how several states are handng the immigration issue. the first perspecti was the texas attorney general ken paxton who talks about his recent stances on iigration and the measures they are taking. here's a portion of his interview from sunday. [video clip] >> expined to us the gravity of the problem and the cllenge you are having to dl with in texas. it's hard t fathom how big a problem that might be. >> it's costing is billion of dollars but that's not the most significant thing. thmost snificant things the crime, the increase human trafficking and drug trafficking. we have literay thousands of kids dying from fentanyl that don't have to die because we have the cartels having an easy line into texas and easy lying to g into the country.

it is having a significant impact and it's gointo spread beyond texas and beyond the border states. it's an amerin problem and i think it's clearly caused by the biden administration. under trump, these things were diminishg and under the biden administration, he is struck do the policies that were. we have significant problems with all these things and they are getting worse every day which is hard to believe. you would think after three years, he would've figured out a way to make it better but instead, it's gettg worse. host: that's one perspective from the attorney general of texas. another one from the mayor of the city of chicago brandon johnson talking about the impact of moves by texas and how it affects his city in immigration. [video clip] >> what we have is clearly in international and federal crisis that local governments are being asked to subsidize. this is unsustainable. none of our local economies are

positioned to be able to carry on such a mission. what we have attempted to do is create structure in some coordination around this humanitarian csis. unfortunately, the governor of texas, governor abbott has determined to continue tooak seeds of chaos. last nht and several nights before, number of buses continued to arrive in the cy of chicago and throughout e country without ancoordination and now it's taken on this very dangers task of placing individuals on airplanes and flying them into our various cities. this is a matter of notches national security but it's a type of chaos that this governor is committed to administering. host: two perspectives on the topic of immigration, that may be a topic you will think about

whether you are optimistic or pessimistic. (202) 748-8000 if you are optimistic, (202) 748-8001 if you're pessimistic. joe in north carolina underlined for pessimistic viewers. go ahead. caller: good morning. happy new year to you and all the people of the united states. i'm calling in because i'm pessimistic because of all the wars and the rumors of wars and all the issues that we are facing in the united states, i'm very pessimistic. i lean more that way. immigration is the big issue that the republicans, myself being a demrat, the immigration matter has been

facing us here in the united states for years and years. it's never been slainy any party or any person. no one has been able to put a handle on immigration in the united states. as far as the wars we have,, that we a facing in funding, that keeps me pessimistic because it has opened up a hotbed as they say when they talk about a wasp nest and when you hit that wasp nest, it opens up in those hornets are all over the place. i'm very pessimistic about that. it endangers us in the united states we lay down and go to sleep and we wonder what would happen over here, like 9/11 that

happened years ago from the obstruction over there in iraq. and afghanistan and stuff like that. host: if you're on the line, stay on it and if you're calling in, we invite you to do so when we will take your calls for the rest of this program today until 10:00 a.m. you can express your thoughts on social media as well and textus as well at http://twitter.com/cspanwj (202) 748-8002 (202) 748-8003. ben deter is with us, good morning and happy new year to you. guest: gd morning and happy new year to you. host: how do u describ the way you approach your show and your average listener in memphis? guest: listening to your program

this morning, it is similar in some ways. i bet you woke up really early this morning even though it's a holiday. that's similar to a morning show like the one i have. it is caller driven. i will come in with topics of the day, kind of what i want to talk about and it follows different headlines coming out of the city of memphis. i will have some thoughts, my own opinion. it is a news talk show. then i open it up to callers. it's very similar to what i've been listening to like whole numbers and error numbers lht up when i talk to thfolks in memphis. host: if that's th case, if you are going into 24, what do you think your arage calr is looking for this year? what are the big issues to watch in your mind? guest: for a lot of folks living big cities across america, it

is crime. that crime could look differently. i heard the segment on immigration out of the state of texas, that crime is looking like it's coming into our southern border. if you are in memphis and a lot of these big metropolitan areas, it is crime. people don't feel safe when they go to a kroger that when they come back, their car be there. in that case scenario, they might lose some of their personal belongings. for a lot of our listeners, what they want to see, their new year's resolution this year is can we bring down those spiking crime rates? host: you have a new mayor ming into memphis this year and upon his election, he says this division and memphis is to lift the cloud of darkness we've

been feeling around crime and the negative things we've seen in the news. what faces the new mayor as he tries to tackle his vision? guest: we are all behind the new mayor. he put his hand on the bible and today will be sworn into office. this crime problem is multifaceted. it will probably not be one person but we know one system that is broken and that his airport system in shelby county. this is actually not that much of a political issue anymore. it might've been before but these judicial commissioners are simply looking at these violent offenders in many cases, looking at their rap sheet and sending them right back out onto the street. the new mayor, paul young says we've got to fix the loophole in a broken system. we are all behind him. host: is that sentiment

bipartisan in nature for a new mayor coming into the office? is this unusual in memphis or have you seen this before? guest: he won with about 27% of the voting population. 27% of the demographic was behind paul young, that's a lot of people who were not for him but that's the voting system here in memphis. that's another issue. maybe we should we should address that going forward. this is a dark blue city. he is a democrat and would describe himself as a progressive and able to work with republicans. there no question where he sits on the political spectrum. i think a lot people that vote here are looking for him. i'm the host of a conservative news talk station with a little red dot in the bluand even our listeners, which we have a diverse group of democrats and

republicans were optimistic. it's not good to be pessimistic on january 1. host: when it comes to the listener how much of the talk is about the coming election later this year? guest: it is one of the big issues for our voters. they want change. a lot of our listeners want change. with national poll income it's not just republicans that want their candidate in office. it's a lot of democrats that are frustrated with this president. it's going to be really interesting. in both political parties right now as you know, there is a lot of consternation about the way these parties are going, that we are going to see a repeat of 2020 and if you check the poles of the country, they are not here for that. they want something else in the polling suggests that we will be right back in 2020. host: former president trump won

the seat with more than 50% the last time around. what does it look like this time around? guest: he's got it. tennessee is dark red. everyone -- almost all of our delegation in the state of tennessee are congress held. they have come out and endorsed him in both senators were the first senators to come out before anybody else was coming out to put their hand up to endorse the former president. they were e first to lead the charge. host: as far as your viewers who call in or the listeners who call in, what do they think out the other entrae in the republican side ke governor desantis or nikki haley? is it pretty much support for the former president and they fall far behind that? guest: i think right now, a lot

of those listeners that call in every single day would be open to a ron desantisnd some of them to nikki haley. what they see right now is an looking through their perspective that they shared on the show. they think the system is not fair to the former president so let's write that wrong. once that has been written correctly in the dish in the annals of history, you can come and have your time. for desantis, i think this was a big timing flop, he should have waited and he's not doing well right now. a lot of our listeners are still teamrump and i think they will be with him to the very end. host: how can people find your show? guest: they can go to mighty 990 on facebook and the website qm radio.com. host: thank you for joining us

on this new year's day. happy new year to you. guest: thank you. host: we are hearing from guests through the course of th morning but we are here mainly for you. you call in and tell us about your level of degree or optimism or pessimism for the year ahead onhis fst day of 24. let's go to maryland onur line for pessimists. ank you for waing, go ahead. caller: i am pessimistic and i' pessimistic because as anything goes, we have people when they lose, they have to denigratehe winner and not accept what is true. they are spreading falsehoods and they are pasng laws that are against any living person.

i'm terribly pessimistic. there is no order in the syste now, in the government or otherwise. host: north carolina for those optimistic people out ther go ahead, you are on. caller: good morning. i am very much optimistic. i'm 73 years old, african-american and born and raised in arkansas. my dad was born in jim crow alabama and he was the son of a slave. i can go back day after day smile about the conversation i've had with my dad who was 60 years old when i was born in 1950. talked about my granddad's experience as a slave.

it wasn't a pessimistic experience. for whatever reason, my granddad was in slavery and being involved in that civil war with the slave masters on the rebel side, he was optimistic. my dad was the most optimistic person i ever met. even my mom sent five of their seven children to college in the 50's and 60's. i'm the youngest and i went to college and i had everything a kid could ask for. my mom and dad were optimistic, honest people. what dappoints me as i hear people talk about god and being church folks and they talk about the pessimistic side of things in this country. i read somewhere the other day for example that one out of every 100 famies are millionaires. in the african-american community.

hear every daabout e succs of black businessmen and women and all ty havend all they've achieved. when we tally itthere is enough nber -- there nough money in the african-american community to take care of the problems that money can take a already. we don't need to ask the federal government to spend more money. what people fail to realize is this is not donald trump's money. thiss not bidens money. this is money or -- outpour, hard-worng people, the people pay taxes. we keep talking about more money, repations, the mayor of chicago said the other day that he believes he could stop crime or reduce crime if the federal government would payeparations to the chicago citizens. this inonsense. host: let's hearrom brian in

nnesota on our line for pessimists. caer: good morning. i'm very pessimistic. everything is upside down. we've got illegal immigrants ming in left and right. congress is hamstrung, they can't do anything, they snt way too much mey on thr wish list. this economy is geing ready to crk and drop. what's going to happen whenhe money runs out? thank you. host: those are two perspectives on t year ahead from two different pnts of view, one comes from democratic sttegist taking a ok at president biden in the year ahead for him saying that first, president biden cap to central promis that he would lead the

nation to the other side of covid the pandemic has ded and the economic recovery is better than any other in the natn. also the strength of the present record is only matched by the strength of his party. th party is one otes in seven of the past eight presidenti electio something no party has done in modern ameristory. while the democrats keep winning, central wisdom continues to overly dcot rmer psidentrump's historical bagge and his electoral failures. other perspective from there and who writes examiner's jim ansel

you can find those online, two perspectives you may want to read yourself as far as your view of the year ahead on this first day of the year, whether you view it optimistically or pessimistically. joe in kentucky, viewing it optimistally, go ahead. caller: i think the president has done a good job. we've got an infrastructure bill that's improving roads.

i think inflation isoming down. the unemployment rate is almost at aistoric low. i d't know why people e so depressed. it doesn't seem to me that the economy ist all d. in fact, it's rather good. it's historically good. host: that'sersonally what you're a seeing in louisville? call: yes. host: howo? call: most people i know are at work and they are not having a lot of unemployment in kentucky basedn history. i think we are doing well. we got somnew industries in kentucky. there ishe battery plants and so forth. i just don't see the big depression everyone seemto

haveither locally or nationally. host: joe there in kentucky. it's hererom pete in pennsylvania on our line r pessimists. caller: thanks for having me. happy new year and on that note, i'm extremely pessimistic. i think both parties as we know are so dysfunctional in our system is so broken but i think the republicans in particular are more out of touch and troubled than e democrats and i'm not even saying that if -- the democrats are doi well. maybe they are n as ba if that's what were judgg by, that's not togood. host: when you make that kind of comparon, what do you base that on? as far as them being out of touch, to the degree any party

is touch? caller: i think you can go by the last 360 five days when republicans do nothing and they passed nothing. theyave culture wars. there is little -- there is no leslation at all so that's a good barometer there. and the way they have been able trump when we know how they talk about him behind closed doors. they don't have the backbone. he igoing to fan things and i think 2024 will be a bumpy ride and i think there's no way around that unless he drops out but even with the convictions and the trials, it still goin to be bumpy. host: do you think that bumping is goes for present biden as he mounted his reelection campaign? caller: i think so because of his age.

i tnk it's unfortunate the bar is so low beten both to be honest with you. i think there's far more qualified younger people, people wi new ias. not retigati thing of the pastyeah ihink we shouldo better. i'm not sure if the third-party thing will tur everything into chaos either. i'm not a big rfk and we d't know what no labels will do. one person iould like to see -- like to see not run is someone like jill stein. she can be a spoiler rht there. host: ok. caller: that being said, i have reservions about biden but on thehole, i think is a decent

person. on the others, i think, i don't en want to go into that. ho: in jamaica, new york, this is michael a our line for optimists. call: good morning, ihink president biden is done a great job and is more experienced than president trump. i believe the big elephant in the room is it biden gets sick or passes away kamala harris will be president and i don't think this country is ready for a female black psident at this time. host: why is at? caller: because of the races and where the countries at today. host: we elted an african-american president twice, does that factor into whether a female african-american president could be elected? caller: with the experience

biden has me i don't think she has the experience that would make her great president. i think the country sees that and that the elephant in the room. host: let's hear fm eddie in massachusetton the line for pessimists caller: the bget could be as much is $2 trillion deficit. a man called up a moment ago that said biden has done such a good job in infrastrucre. that was done years ago. they added on a huge welfare bi and that would never of past donald trump's desk. that's y there's ch a huge deficit. how can people live like that. the interest rate will be as $1 trillion per year. people say we don't ach civics. the problem is, we don't teach economics.

you got to live within your means. you've got t rai taxes by , you've got tcut government by 5%. that's l there is to it. host: that's eddie in massachusetts. if you are on the line, stay on the line a if you are lling in, continue to do so until 10:00 anwe wiltake your cas on your level of optimism or pessimism for 2024. (202) 748-8000 if you describe yourself as an optimist, (202) 748-8001 if you describe yourself as a pessimist. you can text us at (202) 748-80033 . our guests are joining us to talk about issues. the opinion and community engagement editor from the columbia dispatch is with us. happy new year. guest: good morning. host: how do you describe your job, particular community engagement? guest: it's a mixture as the paper reflects the community

because they are voices that can be heard in the newspaper and that's what i tried to do with the number of engagement and interactions with the public. what are the issues that you want to engage with the public with or the public wants to engage in? guest: we had a crazy year in ohio last year with the ongoing election starting in august with the referendum we had over help we can get constitutional amendments on the ballot. after that, it was abortion and with marijuana. those issues will carry over into next year. it will also be over districting change reforms initiatives on the ballot. there may be minimum wage some other things that will get folks energized to vote. host: you talked about the

issues like abortion and marijuana and other issues. what does that suggest about how your state is changing when it comes to how theput approach these issues? guest: i fee like the statehou is probably out of uch with what people want. some were surprised by how wide the margin was on abortion and marijuana even though the poll suggested that wou happen. 57% apoval for both of those issues. the state senate tried to make some significant changes to marijuana and the people took great fense to that because we had just voted to allow legal marijuana under the rules that were set up in the bill. , i'm sorry and the amendment. theyound that many people went

for marijuana. host: governor dewine's recent decision when it comes to the ll on transgender care, we hear about it buthat did he decided what will make that decision? guest: i wasn't surised that he vetoed the legislation. a lot of people dump tickly like his policies. i don't like all of them myself but i feel he is a person who cares about children and that's a key point of his administration that he wants to leave a lacy wy improves the life of ohio children. transgende children ha been made the scagoat around the nation. governor dewine taed to health professionals and families and talk to transgender people who said the care saved their lives. this comes from fathers and mothers d transgender people

is that the care saved the them from a destiny nobody wants for their child. host: when you talk about the engageme side of it, what do you do to make sure both sides of an issue are reflect if it comes down to that? guest: it's hard to do a lot of times because people have -- people go by the media. they really want perspective on the news pages and websites. it's a hard thing to do but we try to solit columns from both sides and talk to people from both sides. we did that with marijuana and abortion. we will continue to do that because the more you talk to people, the more you understand the world around you. governor dewine was pretty interesting when he explained why he vetoed the transgender athletes bill and the other part was about gendeaffirming care.

people from both sides are acting in the best interest of ohio children. if you start from the point of view were most people don't have nefarious intent, you can try to understand. host: ohio will be one of the states that will be closely watched in 2024. when it comes to the two candidates who will probably be at the lead of that, what do you ink aut the idea of another matchup for your state as people watch it? guest: i assume you're talking about trump and biden. i think it's clear that ohio will go for donald trump. he won in the state by eight points last year. the primary is march 17 and i think, march 19 and people of made their minds up about at. that might greatly impact what

happens with sherrod brown. jared brown has been in office since 2006 any's very popular but at the same time, biden was the first president who did not win the state of ohio since kennedy. it will be a hard roaahead for errod brown. host: if you look at the year ahead, do you view it optimistical or ssimistically which is what we been asking the audience. guest: over the years, i become a realist. i believe people will do the right thing at the end of the day. we will see what happens if that makes sense. host: how can people find ur community engagement athe columbia dispatch? our guest is the editor for that

opinion and community engement sectio emilia robinson, thank you for your time this morning and happy new year to you. guest: happy new year toou as well host: we will hear from philip and minnesota honor line for optimist, thank you for waiting, go ahead. caller: good moing and happy new year, ank yofor c-an. 'm 73 yearsld melf in a evious caller came into said his grandparents were the sons of slave owners. i age withim completely. people need to quit looking for the government for full suprt and we h to take care of ourselves. i believe need aalance betwn capitalism and soalism. people have to not listen to the garbage dold trump has been spreading. the country has a lot of probms but i think we can solve them together. we need to not buy into the

divisiveness of what trump is doing. the countries facing a brick blotter problems now. we havto move forward. i think democrs overreached sometimes. the republican leadership is content with the status quo. as a country, we have to move forward. we are a capitalistic, sociali and natione have to have balance. it's important so i'm optistic. i thinkers -- i think peop are starting to wake up and realize that trump is not good for this untry. i think people need to listen to c-span and look thin themselves. most people willo the right thing. that's at i he for 2024. host: dale city, california honor line for pessimists. call: good morning and happy new year. i am oimistic because of the -- i am pessimistic because of

the two wa going on. i see none of them really care about these ws in the parties. we don't try to stop them, we will have terrorists. one senator one morning said that by sending money to israel and ukraine, we keep our people down. use said. we are all talking about who has the best equipment for war, plse, l's have peace for 24. we want to be optimistic for all thpeople around. it's sad to see kids getting killed literally thank you and happy new year. let's promote peace not w. host: let's code-2 margo in indiana on our optimism line. caller: good morning, happy new

year to everyone. i w just calling to s that the dems will contin to win and keep on winning becse the republican party has dissolved in lieu ofur former president. we have come to the time wher there is no place but up. any a party will listen a esident tell them tt he loves the uneducated d you hear alause,here is place but . host: what you think about the low rating numbers for the cuent president? caller: no one called me for po? poleas biden up all the way. there is nother direction this country can go. ter you go so low, it's

boom/busin everything, the economy and the stupidity and all of that. it's time f everybody to t smart and like i said, the republican party is not, john mccain and all tha that's dissold. thdems wl bring them ck and maybe now they wi take some government classes and learn abougovernnt andearn what wds like impeachment means and all the other things they are trying to institute with a president who's only trying to drive this count forward. host: clearwater, florida honor li for pessimists. my ne is mario. i'm hearing clearwater for seve years but i lived in this untry for 22 yrs. the economy is not that because i came here with $20 in my

pocket i got my own house now. i have two automobiles. i don't spend money like crazy. my social security is only $700 a month but i have my home paid in full. save your money and invest in a home. once you have aome, you have noroblem the rest of your life. you don'you -- you should not expect t presint to solve your problem, you need to solve them yourselves. i'm a democrat now in our present has been doing a good job but it's time to move out now. i ho he doesn't run.

weeed a new president. they need to bring i ideas. he's been helping a lot of people and we appreciate that. host: it was a discussion th took place on fox news yesterday, the white house counsel of cheek economic advisors, jared bernstein talk about the state of economy and the concerns of 2024. here is rt of that [video clip] [video clip] conversation from yesterday. >> what about the debt? $33 trillion and growing is not sustainable. [inaudible] that's a fair point and a big issue for the coming year when we >> and a couple of months. that will show continued deficit reduction unr this president. he has a proposal to reduce the deficit by $2.5 trillion over 10

years. we cannot do that ourselves. we need congress to work with us. we do that by returning some fairness to the tax code. nobody under $400,000 should pay a time -- a dime more in taxes but those at the top of been evading hundreds of williams of dollars of taxes. we know republicans are trying to cut back the irs fundi that would help to reduce that tax evasion and close the tax gap. our ideas to lowerhe cost, not just height and tax increase but to lower the cost of health care spending and prescription drugs, the cost of insulin and health care covage. the opposition wants to repeal these measures that's going the wrong way and raises the budget deficit, we saw the this year in some of their proposals. it raises costs for middle-class family in a raises the cost for seniors. that's not what youill see in our budget. host: let's hear from gerald in

ohio honor line for thoseho are pessimistic. you are next. caller: good morning,ow are you doing? host: i'm fine, go ahead. i think bidens the dumbest president we've had in the long time. inflation is high. he's got the rents high ande' letting these people over here from these -- he's got the peoplever here from -- mexicans and allhese people coming over here scattered all over the place. hehould have sent them a back. h's not doing nothing about it. host: ok, cbs before the start

of the new year took a poll taking a look at the opinion o what is to come in 2024. some of the results -- theris more to that pole and

will show you that and other as we continue through the course of the morning. tom in winter haven, florida, our line for optimists, you are next. caller: i am optimistic but it's ly iwe can stop th trend of losing their identity. that's with regd to whatur unders intended area this word democracy gets thrown around so willy-nilly. we are in fact a constitutional republic. when one of your callers mentioned the flag, it's not to the report -- it's not to the democracy but to the republic but there is a conrted effort by many in the strategy is that that will become a truth. the one democratic debate i've watched, biden was selected. we are a democracy and simply not true is what he said.

what our founderintended, this was a country founded on judeo-christian values. when you work in a court of law, you raise your right hand and put your hand on the bible and then you swear to tell the truth. host: how does all that relate to your sense of optimism? caller: i'm optimistic because i believe this is thgreatest country. if we can stop this deliberate intention to change what the founders intended in this country, change is constant but we are not talking about switching from carburetors to fuel injection. were talking about something really big which is what the founders intended. we've got to stop this manipulation of trying to change the constitutional republic and turn it into a democracy. st: another one of those poles

to show you from maris asking people about optimism or pessimism in the year ahead. you can check out that marist poll. we are asking you to whether you're optimistic or pessimistic for th year ahead. (202) 748-8000 for tho of you

who are optimistic and (202) 748-8001 if you say you are pessimistic and then you c text or post on social media sites. virginia on outline for optimists, hello. caller: good morning. i am eternally optimistic. ere is absolutely no doubt that right now we are in a time of unprecedented change. i don't think th country has ever been in the place it now . we a almost at the point of i uld call i a civil warere particularly t republican side is driven in a wor view that's anti-change. likehe caller befe said, change is the only constant. like the grong pains this country went through at its founding and after the end of slery, i belve this is a

similar period of history we are going through. ifou look at it in the ctext of history, empires rise and fall, nations rise and falbut ultimaly, god is in control. we just ha to ho onto the faith that things will get better like they always ha. as someone almost 70, i've seen tremendous changes happen just in my lifetime. i just believe that we definitely will go through a diicult period. we don't really know what the future holds but i am eternally optimistic because i know who holds the future. host: bristol, virginia hon line for pessimists. caller: yes, am pessistic d i listen to a lot of this

stuff and i listen to different sides there. from what i've seen, i'm not sure which way people are going but i'm optimistic too when i think about how my republin presidents have been elected. another thing i he people saying is it stupid to swa courses in midstream. all of us who are been listening and nobody knows when to go behind that curve -- behind that curtain tvote. that make me a little optimistic host: jes in california also unrlined for optimists. caller: thank you for taking my

call. i'm externly optimistic because all states in the union will be takinvoting for different posions within their governments whether it's state or otherwise. i'm also optimistic because many states have purge their voting records, over 100,000 individuals of been removed from the voting records of a few states. i would like all states too that. number two, i would like to see the treasury, the government reduced by one million employees for the federal government. the treasury department to start with, 100,000, epa to be done away with, department of education to be done away with, e department of justice to be reduced by 50,000 incrsing the border patrol by 50% not administrative personnel but border patrol officers. there are at least 10,000

individuals here illegally and i would like to create a city on federal property that would be called awaiting judicial hearings for those folks were here illegally and who have gotten into our country because we couldn't capture them or sees them. i would like to see the coast guard increase its members by 3500. i would like the states to reduce their roles. host we got the point. let's hear om michelle in alabama on the pessimistic line. caller: hi, i'm optimistic and pessimistic. i'm pessimistic because we got one more year of lying joe biden. you see how muchamage he can do to the country between now and an election. i optimistic because i can't wait for trump to get reelected. host: sandy from columbus, ohio

honor line for optimists caller: i am optimistic because i am very happyhat t truth is going to me out and especially here in ohio. between januar1 in oh, becauseen january 1 and the fourth, when they get the taxes, statement for theiromes, they will find out that the 25 ohio signatures in the ohio assembly and ate grass, 67 republicans and only 35 democrats. -- and eight democrats, 60 seven republicans and only 35 democrats. the truth is coming out and the republicans by them running ts state. so yes, as far as joe biden goes, keep telling the truth. it is going come out, because the truth will win. host: sandy they are finishg out the second hour with your

calls, 2024 if you are optimistic or pessimistic about what i ahead this year, call and let us go. keep doing so. 202-748-8000 if you are optimistic. guest: @cspanwj ♪ ♪ 202-748-8001 iyou say you are pessimistic. i guest joing us for our final hour, a short visit come out of charlottesville, virginia, a talkshow host, mr. thomas, welcome back to the program. happy new year to you. guest: thank you for inviting me back. i was born on friday the 13th, and i've been an optimist ever since. host: what is driving your optimism this year, doou think? guest: that our rights don't come from government, and we should remember that. there are people on this planet that have god-given rights, but they don't have the blessings of

a government that have reconstituted under the idea that they are supposed to protect that above all other things. we s this cycle before, liberty and prosperit and apathy and tierney, and the cycle repeated over and over again. hopefully we can stop it. host: are there specific infringements you would see that you would say this is happening and people don't see it? guest: what i see more frequently as people misunderstanding. charlottesville has been a hotbed of this for at least 500 years, but you know what, whe jefferson and madison both hail from here, we take it personally. there's a right to speak. you don't have a right to be listened to. that is on you. i was interviewing dee snider come of all folks, who has a

book out with his battles of censorship, tipper gore, back in the day, and he uses one of the phses that drives me crazy, the expression, you don't have the right to yell fire in a crowded theater, well, you do if there is a fire in a crowded theater. i've had my youtube channel taken down. i've had social media accounts, spotify will not distribute my podcast, because i talk about things lik ivermecn, i talk to dr. paul meretz, and we were not even saying there was fire in a crowded theater, we were asking t question, "does anybody else smell smoke?" there's a real battle between what is your right and what is your responsibility. we talk about this a lot on my show. everright comes with counterbalancing responsibility.

you ha a right to use freely, but you d't have a right to lie about people, and that is where we've come off the line. i connect get back to wn we stopped displaying that original book of 10 rules, the commandments, thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor, for example. host: your thoughts of demrats being a control of the general assembly. what is the impact going to be this year? guest: i think it will be interesting. we will see if governor youngkin is the dealmaker that he said he was when he was campaigning from his days in the investment banking world, but it is going to be a battle, because right now, the leadership of the democric party wants to deny governor youngkin anything. governor youngkin could walk in and saying here we hava cure for cancer from the university of virginia, and they would oppose it under the idea of what about all the researchers you are going to p out of work. sohere's going to be, if

vernor youngkin wants it, they argoing to oppose it. his challenge this year is to get things on his agenda passed wiout necessarily claiming credit for them. i think that's going to be how he's going to have to govern this year, if he wants to get anything done. we just lost a ballot over a future tax cut, a permanent tax cut for virginia, and we announced a deal to build an arena with all this other redevelopment in the commonalth, and everyone is backslapping over that. hold on, tse were our tax cuts. those were hard-working virginians' dollars. there's got to be some infrastructure devopment here and there, but gosh, the capital one center is not that old, and it does not look like it needs to be replaced right now. host: in your mind, what do you

think the governor will do to strike those balances and make those deals to get things accomplished? guest: well, for example, setor mark pete has a bill that will shorten our elections. we start voting for president january 19 in the commonwealth because we have a 45-day election window. so, you know, nobody gets a break in this. with5 days of early absentee voting in virginia, it becomes a real onerous thing. you're turng around, and people are voting again. it is crazy. so they are trying to shrink back to 21 days. i'd like to see a shrunk to seven, but right now, the compromise seems to be 21 days. those are the kinds of things you will see this year. host: moving to the house of representatives, mr. thomas, virginia house of representatives, now tapped the head of the house freedom caucus. what you think that means for speaker johnson?

guest: well, i think speaker johnson has already had some contentious meetings with the freedom caucus. it will be bob's challenge, it has increased in numbers every year, and that is going to be good for him -- key for him, to continue to grow membership in the freedom caucus. he is facing a primary challenger, john maguire's challenging him on the idea that his worship will in this leakers battle cost the virginia republicans the house and senate. i'm noone who likes to point fingers, but these days, we are trying to get lots of parents into the seats in the general assembly raises, and they're pointing the fingers at bob good, and the vacated the chair event is driving republicans out

of the party. donald trump got more toote for him in 2020 van glenn youngkin in 2021, justhe votes were different. i don't know where t virginia republans are. i know the ones i talked to all one feet policies back, better opportunities for more jobs, the peace in the middle east, the trade deals that where the abraham accords, they want those back. and i think if psident trump arculates those thing he will win, but he needs to articulate those things, and h has not been to virginia a lot. he's been obviously hitting some of the early battleground states in the priry a lot. that's what we need to hear from him, that he remembers the forgotten name that he campaigns to in 2016. and if he does that, he will win in 2024, and we will probably see some coattails for republicans in the house and senate. host: we seen several states

trying to keep the former president off via the 14th amendment. do you know if there's anything similain the works in the commonwealth of virginia? guest: actually just on friday, a federal judge smacked down an attempt for lack of standing, i think was the actual reasoning, but the judge, an appointee in e eastern district of virginia, there were two fellows from the hampton roads area that had filed the same kd of paperwork, the same kind of suit that said we wanted to keep donald trump off the ballot because of the 14th amendment, and they said there was no standing. so he will stay on the ballot here, starting january 19. host: you talk about the former president, but when it comes to the current president, joe biden, given tt he probably holds struggles in the north and richmond and maybe even the coastal cities, what you think his chances are ven the polling numbers guest: didn't he

just announced a 5% raise for federal employees? that is most of rthern virginia, as if he needed their votes anyway. what i'm seeing, though, is a very interesting case, and i will jump off of joe biden and talk about roberf. kennedy, jr., because i'm seeing polling numbers, and especially a lot of these battleground stas, he achieved ballot acce in utah, and that is going to be a big grsroots campaign builder. i've seen polls where he is polling as high as 20%, d that is a real wild card in this. if hgets on the debate stage with presidents trump and biden, that could really throw a monkeywrench. jefferson in charlottesville started a third political party in 1800, because t ruling parties were losing touch with virginians, the alien and sedition acts, and things like that. maybe someone will have the gravitas of kennedy, just like

it took someone with the gravitas of jefferson, to shake up, we like to refer to it as republicans and democrats like to think they are the fourth and fifth branches of government, part of this ball access, so that will be an interesting thing in the 2024 president to election cycle. host: joe thomas, helping people findour show? guest: we are on every morning at wchv.com, but we have a free smartphone app. download it om the itunes store,ou can listen anywhere. that listeners in oklahoma, alabama, all over the place. i had video, i would challenge you, but you got the video over me. host: joe tmas, thank youo much for your time, and happy new ar. guest: happy. ho: abo0 minus to go. keep calng in.

judyn the rest of who consids herself optimistic, thank you for waiting. go ahead, please. judy, you are on. caller: yeah. think president biden is doing a pretty good job. he has a lot on his ate right now with the war overseas, but he's trying to bdiplomic about ding that crisis. mr. trump, i believe, wants to just go in there and blow everybody up and start world war i. as f as the economy goes, i've al seen improvement, i know that here in nebraska, over the pastew months, gas prices have

dropd more than one dollar a gallon, and i've seen some grocery itemsowering. i sethe stock market doing well, and the fact that intest rates will probably be cut in the upcoming year. and as far as spending goes, mr. trp spent more money in four yearshan any other president ever. heeft huge deficit for mr. biden, and i think he'trying to do that. host: ok, michael joins us from honolulu on our line for optimists. hello, michael. caller: hi. how are you doing? host: fine, going to come up

please. caller: i'm very optimistic that trump can fix up the borders and allow our fabulous country to do better. i think our country has been led astray by the government and the media. i am optimistic he will fix the problems, and our country will be a strong, happy place. the world will respect us. i really believe that trump knows --t is impossible for it to go any other way. it is amazing to me that people continue to vote the way they do. thank you. host: steve in delaware, on our line for those who consir

themsees pessimist hello. caller: i'm concerned about t inability of our politians to come togher to resolve problems in a number of different issues, social security, the national debt, which is causing this massive inflation, and, you know, everyone has to come together to resolve these things, get away from the name-calling and everything. host: what do you think are the main drivers of legislators and politicians not working together on these issues? caller: i think it is selfhness, their own selfishness. i think that, you know, they need to be held responsible by the media, but the media is so divided, and they are not holding people responsible. i tnk we need to get back to the days of wear just the facts

were told and let people come to their own conclusions rathe than having talking heads with just, you know, soundbites. people listen to those soundbites and take shot. host: steve in delaware. we will hear next fm ron in missouri on our li for optimis. hello. caller manthis igoing be a good year, because i believe donald j trump is probably going to be right down the street from me in leavenworth. host: ok, mark in pennsylvania on our line for festivus. peimists. hello. caller: happy new year. host: happy newear. caller: we are duplicing history, aren't we? we have not learned from covid t. it is not over. what happened in the 1920's? what happened in the 1930's?

that's all i'm going to say. thank you. host: wait a minute. can you elaborate on that? caller: 1919,helu, what happened after the flu? why did america do? what happeneto the markets? how did trade cnge? all that changed for us, but it did not change. we are just duplicating the same result of whatook place in the 1920's. host: how so? caller: the roaring 20's re a party time. what are we doing w? the way to overcome depression is to party. at is what we are doing now. host: howoes that relate to the year ahead? caller: we have not learned from covid-19, the fallout from covid. we are still going to go through turmoil. trade still has not taken place, t all items are on the shelves yet.

we don't ve accs to all product. resources are thin. we are going to monkey around with it for the next 10 years. host: that is mark there in pennsyania. again,f you share his tughts or maybeave opposing thoughts when it comes to your level of optimism or pessimism in the united state especlly in this year ahead, 202-748-8000, for those of you who conder yourselves optimists in this year, for the redhead. 2-748-8001, if you say you are more pessimistic. our social media and texting sis, too one issuthat came up with south carina senator lindsey graham concerning the upcoming election and also the issue of forr president trump and if you will be held liable for issues involving january 6. here is part of the conversation from yesterday. [video clip] >> you said that in 2021, after

the senate impeachment trial, you said of donald trump, the "president's conduct is subject to law of the land. if you believe he committed a crime, he could still be precuted after his out of office." do you stand by that statement at mr. trump could be prosecuted a criminal reliable? sen. graham: yeah. it depends on what the conduct is. on january 6, if he were still president, trying to find out what was on the up and up, the immunity claim, i don't know if it will bear out, but i think it is a legitimate claim. on january 6, he did not break into theapital. he gave a fiery speech, but he not the first guy to ever do that at the end of the day, this case will not go to trial before the election. there are more legal issues around this than you can even

imagine, what can a president do as president? what are the limitations of being president? >> to be clear, you do not believa president should be immune from prosecution if he commitd a felony? sen. graham: well, right. nobody is immune from the law. we do have presidential immunity to do your job. i have immunity to do my job. he got acquitted. january 6 is baked into the cake. i thinkhat jack smithases is not changing the political outce. we will see what the cou does. host: tt conversationrom yesterday. here is louise inassachusetts on our line fothose who consider themselves pessimists. hello. ller: hi. i'm just so distressed that so many people are in favor of trump. i think that biden is a brilliant man.

he has a sech impediment, for heaven sakes, and he has overcome that. he is a brillian man, and he has ne a wonderfulob. even all of the republicans, they follow trump as if they are terrified of him, and if he wins, it is really all over for us, d i'm just horrifi that people want to vote for him, and people who want to get rid of the government. [indistinct conversation [laughs] of course people are aeady so poly eduted, that is t reason they are in favor of trump. they just don't know any better. host what do you think is the possibility of presint biden not winning this year? caller: that's what i am worried

about! i'm so rried that he won't win. i want him to win, of course, and of course i hope he wins, but i'must depressed horribly thinkf if he doesn't win, we are stuck with this awful, awful man. i do remember hitler. i remember what happened, and trump wan to get rid of e alliance in europe. he wants to elimate that, get america out of that, and that will destroy their alliance. and the only time they've ever used i was 911, and europe was coming to our defense. people just don't -- they are very ignorant. th is the whole reason they are voting for trump.

the republans want to keep them ignorant, so they will keep vong for republica. st: from back in pennsylvania come on our line for optimists. hell you are next up. caller: have a question for maga republins. what is going to happen when is guy is a dictator? are you going to be safe from the dictator? for people who say joe biden hasn't done anying, check your 401(k)'s. check interest rates. yeah. they are high, but they are going down. host: wally on our ne for optimists, from new mexico, hello. caller: hello. can you hear me? host: you are on. go ahead. caller: the idea of people

waking up during a time of turmoil, it progresses into good, because people begin to wake up. although education is not the forte of many pple, they are starting to become eduted, becoming aware of who is controlling what and where all this control is coming from and how democracy is not a reality in the way we are living right now. ld on. i ca't hear. host: so how es that specifically lead to you becoming optimistic? caller: well, i'm looking for people to wake up and stop callg each other names, become brotrs and sisters like we really are, and take control of the lifestyle and making things more, you know, renewable, for instance. and just disregarding all these

politicians, the lyers, these people who are justisguidg everybody, the media, the mainstream media, all this stuff is nonsense. when people become aware and educated, all they have to do is understand the root of the causes of things. you push money aside, and you make things,, yeah. host: with the coming of the new year, a new set of state laws, highlighted that "the new york times" this morning, including guns, minimum-wage, and gender transition care. perhaps the most significant change programs bans diversity, equity, and inclusion at public universitiesn texas. republicans have targeted these inittives, known as di, because they say they use taxpayer money to push liberal agenda on campuses. a similar one that florid enacted in may to prohibit

publ colleges and universities from snding funds on di initiatives. additional workplace and health-care productioncome about three dozen states enacted new laws on voting in 2023 but the most practical effects will not be felt until the primary d general elecons in024. many of these changes starting toda and it goes through a host of categories, if you're intested in taking look at those specific categories of the new laws that come into effect as of today, on this fit day of 2024. we are askin you, when youook at your head, how do you describe yourself? perhaps you are me optimistic in nure. perhaps you are a pessimist at heart. how do you describe yourself, partularly when youook at the ur hea joeyn virginia on our line for optimists. hello. call: hello. how are you doing? can you hear me? host: you are on.

go ahead. caller: if trump will be president again, you heard in my video, he's going to pardon all those people that were in jail. the people that don't move forward, are they going toend them to jail? what's going to happen to ncy pelosi and the people who do not move forward with their life? what's going to happen? are you going to have people running up and down the stree? if you do anythi about it, u're going to lose your job, right? st: in virginia on our line for optimists, hello. caller: hello. hello, pedro, how is your day ing? host: fine, thanks. go ahead. are you on speakerphone? caller: i am. host: is there a way for you not to be on speakerphon

caller: l's see, how is that? host great. go ahead. caller:irst day of th year, this is the first time i've been able to call into it almos every show, i want to call inn every topic, and this one, it is not the democrat or republican and others, you know, so this one is easier for me to pick. and i'm totally optimistic about 2024. things a lookip, if people would tually look at the factual information that you don't ve to pay for and watch the senate and house as well as "washington journal hey, and republicans- i'm a registered replican. i votedemocrat in the last election. i did vote for trum in 2015, so i do apologize for that. certainly buye remorse.

st: wtould y base at optimism o give me a specific reason why. call:'optimiic that faas the transion fr older genetion i crge, past baby boomers to jenna to the newer ones, i do ink it is time for our generation x, afr tching this fantastic country, we he been here for about 50 years, our country has been here for, what, 250ish. we have seen this slideefore. we have wated somebody with charisma or chutzpah rizz,

dependg on what you use, to be elected up. because when you have a reality star when 90% of the discourse is like a television show, that's what people want. asar as government goes, they don't carebout policy. ey will believe athing, they will speak, politians will speak under the dete plot. the speech and debate plot is ridicuus, because representatives ll go out on the floor, and they do go out on the floor and say the most ridiculous, insa stuff, insane things that are happening, and they had those trigger points, and th engages the sred, people that are fearing. host: ok, got the point. thanks, caller.

we've got one half hour to go, are you pessimistic or optimistic? continue calling in. 202-748-8000, if you consider yourself an optimist. 202-748-8001, perhaps, if you are a pessimist. and check us out on social media if you wish. we've been joined by vious people of opinion during th course of this moment, and finishing off the roster is mike root out in madison, wisconsin, a talkshow host out there. thank you for coming back on the program. guest: thanks for having me, pedro. host: for those who don't know the program, talk about your perspective and who your audience is. guest: we are call the devils advocate radio show. my cohost happens to be my college roommate. we've been doing this for about 13 years, and ware in originating out of wisconsin, so

boon, this is the center of political malfeasance in the nation, the origination, any number of that issues that have come down the pike here in the last decade. wisconsin is always the eye of the hurricane. host: onef those topics, the eye, so to speak, was redistricting, the wisconsin supreme court. tell me about what happened, and what do you expect to happen from there? guest: and we could go, the wisconsin supreme court, who had a newly panel justice who is liberal, janet, jtice janet joined the court in august, and one day later, a lawsuit was filed on behalf a primarily democratic plaintiffs seeking to change the republican favored maps in wisconsin.

a week ago, the wisconsin supreme court ruled that new maps for 2024, and we have got a very accelerated timeline going on, but that gives us, a few of your optimistic callers, that gives me great of ms. been the new year that wisconsin will get back to small d demracy and representative government here. host: what is the likelihood that can all be settled out before election day? guest: the republicans in chge here are threatening to take into the wisconsin supreme court. if it is on a specific cause additional issue, that lacked contiguous districts, and that is firmly implanted in the wisconsin constitution. so it is my impression that it is not a federal court issue.

this should remain, it should upld here on the state level, but of course republicans do not want these. they have nearly a two-thirds legislative majority, despite the fact they hardly win state elections anymore. host: you can elaborate on an effort by wisconsin brewer, he made an attempt to keep the president off the ballot using the 14th amendment. where did that go? guest: so far it has been shut down by the wisconsin elections commission to they have fectively said they do not decide who goes on the ballot, and that was always the and dissipation. this is my understanding, and i certainly admire the effort he's on every lawsuit.

but i don't know that th is not bound for the courts. the brewing company super pac once this in the court, and i think there should be an portunity in the state of wisconsin. i wonder if there is a bear master, is the right for this lawsuit. host: yourudience is progressive, i would think. wendy think about other candidates on the democratic side, your or no west, robert f. kennedy, jr., marianne williamson, trying to make a challenge to president biden? guest: i think it's all very distracting. we m marianne williamson in 2020 to it we met some of these

democratic candidates when there were 20 or so presidential candidates. this is not the time for that. i met cornel west in d.c. the night that donald trump got elected, literally. it raises the wire of the year, certainly that is not the right answer, and whi proessives may find jobiden may not be their ideal candidate, and was not my ideal candidate, but ceainly now is the time to rally around, because now is not the time for chaos. host: do you think the president needs to rally, particularly in wisconsin? guest: he was in milwaukee in august we've got kamala harris coming to wisconsin in the short

run, i believe in january come on the reproductive freedom to work it certainly this is one of the few states that matter. there will be three to five seats nationally that determine the election outcome, and wisconsin is about a 25,000 margin vote, when trump won the state in 201 and, the blue column in 2020, we've had margins of less than 6000 differential. i mean, it's always here in wisconsin. host: to what degree then do you pay attention to poland? -- two polling? to what degree do you think that is a factor right now? guest: craig polling in the state of wisconsin fails to reflect the sentint created by the overturning of roe v. wade.

this new liberal that has joined the court, she won by 11 points in the state of wisconsin. that is an overwhelming victory we do not seek often. maybe senator tammy baldwin, but no one else wins by those margins here in the state of wisconsin. so i am usually optimistic that that is not really reflected properly in the polling. the's no way the polling can show that when they ask, do you prefer trump or biden? what they are not reflecting is the sentiment, especially of women d those who love women here in the state of wisconsin where, dipping on who you ask, abortion is legal. women are not satisfied with that. they want to talk their own bodies. i think that is not reflected in the polling. host: before we let you go, i don't know to the degree you

knew him, but if you have any thoughts on the passing of herb kohl? guest: well, herb kohl was a venerable senator in the stat of wisconsin, beloved as much for his ownership of the ms. milwaukee bucks franchise in his efforts to keep that wisconsin and keep wisconsin a major-league state, keep milwaukee a major-league city. i had an opportunity to meet with senator kohl, once literally in his milwaukee bucks box, and from a fan's perspective, he was a huge fan of the milwaukee bucks, and that will be as much part of his legacy in the state as his service as a u.s. senator. host: how can people find your show and listen to it? guest: the devils advocate, each weekday, 4:00 to 6:00 central time.

hopefully you can go directly to our website. host: that is mi crute, host of the program and the network. thank you for your time here at happy new year. guest: happy new year to you, pedro. things having me. -- thanks for having me. host: you thinking calling and until the top of the hour. rory in california on our line for those who consider themselves pessimists. go ahead. you are next. caller: yes. good morning. i think we are looking at a year of violence. they a throwg out veterans from heless places to put aliens they. and now you get the homeless d the aliens are starting to get into battle with each other because of thisold climate.

pretty sn, the aens will not get an food, money, or shelter, and they will riot. americans have about three guns for ery american citizen. i spect they will write and try to take away people's od for break into people's home. the best thing this country can do is take the 25th amendment and have biden removed from office. harris is one person that keeps doingotothing, and she continues to do nothing for the usa, then we might have a chance. it is time to get republics and progressives, that's for the birds. we don't want it. goodbye. host: joy from south carolina, our lineor pesmists. hello. you are next. ller:es. hay new year, first of all.

the gubefore me, i totally agree wi him. i'm a hard worke middle-class, and i know that my taxes is takeout of my pay every time i getay and taking care of these illegals that biden has failed to protect our country. we have open borders. they've notone noing about it. he won't even admit it. he don't even know he's president, so something has got to change. i know the american people wt trump back. they. . cannot take him off the ballot. it's we the people who get to vo and we want as our leader, and nobody wants bidenxcept the crazy people. host: joyce in south carolina. speaking of president ben come on his twitter feed, he posted at 8:00 this morning, folks, happy new year, is when he posted on x. as speaker mike johnsonosd

late last night,1:, "house republics ok forward to the important work ahead of us in 2024. we wish yoand your family a safe and blessed n year." speaker mike johnson with his post on x. let's hear from wilmin new york on our line for optimists. hello. caller: good morning. in happy new year to you, sir. host: thank you. caller: i'm optimistic that donald trump will never be presidt agai 's crazy. he's uneducated, and i hope he will be prosecuted and put to jail for all the crimes that he has committed. people who voted, want trump to go back in office, are very crazy. they are the craziest, not the democrats. the republican people are crazy

and uneducated, and they are a fool, in my perspective. host: that's wilma in new york. also a text, this n in virginia saying i'pessimistic as long as these idiots on the left ce, biden in particular, to make every effort republic." this constitutional republicans are not against change, but when change seeks to enact socialism, and that is what democrats all about. another viewer, this is corinne out of pennsylvania saying i'm optimistic f4. president biden is dn excellent job. holiy stores are packed, gas donald trump would be a disaster for this country. donald trump is under indictment, 91 event. it is unbelievable that people still support this man. you can reach out via text if you want, 202-748-8002, ihow you that. again, whave divided the

lines, optimisc and pessimistic when it comes tthe year ahead. 202-748-8000, if you're optimistic. 202-748-8001, if you're pessimistic. let's hear from beth on the lines that consider themselves a pessimist. hello. caller: well, i'm pessimistic and less people decide to do something. going to keep this local. i want to give the new york public library, the performi arts last week, and it was really shocking to show up in new york and see that they have gated lincoln center, the outside plaza, until it opens at 9:00. i get on a bus and i walked up there, and i could not get on the plaza. theyave cut back the library

hours. both at librarand the riverside lrary, you know, they've got guards. th areaying for guards to walk the gunds, but they have cut back theublic library hours. when i went into get ready to rehearse, i was not alwed to sit on the ground and the public library. they are paying for cameras in the public library, and as a dancer, i was told i could go two levels up and wait to get into my versatil they are putting in all of this money to pay for guards, k-9 guards, lincoln center, and to close the hours of the public library. how can you fathom that? that is the most ridiculous loc on the planet, to be doing something like that. i was very polite. i waited outsideincoln center for two hours before i can go in, in the cold.

and i actually went to the first library, the riverside library, got a library card, but the coept that,ou know, the public libraries do not have any money come about idle know how the lincoln center is fund, but there was money for guards, guard dogs. host: let's hear from terry in massachusetts on our line for opmists. hello. caller: llo. i'm optimistic, but i like to say much as i like c-span, both c-span and donald trump show me what a darknderbelly of uneducated people that exists -- evil that exists t there. for stance take e border and the deficitthat republicans care about when they e not in officewhen they are not in control, becae, you know, otherwise, what do they

do? so i'm opmistic anyway, as long as i think that biden can keep the presidency, and i hope the democrats can take the house, because we certainly don't need anoer 1930's germany, which is what the republican side seems to want. and they just don't understand that history repeats itself. but only when a couplof nerations goes by and dissolves, then the next generation will picknother dictator. host: how exactly do you think it is going to repeat itself? caller: well, looat how -- well, first of all, i thin that biden will win, but if he doesn't, donald ump is just the first in many -- i mean, lookt the republican party. they are not conservatives, they are fascists now. they don't care about t constitution. they've been just using that as a ploy all along, and they take

their own versions of what the constitution and what the repuic means or democracy. you even hear thetalk about how "we are not a democracy th' a terrible thing. th use "liberalism" as a pejorati. the red states are so woefully ignorant and uneducated, and the republican politicns take full advantage of that. thespeopleote agnst themselves to give taxreaks thrich. host le's ar fro colet i oregon, again, this idea whether you are optimistic or pessimistic in this new year ahead. go ahead. you are next. let me punch the line, see if it works. it is line 2. can we punch that? thank you. hello. caller: hello. for the fellow who said there is no help for the veterans, there

is. for homeless veterans, the number is 877-4243838. i'm very optimistic, because we have a great country, and i'm sure that -- i agree with the last guy. i'm sure our citizens will come around and vote for what is in the best interest of our country. thank y. host: one of the things that came out of the nday shows, one of the interviews was nb's "meet the press" progra dedicated to mental health and pennsylvania senator john fetterman talked about his own efforts to treat clinical depression. here's a portion of that interview. ♪ >> can you talk about what it was like the first few days of being in treatment? sen. fetterman: just meeting with people they are a meeting with other people that were there as well.

my family would visit, my brothers would visit, and i really wasn't really -- i did not like to have a lot of conversations. i just wanted to be kind of left alone and stay in bed. >> where there ever moments when you were there, seeking treatment, when you started to lose hope? sen. fettean: yeah. every day th ended with y, you know like, it's a good depression joke. everyday. i felt like there was not any hope sometimes and, like, what do i have left? and feeling like there was no hope is what kind of drove me to the place. . and that's why i want people to know no matter how it may look right now, i'm begging you, it's

not that bad. it's not that bad. and even if you think that's true, hold on. just, you've got to hold on. you can't imagine how much better can get, if you make the investment and the commitment to ju hold that line and work get better on that. host: that whole interview is on nbc. onof the other interviews that came out yesterday, a news story that came out yesterday was the passg of former u.s. representative edward g's johnson -- eddie bernice johnson. she dd on sunday. she was 8years old. president biden and manother leaders posted statements about her death after her son posted about her on facebook. president biden cauldron icon and mentor to generations of public servants to whom her

legacy and resilience will endure. let's hear from color in new hampshire on our line for those who are pessimistic about the gearhead ahead. go ahead. caer: happy new year, pedro. i guess i'm pessimistic, because when you have a congress that gets paid and is not doing what they are elected to do, i'm pessimistic because of the lack of intelligence of the general public as to how our government is supposed to function. i'm pessimistic because i see trump as a modern-day hitler. he has told us what he's going to do, and it's exactly what hitler did in germany. attacked the press, take away rights, so i don't know how were

going to turn around the trumpers, to realize what it would be like to live under a dictatorship. i don't understand why they still advocate for this man. so i guess that's why i'm pessimistic. we are still divided. we are supposed to pull together here, and we seem to be pulling apart. so that is all i have. host: we will hear from james next come in massachusetts, on our line for those who consider themselves optimists. hello. caller: happy new year. yes, i'm optimistic as hell. i listen to these people. they are afraid of donald trump. we already had four years of donald trump. with his economic

know-how, water policies, his energy policies, his promises to drain incredibly dangerous swamp, elected and unelected. what i'm hoping is the fbi and the cia and the justice department regained their credibility. i'm just blown away by all these democrats. i have a daughter who is a democrat. she won't sit and talk since with me. they leave the room. they scream and yell about donald trump. well, i already led four years of donald trump, and he was awesome for me! i'm a 67ear-old retired gentleman. i was self-employed. i owned a little grocery store, a market, and he was such a breath of fresh air for self-employed, hard-working people, no giveaways. i think everybody who is anti-trump ought to take a deep

breath and watched different news stations. it's so obvious. host: let's hear from carrie in new york on our le for those who consider themselves pessimists. carrie, good morning. sayuri: callergood morning. my name is carrie, and i live in new york. i'm pessimistic because it seems as though trump has, like, some kind of hypnotic thing on these people. even in the church, it's like a king, king david, he had a lot of wives, he's entitled to that. i mean, it's really, really strange, but i wish we had another candidate other than biden. but the minorities have to rally around bid and the rest of the less, because we may not have another choice, ok? so, yeah.

pessimistic, a little bit of hurt, and hope. thank you. host: eugene from highland, new york on our line for those who are optimists. hello. caller: yeah. happy new year to everybody today. it seems like a lot of people have trumped arrangement syndrome. let's step down, where the previous governor like cmo who gave himself immunity, and 50,000 people died, when president trump said -- he deny ople, basically denied them access to medical services. so peoe remember that. and never let that man ever come near a ballot and hopefully take his name off the bridge also, because that is despicable.

happy new god bless america. host: one more call. this will be from dave. he is in illinois on our line for pessimists. hello. , right? let's try one more call. caller, ahead. caller: hi. how are you doing? my name is dorian rogers. i'm from maryland, a registered democrat. just one thing about regarding pessimistic versus optimistic for the year. host: you are on. go ahead. ♪ >> c-span now is a free mobile app featuring your unfiltered view of what is happening in washington, live and ondemand. keep up with the day's biggest events with live streams of floor proceedings of hearing from u.s. congress, white house events, campaigns, and more from the world of politics, all at your fingertips. you can also stay current with the latest episodes of "washington journal" and schedule information for span's tv networks and c-span radio, plus a variety of compelling podcasts. span now is available in the app store and google play. download it for free today. c-span now, your front row seat lost accountability to democry. i was watching an episode where they were talking about what is the most prosperous year within our union, and quite frankly as a black american, outside of reconstruction, when blacks were able to obtain their equal counterparts, i feel like we are watching people abuse the rule

of law come and we need to take accountability of our local, federal, and state democracy and innocence make sure we are mindful about how we need to be involved in our democrat procures, especially in all elements of government, because in essence, i believe people are starting to see it is not just the two-party system but it is being built on the people itself, which it was framed to do. ho: ok. we will leave it there. thank you, for all of you who participated in this program today, making it the best program of the year, this being the first day of 2020 forget also thank you to the production crew, all those who keep c-span operational. you don't see them, you don't hear them, but they work very hard to bring you this program, and we thank you from the bottom -- i thank you for sharing the time today. that is a for the program today could another edition of "washiton journal" comes your way at 7:00 tomorrow morning. we will see you then. [capons copyright national

cable satellite corp. 2024] [captioning performed by the national captioning institute, which is responsible for its caption content and accuracy. visit ncicap.org] ♪ >> c-span's washington journal. our live forum involving you to discuss the latest issues in government, politics and public policy from washington to across the country. coming up tuesday morning, cbs news congressional correspondent scott mcfarland talked about former president trump's legal challenges. then university of virnia center for politics director larry sabato on campaign 2024 and other political news of the day. c-span's washington journal. join ithe conversation live at 7:00 eastern tuesday morning on c-span, c-span now or online at

c-span.org. ♪ c-span studentcam documentary competition is back celebrity in 20 years with this year's theme, looking forward while considering the past. we are asking middle and high school students to create a five to six minute video addressing one of these questions. in the next 20 years, whats the most important change she would le? what is the most important ange in america? we are giving away $100,000 in total prizes. every teacher who has students participate has the opportunity to share a portion of an additional $50,000. the competition deadline is friday, january 19, 2020 four. for information, visit our website at studentcam.org. >> c-span is your unfiltered

view of government. we are fded by these television companies and mor including comcast. >> you think ts is just a community center? no, it is way more than that. comcast is partnering with a thousand committee centers so students from low income families can get the tools they need to be ready for anything. >> comcast supports c-span as a publicervice along with these other telesion providers giving you a front row seat to democracy. >> cominup next, c-span's bookthat shaped america series exploreshe words ocesar chavez, a 2002 anthology whh presents major speeches d writings by the labor leader and discusses theiimpact on the early 1960's farmworkers movement. then a hearing lookingt the current challees facing u.s. olympic and paralympic aletes.