business to enlist in the air force after the september 11 attacks. >> i was moose hunting in alaska when september 11 happened. i was one of the last people on the planet to find out about it. i did not see it on tv. i got stuck because the borders were closed. and as soon as i could get home i walked into the recruiter's office and said, i have a pilots license. i was a researcher at nyu. what can you do with me? >> watch new members of congress all this week starting at 9:30 p.m. eastern on c-span. >> later today, former republican new hampshire governorhris sununu discusses democracy and trump administration policies at an even hosted by at george washington university. watch live at 6:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. it is now our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org.

>> democracy is always an unfinished creation. >> democracy is worth dying for. >> democracy belongs to us all. >> we are here in the sanctuary of democracy. >> great responsibilities fall again to great democracies. >> american democracy is bigger than any one person. >> freedom of democracy must be constantly guarded and protected. >> at our core we are still a democracy. >> this is a massive victory for democracy and freedom. >> here is the gallup poll from last week taking a last look at questions asked about members of the political parties and changes they would like to see within the parties. one of the questions was when it comes to preferences saying if you had to choose, would you rather see the democratic party become more liberal, stay the

same, or become more moderate commit if you had to choose what you see the republican party become more conservative, stay the same, or become more moderate. when asked in 2021 free democrats, 34% saying they wanted to see their party become more liberal, and more moderate, 34%. 2025, same questions with democrats and democratic leading independents. 29% saying they want their party to become more liberal, 45% of those questioned saying democrats and democratic leading independents, more moderate is what they wanted to see. when asked of republicans in 2021, 40% say they want to see the party more conservative, 34% more the same, and 24% saying they wanted to see the party more moderate. 2025, 28 percent of those conservatives, 28% saying they

want the party more conservative, 43% saying they wanted to see their party stay the same, and 27% saying they wanted their party to become more moderate. that is the gallup poll. we are taking our own pole when it comes to the party you belong to. you think it needs changes and what you think this changes should be. for republicans (202) 748-8001, (202) 748-8000 for democrats, for independence (202) 748-8002. and you can text us at (202) 748-8003. specific categories for members of the democratic party, saying if you had to choose would you see the democratic party become more liberal, stay the same, or more moderate? amongst those identified as liberal democrats saying they wanted the party to become more

liberal, 45% of those. 22% of those things are the same and 30% say more moderate. when it comes to those identified as moderate democrats , 14% saying the party should be more liberal, 22% staying it should do the same, 62% of those saying the party should be more moderate. here's a look at the gallup poll. more democrats favor party moderation than in the past is the title. when it comes to those party modifications you would like to see, if you think your party does the those changes. luke in miami florida on the democrats line starts us off. good morning. caller: it is my first time calling. absolutely the party needs to change. i have been disappointed in the democratic party recently. i think they are stuck in a lot of positions that are extremely unpopular with the voter base. especially the social positions.

there was an incident where someone that was the chair of the democratic party or something was like trying to do with pronouns and it was a complete mess. i think a lot of those positions are incredibly unpopular and if the recent election is anything to go by if the democratic party wants to win it needs to abandon some of these weird positions it has. host: was a specific position you have that would differ from most within your party? caller: i don't think we should be having these transgender athletes competing in women's sports. i think they have an unfair advantage. statistics i have seen say over 60% of the general american population does not think they should be participating in sports.

positions like that where we have clear statistics that most people do not want these things, the democratic party refuses to change on. it is really putting them out of touch with the american people. host: luke in miami, florida. democrats line about changes he would want to see within the party he is belonging to. raymond in new york, republican line, your next. good morning. caller: good morning. i want to know is term limits a possibility in this country? it seems like people are in office too long. there should be an age requirement for congress and the senate. just my question. host: which you want to see those within your party be term limited as well? caller: everybody, yes. host: why is that? caller: i feel like they been in

office for so long. they always bicker and back-and-forth. politicians, that is what they do. it seems like they are in office too long. host: that is raymond in new york. gallup taking a look at issues of the republican party. here's a question they asked, saying if you had to choose, would you rather see the republican party become more conservative, stay the same, or become more moderate? conservative republicans as they identify themselves, 38% say they want to see the marty become more conservative, 45% say they want the party to be the same, 16% saying the party should become more moderate. amongst moderate republicans, 10% of those saying they want to see the party become more conservative, 36% saying they wanted the party to stay the

same, and 50% of those polled by gallup amongst moderate republicans say they wanted the republican party to become more moderate. you may reflect those ideas, you may not. call and let us know. democrats line in wisconsin. mike, good morning. caller: the problem the democrats have is a number of things, but the biggest one is they do not have a simplified platform. i went back and looked at fdr's platform in the early 1930's and that is what the democratic party needs. too many french ideas. they need to focus -- too many fringe ideas. they need to focus on big ones they communicate to the american people. it is not left or right, conservative or liberal, it is what is relevant to the american people they need to focus on those things. one of the big ones we need to

do is campaign funding -- citizens united has destroyed the country with money in washington. we need to reformat and go back on the issues where we'd made mistakes and refocus. that is one campaign finance reform and stay relevant in terms of the american people. it is not left and right but the democrats went with some very fringe issues. for example the ncaa in terms of the sexual change rules, there are 10 people participating in the ncaa out of 511,000 student athletes and we are focused on 11 of them. i'm not saying they should not participate. what i am saying is that is what was focused on and it defocuses the relevance of the party and dissipates what is meaningful to the american people.

relevance is the important thing. the other thing is we have to round up representatives able to communicate the new deal 2.0 and focus on that. one of the other big ones is we have a rich and poor issue in the united states. we need a sovereign wealth fund where we dilute every public corporation in the united states by 25% and that becomes the sovereign wealth fund. i did the calculation. it is about half of the national debt. that would be equity held by the treasury of the united states on behalf of the american people. there are restrictions on how to be used. that is my thought for the day. have a wonderful one. host: mike in wisconsin with a list of ideas on how his party should change. if you are independent and you want to give your thoughts on

the party you are a part of were lean towards. mike in orlando, florida. you are next. caller: pedro, i've been a registered independent since 1974. i've been hoping for a viable third party. it was kind of happening when ross perot made his run. we got close to 20% of the vote. as i get older i do not see a viable third party. here's my suggestions. for the republican party, their party has turned into nothing but a spineless people that are basically donald trump's bootleggers or whatever you want to call them. the democratic party needs major change. i am above 65. if you are 65 to 70 it is time to retire. we need young voices. aoc, frost from florida. these things have to change.

i don't understand why these old fossils want to keep going when it is time for younger people who are energetic and ready to get in there and fight. host: why do you think they don't have the opportunity to do so? what keeps them from doing that? caller: you're talking about the younger people from getting positions? i just think the older people, and me being one of them do not want to give up that power and prestige of being in d.c. and calling the shots. i understand, here comes a younger person. i taught school for 25 years. there are very good younger people who can take a stand and take over this party. he being up in that upper age, i do not understand how these people that get to be 70 or 80 years old can do it on a daily basis. i am in great shape and i don't want to do it on a daily basis. host: mike in florida giving us

thoughts for younger voices within the party. maybe that is one of the things you see as far as what your party needs. call and let us know. maybe you think there is no changes needed to the current state of your party. let us know those thoughts as well. (202) 748-8001, (202) 748-8000 for democrats, independents (202) 748-8002. in california, democrats line, this is oscar. caller: can you hear me ok? host: go ahead. caller: the democrats need to refocus on money. on the money separation. they need to simplify things and not clutter it up with unnecessary issues and they need to stick to that because one thing democrats are good at

digging into the corruption. not that they are not doing it either, but they are good at finding discrepancies with the republican party. they can do that all they want but they need to refocus on making it about the billionaires -- doing away with the constitution practically. we know it and republicans -- you have to be seeing this. you voted the guy in office. both parties need to focus on this because that is what it is all about. it is big money in their leaving the working class behind in everything across-the-board. host: oscar in this early morning for him in california giving us his thoughts. one of the people making their thoughts known is the new head of the democratic national committee can martin appearing

on msnbc talking about the new role he has and what he saw was job one as he described it for his party. here is some of his thoughts from yesterday. [video clip] >> iran i said we need to get the d&c out of d.c. and they said what you mean? it is a mindset change. building a 57 state party strategy contesting every race and all of our counties. we have to be organizing everywhere which is the name of this tour. we'll be talking with voters and union members, doorknocking for candidates, holding sessions throughout the red and purple and blue states we are visiting. we need to get the d&c out of the beltway, reconnect our message with voters. that is job number one. someday parts of our coalition left us this last election cycle. we know that, latino voters, working-class households, women.

the only groups we were performed with were wealthy households and college-educated voters. that is a damning indictment on the democratic party. that is why we have to get out to the states to reconnect our message to the voters. host: some of you posting on facebook. this is cindy saying "when it comes to the party -- when it comes to the party, primary every republican in name only or rhino that does not support the president's agenda. michaesaying a very strong ethical oversight based on logic and knowledge that removes rumors and mistrust. misbehavior must not be tolerated. heather collins saying the 99% needs to make the change. party politics, the politics that relates to political parties rather than the good of the general public. you can take some of those ideas and call us or share them on our text service (202) 748-8003.

you can post on facebook and facebook.com/c-span and on ask @cspanwj. this is bill in florida on the changes needed for your political party. good morning. caller: good morning. i think there has to be or transparency in all government institutions. in all levels of those counties, cities, state and federal. also as far as positions like plans, concerns, that type of thing needs to be changed. medical insurance. also how to handle our tax money in general which is nothing is

accounted for. i think all parties including independents need to start being more active as far as the election process goes and it is set more younger people are not. host: bill in florida. let's hear from eric who joins us from maryland. also on our independent line. go ahead. caller: i was a democrat for my entire life until after the 2016 election. i will respond that way. democrats biggest problem is they lie about everything. it is the most extreme -- they accuse people of the most extreme things that are not happening. it continues through today.

i was at party meetings where i had leader heads telling people in the room that their own relatives wanted them dead and when i asked them if they believed this after a second or two of contemplation they said yes. that is the mentality of the democratic party these days. as for the republicans go, i am in maryland, they do not call us independent they call us unaffiliated. i have been unaffiliated since after the 2016 election. republicans cannot get their act together. they fight all the time. the george bush days when you went online and the party message -- there was no party message for the republicans. the democrats, the party message is ridiculous. you can see it from a mile away. host: when it comes to that

party messaging, project lead amongst republicans and i think you were talking about disagreeing with their infighting. why you think that exists? caller: republicans have always been that way since i first looked into political parties as a kid when i first went to vote and decided what party are was going to belong to come the republicans have not had a coherent message that they all stick to. you see the democrats, when they go and say something you can literally see they got the memo because every one of the democrats is using the same words. identical words. that is also a tip for propaganda. republicans do not have a cohesiveness and they always fail in the end because they do not have a backbone. the least i can say about the democrats, no matter if they're

going down the wrong path and sinking the ship, they will open the whole bigger in the bottom just to sink it faster. that is their way of doing it. they get together and do it all the way. republicans never get it done because they cannot work together. host: eric giving us his thoughts from maryland. let's hear from michael in new hampshire. democrats line. caller: i have been voting since 1968 as a democrat. the first thing i think they need to do is find somebody to stand up against trump because if they do not it will not matter what direction they move because their jobs will be meaningless. host: who is that person? caller: right now chris murphy from connecticut seems to be the best to me. chuck schumer