>> president obama's budget has drawn fire. we will continue the conversation about how the u.s. deals with a mounting budget. ne-yo "battle of los angeles".

james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference -- >> thank you. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment, one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. [captioning made possible by kcet public television] tavis: senator kirsten gillibrand is serving her first term in the u.s. senate from new york. holding the seat held by hillary clinton. she is a member of the senate armed forces committee.

an important committee these days. she joins us from washington. an honor to have you on this program. >> it is my privilege. thank you for including me. tavis: i believe budgets are moral documents. jay-z puts it this way. you can see will use a but you are what you are. we find out what you believe when you put these budgets to work. budgets are moral documents. if i am right, what does this budget say about president obama's priorities? >> president obama has tried to do the hard work of making tough choices to balance the budget and reduce the deficit. on some of the priorities he has made, i agree with. making sure we do not invest in military programs that are not being used currently. some of the choices i disagree with. i was concerned about the cut to home heating assistance on the east coast.

we need that in the cold winter. people get an energy investment subsidy. leaving our seniors where they could be at risk for freezing in the winter in upstate new york is a serious issue. sum priorities i agree with, some i do not. tavis: is military spending being cut? >> the president did talk analysis of programs that the military is not using. different capabilities he is discontinuing will save billions. tavis: how concerned should those persons who are hearing this debate about entitlement programs being under attack in the budget. more broadly, how concerned should everywhere -- everyday people be concerned about cuts that impact their everyday lives? >> the real concern is looking at the republican budget. if you look at the numbers that the leadership has put forward and -- it is terrible.

they are cutting early childhood education. they are cutting programs for homeland security to keep our cities and communities safe. they are cutting things that are vital to america and to jobs. they are cutting the training programs, workforce development. a lot of these things are important for economic growth and growing our way out of the republic -- out of the economy. it is a question of being immoral document and there is a clear bright line difference between what president obama is advocating for against what the republican leadership is advocating for. >> is it a bright line or blurry line? when i asked a moment ago about the president's budget, you jump on message to talk about how bad the republicans' budget is and i hear the point. is that your way of saying that the president's budget goes after everyday people in some ways and republicans are worse? are we looking at the better of

two evils? >> no. the president's budget increases funding in certain areas. if you listen to his state of the union address and what he wanted to do in his budget, he is making, creating a level of priorities for where investors need the the -- investment needs to happen. he is investing in education. in science, technology, education, mathematics. he wants to focus on innovation and how we drive growth and job creation. he is investing on research and development in the sciences and tax benefits for growing industries. he is making choices in his budget and some of the safety nets that are important to me like home heating assistance is important. he has made other choices to increase investment in areas he thinks will create jobs. what he is trying to do is focus on the tough choices of having to cut spending. we can cut spending. we cut wasteful spending, fraudulent spending, getting fat

out of programs that he has done that. we have to make choices about which investors are going to be the greatest bang for the buck. what will create jobs and that is what he is focusing on middle-class tax cuts and tax cuts to small businesses and energy, investment, infrastructure investment. he believes that will create long-term job growth which is what our economy needs. tavis: the president takes one position and republicans take a tougher position on these social programs. when they finally -- >> just as an example. in national security, the present increase the number of funding we will receive in new york. new york has been attacked 12 times in september -- since september 11. we are 40fighting for terror funding. he has responded. the republicans have cut terror funding and have cut the

programs that keep infrastructure in transit save by hundreds of millions of dollars. there was a choice made and the republican choice was wrong and the president's choice is right. tavis: if he is making tough choices, some of the cuts he has made are going to end up hurting everyday people. it will hurt the week working class. the republicans' budget is worse. when they meet in the middle, where what that little be? tell me why should not believe that so many americans are still going to be hurt by this budget. maybe not as bad as republicans have offered. i am trying to figure out how the american people benefit from this budget. >> the american people can benefit because president obama is choosing to invest in economic growth. the number one concern in new york state is jobs. people are worried because they're worried about economic insecurity because they have lost jobs and are looking for jobs and they need more hours. president obama is trying to

make the tough choices, cut where he can, but make a significant investment in job growth. that is why the investment in education and opportunity and entrepreneurialism and innovation, small-business is, that is why he made that a priority. it is true in my state and across the country. the economy is the issue. he is focusing on a program -- a pro-jobs program that will grow our way out of this tough economic climate. tavis: are there any issues that the democratic caucus in your body, the senate, are prepared to push back with regard to the white house on this budget? >> i think there will be a lot of issues. for each senator, there will be certain issues that are most important to their constituencies that they will fight for. the senate will produce its own budget and we will make a party of what are the issues we think are important to be funded. where can we cut spending?

cuts i would like to see, i would like to stop the subsidies to oil companies. we give them $8 billion a year for subsidies. one of the most profitable companies and industries in the world. they do not need our taxpayer subsidies. we can make cuts in various agriculture programs. some of the biggest industry producers do not need subsidies. we are making sure we are rewarding small farms and family farms and focusing on conservation. those are choices i want to make. the president did some smart work in reducing spending in various parts of agriculture that was not producing jobs or was rewarding industries that do not need the taxpayer subsidies. in each of entitlement spending, there are ways to focus on the things you want to enhance. in the budget, he increased food stamp money and increase the amount of money going to nutrition which is going to help our constituents.

a lot of families in this economy are suffering from homelessness, suffering from a lack of access to good healthy food, and meanwhile, a lot of our communities are in places where there is no access to fresh fruits and vegetables. he made that choice to take money away from the large commodity crops and put it towards food stamps. those are the choices he made well. a lot of people are delving into this budget. it is a large document. i looked through a number of these titles and see the choices he made and he made the right choices. i will fight for similar traces in the senate and do some things that are important to new york that were not in the budget. tavis: when the president offered a prelude to what this budget will look like in his state of the union address, democrats, republicans sitting together that night in a show of unity and collegiality and civility, how contentious now

are things going to get now that the budget is on the table? >> i think this is something that can be worked through. i understand in the senate, everyone is focused on the economy. i was the presiding officer over the debate this morning and i heard a number of senators talk about the economy. susan collins talked about tax cuts for small businesses. the type of changes i would like to see. there is great room to come together in to get the people posey business done. if the last election was about anything the american people wanted congress to come to washington and do the hard work of coming up with solutions. solutions that create jobs. i think the senate is poised to do that well. i think we can agree. we can create an economic agenda that focuses on the middle class and small businesses. they create 70% of new jobs. we want to make sure we are investing in small business whether it is access to capital,

they can get loans so they can create jobs or tax policy to give them deductions. there is other priorities i have. young veterans. 20% are unemployed. the guys and the men and women coming back from iraq and afghanistan. i want to make sure our businesses have tools to hire them. tax cuts to hire them. i want to make sure that veteran-owned businesses can have special help. we have so many opportunities with women and minority-owned businesses. they are the fastest-growing sector with a small businesses so we want to kill -- cultivate them so they can be part of the recovery effort. that is why i want to work on. that is where new yorkers want my focus on creating jobs. there is a willingness to work out a bipartisan basis to achieve that. tavis: debate is starting to heat up. we will be talking about that in the coming days and weeks. we are pleased to have had york's democratic senator,

kirsten gillibrand. thanks for your time. >> thank you. tavis: next, r & b superstar ne- yo . e're pleased to welcome ne-yo back to this program. you can catch him in "battle from los angeles". here is video for "one in a million". you're the best i ever had ♪ you're one in a million ♪ had ♪re the best i ever

♪ oh ♪ tavis: use of this project was a tribute to michael jackson. your fans know your admiration for michael jackson. the question i want to ask is, what is the relationship like when you have an idol who was living? how does that change, how did that impact your, your work, you're dancing when that icon is no longer on the world stage, when they have transitioned as michael did? his passing was difficult for me. he was a huge inspiration. one of the reasons i have been doing this. i am happy that i got to meet him one time before he passed. i was -- it was one of those

things that was in the back of my head. it never fade away. now that he is not here, i feel like it was kind of an overwhelming feeling of by have to not so much carry the torch but just keep what is he stood for as far as musically alive. we're falling into a place where melody is somewhat lacking in music. everyone feels like there is too much melody or harmony. people -- it goes over people's head, they do not understand it. michael jackson made music that made people feel good. it is not always about money or sex. it is a song that makes you feel good. that is the kind of music he did and that is the kind of music i try to produce. the one who showed me how to do it is not around anymore. tavis: michael inspires you to do what you do.

and be in the music business. that is one side. the other side could be that some people end up dismissing you because you are no michael jackson, they might say or he is trying to be too much like michael jackson. what is the danger in people thinking musically you are putting -- patterning yourself after someone? >> there is no danger. i feel like everything is inspired by something else. there is no 100% original thought. inspiration comes, what ever it is that is creative. i have been quoted as saying about no means am i try to be the next michael jackson. there will be another michael jackson -- never be another michael jackson. is the person who made it possible for me. if you see me in my soup or my

-- suit or high waters, it is a homage. tavis: nicely put. tell me about the music choices on "libra scale". >> this album was an experiment. a lot of firsts in this album. i wrote the trents for all three of the videos. the story of "libra scale" -- it was created. that is something i have never done before. every song has been based in reality, something that happened to me. this is the first time i have written a song based on a fictitious of bed. tavis: and the difference is? >> it was easy to a degree but it was difficult. it was easy because i had a blueprint.

i need songs like this and this. the difficulty came in writing a song about something that has never happened. you have to pretend a little bit. you have to imagine. which in itself is not difficult. but it is the way i write songs, i write from things that happen. to try to do with the other way, it is a bit of difficulty. nothing i cannot handle. i knew that the main focal point of what i wanted this to be was the story line. instead of trying to go and get innovative, i went back to my original inspiration. you hear some stevie wonder and michael jackson. you will see some influences of sammy davis, jr. and the rat pack. you will see some prince. i went to a house party for the first time -- that was an

experience. tavis: you survived it. you are alive and away. >> i do not get starstruck. two of my idols are prince and sammy davis, jr. prince is the ultimate performer. he is that do that will get on stage by himself if he needs to. he will hold you in the palm of his hand. you cannot take your eyes off him. he could be sitting there playing the guitar. he will look to his fans. you cannot take your eyes off of him. what i love is he never changed. he is to be as and especially in this business. there will take who you are and go, i do not know of people will accept that.

prince said, "this is made. i will throw on this shirt and i will let you come to me." he stayed with it. he is an icon and a living legend. tavis: you mentioned this album has more firsts on it than any other album. how do you emotionally, psychologically, spiritually get yourself up for the challenge of doing a bunch of firsts, not knowing, back to prance, if you will get booed off the stage for this project. i love that you are courageous enough to push yourself but there is some risk that comes with this. >> absolutely. this album is as far as album sales and what not, this album has not done as well as my previous three. it is a risk that i knew was possible going in. i felt like it cannot call

yourself an artist if you always play it safe. i did it with a thin line. it is what your fans want and you have to give the fans what you want but you have to enjoy yourself. it cannot say i know my fans want this and it is not what i am. you become a robot. uri people pleaser. it cannot please all the people all the time. -- you are a people pleaser. i feel like i in order to be an artist, you have to embrace that risk and i will jump off this cliff and i will either fall or fly. you have to jump. tavis: first, your first three projects sold so well that when -- you have to know how well the tfirsfirst three have sold. the first three were off the

charts. since you went there, how do you navigate forward? how does it feel when you push yourself and try something different and it is not met with that sort of critical acclaim. your fans to not embrace of the way they did the first three. that makes you feel how? how do you navigate forward? >> to be an artist is to be an emotional wreck to a degree. as an artist, you thrive off the acceptance of other people. you put your heart and soul into this music and you give it to the world and you beg them to love it and they either do or they do not. when they do not, you feel it. it hurts. especially the kind of music i do. i do not every song that you hear i put blood, sweat, and tears into. i do not do fillers. if a person does not accept it or look at it the way i would like them to, you feel it but at the same time, you have to

understand, you cannot please all the people all the time. that is the reality. i am in the process of putting together a new album as we speak. i feel like i might have gotten too cool for the room with the concept on this as far as trying to take the story in stretch across the album. there is certain things that i feel like do not work in this day and age. the attention span of the consumer is short. what i should have done and i see this in hindsight, michael jackson's "thriller". there was one song and the rest was good music. he made one song and one video and the rest of the music is fantastic. just do it that way. right to attend this again, i would do that.

tavis: you put some time into trying to discern what x, y, and the means. you were saying about people accepting it. the public are starting to accept you as an actor. you have more acting projects lined up. >> i will say it is a blessing. "battle of los angeles". it is physically trying, i play a marine. we trained with the marines and gave me a new respect for the armed forces. i would never do it. you would never see me joining the air force, or army or marines. tavis: that said, we appreciate

the fact that you are writing songs. the latest project is "libra scale". ne-yo, good to have you want. we will see you at the movies and a record store and anywhere you want to hang out. nice to see you. that is our show. good night from l.a. and thanks for watching. as always, keep the faith. sharp and knife, deadly ♪ ♪ you're cutting too ♪ >> for more information, visit tavis smiley at tavpbs.org. captioned by the national captioning institute --www.ncicap.org-- >> for more information on today's show, visit tavis smiley

at pbs.org >> all i know is his name is james, and he needs extra help with his reading. >> i am james. >> yes. >> to everyone making a difference -- >> thank you. >> you help us all live better. >> nationwide insurance supports tavis smiley. with every question and every answer, nationwide insurance is proud to join tavis in working to improve financial literacy and remove obstacles to economic empowerment, one conversation at a time. nationwide is on your side. >> and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. >> be more. >> be more.