america loses advantage when it is a dirty word. when reasonable pounds surrender the stage to stharl tons. when american focus on that which unites us, we are unstoppable. happy birthday, america. that's "hardball" for now. "politics nation" with al sharpton starts right now. >> welcome to "politics nation." i'm al sharpton. tonight's lead -- the gop wages war on the uninsured. and millions of americans are left hanging in the balance. it has been nearly one week since the supreme court issued its landmark ruling on health care. it marked a victory for this country. a victory for the millions who have health insurance. this was a victory for democrats. some of whom fought for decades to pass this legislation. and it was a very personal victory for this president. but republicans, it was a major

blow. even senator number one goal is to defeat obama, mcconnell thinks it is a long shot. >> if you thought it was good idea for the federal government to go in this direction, i would say odds are still on your side because it is a lot harder to undo something than it is to stop it. in the first place. >> senator mcconnell knows that repealing the affordable care act is against the odds. but don't believe for one second that the gop will end their tax. it is only getting started. republican governors are already pushing back at medicaid expansion in their states. widening the program will provide insurance to 17 million of the country's poorest citizens. seems like a winning proposition. right? and so does this. the federal government will foot the bill for 90% of the program. why would any governor turn away money to help the people they

represent? anyone? >> think about adding millions, 16, 17 million americans into an unrefined medicaid program. growing government health care. >> we are not going to implement obamacare in florida, not going to expand medicaid. we are going to do the right thing. >> doing the right thing by not covering the uninsured. already 15 governors have given indications that they will not participate in the program. the national association of public hospitals is calling this potentially disastrous. what's more disastrous? ing the fact that millions will lose their chance at coverage? this is a disaster. but it is a man-made disaster. americans will suffer because the gop can't stop playing partisan politics. jinx me is congresswoman edwards, democrat from maryland. joan walsh, editor-at-large for

salon.com. and msnbc political analyst. first thing, both of you -- thank you for being here. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> congresswoman, let me start with you. do you think that the gop is playing politics by refusing to implement parts of the law? >> well, i mean, they must be. i mean, it is really unfortunate and actually pretty unbelievable that in states like louisiana that have some of the, you know, most people across the country per capita who are uninsured. some of the poorest people in the country that governor like governor jindal would say we are going to refuse the federal dollars that would help these people be insured and i think that once americans across these states and other states really understand what the benefits are and understand what their governors are rejecting, they will reject those governor. >> when you look at your state, this expansion of medicaid would mean coverage for thousands of low-income americans. i belief it is estimated over

309,000 will get insurance under this plan. your state. >> i'm excite. >> why would these governors be taking a position against similar measures in their state when it helps people? >> i don't understand it because i know in our state, we have actually embraced the affordable care act in maryland. i'm so proud of the governor in our state door doing that. we have been full steam ahead since the affordable care act became law in its implementation. we will be ready in 2014 when it is fully implemented and we are ready now to accept the resource it is federal government is providing for us and in order to get implemented. we know already people are receiving preventative health services. we know already that young people who would otherwise be denied are being covered. we know young people up to age 26 are now covered on their

parents' health care plans and seniors will have their medications covered and they won't have to reach into their pocket with that doughnut hole. i think in maryland, we have said you know what, this is the law. constitutionality has been decided and we are going to embrace the implementation. >> now, and -- these are not some pie in the sky kind of ideas. these are things that you are citing that are already happen. joan, i think that's one of the reasons that we have seen an upswing among voters. we have seen it jump 5% among voters, 11% among independent who support this law. >> yeah. it has been so i-ing, reverend al. i think the supreme court did give it more legitimacy. americans like a winner, whatever we want to say about that psychological reaction, it is real. and i think, you know, also the kaiser family foundation fund. yesterday the -- survey that said you know, 56% of americans say to the opponents please move

along. stop trying to repeal this law. but the way the law was written, they have these red state governors do have the power to turn down this money. and so it is really tragic. we are talking -- mainly about the working poor. and so we are talking about a situation where you may die of cancer in louisiana. but if you lived in maryland, representative edwards 'agriculture district you would get care. and this is -- you know, i understand our traditions where states haver is powers. but really when it comes to the poor, certain states are cruel and certain states get it. and basically this is really about who will live and who will die in the end. >> i want to emphasize what you said working poor. we are not just talking about charity here. we are talking about people in many ways that work every day and just cannot afford health insurance. congresswoman edwards, the thing that to me compounds this so makes it even more egregious is

that the republicans really have no plan. it is not like they are saying this is our alternative to service these people as opposed to the affordable care act. they have no plan. listen to what congressman cantor said when he was questioned about a plan. >> my question again to you, congressman, is when will we see a republican plan that would replace more meritoriously the obamacare plan that you are so happy with? >> tom, you knew back in 2009 when the obama care bill was being considered on the house floor. we put forward our alternative. to sit here and say we don't have replacement is not correct. what we have now, though, is the challenge of repealing this law. >> now, he was referring, congresswoman edwards, to the 2009 alternative to the affordable care act. that plan would have left 52

million people uninsured. >> we actually heard from senate leader mitch mcconnell the uninsured don't matter. and so you know, we heard very directly from them, the fact is that the republican leadership, speaker boehner, schedule ad vote to repeal the affordable care act that's now been declared constitutional and now in the process of being implemented and scheduled a vote to repeal it july 11. just another week. and they have zero, zip, nada, nothing, to replace it and as they have said they could care less about the uninsured. i'm glad that president obama stuck with the affordable care act. i'm glad with the supreme court has validated and i'm glad that states like maryland and all across the country implementing it because it really is a big deal for millions of people across this country who don't have health care. and i know, i was standing in their shoes and didn't have health care at one point and got very, very sick. i think that all across this

country people get up and go to work every day but don't have health care and affordable care act changes that. >> joan, the other thing that is so from disturbing is thousand they are play thing game, they are like tied up in knots around whether this law is a tax or penalty. watch this. >> the governor believes what we put in place in massachusetts was a penalty and he disagrees with the court's ruling that the mandate was a tax. >> our position is the same as mitt romney's position. it is a tax. >> is obama care a tax? >> sure. yeah. >> i mean, listen, i thought all along it was a tax. i don't think it is exclusively tax or penalty. it is both. >> he disagree was the court's ruling the mandate was a tax. >> i don't want to do my pretzel roll-up but i mean, they are twisting -- i mean -- >> playing twister. >> this is crazy. you have the republican chairman

and governor chris christie, one of their rising stars saying one thing. you have romney, spokesperson who is the presumptive nominee saying something else. i mean, it looks like they can't get on the same page here. >> they are all playing twister. remember that game? it was really fun. it is not going to be fun for mitt romney actually. i think mitt romney wishes this issue would just go away. he's stuck with the fact that he did have a mandate in massachusetts. he is stuck withing the fact he called it a penalty. we should point out that on thursday, when the ruling came down, mitt romney did try to spin it as a tax. people got to him and said, governor, you had the same thing in massachusetts. so we shouldn't call it a tax. >> i don't think his people got to him. i think he was watching me on "politics nation" and i played the tape of him saying it. >> that's right. >> congresswoman donna edwards and joan walsh, we have to leave it there.

thanks for joining me thing weekend. have a nice weekend. enjoy the holiday. >> you, too. >> coming up, an explosive new report follows mitt romney's money all the way to the islands. reveals his secrets. a man that seems comfortable going into, quote, fuzzy gray areas in business. plus, the tea party is getting the band back together for a day of repeal rallies. americans are getting tired of it. we will talk to tea party congressman mulvaney and the right wing hatred of justice roberts is hitting comical levels. you won't believe the conspiracy theories flying around now. to a little girl who saw flames reach her home

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have you checked us out on facebook? the conversation is going all day long. our fans had a lot to say about the republican governor's rejecting medicare expansion. mark says, quote, there is no length these folks won't go to try to discredit the president. if they weren't careful, there will be an uproar. marcy wonders if it will hurt their re-election chances. gop voters are famous important voting against their own best interests. we want to hear what you think, too. head over to facebook and search politics nation. and like us to join the conversation that keeps going long after the show ends. we hope to see you then. rly absg the calcium they take because they don't take it with food. switch to citracal maximum plus d.

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with a throwback to the old days. the days of 2009 and 2010. the tea partiers are getting the band back together again. busting out the old playbook. and trying to relive the glory days. tomorrow groups are planning local rallies all over the country. the goal, to repeal president obama's health care law. their, folks. break out the funny hats. because the tea party is back in town. and they are planning to use the same old tactics. urging tea partiers to find members of congress and flood every parade, town hall, they

plan to attend with video cameras and, folks, this feels like a one-hit wonder. planning a reunion tour. majority of americans, 56%, would prefer lawmakers to stop trying to block health care. they say it is time to move on to other issues. but they are back at it. only this time it is 2012. and the top court in the nation has spoken. joining me now is congressman mike -- sorry, mitt mulvaney of south carolina. he came to washington in 2010 with the tea party wave. congressman, thank you for being here tonight. >> it is always a pleasure to be here. i hope you are well. >> i am very well, thank you. let me start with health care in your state. there are 930,000 uninsured people in south carolina. well over 20% of the state. why would you want to repeal a law that will give coverage to nearly a million people in your state and 30 million people

nationwide? why would you want to do that? >> it is a great question and fair question and the answer is fairly simple. we think we can do better. we have always thought that medicaid, which is sort of the model for what will happen under obamacare hurt us and broke us as a state as washington tried to dictate this one size fits all. i was in the state legislature and always tried to get more and more flexibility so we could tailor our health care for our poorest citizens. the way we thought was best. we are a very rural, poor state. programs that work in new york city or chicago are not going to work in south carolina. we tried to get that flexibility under the old medicaid programs and couldn't get it. we see obama care as an extension of that program and don't want it. we think we can do better. >> let me ask you this then. let's get specific. the affordable care act right now in south carolina, 50,000 young adults, are now covered under their parents 'plane that weren't. medicare patients save ed $54.4

million in prescription drugs. 1291 with pre-existing conditions are now able on get insurance that didn't have it. what can you do with that is better? what's on the table? what plan do you have that could do better and the republican party is prepared to do and do better in your state now. >> look at the part you are ignoring. impossible in south carolina right now. absolutely, totally completely impossible for a child under the year -- under the age of 18 to get insurance policy. simply because when the law came into effect last year, you could not preclude from pre-existing conditions. for whatever reason, families are out there hurting because of this. and if you need an individual policy for your 10, 12, 15-year-old child if cannot get a policy for a reasonable cost and want the coverage for your

15-year-old child, you cannot get tonight south carolina. >> just a second. i'm going to check that fact that you -- have you not -- you are not even in the same town of my question. to come home to the question, what would you do that would be better? you opened by saying you can do better. what is the plan that would do better? >> we talked -- you talked about it at the federal level. we offered plans before. >> such as? >>ou can go to hr 3000. it is a -- mr. tom price, dr. tom price from georgia put all of our ideas together in one bill so people can actually -- >> what's the plan? >> we can talk about different pieces of it. what do we do obama care does not do. we put you in charge of your health care, not the employer and not the government. we allow that patient/doctor relationship to stay in place and allow you to take it with you if you change jobs or move from state to state. >> how is it paid. >> we pay for it through lower premiums because we have tore

reform, medical malpractice reform. >> how is it paid, though? >> you got lower -- one of the difficulties that we have with health care and i think you may agree with this is nobody knows what it costs. when you go into the doctor's office and you ask -- for a particular service, you don't care what it costs because someone else is paying for it. once you fix that and once you and i both know what we are paying, then our own decisions as individuals will help drive down the cost for everybody. that's the basis of the republican plan for the last several years it is what we continue to offer. it is altogether an hr 3000. you can see the list of all of the ideas. what you won't see us do is offer it all in one big 2700 page bill. i hope you agree with me that typically when that happens, there's stuff in there nobody knows about. there's stuff in there nobody reads and it is not a good way to govern. >> what's interesting to me, though, you say that you have a better plan and talk about costs but don't tell me how we are going to cover it. when cantor was asked a couple

of weeks ago about it, he went back to the 2009 bill. not the -- hr 3000 you raised. republicans seem to be all over the place here. then you have the -- vote that's happening next week will mark the 31st time the gop attacked health care. it seems like you are very good at what you are against. not too good at what you are for. if i have a pre-existing conditions, not working, or working every day and can't afford health care cost, you are just telling me what not to have and leaving me out there hanging in the wind. er. >> they like the program about allowing the children to stay on their program through 26. they like the ex-clues for pre-existing conditions. what's not to like? because right now they think it is free. we have not had the conversation about the other side of the coin. the question is not -- whether or not you want exclusions for

pre-existing conditions. the question is what are you willing to pay so that other folks can have that benefit? that's a discussion that's never going to -- never taken place yet. it needs to take place because the money dash. >> what are you willing to pay if you go to the emergency room? we have to get our arms around the cost of health care and we have to deal with 52 million people uninsured in this country. let me ask you something else. do you support -- governor romney for president? >> sure. >> do you agree with him about mandates? >> no, sir. >> you don't? >> no, sir. although i will tell you traditionally in this country at least up until last week state governments have always had more authority than the federal government. federal government was created as a government of limited powers and state government were not. so you can make the argument a state could do something legally. the united states federal government could not do. with the decision last week -- >> you don't want to get into a discussion with me on state's rights. do you agree with romney that

this is not a tax but a penalty. >> no, sir. you probably have to choose one or the other. if you -- i heard -- watched the show today and watched the previous shows. for folks that like the decision, you have to be willing to admit it is a tax. do you. it is only t only way it was constitutional. i happen to think it was a tax. i don't really have a comment on massachusetts health care because i'm not going to defend it. live in south carolina and don't gait chance to vote on it and i get a chance to vote in the federal health care program and i will be voting to repeal it again. >> let me get this right. your republican tea partier and you don't agree with your nominee, presumptive nominee, about this is a penalty and not a tax and you watch "politics nation." boy, you are going to have fun when they come looking for you at the fourth of july. >> the republican tent is much bigger than you think. >> i hope it is big enough to cover 52,000 uninsured people.

>> thanks for having me. >> coming up, explosive report exposes where mitt romney's offshore money lives and reveals his secret and shwould say shady strategies as the ceo of bain. the first right wingers are still furious with justice roberts. you won't believe the conspiracy theories they are coming up with now. ♪

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usually on this show we focus on politics. but the holiday is tomorrow. let's talk a little travel. specifically travel, a beautiful island in the mediterranean and it has three sites on the world heritage list and it is almost 5,000 miles away from washington, d.c. guess who is there. chief justice john roberts. that's right. he is hiding out in malta after his health care ruling shocked the nation. he even joked, quote, malta is an impregnable island fortress. he's out there escapinging the right wing's wrath. less than a week ago he was his brag. former bush secretary dana perino says the republicans love their decision to nominate

roberts. >> think about the roberts as an almost across the board. every conservative says he is a solid guy the one between want. >> the one we want. well, let's just say the love isn't there anymore. they con hammering him and the conspiracy theories would be funny if they weren't so sad. first, right wing radio host says robert was than thinking straight because of epilepsy medication. >> neurologists will tell you that medication used for seizure disorders, such as epilepsy, can introduce mental slowing, forgetfulness and other cognitive problems. if you look at roberts' writings you can see the cognitive disassociation in what he's saying. >> and if it was than his medicine, roberts secretly wanted liberals to like him. >> the washington/new york media runs the supreme court of the

united states. they run the chief justice. >> roberts gave a very political washington establishment georgetown type opinion. and now they love him in washington. and that's probably what he wanted. >> yes. the guy behind citizens united was just dying to make the liberal media elites happy. instead of accepting the reality that the health care law is constitution constitutional. republicans are attacking the message. >> i think the chief justice had contort logic to come up with this ruling. >> i will tell you what's contorted logic. i will tell you, tracking the judge. roberts is thousands of miles way but did they think we would let them get away with this one? nice fry but we got you. for a relaxing vacation. ♪ sometimes, we go for a ride in the park. maybe do a little sightseeing.

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in fact, in a recent survey, 95% of people who tried it agreed that it relieved their headache fast. what's different? it has micro-particles. enters the bloodstream fast and rushes relief to the site of pain. visit fastreliefchallenge.com today for a special trial offer. welcome back to "politics nation." another one of mitt romney's banker buddies is hanging his

head in shame today. the ceo of barclays bank bob dimon resigned in disgrace after his bank tried to manipulate the markets. he also had to drop out of hosting a rom new fund-raiser in london. set for later this month. i guess willard will have to find someone else to fill that quiet role. all this comes as an explosive "vanity fair" article blows the lid off of willard's money secrets. raising big questions about his finances. questions like what happened to a corporation that romney mysteriously set up in bermuda? or the bank account that suddenly vanished? what about romney's not so blind trust accounts? and how did romney's 401(k) account at bain grow to more than $100 million despite yearly contribution limits.

"vanity fair" says romney is, quote, a remarkable financial acrobat, but careful analysis of his financial and bus affairs also reveals a man who, like some other wall street titans, seem comfortable striding into some fuzzy gray zones. romney doesn't seem too worried about the gray zones as he enjoys summer vacation in his sprawling lake side mansion in new hampshire. that might change later this week when president obama launches a bus tour across the pivotal rustbell states of ohio and pennsylvania. i wonder how romney's secrecy, not to mention swiss bank accounts will play in states where more and more people think that bain is a four-letter word. joining me now, msnbc political analyst richard wolffe. he is the author of "revival."

malika henderson, reporter for "the washington post." thank you for being here tonight. >> thanks. >> no one is suggesting at all that romney is doing anything illegal. but this kind of secrecy could it become a problem campaign? >> well, it was certainly a problem, south carolina, you saw newt gingrich was able to use his secrecy around -- releasing his tax returns in that primary and also brought it up again in that florida primary. i think one of the things you are obviously going on see democrats will seize on this and already have and try to link it more generally with bain capital and try to paint a mitt romney as? one that's out of touch and mitt romney is somebody who does not have to play by the same rules. they will bring out the fact, for instance, of he paid 15% -- 15% tax rate whereas most people pay upwards of 30%. i think it is just going to be another bullet point in this

narrative that's really starting to take hold and be effective for the romney campaign -- for the obama campaign. especially in these rustbelt states and some of the states you said obama will be visiting on thursday and friday, western pennsylvania and ohio. i think that all -- this just another gift in many ways to the obama campaign. the romney campaign has not been quick to engage and to give any sorts of explanations. that looks like that's the stance they will maintain. >> they are already using it in the democratic party and democratic race. vice president biden was at the national education association in washington today. and he brought up the swiss bank account. listen. >> how do you know -- go home and borrow money to start a new business from your parents? he says that the president is out of touch? how many of you have a swiss bank account?

>> it is just too easy. look, here is someone that has been running for president for many years now. you would think he would have cleaned some of this stuff up by now. it does suggest that maybe he's not so confident about unwinding his tax affairs and maybe not so easy or maybe he doesn't think it matters or that maybe he is not going to win. in any case it is not just a question of what is legal. that's not the only bar here the presidential candidates have to cross. we can all agree, for instance, john edwards' behavior was reprehensible and unpresidential and excluded him from ever being elected president. it wasn't illegal have have a baby out wedlock but not appropriate and not appropriate in similar ways but obviously in a very different circumstance about what kind of leadership mitt romney is showing here. for someone that wants to run treasury, pint commissioner to the irs, it is legal but is it actual leadership? when you put your money overseas, when you invest in foreign corporations as opposed to investing it in america, what kind of signal are you sending?

what kind of leadership are you giving and there are more questions. it happened in the uk recently and conservative prime minister called out and entertainers and showbiz folks who put their money overseas and said it was morally repugnant. there was a moral question here. >> not only putting overseas that is going to be something they are going to have to answer to in the rom new campaign but -- the obama campaign is continuing to pressure them about bain and here is the latest obama care pain add tha talks about their outdoorsing jobs overseas. >> what a president believes matters. mitt romney's companies were pioneers in outsourcing u.s. jobs to low wage countries. he supports tax breaks for companies that shift jobs overseas when you combine swiss accounts and investments overseas, and your company that you pointed to as the example of

how you operated it as a ceo and why you know business was a outsourcing jobs overseas, picture among working americans you are not exactly their kind of guy. >> that's right. these ads have just been devastating for the romney campaign in these swing states. you had a poll, nbc news had a poll out that showed the president with a ten-point lead in these swing states. many ways they are there are would campaigns going on. one in the swing states and one here we see in washington. of course, you saw a lot of pushback from top democrats that said stay away from bain. but -- democrats, obama campaign, have seen lots of results from this. again, romney has been slow to mount much of a bushback and lot of republicans are saying between want to see more fight from mitt romney on this and more in terms of layinging out what he did at bain capital.

democrats have been quick to pounce on this and they are going to hear -- we will hear this all summer from democrats. especially those swing states. >> not only in the swing states but in the latest gallup daily tracking poll, because of that, 48-4 3, i think that something is happening to you. >> yeah. the gallup tracking poll is not unfriendly to the president. this is the widest margin we are seeing since at least april. in a close race you may say four, five points isn't a huge lead but -- this race has been tied for months here. so -- you don't -- as a challenger want to enter summer months when people will tune out with that kind of deficit. it was that kind of difference that really sunk john kerry because the time people tune in again, when he got to the debates, it was too late. >> thank you for your time tonight. happy independence day and enjoy your weekends. coming up, republicans were quick to blame the president

when gas prices were high. so what are they saying now that prices are going down? plus, if you liked herman cain's political ads during the campaign, you will love his new attempt at web tv. ♪ give a lamb a gun i'm herman cain. we are not stupid. >> wow. there's plenty more where that came from, folks. that's next. [ male announcer ] don't miss red lobster's four course seafood feast, just $14.99. start with soup, salad and cheddar bay biscuits then choose one of 7 entrees plus dessert! four perfect courses, just $14.99. come into red lobster and sea food differently. why does my mouth feel dryer than i remember it to be? there are more people taking more medication, so we see people suffering from dry mouth more so.

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>> now for today's herman cain moment. brought to you by "politics nation." ♪ ♪ imagine there's no pizza ♪ i couldn't if i tried >> that's right, folks. herman cain is back. hoping to become the next king of media. he had a unique approach to tv during his presidential campaign. remember this political ad featuring his campaign manager? >>ing to we can do this. we can take this country back. ♪ i am america

♪ one voice united we stand ♪ i am america >> herman cain is now using that sensibility to create cain tv. he's launching his own web-based tv network tomorrow. as you might guess, cain is pretty excitbout his new endeavor. here's the trailer for the network. >> hello. i'm herman cain. they think that we are stupid. benjamin franklin once said democracy is two rules and a lamb. voting and s what you have for lunch. liberty is a well armed lamb contesting the vote. let's give a lamb a gun! i'm herman cain. we are not stupid. >> give a lamb a gun. some networks must have must-see

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it's the only calcium supplement that can be taken with or without food. that's why my doctor recommends citracal maximum. it's all about absorption. as millions of americans hit the road for independence day holiday they will see good news at the pump. gas prices are down. way down. in fact, the average price of gas right now is $3.33 per gallon. down 61 cents since april. in fact, gas prices have been falling for 13 straight weeks. that's the longest downward streak since 2008. and experts say the price of gas should fall below $3 a gallon later this year. good news must be getting republicans excited. they love talking about gas prices in the spring. when prices will rise earlier this year, speaker boehner told other republicans, quote, this

dab is a debate we want to have. and his buddies got the message. >> when he ran for office he wanted to see gasoline prices go up. >> let's give the president credit for one domestic policy that worked. he wanted higher gas prices and got them. >> administration policies are actually designed on purpose to bring about higher gas prices. >> high price gasoline is a direct result of obama. >> if the right was blaming president obama when the gas prices were going up, surely they will give him credit now that the prices are going down. right? right? that's what i thought. joining me now is jared bernstein, msnbc contributor and former chief economist for vice president joe biden. thanks for being here tonight. >> thank you, sir. >> tell me, did the gop think getting those got lost in the mail? why aren't they thanking the

president for gas prices going down? reverend al, welcome to what i call the apg syndrome. asymmetrical politics of gas. you get blamed on the way up and you don't get credit on the way down. now interestingly you haven't heard the president going out and saying i want credit for lower gas prices because he was telling the truth when they were going up. these prices are set in world markets. they are not set by him. they are not set here. they are set in global markets. it is as global a commodity as we have. but you are absolutely right. all those clips were extremely revealing if you are going to attack the guy on the way up, and -- if it was than for the apg syndrome you should be giving them credit on the way down. >> you said that this is -- a lot of the pricing is determined by the global markets. but the republicans said when they were attacking the president in march that all he had to do to bring the prices down was open the keystone pipeline. look at this.

>> somebody wants to get gasoline prices and energy prices down now. if that's the case, open up our pipeline from canada, keystone pipeline. >> he claims he wants to address rising gas prices. policies are actually making matters worse. only reason the action has taken on energy lobbying senators personally and successfully, that's to prevent construction of the keystone pipeline. >> his blocking of the keystone pipeline is hurting our gas prices in this country. >> now, i checked right before i went on the show and as of then, they had not started on the keystone pipeline and the prices are down. what happened? >> this is a -- i'm glad you are doing this segment. it is a great example of the way politicians use phony evidence to gin up all kinds of wrong thinking on this issue. i and others were on these very airwaves during that debate saying that -- keystone pipeline

has absolutely nothing to do with prices at the pump yesterday, today or tomorrow. it is just too small of a factor to have any difference. and yet, people see -- the most visible price in the economy is the price of gas. people see the price of gas going up and hear us argue about the keystone pipeline so that -- these guys are trying to connect the two. it is completely erroneous. it is phony and you are absolutely right. this is the right time to be playing those and excerpts. >> by the way, the -- top five oil companies made record profits in 2011. bringing in $137 billion in profits and setting a new all time record. they still get to keep another $24 billion thanks to tax loopholes. >> well, they make a lot of money on the way up. i'm sure their profits are taking a ding on the way down. brief me, they will be fine. look, the issue here in terms of

more of the economy, macro economy is this kind of works like a tax cut for people. and the kind of rule of thumb is every penny at the pump translates into something around a billion dollars. you are talking about really $60 billion -- factor that's working like a tax cut in terms of providing more income in consumers' wallets. it is definitely a positive thing right now. >> thanks for being here tonight. enjoy the holiday. >> you, too. >> up next, celebrating freedom where not everyone is free. p.m. i will leave you with some things to think about on this independence day holiday. [ male announcer ] this is rudy.

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tomorrow we will celebrate the mmm freedoms and rights we enjoy in this country and will be a day for beaches, barbecues, fireworks. but tomorrow won't abday of

freedom for an estimated 2.3 million americans behind bars and now that path to prison is getting even wider. "the new york times" reports more and more americans are ending up in jail because they can't afford fees. the courts are charging for minor offenses. they are falling on people who have no business being in jail. people like gina ray who three years ago was fined $179 for speeding. she missed her court date. then saw her fees pile up to more than $1,500. since then, she's been locked up three times for a total of 40 days and still owes more than $3,000. that's incredible. and it is a shocking trend that's becoming widespread. two years ago the center for justice found that in at least 15 states on imposing these

so-called user fees to balance their budgets, center says the fees, quote, create new paths to prison for those unable to pay their debts and make it harder to find employment and housing and as well as to meet child support obligations. some law students of pennsylvania reaching -- reached out to people victimized by these fees and made a documentary to highlight the problem. >> you owe us 81,000. where am i going to get $81,000 from? why do i owe you $81,000? >> basically they were asking for blood from a stone. >> i'm being sued for the rest of my life. you might as well say 41,000 to the city. >> that's a high price to pay after you have already paid your debt to society. since the beginning, when we talked about a nation of justice and fairness for everyone, all men created equal has been a struggle to make that for