woodruff: john margolis, a question for senator bentsen. margolis: senator bentsen, you have claimed that vice president bush and the republicans will raid the social security trust fund, and you have vowed to protect it. but as chairman of the senate finance committee, you must know that there is something to the argument of your fellow democrat bob strauss that some restraint on social security growth may be needed, or at least some decision to tax most social security benefits as regular income. in fact, you once voted for and spoke for a six-month delay on cost of living adjustment increases for social security. senator, aren't you and gov. dukakis using this issue politically, rather than dealing with it responsibly? bentsen: well, i must say i hate to disappoint my good friend bob strauss, but we have a contract with the american people on social security. and social security is an issue where senator quayle voted eight times to cut the benefits on social security, where this administration came in and tried to cut the benefits, the mi

jyudy: john margolis? john: the government has been increasing amounts of money in an effort to protect the family farmer. most of the subsidies seem to go to the largest and richest farmers, who presumably need it least. while it is the farmers forced to sell out, sometimes to the larger neighbor who has gotten more subsidies, despite the fact that i believe you are a rather large farmer yourself, do you think it is time to uncouple the subsidy formula from the amount of land to target money to the small and medium-sized farmer? sen. bentsen: well, i supported that. i voted for the 50,000 limitation to get away from the million-dollar contributions to farmers. of the four on this ticket, i was the only one born and reared on a farm. i am still o involved in the farm. i understand the problem. i feel very strongly we ought to be doing more for the american farmer.and what we have seen under this administration is a neglect of that farmer. we have seen 220,000 farmers off the farm. they seem to think the ans

judy woodruff: john margolis, a question for senator bentsen. jon margolis: senator bentsen, you have claimed that vice president bush and the republicans will raid the social security trust fund, and you have vowed to protect it. but as chairman of the senate finance committee, you must know that there is something to the argument of your fellow democrat bob strauss that some restraint on social security growth may be needed, or at least some decision to tax most social security benefits as regular income. in fact, you once voted for and spoke for a six-month delay on cost of living adjustment increases for social security. senator, aren't you and governor dukakis using this issue politically, rather than dealing with it responsibly? senator bentsen: well, i must say i hate to disappoint my good friend bob strauss, but we have a contract with the american people on social security. and social security is an issue where senator quayle voted eight times to cut the benefits on social security, where this administration came in and tried to cut the