reid wilson is with us. caller: the last guy sounded like he was kind of whining, but the democrats are all whining because they lost. i talked to michael steele first quarter of last year aeurpd told him that i had $4,000 to send to the g.o.p. and what was he going to do about scassofasi of new yo york. he said i couldn't do anything. i said i will send it to the tea party. second quarter i did the same thing i sent it to tea party express. third quarter same. fourth quarter, who is answering? lawyer. he is a lawyer. two others are lawyers. why is the g.o.p. paying lawyers to answer the phone? that is why they don't have any money. fourth quarter i send it to the tea party express as the g.o.p. is going to go bankrupt because of michael steele. that is my observation. have a nice week. guest: one interesting thing and this is indicative of republican donors and the biggest complaint about michael steele. the republicans have a large donor program in which people can give $30,400 to the r.n.c. a lot of those

you are on the "washington journal w with -- with reid wilson. caller: i thought the former caller was whining. anyway i called michael steele last year and told him i had $4,000. i said what was he going to do? he said there was nothing he could do. i sent before thousand dollars to the tea party express. in the fourth quarter, i called. who was answering the phone, lawyers? why is the gop paid lawyers to answer their phone? i am is sending $4,000 to the tea party express. the gop is going to go bankrupt because of michael steele. guest: one interesting thing that is indicative of republican donors and their biggest complaint about michael steele is that republicans have a large donor program where people can give $30,000 to the rnc. a lot of those donors are complaining that they never got a phone call from michael steele. the big donors from across the country will say, where was the rnc. they gave to american crossroads because they got a phone call. the only thing they want from the rnc is a police and a thank you. they never got a call. --

host: reid wilson at the hot line at the national journal. thanks so much. guest: thank you. host: we are looking at the fairness doctrine and whether or not there should be one. what is the fairness doctrine? legislation that provides -- requires all to provide the general public with a forum in which contrasting viewpoints are discussed and debated. it did not require equal time, but require that contrasting views be presented. should it be brought back? or should there be some renewal of it? let's hear from scott in texas, a republican collar. caller: i believe congressman clybourn and anyone else who would like to bring the fairness doctrine back is not looking for fair and balanced equal representation of the issues. they want a monopoly. they are losing in the arena of the public ideas. they have npr, abc, nbc, cbs, msnbc, cnn, the, "washington post" n.v. "new york times" and although not liberal media carrying their water now. -- and all the liberal media carrying their water now. host: ok, next caller will, welcome. caller: frankly, you are welcome for love -- for us

and that says hotline's reid wilson is good news. >> at this point in his administration, bill clinton was under 40%. ronald reagan was right at 40%. so, you know, he's already ten points ahead of where they were and they skated to re-election. >> reporter: and there are more changes coming in the new year here in the white house. commerce secretary bill daly under consideration to be the chief of staff. plough will be a counselor and the president's expected to name a new head of the economic counsel in the next few days. chris? >> cbs' bill plante in washington for us, thank you very much. people jockeying for new offices. >> you think? just a little movement there. >>> let's find out what else is happening. jeff glor with a check of the headlines. good morning. >> erica, chris, good morning to you. good morning to everyone at home. it is the first major overhaul of this country's food safety system since the 1930s. today the president signs the law to emphasize preconvenience. washington will have new power to increase inspections at food processing plants. the fda can order mandato

e about what is happening with the rnc is reid wilson, editor in chief of hot line this morning. guest: could morning. host: how mh our finances being talked about this week? guest: this is a major concern republican national committee. there has never been a debt that the republican national committee has experienced like this. they will report north of a $21 million budget gap over the next couple of months and it is only going to get worse. that is something that the 168 members of the republican national committee are talking about. the goal is to find somebody who can raise that money to fill the budget gap. >> one of your pieces in the national journal talked about how this is the swan song of michael steele. he is still dominating the headlines although it is unlikely he will prevail and win again. >> there are members of the media who have come out here. there are caught -- approximately the same number of media members who witnessed the obama speech at the chamber of commerce. it is a celebrity watch here. michael steele is somebody who has been in the headlines frequent

reid wilson is writing about the convention, about the winter committee meeting. he says michael still has retreated to a room off the floor and guarded the door, some supporters being escorted in. caller: i this wanted to say thank you for taking my call. i am kind of on the fence between steele and priebus. i think we need fresh blood in the party. we had one hell of a sweep in november, but obama has to be a one-term president and we have to do whatever it takes to get the job done. net neutrality coming, and just basically overhaul of the whole system. has to be stopped, and whatever it takes. i am kind of on the fence. host: this is at the national harbour resort outside of washington d.c., the republican national committee meeting for their winter meeting. five candidates including the current chairman, michael steele, leading after three rounds of voting is wisconsin state republican chairman reince priebus. caller: if it does not end up that mr. steele is reelected, i would like to thank him for his service of the party. the miracle in massachusetts did no

reid says he will not schedule a repeal effort if it passes the house. in the house, many new faces are taking part this week. dennis ross, and also from florida, a democrat, frederica wilson, who also served in the florida legislature. the first discussion is coming up at noon eastern here on c- span. until then, republican plans to cut the budget. ramesh ponnuru, senior editor of the review magazine, here is one of your op-eds. what are you are doing here? guest: i am explaining how republicans ought to go about entitlement reform. a lot of republicans, led by paul ryan, the republicans from wisconsin, felt strongly you had to rein in the growth of social security and medicare. i am suggesting that is absolutely correct, but it is crucial to do the right way and to prepare the public politically for it. you have to either get the president to lead on this issue -- because it requires a presidential leadership -- or you have to campaign in 2012 and get a new president elected on this platform. you cannot have house republicans' lead on this reform. host: so in the near term, republicans should not be sticking their necks out on this? guest: to prepare the ground, republic