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Barbara Beel: ...care for those. Congressman Tom Carper: Put on your good shoes. Barbara Beel: I know. Hey, I was ill today honey. I am still ill. Barbara Beel: Ten eighty-one. Tell me, Congressman Carper. Barbara Beel: Why did you vote against

00:00:11.960 - 00:00:25.440

Barbara Beel: the [laughs] Nicaraguan so-called rebel aid? Congressman Carper: I think the President's original proposal, Congressman Carper: which is to provide a $100 million in aid, Congressman Carper: was not likely to

00:00:25.440 - 00:00:34.920

Congressman Carper: have the kind of desired results. Congressman Carper: He came in at the last minute Congressman Carper: with an eleventh hour compromise at, Congressman Carper: I think was a more constructive compromise

00:00:34.920 - 00:00:42.380

Congressman Carper: and a more constructive approach. Congressman Carper: We, I think are Congressman Carper: likely in the House to want to take Congressman Carper: that kind of approach and

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Congressman Carper: which he could propose as an executive order. Congressman Carper: So basically pass my $100 million plan, Congressman Carper: I will draft an executive order and Congressman Carper: put and implement that

00:00:51.340 - 00:00:59.300

Congressman Carper: in order to meet some of your other concerns. Congressman Carper: I think the approach that they're going Congressman Carper: to pursue when the Senate is Congressman Carper: to adopt a measure which takes his,

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Congressman Carper: executive order Congressman Carper: and incorporates it into the law, Congressman Carper: makes it the law rather than Congressman Carper: say this is an executive order.

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Congressman Carper: I think when we go back to Congressman Carper: work in the House on this issue, Congressman Carper: probably at the middle of Congressman Carper: April and they will take it up at that time.

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Congressman Carper: I think what we're likely to pursue is a, Congressman Carper: more of what I call a Congressman Carper: carrot and stick approach. Congressman Carper: I think most of us realize it that

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Congressman Carper: the Sandinistas are trying to Congressman Carper: to lead their country and to a, Congressman Carper: a left-wing dictatorship replacing Congressman Carper: Somoza's old dictatorship with

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Congressman Carper: a left-wing dictatorship. Congressman Carper: The approach we want to take Congressman Carper: is one that will reverse, Congressman Carper: that. Gives the Nicaraguan people some,

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Congressman Carper: some self-determination. Congressman Carper: Here's the approach I think that we will end Congressman Carper: up endorsing. To declare Congressman Carper: what will be pretty much a

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Congressman Carper: 90 day cessation of hostilities. Congressman Carper: If not a cease fire, that at Congressman Carper: least have a lessening of hostility. Congressman Carper: Say to the Sandinistas

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Congressman Carper: during that period of time, Congressman Carper: 'You got 90 days to sit down and Congressman Carper: negotiate you differences Congressman Carper: with the opposition party.'

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Congressman Carper: And there's six significant Congressman Carper: political opposition parties Congressman Carper: to the Nicaraguans within Congressman Carper: the National Assembly in

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Congressman Carper: Nicaragua. To sit down and Congressman Carper: negotiate their differences with the church. Congressman Carper: To sit down and negotiate or differences Congressman Carper: with the business and labor leaders who

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Congressman Carper: were opposed to the direction that Congressman Carper: the Sandinistas are taking. Congressman Carper: To have our own representative Congressman Carper: from the United States at

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Congressman Carper: the bargaining table to do Congressman Carper: all this under the auspices of Congressman Carper: the Contadora process which is Congressman Carper: being overseen and trying to put together

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Congressman Carper: by eight Latin American nations. Congressman Carper: If the Sandinistas, after Congressman Carper: a 90 day period of time or whatever period of Congressman Carper: time we agree to simply are stonewalling,

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Congressman Carper: or not trying to, Congressman Carper: to negotiate in good faith, Congressman Carper: then we consider some more drastic action. Congressman Carper: The kind of thing that

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Congressman Carper: the President is talking Congressman Carper: about. During the interim period of time, Congressman Carper: the Contras could be Congressman Carper: replenished, if you will,

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Congressman Carper: with non-lethal aid, they Congressman Carper: can be trained if you will. Congressman Carper: And the idea is to use the threat of aid, Congressman Carper: continue aid to the Contras as a stick to

00:02:50.180 - 00:02:58.310

Congressman Carper: give the Sandinistas 90 days period of time, Congressman Carper: you wouldn't have to talk Congressman Carper: to the Contras because there's plenty Congressman Carper: of other opposition leaders to

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Congressman Carper: the Sandinista government within Congressman Carper: Nicaragua to talk with them, Congressman Carper: talk with us, and to Congressman Carper: accomplish hopefully one of several goals.

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Congressman Carper: One of those is to Congressman Carper: have real free and open elections. Congressman Carper: There will be observed by Congressman Carper: an international body,

00:03:12.880 - 00:03:20.420

Congressman Carper: not by us, not by the Nicaraguans Congressman Carper: themselves, but by an outside group. Congressman Carper: Secondly, we'd like to see amnesty Congressman Carper: for the political prisoners

00:03:20.420 - 00:03:27.320

Congressman Carper: and amnesty, quite frankly, Congressman Carper: for anybody who's Congressman Carper: opposing the Sandinista government, Congressman Carper: we'd like to see a resumption

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Congressman Carper: of freedom of press, freedom of speech. Congressman Carper: We'd like to see the crack down Congressman Carper: on the church that the Sandinistas have Congressman Carper: begun, we want to see that halted.

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Congressman Carper: And those are the kinds Congressman Carper: of goals and objectives that we'd Congressman Carper: hope to accomplish through Congressman Carper: this negotiating process.

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Congressman Carper: Again, the Sandinistas may not join into it. Congressman Carper: They may just basically stay out of Congressman Carper: it. If they choose to do so, Congressman Carper: 90 days down the road,

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Congressman Carper: a stick comes into Congressman Carper: play and that stick being the provision Congressman Carper: of a more serious kind of aid to the Contras. Barabra Beel: What kind of aid?

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Congressman Carper: We're talking about the weaponry, Congressman Carper: offensive, defensive, Congressman Carper: as well as non-lethal weapons, Congressman Carper: uniforms and food and that kind of thing.

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Congressman Carper: Quite frankly, though, if Congressman Carper: you've had a chance to read this and Congressman Carper: hopefully you will. After I leave. Congressman Carper: The United States position is

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Congressman Carper: not warmly supported by any of our allies Congressman Carper: in Central America. Not by the Costa Ricans, Congressman Carper: not by the Guatemalans, the Honduras, Congressman Carper: not by the Contador nations

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Congressman Carper: from Mexico down to Argentina. Congressman Carper: And I believe Congressman Carper: that that kind of approach that I'm Congressman Carper: talking about, a 90 day

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Congressman Carper: cooling off period or cease fire.,d Congressman Carper: During which time we will try to Congressman Carper: bargain in earnest with the Sandinistas, Congressman Carper: I think that kind of

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Congressman Carper: approach is one that's likely to get Congressman Carper: a little more support Congressman Carper: from our allies down there. Congressman Carper: And I think it will

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Congressman Carper: get a little more support from, Congressman Carper: from the folks in Congress. Congressman Carper: And I think it might actually Congressman Carper: have a chance of working.

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Congressman Carper: President has said over and over that Congressman Carper: our real goal is not to Congressman Carper: overthrow the Sandinista government. Congressman Carper: What we wanna do is to,

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Congressman Carper: force them to negotiate in good faith. Congressman Carper: And if that's what we're all Congressman Carper: striving for, hopefully we are. Congressman Carper: I think this particular approach

00:05:05.660 - 00:05:14.050

Congressman Carper: that we will have a chance to Congressman Carper: vote on in mid April is designed to do that. Barbra Beel: Do you see that happening? Congressman Carper: Yeah.

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Congressman Carper: The leadership has as much as scheduled the vote. Barbara Beel: No, sorry I mean Barbara Beel: they're coming around coming to terms. Congressman Carper: I think the only way

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Congressman Carper: to get to Sandinistas to seriously try to Congressman Carper: do it is to set this kind of situation. Congressman Carper: To say you've got basically 90 days to, Congressman Carper: to negotiate in good faith

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Congressman Carper: during that period of time Congressman Carper: to let their neighbors, Congressman Carper: to let the Contador nations Congressman Carper: and the nations of Latin America,

00:05:44.300 - 00:05:51.140

Congressman Carper: Central America, South Americal Congressman Carper: Lean on the Sandinista government there. Congressman Carper: They all have contact with them. Congressman Carper: And to put as much pressure

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Congressman Carper: to bear as possible and say, 'Look, Congressman Carper: why don't you try to negotiate Congressman Carper: a settlement?' The Congressman Carper: real true stated goals of

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Congressman Carper: the Sandinista Revolution in the first place, Congressman Carper: was self-determination Congressman Carper: for the Nicaraguan people. Congressman Carper: A mixed economy in which

00:06:04.750 - 00:06:10.940

Congressman Carper: the private sector would remain, Congressman Carper: would remain an active and vibrant Congressman Carper: part of the economy. Congressman Carper: The church will be able

00:06:10.940 - 00:06:17.960

Congressman Carper: to have its freedoms and Congressman Carper: be freedom of press, Congressman Carper: freedom of speech, open elections. Congressman Carper: And what's happened is the Sandinistas have

00:06:17.960 - 00:06:25.820

Congressman Carper: not kept faith with those original goals. Congressman Carper: And they use our aid Congressman Carper: to the Contras and say that Congressman Carper: the reason why they're not keeping

00:06:25.820 - 00:06:31.370

Congressman Carper: their side of the bargain is Congressman Carper: because we're trying to overthrow them. Congressman Carper: And so I think that the Congressman Carper: constructive thing to do here would

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Congressman Carper: be to have a cooling off period set, Congressman Carper: put out our weapons for a Congressman Carper: limited period of time and say, Congressman Carper: okay, you want to talk? Let's talk.

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Congressman Carper: If you don't want to talk, Congressman Carper: we'll find out in 90 days. Congressman Carper: And if you haven't acted by that time, Congressman Carper: they will just presume that you don't.

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Barbra Beel: Do we have a right to be doing this? Congressman Carper: I think to the extent Congressman Carper: that the Sandinistas and the Nicaraguans are Congressman Carper: interested in and spreading revolution and

00:06:57.620 - 00:07:03.650

Congressman Carper: de-stabilizing neighboring governments in Congressman Carper: that part of the world, Congressman Carper: our part of the world. Congressman Carper: I think we have a right to the extent that

00:07:03.650 - 00:07:10.120

Congressman Carper: the country of Nicaragua Congressman Carper: may become a staging effort Congressman Carper: or a place or base, Congressman Carper: if you will, for,

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Congressman Carper: for further Soviet offensive weaponry. Congressman Carper: I think we have a legitimate concern. Congressman Carper: The one that goes all the way Congressman Carper: back to the Monroe Doctrine.

00:07:18.100 - 00:07:24.110

Barbra Beel: I read this, but Barabra Bell: it was over the weekend and I Barbra Beel: couldn't remember if it's in here. Barbra Beel: I'm not sure why these

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Barbra Beel: other countries aren't in agreement Barbra Beel: with what we've been, that is Barbra Beel: the President has been proposing Barbra Beel: to do. Why is that?

00:07:30.310 - 00:07:38.210

Congressman Carper: They don't think it's going to work. Congressman Carper: They think that what we'll do is Congressman Carper: by bringing pressure to Congressman Carper: bear on the Sandinistas, the Sandinistas

00:07:38.210 - 00:07:45.020

Congressman Carper: and the Contras by the way Congressman Carper: aren't going to win any Congressman Carper: popularity contest in Nicaragua. Congressman Carper: Here what you have is

00:07:45.020 - 00:07:53.060

Congressman Carper: an unpopular Sandinista government Congressman Carper: opposed by an unpopular group Congressman Carper: of counter-revolutionaries and Congressman Carper: there's plenty of opposition

00:07:53.060 - 00:07:59.920

Congressman Carper: to the Nicaraguan government, Congressman Carper: to the Sandinistas, but Congressman Carper: the popular opposition Congressman Carper: is not very well represented by the Contras.

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Congressman Carper: So I think that the key is to get Congressman Carper: the Sandinistas at the bargaining table with Congressman Carper: their opposition in the many facets Congressman Carper: of the opposition other than the Contras.

00:08:08.240 - 00:08:17.510

Congressman Carper: And to try to work out their differences. Congressman Carper: If we fail, and if it's clear that Congressman Carper: the failures because of the Sandinistas's Congressman Carper: stonewalling, really refusing to,

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Congressman Carper: to negotiate in good faith with Congressman Carper: the opposition elements in their government, Congressman Carper: and then we decide what, Congressman Carper: what further steps might be,

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Congressman Carper: might be more successful. Congressman Carper: But at least we will have given the, Congressman Carper: I think before we start shooting at people, Congressman Carper: you should have at least made every effort

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Congressman Carper: to try to negotiate our differences. Congressman Carper: I think that the direction Congressman Carper: we're going to try and pursue. Barbra Bell: People keep yelling about the

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Barbra Bell: President's going to send troops over Barbra Bell: there. Do you see it coming to that? Congressman Carper: I really don't. I really don't. Congressman Carper: I don't think the American people

00:08:48.490 - 00:08:53.090

Congressman Carper: want to have troops in Congressman Carper: that part of the world. Congressman Carper: And I think what we, what Congressman Carper: we need to do to stop the spread of

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Congressman Carper: communism and whether it's Congressman Carper: Central America or any other place. Congressman Carper: If we're serious about Congressman Carper: stopping the spread of

00:08:58.610 - 00:09:05.600

Congressman Carper: communism in our country, Congressman Carper: it's important for us to provide Congressman Carper: an economic alternative, Congressman Carper: or realistic economic alternative that works

00:09:05.600 - 00:09:12.590

Congressman Carper: to the extent that people live in Congressman Carper: a country mired in poverty, Congressman Carper: no chance to improve themselves, Congressman Carper: no education, no medical care,

00:09:12.590 - 00:09:20.270

Congressman Carper: no civil rights, no political rights, Congressman Carper: they are going to jump into first Congressman Carper: alternative that comes along. Congressman Carper: And if that alternative is one,

00:09:20.270 - 00:09:27.730

Congressman Carper: that is a communist pipe dream. So be it. Congressman Carper: I think we have an obligation as Congressman Carper: a democratic nation to Congressman Carper: offer a better alternative.

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Congressman Carper: An alternative that's more Congressman Carper: represented by our own principles that Congressman Carper: we stand on as a nation. Congressman Carper: Freedom of press, freedom of

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Congressman Carper: speech, freedom of opportunity. Congressman Carper: And I think we have a bit of Congressman Carper: a moral obligation as a nation Congressman Carper: to try to encourage through our aid,

00:09:42.050 - 00:09:47.510

Congressman Carper: economic and military aid Congressman Carper: that the establishment of Congressman Carper: governments that embody or Congressman Carper: believe in our principles,

00:09:47.510 - 00:09:53.720

Congressman Carper: our democratic principles. Congressman Carper: I don't know of any nation on Earth Congressman Carper: where there's Congressman Carper: a democratic government in which

00:09:53.720 - 00:10:02.870

Congressman Carper: communism also holds sway. Just doesn't happen. Congressman Carper: And democracy and communism Congressman Carper: are like oil and water. Congressman Carper: And what we need to do is a better job

00:10:02.870 - 00:10:10.820

Congressman Carper: of inoculating against the spread of Congressman Carper: communism in Central America by Congressman Carper: encouraging democratic governments there Congressman Carper: and helping them once they're established,

00:10:10.820 - 00:10:16.130

Congressman Carper: helping through Congressman Carper: our economic and military aid, Congressman Carper: like we've done in El Salvador. Congressman Carper: And like I think we're trying to do

00:10:16.130 - 00:10:23.840

Congressman Carper: in Guatemala and Honduras. Barbra Beel: Tom, sometimes it's hard for me to believe Barbra Beel: you are a Democrat. Barbra Beel: That's great. I think I got

00:10:23.840 - 00:10:30.820

Barbra Beel: to change sides myself. Barbra Beel: What's the latest Barbra Beel: you hear about on Barbra Beel: the Philippines and the deposed president?

00:10:30.820 - 00:10:38.510

Barbra Beel: And by the way, is he living here at Barbra Beel: our expense? Congressman Carper: Don't know. Congressman Carper: Really don't know. If Congressman Carper: you'd like to, for us to find out,

00:10:38.510 - 00:10:50.130

Congressman Carper: we will. In fact, Susan, Congressman Carper: if you just find out, should be easy enough. Barbra Beel: I've been wondering that yes, since he arrived. Susan: Okay. Barbra Beel: What's the latest with his staying here?

00:10:50.130 - 00:10:58.410

Congressman Carper: I really am not prepared to say. Barbra Beel: Oh okay. Congressman Carper: We're trying, our country has been trying Congressman Carper: to Mr. Marcos does not want to stay here.

00:10:58.410 - 00:11:04.350

Congressman Carper: He would like to leave. Congressman Carper: And I think that our country Congressman Carper: is not anxious for him to stay. Congressman Carper: Our government's not anxious for him to stay.

00:11:04.350 - 00:11:09.870

Congressman Carper: The people of Hawaii are not Congressman Carper: anxious for him to prolong his visit there. Congressman Carper: They are... Congressman Carper: The thing that's at issue here is to find a,

00:11:09.870 - 00:11:16.480

Congressman Carper: another country that will accept him, Congressman Carper: an other country that he would find acceptable. Congressman Carper: And a number of Congressman Carper: the nations have taken

00:11:16.480 - 00:11:22.550

Congressman Carper: themselves out of the running. Congressman Carper: In fact, most nations have Congressman Carper: taken themselves out of the running. Congressman Carper: It's making it difficult.. the job.

00:11:22.550 - 00:11:36.680

Barbra Beel: I can't understand why. Barbra Beel: He's a businessman, right? Oh, yes. Barbra Beel: Muammar Gaddafi's people allegedly Barbra Beel: shot rockets that some of our planes today,

00:11:36.680 - 00:11:43.220

Barbra Beel: Would you care to comment on that? Congressman Carper: Think we are playing a game of chicken, Congressman Carper: maybe a dangerous game of chicken Congressman Carper: with that Colonel Gaddafi.

00:11:43.220 - 00:11:50.810

Congressman Carper: He has drawn a line, Congressman Carper: I think an arbitrary line in the water. Congressman Carper: Not the sand, but saying Congressman Carper: if you cross this line in the water,

00:11:50.810 - 00:11:57.910

Congressman Carper: you will have violated Congressman Carper: our territorial waters. Congressman Carper: We believe that territorial waters do not Congressman Carper: exceed past 12 miles past one's shore.

00:11:57.910 - 00:12:06.790

Congressman Carper: And feel that Congressman Carper: that we're operating in international waters. Congressman Carper: What we appear to be seeking is Congressman Carper: a confrontation with Colonel Gaddafi

00:12:06.790 - 00:12:16.640

Congressman Carper: and the opportunity to follow up Congressman Carper: that confrontation with some kind Congressman Carper: of harsher military action. Congressman Carper: We... but it's a game,

00:12:16.640 - 00:12:23.990

Congressman Carper: a dangerous game of chicken. Congressman Carper: It can lead to some serious, Congressman Carper: some serious repercussions for all of us, Congressman Carper: including Colonel Gaddafi who

00:12:23.990 - 00:12:31.430

Congressman Carper: none of us harbor great feelings, Congressman Carper: or kind feelings toward. Barbra Beel: Do we belong there? Congressman Carper: I think to the extent that

00:12:31.430 - 00:12:42.220

Congressman Carper: Colonel Gaddafi wants to Congressman Carper: export terrorism to other parts of the world, Congressman Carper: we have every reason Congressman Carper: to try to deter him from doing that.

00:12:42.220 - 00:12:53.260

Congressman Carper: In my own... my own feeling is Congressman Carper: that what we should do is better utilize Congressman Carper: the opposition forces within Libya. Congressman Carper: They've tried to depose him before.

00:12:53.260 - 00:13:01.030

Congressman Carper: I think they've been attempts on his life to Congressman Carper: try to encourage those kinds Congressman Carper: of activities coming from Congressman Carper: within the country in

00:13:01.030 - 00:13:07.270

Congressman Carper: opposition to the Colonel. Congressman Carper: Sometimes when, when we do our saber rattling Congressman Carper: and the show of Congressman Carper: force and in that kind of thing,

00:13:07.270 - 00:13:13.930

Congressman Carper: it has a tendency to mobilize people, Congressman Carper: not in opposition to Colonel Congressman Carper: Gaddafi, but rather behind him. Congressman Carper: So we have to be careful that

00:13:13.930 - 00:13:21.280

Congressman Carper: our efforts Congressman Carper: there aren't counterproductive. Barbra Beel: Are you familiar with the latest changes Barbara Beel: to the farm law?

00:13:21.280 - 00:13:29.050

Congressman Carper: With some of them, yes. Barbra Beel: Would you explain them to me, I sure don't understand. Congressman Carper: One of the key changes Congressman Carper: when we adopted the Farm Bill last fall.

00:13:29.050 - 00:13:38.030

Congressman Carper: We wanted to encourage Congressman Carper: farmers who were planting crops Congressman Carper: that were in real access, Congressman Carper: corn and wheat and feed grains.

00:13:38.030 - 00:13:46.430

Congressman Carper: We wanted to provide them with an incentive Congressman Carper: to not plant those particular commodities. Congressman Carper: So we offered in the Farm bill Congressman Carper: a financial incentive to say if you

00:13:46.430 - 00:13:52.580

Congressman Carper: wont plant corn, where you've been Congressman Carper: planting corn for the last 10 or 20 years, Congressman Carper: we will give you a subsidy Congressman Carper: and you can go out and raise

00:13:52.580 - 00:14:02.060

Congressman Carper: certain other commodities Congressman Carper: that are unsubsidized. Congressman Carper: For example, potatoes, tomatoes. Congressman Carper: Well, some farmer said,

00:14:02.060 - 00:14:08.690

Congressman Carper: well that's exactly what I'll do. Congressman Carper: I'll take this federal subsidy and Congressman Carper: then I'll go out and plant Congressman Carper: potatoes and basically be

00:14:08.690 - 00:14:15.170

Congressman Carper: subsidized by the federal government Congressman Carper: able to continue farming Congressman Carper: in an another commodity. Congressman Carper: We've listened to a lot of Delawareans

00:14:15.170 - 00:14:22.550

Congressman Carper: came to see me and said this is not right, its not fair. Congressman Carper: Potato growers for one came to see me, Congressman Carper: the Farm Bureau, The Grange, Congressman Carper: and they've all said you got to

00:14:22.550 - 00:14:30.470

Congressman Carper: correct that problem in the Farm Bill. Congressman Carper: So what we did is we passed Congressman Carper: a new technical corrections to the bill. Congressman Carper: It said, if you're

00:14:30.470 - 00:14:38.650

Congressman Carper: a farmer and you're being subsidized or Congressman Carper: provide a financial payment not to Congressman Carper: plant a commodity that we Congressman Carper: have in abundance in this country.

00:14:38.650 - 00:14:48.110

Congressman Carper: You simply can't turn around and plant Congressman Carper: something else on the, Congressman Carper: on the land. That's not fair. Congressman Carper: It's subsidized competition and

00:14:48.110 - 00:14:54.340

Congressman Carper: we don't want to be a party to that. Congressman Carper: So we adopted that Congressman Carper: in the House, they've adopted in Congressman Carper: the Senate, ans is now the law of the land.

00:14:54.340 - 00:15:02.240

Barbra Beel: Ok. It's so complicated and the loses me. Barbra Beel: I wasn't sure if that was that part of it or not. Barbra Beel: Well, good show. Yes, Barbra Beel: that was totally unfair. They were getting

00:15:02.240 - 00:15:08.050

Barbra Beel: paid twice. Twice to Barbra Beel: do nothing and once to work. Congressman Carper: Yes. Barbra Beel: Gee, Barbra Beel: what else do I want to talk about?

00:15:08.050 - 00:15:16.390

Barbra Beel: How goes Gramm-Rudman? Congressman Carper: The next big deadline, Congressman Carper: real important deadline for Congressman Carper: the House and the Senate is April 15th.

00:15:16.390 - 00:15:24.650

Congressman Carper: That's the date whereby we must agree on a, Congressman Carper: the broad strokes of Congressman Carper: a budget plan that will reduce Congressman Carper: our 1987 deficit from about a

00:15:24.650 - 00:15:33.320

Congressman Carper: 140 billion to 144 billion. Congressman Carper: The Senate Budget Committee for its part, Congressman Carper: has adopted a plan that says we're going to Congressman Carper: restrain the growth in spending

00:15:33.320 - 00:15:38.050

Congressman Carper: in almost every program. Congressman Carper: We're going to get rid of Congressman Carper: a handful of problems Congressman Carper: that simply aren't working anymore.

00:15:38.050 - 00:15:44.850

Congressman Carper: And we're going to raise a, Congressman Carper: at least some new revenues, the money being Congressman Carper: used solely to reduce Congressman Carper: the deficit. And by that combination of,

00:15:44.850 - 00:15:52.130

Congressman Carper: of steps to reduce the deficit for Congressman Carper: next year at a $144 billion. Congressman Carper: I think it's likely that Congressman Carper: the House will pursue

00:15:52.130 - 00:15:57.710

Congressman Carper: a similar kind of course. Congressman Carper: Again, for the most part, Congressman Carper: concentrating on Congressman Carper: controlling the growth of spending,

00:15:57.710 - 00:16:04.820

Congressman Carper: providing some additional revenues with Congressman Carper: the understanding that might be Congressman Carper: used solely to reduce the deficit. Congressman Carper: That's the kind of approach that I

00:16:04.820 - 00:16:12.680

Congressman Carper: favor and I think Congressman Carper: I was pleased to see Congressman Carper: the Senate Budget Committee Congressman Carper: again with a mixed,

00:16:12.680 - 00:16:20.420

Congressman Carper: mixed group of people, Democrats and Congressman Carper: Republicans developing a bi-partisan plan. Congressman Carper: And I hope that we can Congressman Carper: do, set aside

00:16:20.420 - 00:16:27.470

Congressman Carper: partisan politics and the House as well. Congressman Carper: Democrats and Republicans work together. Congressman Carper: We may not please the Congressman Carper: President who has his own agenda.

00:16:27.470 - 00:16:34.240

Congressman Carper: We may not please the Speaker, Congressman Carper: quite frankly, who has his own agenda. Congressman Carper: But maybe we can come up with a compromise. Congressman Carper: It will be good for our nation.

00:16:34.240 - 00:16:45.170

Barbra Beel: Senator Roth last week said that Barbra Beel: the Office of Management and Budget Barbra Beel: had reduced the deficit or Barbra Beel: it has become less

00:16:45.170 - 00:16:54.000

Barbra Beel: than they thought it would be at this time. Barbra Beel: How much less is that are you familiar with it? Congressman Carper: I'm not familiar with what Bill was saying. Congressman Carper: The the size of the deficit

00:16:54.000 - 00:17:03.050

Congressman Carper: as we look further down the road. Congressman Carper: if we change our economic forecasts, Congressman Carper: if we adopt a rosier economic forecast, Congressman Carper: or if we assume

00:17:03.050 - 00:17:10.400

Congressman Carper: lower interest rates, for example, Congressman Carper: those have an effect on making Congressman Carper: the deficit appear smaller than it really is. Congressman Carper: We just gotta be real careful to make

00:17:10.400 - 00:17:15.710

Congressman Carper: sure that the economic Congressman Carper: forecasts that we're using, Congressman Carper: the interest rates that we're forecasting Congressman Carper: are indeed realistic.

00:17:15.710 - 00:17:21.020

Congressman Carper: And that we don't paint a rosier picture, Congressman Carper: which is what we've done Congressman Carper: for a number of years. Congressman Carper: The President ever since he's been

00:17:21.020 - 00:17:27.500

Congressman Carper: has always over forecast the Congressman Carper: economic growth and, Congressman Carper: and underestimated spending. Congressman Carper: That's why,

00:17:27.500 - 00:17:34.330

Congressman Carper: one of the reasons why we've ended up in, Congressman Carper: in the mess that we're in, Congressman Carper: we've gotta be realistic, Congressman Carper: hard nosed, and very pragmatic

00:17:34.330 - 00:17:40.840

Congressman Carper: as we make these important, Congressman Carper: important forecasts Congressman Carper: in order to come up with Congressman Carper: a real deficit reduction plan.

00:17:40.840 - 00:17:48.950

Congressman Carper: Deficits don't go away, Congressman Carper: B=but it take some tough steps to reduce them. Barbra Beel: Do you plan to reintroduce Barbra Beel: the bill that you've had introduced last year?

00:17:48.950 - 00:17:55.430

Congressman Carper: We are working on Congressman Carper: a revised constitutional amendment Congressman Carper: for a balanced budget. Congressman Carper: And we will have some more to tell you

00:17:55.430 - 00:18:03.530

Congressman Carper: about, probability by Congressman Carper: the beginning of the first... Congressman Carper: the second, week in April. Barbra Beel: Okay. Is there anything you would like to...?

00:18:03.530 - 00:18:06.480

Congressman Carper: I don't think so. Congressman Carper: Susan, can you think of anything else?