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Borg: THE CAMPAIGN TO REPRESENT SOUTHEAST IOWA'S THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT MATCHES THE INCUMBENT DEMOCRAT LEONARD BOSWELL AGAINST REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER JAY MARCUS OF FAIRFIELD. WE'LL QUESTION THEM ON THIS EDITION OF IOWA PRESS.

FUNDING FOR IOWA PRESS HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY FRIENDS OF IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION; BY THE IOWA BANKERS ASSOCIATION... FOR PERSONAL, BUSINESS, AND COMMERCIAL NEEDS, IOWA BANKS HELP IOWANS REACH THEIR FINANCIAL GOALS; AND BY THE ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, THE VOICE OF IOWA BUSINESS, REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF OVER 1,500 IOWA BUSINESSES EMPLOYING 300,000 IOWANS.

THIS IS THE SUNDAY, OCTOBER 22 EDITION OF IOWA PRESS. HERE IS DEAN BORG.

Borg: AS ELECTION DAY 2000 APPROACHES, WE NOW HAVE 16 DAYS REMAINING UNTIL THE NATION SELECTS A NEW PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT. AND IOWANS, AMONG OTHER ISSUES, DETERMINE THE COMPOSITION OF THE 79TH IOWA GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND THE STATE'S REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 107TH UNITED STATES CONGRESS. WELL, TODAY WE CONTINUE OUR REVIEW OF THE CAMPAIGNS TO REPRESENT IOWA IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IN SOUTHEAST IOWA'S FIRST U.S. CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT, DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN LEONARD BOSWELL SEEKS A THIRD TWO-YEAR TERM. AND THAT'S NOT THE FIRST DISTRICT, OF COURSE. CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL IS COMING TO US TODAY BY SATELLITE FROM WASHINGTON, D.C., AND HIS REPUBLICAN CHALLENGER IS ATTORNEY JAY MARCUS OF FAIRFIELD, WHO IS ON THE THIRD-DISTRICT BALLOT FOR THE THIRD TIME. GENTLEMEN, WELCOME TO IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION AND TO IOWA PRESS.

Marcus: THANK YOU.

Boswell: GOOD MORNING, DEAN.

Borg: AND MR. BOSWELL, YOU'RE IN WASHINGTON. ALSO JOINING US AT THE IOWA PRESS TABLE, POLITICAL REPORTERS DAVID YEPSEN OF THE DES MOINES REGISTER AND JENEANE BECK OF KUNI PUBLIC RADIO.

Beck: GENTLEMEN, WE'D LIKE TO START BY ASKING BOTH OF YOU WHY ARE YOU RUNNING. AND WE'LL START WITH YOU, MR. MARCUS.

Marcus: WELL, I'VE RUN BEFORE. PRIOR TO THE MID 1990S, I REALLY WAS NOT INTERESTED AT ALL IN POLITICS. I THINK PARTLY BECAUSE OF THAT, I'M SOMEWHAT MORE TROUBLED BY WHAT I SEE IN THE GOVERNMENT; SOME OF THE ABUSES IN GOVERNMENT; FAILURE TO ENACT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REFORMS; WASTE IN THE GOVERNMENT. AND I'M RUNNING SIMPLY TO ADDRESS THOSE ISSUES.

Beck: CONGRESSMAN?

Boswell: THANK YOU, JENEANE. WELL, I'M RUNNING BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF IMPORTANT THINGS WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON. I'M CONTINUING TO FOCUS ON EDUCATION AND DOING OUR BEST TO BE SURE THAT WE GET THOSE 100,000 TEACHERS FOR OUR CLASSROOMS AND TO BE SURE THAT OUR ECONOMY CONTINUES TO GROW AND TO KEEP OUR SPENDING IN CHECK AND PAY DOWN THE DEBT. I THINK THESE ARE SOME THINGS THAT ARE TERRIBLY IMPORTANT TO US, AND ALL OF THAT LEADS INTO OTHER THINGS THAT WE'LL PROBABLY TALK ABOUT THIS MORNING AS FAR AS THE IMPACT IT WILL HAVE ON A NUMBER OF THINGS. SO I WANT TO CONTINUE TO BUILD ON MY RECORD. I FEEL LIKE THE WORK IN HEALTH CARE AND AG AND DIFFERENT THINGS IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT. IN TRANSPORTATION, WE'VE HAD SOME VERY OUTSTANDING ACCOMPLISHMENTS THERE THAT I THINK BODES WELL FOR OUR STATE, AND WE'LL WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON THAT. THAT'S WHY I'D LIKE TO CONTINUE.

Yepsen: CONGRESSMAN, HELP THE VOTER OUT HERE, IF YOU WOULD. WHAT ARE THE MAJOR DIFFERENCES THAT YOU SEE THAT YOU HAVE WITH MR. MARCUS?

Boswell: WELL, I DON'T FULLY UNDERSTAND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HE'S TALKING ABOUT THESE DAYS. BUT I DON'T REALLY KNOW HIM ALL THAT WELL, HAVEN'T HAD THAT MUCH INTERFACE. BUT I WOULD WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'M VERY FOCUSED ON THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO. WE GOT HERE EARLY ON, AND GOT INVOLVED IN THE TRANSPORTATION NEEDS AND A VERY LANDMARK PIECE BY GETTING AN EXTRA OVER HUNDRED MILLION COMING INTO OUR STATE WITHOUT ANY HIGHER FEES OR TAXES. AND THE THINGS THAT WE DID ON CROP INSURANCE REFORM WERE VERY BADLY NEEDED. WITH 50 STATES AND THAT MANY MEMBERS ON THOSE COMMITTEES, IT'S HARD. BUT IF YOU STAY WITH IT, YOU CAN GET THE JOB DONE. AND WE ALSO, ON THE AVIATION SUBCOMMITTEE THAT I'M ON, AIR 21, BRINGS ABOUT 12 MILLION OR MORE TO OUR STATE TO OUR SMALL AIRPORTS AND SO ON. SO THERE'S JUST A NUMBER OF THINGS. I'VE STARTED THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER CAUCUS... VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR STATE. SO WE'VE GOT QUITE A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE FEEL VERY PROUD OF. THERE'S ALWAYS MORE TO DO.

Yepsen: AND YOU'RE RIGHT, CONGRESSMAN, WE DO WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT SEVERAL OF THOSE IN A MINUTE HERE. BUT, MR. MARCUS, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCES THAT YOU HAVE WITH CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL?

Marcus: WELL, I THINK THE FIRST IS A RECOGNITION OF WHAT IOWA NEEDS: WE NEED AIR ACCESS; HIGH-SPEED DATA AND COMMUNICATION LINES; WE NEED HIGH-SPEED RAIL; WE NEED AGRICULTURAL PARKS; WE NEED ONE MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA AND WE NEED STRONG RURAL COMMUNITIES BASED IN TECHNOLOGY AND BASED IN FARMING. HALF THE JOBS IN 2004 ARE GOING TO BE HIGH-TECH JOBS. WE ALSO DIFFER GREATLY IN TERMS OF FAMILY FARMERS. THE CONGRESSMAN HAS NOT COME UP WITH A FAMILY FARMER PROGRAM. I THINK THAT'S SURPRISING. I HAVE COME UP WITH A 10-POINT FAMILY FARMER PROGRAM. IT'S NOT JUST FOCUSING ON THE FARM BILL, BECAUSE THE FARM BILL HAS BEEN THERE IN ONE FORM OR ANOTHER FOR YEARS, AND YET WE'RE LOSING A THOUSAND SMALL FARMS IN IOWA. IN THE AREA OF PRESCRIPTION DRUGS, I'VE PROPOSED AN EMERGENCY PRESCRIPTION DRUG RELIEF ACT. A COMPROMISED MEASURE THAT COULD GET RELIEF NOW FOR SENIORS, AND THE CONGRESSMAN HAS IGNORED IT. WHILE HE TALKS ABOUT THE NEED TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY, THIS IS A BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE SOLUTION THAT COULD GET AID QUICKLY. WE ALSO DIFFER GREATLY IN SOCIAL SECURITY, WHERE HE IGNORES THE REFORM THAT COULD BE APPROACHED THROUGH THE BUSH PLAN TO PROVIDE PRIVATE ACCOUNTS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME REFORMING THE SYSTEM IF YOU SUBTRACT SOME OF THE OTHER BENEFITS THAT MIGHT COME FROM SOCIAL SECURITY FROM THOSE WHO GET THE VERY SIGNIFICANT BENEFITS THAT COME FROM THE PRIVATE ACCOUNTS AND THE BUILDUP OF INCOME THERE.

Borg: CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT'S FACING THE ENTIRE NATION, AND IT WILL PINCH HARD IN IOWA IF IT'S A TOUGH WINTER, IS ENERGY PRICES AND, OF COURSE, TRANSPORTATION PRICES AS WELL WITH GAS. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE? WHAT SHOULD THE NATION DO? WHAT CAN CONGRESS DO? WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A CONGRESSMAN FROM THE THIRD DISTRICT?

Boswell: WELL, I THINK I'LL ANSWER THAT, DEAN, BY WHERE YOU'RE VERY RIGHT, WE'RE FACING, I THINK, SOME PRETTY STRESSFUL TIMES THERE. SO SOME WEEKS AGO OR MANY DAYS AGO, I MET WITH THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY, SECRETARY RICHARDSON, AND ME AND A HANDFUL OF PEOPLE AND TALKED ABOUT SOME THINGS THAT OUGHT TO BE DONE. AND WE SAID WE NEED TO GET INTO THE RESERVE. THAT WOULD BE THE QUICKEST WAY TO START MOVING CRUDE INTO OUR REFINERIES AND GET THEM UP TO FULL CAPACITY. THEY CLAIM THEY'RE PRETTY HIGH BUT THEY NEED TO BE AT FULL CAPACITY. WINTER MONTHS ARE RIGHT HERE. WE FOLLOW THAT UP WITH A LETTER, AND WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL SUMMIT AND TO RECOGNIZE THAT WE'RE TOO DEPENDENT ON THE LARGE OIL COMPANIES, ON OPEC. THEY HOLD A STRANGLEHOLD ON US TOO MUCH. SO WE NEED TO BRING THE FOLKS TOGETHER AND APPRECIATE THAT WE'VE DONE THE TESTING ON ETHANOL AND SOYOIL. AS YOU MIGHT REMEMBER RIGHT THERE IN OUR CAPITAL CITY, WE RAN OUR METRO BUSES ON THAT A COUPLE, THREE YEARS AGO, AND IT WORKED FINE. AND BIOMASS AND WIND AND SOLAR AND SO ON. WE NEED A NATIONAL ENERGY POLICY. SO WE HAD THAT CONFRONTATION, IF YOU WILL, AND CHALLENGE. I GUESS THAT WAS ON TUESDAY. BY THURSDAY, WHY, THE VICE PRESIDENT AND THE PRESIDENT WERE SAYING WE NEED TO DO THOSE THINGS. SO I THINK WE'VE HAD SOME IMPACT THERE. WE'VE GOT SOME OF THE OIL MOVING, BUT WE STILL NEED TO HAVE THAT SUMMIT. WE NEED TO GET SOME ACTION GOING HERE. I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP ON PUSHING IT.

Borg: MR. MARCUS, IF YOU WERE HOLDING CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL'S CONGRESSIONAL SEAT RIGHT NOW, WOULD YOU HAVE DONE WHAT HE HAS ALREADY DONE, AND WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WIN ELECTION?

Marcus: WELL, I THINK WHAT THE CONGRESSMAN HAS DESCRIBED ARE REALLY JUST GENERALITIES. I MEAN, ONE THING FOR CERTAIN IS, THAT I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE, IS WHEN THE BILL CAME UP FOR THE CLEAN TECHNOLOGY -- CLEAN COLD TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM FOR $22 MILLION, WHICH THE CONGRESSMAN VOTED AGAINST IN FAVOR OF $22 MILLION FOR THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES, THAT TO ME IS NOT IN KEEPING WITH THE ECONOMY THAT IOWA NEEDS. SINCE THE CONGRESSMAN HAS BEEN IN OFFICE, THERE'S BEEN A 17-PERCENT REDUCTION IN OUR PRODUCTION OF GASOLINE AND OIL. THE REFINERIES HAVE NOT BEEN BUILT; THEY NEED TO BE REBUILT. WE DO NEED TO FOCUS ON REMOVING THE DEPENDENCE THAT WE HAVE ON FOREIGN OIL, AND I THINK SOME OF THE THINGS THAT I'M SAYING ARE STARTING TO HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON THE CONGRESSMAN, BECAUSE FOR SIX MONTHS I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT A NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY FOCUSED ON ETHANOL, SOY DIESEL, BIOMASS, WIND, AND HYDROGEN. SO THAT IN THE LONG-TERM, WE HAVE 20 OR 25 PERCENT OF THE UNITED STATES' ENERGY USES THAT ARE COMING FROM RENEWABLES. TEXAS BECAME WEALTHY WHEN THEY DISCOVERED OIL. RENEWABLE ENERGY IS IOWA'S OIL AND CAN DO THE SAME FOR US.

Borg: CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL, HE CHALLENGED ONE OF THE VOTES. DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND TO THAT?

Boswell: WELL, THAT'S ONE OF THE THOSE BUDGET GIMMICK KIND OF A PLOY, TRYING TO PIT ONE GOOD PROGRAM AGAINST ANOTHER, AND THAT HAPPENS FROM TIME TO TIME. I'M SURPRISED HE WOULD BRING THAT ONE UP, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO RUN MR. MARCUS DOWN. I'M GOING TO TALK ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED, WHICH IT'S A PRETTY IMPRESSIVE LIST WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICTURE.

Beck: MR. MARCUS, LET'S MOVE TO THE MIDDLE EAST. WHAT SHOULD THE UNITED STATES' ROLE BE IN THAT? SHOULD WE BE TRYING TO GARNER PEACE? AND IN THE BROADER REGION AND ITS STABILITY, WHAT SHOULD OUR ROLE BE?

Marcus: WELL, I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THAT ISRAEL IS OUR FRIEND, AND ISRAEL IS A NATION THAT CAN HELP SAFEGUARD U.S. INTERESTS. IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, I THINK, THAT WE USE DIPLOMATIC MEANS WHEREVER WE CAN TO TRY AND GENERATE A MORE PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO WHATEVER IS GOING ON. THERE ARE TENSIONS THAT HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS AND YEARS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. AND I THINK WE HAVE TO RECOGNIZE WHO OUR FRIENDS ARE, STAND BY THEM, AND HAVE THE SUPPORT THAT COMES FROM STRONG ALLIES.

Beck: CONGRESSMAN, HAVE WE DONE WHAT WE SHOULD IN THE MIDDLE EAST? IS THERE MORE TO BE DONE?

Boswell: I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE A CONSTANT CHALLENGE TO US, JENEANE. THERE'S DEEP FEELINGS THERE. I'M VERY SUPPORTIVE, AS OUR COUNTRY IS, TO ISRAEL AND TRYING TO KEEP THE PEACE AND TO WORK FOR IT. AS YOU KNOW, OUR PRESIDENT WENT TO EGYPT JUST A FEW DAYS AGO AND MANAGED TO BRING THE TWO PRIMARIES TOGETHER AND MADE SOME PROGRESS. I THINK THAT WE'LL HAVE THIS CHALLENGE FOR SOME TIME TO GO. I LIVED OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY NINE YEARS OF MY LIFE AND SERVED IN NATO AND THE MILITARY SERVICE, AND I HAVE SOME APPRECIATION FOR OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD. I THINK THAT'S ANOTHER ONE OF THE THINGS I BRING TO THE TABLE. I CAN ENGAGE IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS, AS I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO WITH FOLKS FROM THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WHEN I WENT TO SEATTLE LAST DECEMBER. YOU KNOW, WE'RE THE ONLY SUPERPOWER. WE HAVE AN AWESOME RESPONSIBILITY WITH THAT –

Beck: SPEAKING OF THAT –

Boswell: AND WE'VE GOT TO BE VERY CAREFUL, BUT WE'VE GOT TO WORK FOR PEACE.

Beck: SPEAKING OF BEING A SUPERPOWER, WHAT SHOULD OUR ROLE BE WITH TROOPS IN A BROADER PICTURE? WHEN SHOULD WE USE TROOPS? IS OUR MILITARY READY FOR US TO USE TROOPS IN A BROAD RANGE OR ESCALATED WAR?

Boswell: ARE YOU ADDRESSING THAT TO ME?

Beck: YES, I AM, CONGRESSMAN.

Boswell: OKAY, JENEANE. WELL, WE HAVE TO ALWAYS BE AWARE OF OUR NATIONAL INTEREST. AND I KIND OF COMPARE HAVING A STRONG MILITARY WITH HAVING A STRONG POLICE FORCE IN, FOR EXAMPLE, IN DES MOINES. YOU HAVE TO HAVE AN ADEQUATE POLICE FORCE. THEY'VE GOT TO BE TRAINED. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE THE RIGHT NUMBERS, BUT YOU DON'T WANT EXCESS. YOU WANT WHAT YOU NEED. IF YOU'VE GO TO EXCESS, THEN YOU'RE TAKING AWAY FROM OTHER THINGS. WE'VE GOT TO HAVE SAFE STREETS AND SO ON. BUT IN A WORLD SITUATION, WE'RE A WORLD COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE OUR NEIGHBORS. WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, OUR NEIGHBOR WAS THE NEXT FARM DOWN THE ROAD. BUT NOW A NEIGHBOR CAN BE ANYWHERE AROUND THIS WORLD, IF THINGS ARE SO CLOSE AND SO QUICK. AND LET SOMETHING HAPPEN IN THE FINANCIAL MARKET IN THE PACIFIC RIM OR EUROPE AND HOW QUICK IT RESPONDS HERE. SO WE NEED TO HAVE A CLEAR POLICY. WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE AN EXIT STRATEGY WHEN WE GO IN TO BE SURE THAT WE HAVE A PLAN ON HOW WE CAN GET OUT OF THERE. I THINK WE HAVE TO LEAD OUT. WE HAVE TO ASSUME THE RESPONSIBILITY WE'VE GOT TO BEING THE ONLY SUPERPOWER.

Beck: CAN YOU ALSO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, MR. MARCUS? ARE WE OVERSTRETCHING OUR MILITARY CURRENTLY?

Marcus: WELL, HERE'S THE THING: IT'S NOT ENOUGH JUST TO FOCUS ON NATIONAL SECURITY INTERESTS BECAUSE EVERYTHING COULD COME INTO THAT CATEGORY OF SOMETHING THAT'S IN OUR INTEREST. I THINK YOU HAVE TO DEFINE YOUR INTERESTS AS THOSE THAT ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT, THE VITAL INTERESTS, THOSE THAT ARE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AND THOSE THAT HAVE A SOMEWHAT LESSER IMPORTANCE. THE VITAL INTERESTS THAT WE HAVE ARE PROTECTING THE UNITED STATES FROM NUCLEAR ATTACK, FROM CHEMICAL WARFARE, FROM BIOLOGICAL ATTACKS. THE VITAL INTERESTS WE HAVE ARE IN MAKING FRIENDS WITH THOSE POWERS THAT WOULD MOST BE CAPABLE OF GENERATING THOSE KIND OF ATTACKS AND PRODUCING SERIOUS DESTRUCTION. THAT IS WHERE WE NEED TO FOCUS AS JUST A LOGICAL HIERARCHY. BUT WE DO HAVE A MILITARY RIGHT NOW THAT, AS I HEAR IT FROM SOME OF THE EXPERTS, IS VERY MUCH ONE WITHOUT THE SAME MORALE THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST. WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER ARMY AND WE'RE NOT PAYING THE SALARIES, THE COMPENSATION THAT WE NEED TO KEEP TOP PEOPLE. WE HAVE PEOPLE IN THE AIR FORCE WHO COULD MAKE 50,000 MORE BY FLYING CIVILIAN PLANES. SO WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE COMBAT READY AND THAT WE CAN ADDRESS SERIOUS SITUATIONS THAT COME UP AND PREVENT THE DISASTER THAT WOULD HAPPEN IF THERE'S A MAJOR ATTACK BY FOCUSING ON THOSE VITAL INTERESTS.

Yepsen: GENTLEMEN, I WANT TO SWITCH GEARS TO SOME MORE LOCAL ISSUES, ISSUES CLOSER TO HOME. BOTH OF YOU HAVE MENTIONED THE QUESTION OF AVIATION AND GETTING MORE -- CHEAPER AIR TRAVEL IN AND OUT OF IOWA. MR. MARCUS, WHAT WOULD YOU DO, IF YOU'RE ELECTED TO CONGRESS, TO LOWER AIRFARES?

Marcus: WELL, TO LOWER AIRFARES, YOU KNOW, IS ONE ISSUE, BUT WHAT WE WANT TO DO IS LOWER THEM IN IOWA WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ACCESS, AND WE NEED, IN AN INFORMATION AGE, ALL KINDS OF HIGH-SPEED ACCESS, RAIL, AIR, ET CETERA. I THINK THE FOCUS OF THE CONGRESS WAS THAT WHEN THERE WERE HUBS THAT CAME UP AND AVAILABLE IN WASHINGTON, D.C., THEY HAD A SYSTEM THAT WOULD SAY IF YOU WERE 1,200 MILES AWAY, YOU GOT A COUPLE OF HUBS, IF YOU WERE 2,400 MILES AWAY, YOU GOT A COUPLE OF HUBS. BUT I THINK THAT'S THE WRONG FOCUS. WHAT YOU NEED TO HAVE A FOCUS ON IS HELPING THE RURAL STATES, THE STATES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE AIR ACCESS, REGARDLESS OF HOW CLOSE OR HOW FAR THEY ARE, TO GET THE TRANSPORTATION THAT THEY NEED. WE RECOGNIZED YEARS AGO THAT WE NEEDED AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM THAT CONNECTED EVERYBODY, RURAL AMERICA AND URBAN AMERICA. AND WE NEED THE SAME IN AIR, SOMETHING THAT CONNECTS THE RURAL AREAS WITH THE URBAN AREAS.

Yepsen: AND, CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL, THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU, SIR. WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF YOU WERE REELECTED TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND COST OF AIR TRAVEL HERE IN IOWA?

Boswell: WELL, THANK YOU, DAVID. COMPETITION. WE HAVE TO HAVE COMPETITION. WE'VE GOT POCKETS OF TERMS COME UP -- POCKETS OF PAIN AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND WE'RE CERTAINLY ONE OF THEM IN IOWA WHERE WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH COMPETITION TO KEEP THE PRICES DOWN. WE'VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH SOME UNFAIR COMPETITIVE THINGS WHEN A NEW AIRLINE TRIES TO GET GOING AND PREDATORY PRICING COMES ALONG, SO WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO GET THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ON THAT AND DOING SOME THINGS THAT WOULD HELP THAT. I WAS ON THE AIR 21 PROGRAM AND VERY MUCH INVOLVED IN IT, AND WE DID MANAGE TO OPEN UP SOME SLOTS AT LA GUARDIA FOR ACCESS AIR. ALSO, WE'VE GOT A COUPLE SLOTS NOW INTO NATIONAL, WHICH WILL BE VERY IMPORTANT TO US. I THINK WE'LL SEE THOSE FLIGHTS STARTING FAIRLY SOON WITH MIDWEST EXPRESS, I BELIEVE IT IS.

Beck: CONGRESSMAN, WE'D LIKE TO MOVE TO AGRICULTURE NOW. FREEDOM TO FARM WILL BE REWRITTEN MAYBE BY THE NEXT CONGRESS. WHAT CHANGES SHOULD BE MADE, IF ANY?

Boswell: WELL, WE WORE OUT THE TERM "SAFETY NET," BUT IT'S STILL AN APPROPRIATE TERM. WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT WE CAN DO TO PICK UP THE PAIN AGAIN WHEN THOSE TIMES WHEN IT'S JUST NOT PROFITABLE FOR THE PRODUCERS OUT THERE. I AM A FARMER. I'M A HANDS-ON FARMER. I'M A SMALL FARMER. I KNOW THAT WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO PROMOTE TRADE, IT'S GOT TO BE EXPANDED TO THE BEST OF OUR ABILITY, AND WE'VE GOT TO ELIMINATE SANCTIONS ON FOOD AND MEDICINE. THOSE ARE THINGS THAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON, AND I THINK WE'RE SEEING SOME SUCCESS AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE SUCCESS.

Borg: DOES FREEDOM TO FARM NEED A MAJOR OVERHAUL?

Boswell: I THINK IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO HAVE SOME ADJUSTMENTS. AND FARMERS OUT THERE LIKE THE IDEA OF CHOICE, BEING ABLE TO CHOOSE AND SO ON. BUT THEY NEED SOMETHING TO HOLD THEM UP WHEN THE WHEELS COME OFF, AS IT HAS THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. BUT WE'VE HAD AN UNPRECEDENTED OVERPRODUCTION AROUND THE WORLD. WHO COULD HAVE PLANNED ON THAT? I WASN'T HERE WHEN THEY WROTE THE CURRENT FARM BILL, BUT THEY THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE EVER-EXPANDING MARKETS AND IT LOOKED LIKE THAT, PERHAPS AT THAT TIME, THERE WOULD BE. BUT THAT'S NOT TURNED OUT TO BE THE CASE. WE FIND OUT THAT WHEN WE SEND OUR PEOPLE TO SELL, THEY ARRIVE AT WHEREVER IN THE PACIFIC RIM OR EUROPE AND THEY'RE GLAD TO MEET THEM AND SEE THEM, BUT THEY SAY, "WE DON'T WANT TO BUY, WE WANT TO SELL TO YOU."

Beck: MR. MARCUS -- WE WANT TO GIVE MR. MARCUS ALSO A CHANCE TO RESPOND TO THIS QUESTION. WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH FREEDOM TO FARM? IS IT WORKING?

Marcus: WELL, IT'S WORKING FOR SOME PEOPLE, BUT IT TENDS TO WORK FOR BIG AGRICULTURE AND IT IS HAVING A DISASTROUS EFFECT ON FAMILY FARMERS BECAUSE THERE'S PRICE DISCRIMINATION. SO WHEN THERE ISN'T A HEALTHY DEMAND OVERSEAS, THE ONE WHO GETS SHORTCHANGED IS THE FAMILY FARMER. WE NEED A "FAMILY FARMER SURVIVAL ACT," BECAUSE IN IOWA WE'RE LOSING A THOUSAND FARMS A YEAR. IT'S HAPPENING ALL OVER. WE NEED SOME SEED CAPITAL FUNDS TO HELP MAKE FAMILY FARMERS INDEPENDENT SO THAT THEY CAN GET A PIECE OF THE PROCESSING PLANTS. IF YOU ADD 10 CENTS TO THE PRICE OF A BOX OF CORN FLAKES AND YOU FIGURED OUT HOW TO GET IT TO THE FAMILY FARMER, IT WOULD ADD $3 TO THE PRICE OF A BUSHEL OF CORN. THAT'S THE IMPORTANCE OF HELPING FAMILY FARMERS SELL FARTHER UP THE FOOD CHAIN. RIGHT NOW THE FAMILY FARMER BUYS AT RETAIL AND HE SELLS COMMODITIES AT WHOLESALE. HE ALSO NEEDS HELP IN BOTH PURCHASING SO SOME OF THE SAVINGS CAN BE PASSED ON TO HIM. THERE'S BEEN CONCENTRATION OF THE SEED COMPANIES AND THE FERTILIZER COMPANIES AND THE CHEMICAL COMPANIES, AND WE NEED A FOCUS IN THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ON THOSE MERGERS. WE NEED A SITUATION WHERE THERE'S AN END TO PRICE DISCRIMINATION BASED ON VOLUME, NOT JUST IN THE "PACKERS AND STOCKYARDS ACT" BUT ALL ACROSS THE BOARD IN AGRICULTURE.

Beck: WHY SHOULD IOWANS CARE THAT THE FAMILY FARMER SURVIVES OVER CORPORATE AGRICULTURE?

Marcus: YOU NEED BOTH. IT'S NOT THAT I'M OPPOSED TO BIG AGRICULTURE, CORPORATE AGRICULTURE IN ANY WAY. YOU NEED A BALANCE. BIG AGRICULTURE IS THERE. THEY CAN HELP US PENETRATE INTO FOREIGN MARKETS, THE RESEARCH, THE TECHNOLOGY, BUT YOU NEED THE FAMILY FARMER TO SURVIVE FOR THE COMPETITION AND THE DIVERSIFICATION, AND WE'RE LOSING THE FAMILY FARMS.

Borg: DAVID?

Yepsen: GENTLEMEN, WE HAVE WAY TOO MANY QUESTIONS AND NOT ENOUGH TIME, SO I'LL ASK YOU FOR SHORT ANSWERS HERE. MR. MARCUS, LOCAL SCHOOLS... VOTERS TELL US THAT'S THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE THEY WANT POLITICIANS TO DEAL WITH. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE LOCAL EDUCATION?

Marcus: I WOULD SEND MORE MONEY BACK TO THE STATES RATHER THAN RUNNING IT THROUGH A FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY THAT HAS A BUDGET OF $100 BILLION, AND ABOUT 65 BILLION OF THAT REACHES THE CLASSROOM. A VERY SUBSTANTIAL PART DOESN'T GET THERE. THINK WHAT THAT $35 BILLION COULD DO FOR TEACHERS, FOR INFRASTRUCTURE. WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN IOWA THAT WE HAVE RETIRING TEACHERS AND WE'RE NOT PAYING ENOUGH TO ATTRACT NEW ONES TO FILL THE VOID, AND WE'VE GOT TO ADDRESS THAT.

Yepsen: CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL, THE SAME QUESTION. WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO IMPROVE LOCAL SCHOOLS.

Boswell: WELL, I THINK THAT WE CAN HELP THEM BY REDUCING CLASS SIZE, GIVING THEM SOME RESOURCES, HAVING TECHNOLOGY IN THE CLASSROOM, TO REBUILD THE INFRASTRUCTURE. YOU'D HAVE MORE TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND GIVE THEM INCENTIVE TO COME INTO THE PROGRAM, BE SURE THAT OUR UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES ARE ATTRACTING OUR BEST AND THAT THEY WANT TO GO INTO THE FIELD BECAUSE THEY'LL BE COMPENSATED FOR IT AND HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE THEIR LIFESTYLE THEY'D LIKE TO HAVE AND BE ABLE TO BRING THE BEST TO OUR CHILDREN. I THINK THAT WE'VE GOT TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE OUR PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM STRONGER. OVER 90 PERCENT OF OUR CHILDREN GO THERE. IT'S THE PLACE WHERE WE'VE TRADITIONALLY GONE TO HAVE EQUAL OPPORTUNITY. OF COURSE, IT DOES NEED TO BE UNDER LOCAL CONTROL. ANYTHING THAT COMES FROM THE FEDERAL OUGHT TO BE TO ASSIST THE LOCALS TO MAKE THOSE DECISIONS.

Beck: CONGRESSMAN, ANOTHER ISSUE THAT VOTERS SEEM CONCERNED ABOUT IS HEALTH CARE. CAN YOU IMPROVE HEALTH CARE FROM WASHINGTON, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH MEDICARE, WHETHER IT BE THROUGH A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT?

Boswell: WELL, THERE'S TWO ISSUES YOU'RE BRINGING UP THERE, JENEANE, AND I'VE WORKED VERY HARD ON THOSE. IT STARTED WITH THE CONSTITUENT INPUT AS I'VE TRAVELED CROSS THE STATE OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS. THE PRESCRIPTION DRUG THING IS NEEDED VERY, VERY BADLY. WE DID OFFER UP A BILL HERE A COUPLE MONTHS AGO THAT WOULD HAVE DONE THAT. IT SHOULD BE UNDER MEDICARE AND THERE ARE SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND COULD HAVE REACTED IMMEDIATELY AND HAD THOSE BENEFITS OUT THERE. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S FOR ALL AMERICANS AND ALL SENIORS. REAL HMO REFORM IS NEEDED. WE HAVE THE PATIENTS BILL OF RIGHTS THAT I COSPONSORED AND WE'VE WORKED ON VERY HARD, AND IT SEEMS TO BE HUNG UP BECAUSE FOLKS JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT, BUT IT'S THE THING TO DO. AT SOME POINT WE'LL GET IT DONE.

Beck: MR. MARCUS, CAN HEALTH CARE BE FIXED FROM WASHINGTON OR DOES IT HAVE TO BE LOCAL?

Marcus: NO, I THINK THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO. WE CAN HAVE MEDICARE AND MEDICAID PAY FOR PROVEN PREVENTION STRATEGIES. THE REAL CAUSE OF THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS IN AMERICA IS PEOPLE AREN'T HEALTHY. SEVENTY PERCENT OF ALL DISEASE IS SAID TO BE PREVENTABLE, AND YET WE STILL HAVE SOME OF THE WORST HEALTH CARE STATISTICS IN AMERICA. IN THE AREA OF REFORMING MEDICARE, I'M ALL FOR A PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT PROGRAM. I EVEN WANT IT NOW, THROUGH THE EMERGENCY LEGISLATION, WHICH WOULD BE A COMPROMISE BILL. WHILE THE CONGRESS IS FIGURING OUT WHAT TO DO FOR THE NEXT SIX TO EIGHT MONTHS BEFORE WE GET A BILL, LET'S HAVE THIS EMERGENCY PROGRAM THAT PROVIDES HELP TO THE SENIORS IMMEDIATELY. I ALSO AGREE THAT WE NEED A STRONG PATIENT’S BILL OF RIGHTS AND THAT IF WE HAVE THIS OVERALL FOCUS ON REFORM, ON HELPING PEOPLE TO HAVE HEALTH CARE INSURANCE, AS WE HAVE A GREAT POPULATION, ABOUT 44 MILLION NOW, THAT'S NOT INSURED.

Yepsen: MR. MARCUS, THE NEXT CONGRESS WILL HAVE A SURPLUS TO DEAL WITH. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO WITH IT? TAX CUTS? MORE SPENDING? PAY DOWN THE DEBT? WHAT WOULD CONGRESSMAN MARCUS DO WITH THE SURPLUS?

Marcus: WELL, I WOULD FOCUS FIRST ON PAYING DOWN THE DEBT. I THINK THAT'S CRITICAL. YOU CAN'T MORTGAGE YOUR FUTURE GENERATIONS AND REQUIRE THEM TO SIMPLY PAY OFF EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE DONE THAT HAS CREATED THAT DEBT, BUT I WOULD ALSO HAVE TAX CUTS OF A CERTAIN KIND. TYPICALLY WHAT YOU GET IN ELECTION YEARS IS POLITICIANS TALKING ABOUT MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUTS BECAUSE THAT GETS VOTES. I ACTUALLY THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT CUTS ARE THOSE THAT KEEP THE ECONOMY MOVING. IT'S THINGS THAT ENCOURAGE SAVINGS, BECAUSE SAVINGS LEADS TO INVESTMENT AND PRODUCTIVITY. IT'S THINGS LIKE INSTANT DEDUCTABILITY RATHER THAN DEPRECIATION FOR SOME OF THE TECHNOLOGY, WHICH WEARS OUT NOW AFTER A YEAR OR TWO.

Yepsen: AND, CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE SURPLUS?

Boswell: I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE TO ADDRESS THE DEBT. I WOULD CERTAINLY BE IN FAVOR OF DOING THAT, AND I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THAT RIGHT ALONG. WE NEED TO REDUCE IT AND NOT PUT THAT ON FUTURE GENERATIONS. WE ALSO NEED TO HAVE SOME FAIR TAX CUTS FOR THE WORKING FAMILIES, MIDDLE-INCOME FAMILIES. THERE OUGHT TO BE SOME TAX CUTS. WE'VE GOT TO SPEND SOME MONEY ON EDUCATION. WE HAVE GOT TO INVEST IN OUR FUTURE BY SPENDING SOME MONIES ON EDUCATION AND ENSURE THAT OUR SCHOOLS ARE READY FOR THIS CENTURY AND WE'VE GOT THE RIGHT-SIZED CLASSES AND THE TECHNOLOGY IS THERE AND WE'VE ATTRACTED THE VERY BEST TEACHERS WE CAN BY PROVIDING THEM THE RIGHT INCENTIVE.

Yepsen: GENTLEMEN, WE'VE GOT JUST A MINUTE LEFT, AND WE WANT TO SPLIT IT RIGHT DOWN THE MIDDLE. CONGRESSMAN, IN 30 SECONDS, WHAT DO YOU WANT VOTERS TO REMEMBER ABOUT YOU AS THEY GO TO THE POLLS?

Boswell: I WANT THEM TO REMEMBER THAT I'M ACCESSIBLE; I'M IN THE DISTRICT ALL THE TIME. I'M A SMALL FARMER. I'VE GOT A HISTORY OF BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER AND GETTING THINGS DONE. I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO WORK VERY HARD ON EDUCATION AND SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE TO BE SURE IT STAYS WHOLE AND STAYS THERE. AND CERTAINLY --

Yepsen: MR. MARCUS?

Boswell: AND CERTAINLY TO PROVIDE PRESCRIPTION DRUGS TO ALL OF OUR CITIZENS.

Marcus: WE'VE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE ECONOMIC ISSUES, AND I DON'T WANT TO GET INTO THOSE. WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT VALUES. TO ME, THE HIGHEST EXPRESSION OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY IS WHEN LINCOLN WAS ASKED "WOULD GOD BE ON YOUR SIDE IN THE CIVIL WAR," "IS GOD ON YOUR SIDE?" AND LINCOLN SAID, "I'M MUCH MORE CONCERNED THAT I'M ON GOD'S SIDE," AND THAT SHOULD BE THE DIRECTION OF OUR POLICYMAKERS.

Borg: THANK YOU, MR. MARCUS. THANK YOU, CONGRESSMAN BOSWELL. ON OUR NEXT EDITION OF IOWA PRESS, WE'LL PRESENT THE FINAL OF FIVE CONSECUTIVE IOWA PRESS EDITIONS FOCUSING ON THESE CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGNS. THE SPOTLIGHT SHIFTS TO THE FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FROM SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHWEST IOWA NEXT WEEK. JOINING US AT THAT TIME, INCUMBENT REPRESENTATIVE GREG GANSKE OF DES MOINES AND HIS DEMOCRATIC CHALLENGER MIKE HUSTON, ALSO OF DES MOINES. THAT'S NEXT SUNDAY AT NOON AND 7:00 HERE ON STATEWIDE IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION. AND THIS PROGRAM REMINDER AS WE LEAVE YOU THIS SUNDAY: ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY OF THIS WEEK, THAT'S OCTOBER 24, 25, AND 26, IOWA PUBLIC TELEVISION LOOKS TO THE CAMPAIGN OF 2000 FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF 11 IOWANS WHO ALSO HOPE TO REPRESENT THE STATE IN THE U.S. CONGRESS. THAT PROGRAM IS TITLED ON THE IOWA BALLOT: THE RACE FOR CONGRESS, AND AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE, AS WELL AS CANDIDATES FROM THE LIBERTARIAN PARTY, THE EARTH FEDERATION, THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY, THE INDEPENDENCE PARTY, AND THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY, WILL JOIN US TO DISCUSS THE ISSUES DRIVING THEIR CAMPAIGNS FOR THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. AIR TIME FOR THAT THREE-PART SERIES IS 6:30 THIS WEEK. THAT'S ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, AND THURSDAY. WELL, THAT'S IT FOR THIS WEEK'S EDITION OF IOWA PRESS. I HOPE YOU'LL JOIN US NEXT SUNDAY AT NOON AND 7:00. UNTIL THEN, I'M DEAN BORG. THANKS FOR JOINING US TODAY.

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