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| TIME | SPEAKER | TEXT |
|---|---|---|
| 00:00:03 |
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JOSH KURTZ, THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR TIME THIS MORNING. |
| 00:00:06 |
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THANK YOU. |
| 00:00:08 |
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A LOOK AT A BOOK CALLED "WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO? YOUR GUIDED TOUR TO THE FEDERAL BUDGET CRISIS" AS... |
| 00:00:37 |
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WELL, WHAT WE WRITE ABOUT IN THIS BOOK, THE PROBLEMS FACING THE BUDGET ARE AN OPEN SECRET IN WASHINGTON... |
| 00:00:58 |
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JEAN JOHNSON'S COLLEAGUE AT THE PUBLIC AGENDA ONLINE AND CO-AUTHOR ALSO JOIN US FROM NEW YORK SCOTT... |
| 00:01:14 |
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WELL, I THINK THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS, BUT ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT IS THAT NEARLY EVERYONE... |
| 00:02:02 |
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PHONE NUMBERS ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN FOR OUR GUESTS IN NEW YORK. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL... |
| 00:02:32 |
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PUBLIC AGENDA ONLINE IS THE WEBSITE OF OUR ORGANIZATION, PUBLIC AGENDA, A NONPROFIT, NON PARTISAN... |
| 00:02:55 |
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JEAN JOHNSON, LET'S START WITH YOUR GREAT BUDGET DEBATE POP QUIZ AND HAVE FUN WITH THIS. YOU LAY... |
| 00:03:17 |
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THE ANSWER IS IT'S NOT TRUE. AND A LOT OF AMERICANS BELIEVE THAT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE WAR THAT -- ... |
| 00:03:32 |
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SCOTT BITTLE, QUESTION FOR YOU, TRUE OR FALSE IF WE JUST ROLLED BACK THE BUSH TAX CUTS SOMETHING WE... |
| 00:03:43 |
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AND AGAIN, THE ANSWER IS, SADLY, FALSE. IT'S NOT A SINGLE THING DRIVING OUR BUDGET PROBLEMS. AND... |
| 00:04:04 |
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FIRST CALL FOR OUR GUESTS WHO ARE UP IN NEW YORK, BUFORD, GEORGIA, YOU'RE ON THE AIR. GO AHEAD, GEORGIA.... |
| 00:04:10 |
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YES. GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:04:11 |
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MORNING. |
| 00:04:12 |
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THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR |
| 00:04:13 |
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UH-HUH. |
| 00:04:14 |
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I'M SORRY. |
| 00:04:15 |
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YEAH. WE CAN HEAR YOU. GO RIGHT AHEAD. |
| 00:04:19 |
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OH, OKAY. I JUST WANTED TO ASK YOUR -- I WANTED TO ASK THE GUESTS AND THEN MAKE A COMMENT. |
| 00:04:25 |
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SURE. |
| 00:04:26 |
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I WANTED TO ASK YOU IF EITHER OF YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK "THE CORPORATION," YOU KNOW WITH THE GUY WITH... |
| 00:05:15 |
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THANKS. JEAN JOHNSON, WHY DON'T YOU TAKE THAT ONE. |
| 00:05:19 |
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WELL, I HAVEN'T READ THE BOOK. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS OF WRITING A BOOK, YOU GET BEHIND ON YOUR OWN READING... |
| 00:06:18 |
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SCOTT BITTLE, PAGE 83 OF THE BOOK, YOU POINT OUT THAT THE MAIN FUNCTION OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST SUPERPOWER... |
| 00:06:41 |
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WELL, THIS IS ANOTHER THING THAT SHOCKS PEOPLE WHEN THEY SEE IT. THE FACT IS THAT TWO-THIRDS OF THE... |
| 00:07:10 |
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WHAT DOES THAT, OF COURSE -- WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO THE FUTURE, HOW MUCH MORE SPENDING PERCENTAGE-WISE... |
| 00:07:19 |
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WELL, AS I SAID BEFORE, THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO IS THAT MEDICARE, SOCIAL SECURITY, AND INTEREST ON... |
| 00:07:52 |
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MEDICARE IS ONE OF THOSE QUESTIONS IN YOUR POP QUIZ IN THE BOOK IT SAYS WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING AREAS... |
| 00:08:23 |
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YES, SIR. |
| 00:08:25 |
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FINE. |
| 00:08:27 |
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I'M CALLING TO ASK IF MOST OF THE MONEY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PAY BACK IN 2020 IS ALSO GOING TO COME... |
| 00:09:20 |
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JEAN JOHNSON, UP IN NEW YORK. |
| 00:09:21 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, IT'S INTERESTING. THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES OF DISCUSSION ABOUT THE BUDGET. ONE REALLY... |
| 00:10:35 |
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NEXT CALL, ALBANY, NEW YORK, TALKING ABOUT THE FEDERAL BUDGET AND DEBT IN THE U.S. GO AHEAD. ALBANY,... |
| 00:10:43 |
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YEAH. |
| 00:10:44 |
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GO AHEAD, SIR. |
| 00:10:47 |
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YEAH, I'M CURIOUS ON IT IS TRUE THERE IS NO LAW STATING WE HAVE TO PAY FEDERAL TAXES? |
| 00:10:54 |
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SCOTT BITTLE, IS THAT RIGHT? |
| 00:10:57 |
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WELL, I THINK WESLEY SNIPES THOUGHT SO AND I DON'T THINK THAT WORKED OUT FOR HIM COMPLETELY. I WOULD... |
| 00:11:14 |
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ALBANY, ARE YOU STILL THERE? I THINK WE LOST HIM. WANTED TO GET MORE PERSPECTIVE FROM HIM BUT LET'S... |
| 00:11:23 |
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THAT WAS A VERY GOOD ANSWER TO THE LAST QUESTION, I MIGHT ADD. WHILE I HAVE SOMEBODY THERE I WANT... |
| 00:12:16 |
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LET'S HEAR FROM OUR GUEST, JEAN JOHNSON. |
| 00:12:18 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE CALLER HAS CERTAINLY A RIGHT TO KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING. I'M NOT... |
| 00:13:18 |
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BACK TO THE POP QUIZ IN YOUR BOOK, SCOTT BITTLE UP IN NEW YORK, NUMBER 4 ASKS TRUE OR FALSE FOREIGN... |
| 00:13:30 |
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IT'S FALSE. IT'S REALLY ABOUT ONE PERCENT OF THE BUDGET, LESS THAN ONE PERCENT OF THE BUDGET. AND... |
| 00:13:43 |
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WHY IS THAT? |
| 00:13:44 |
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I THINK BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A GOOD SENSE OF HOW THE GOVERNMENT SPENDS THEIR MONEY. ONE OF THE... |
| 00:14:34 |
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WE HAVE A CALLER FROM DALLAS NOW FOR OUR GUESTS. UP IN NEW YORK WHO WROTE THIS BOOK "WHERE DOES THE... |
| 00:14:43 |
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GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:14:45 |
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UH-HUH. |
| 00:14:47 |
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AND WHAT I WANT TO SAY, OF COURSE, WE VOTE IN DALLAS TOMORROW. I'VE ALREADY VOTED. BUT, I THINK THAT... |
| 00:15:40 |
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THANKS, JEAN JOHNSON, LINKING THE PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN TO THE BUDGET PROCESS HERE. WHAT DO YOU THINK?... |
| 00:15:44 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE. THERE ARE ALL THE CANDIDATES THAT ARE STILL IN THE... |
| 00:16:49 |
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SCOTT BITTLE, HOW MUCH IS SPENT ICH YEAR IN TERMS OF FRAUD AND WASTE AND THAT WORD "PORK" WE HEAR... |
| 00:16:58 |
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WELL, NOT ENOUGH TO BALANCE THE BUDGET, BY MOST STANDARDS, ALTHOUGH AGAIN, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT... |
| 00:18:07 |
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RICHMOND -- |
| 00:18:09 |
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-- IT IS A TRUST-BUILDING EXERCISE. |
| 00:18:11 |
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THANKS. RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, YOU'RE ON THE AIR NOW TALKING FEDERAL BUDGET DEBT WITH TWO GUESTS UP ... |
| 00:18:20 |
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GOOD MORNING, HOW DROUING? |
| 00:18:21 |
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FINE. |
| 00:18:22 |
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I LISTENED TO WHAT YOU SAID ABOUT BRIDGES TO NOWHERE AND EARMARKS BUT THIS FIRST STATEMENT I WANT... |
| 00:20:01 |
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THANK YOU. SCOTT BITTLE, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THAT ONE? . |
| 00:20:05 |
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WELL, I THINK THIS QUESTION OF CURRENCIES AND COMPETING WITH EUROPE AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD IS... |
| 00:21:05 |
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JEAN JOHNSON BACK TO YOUR POP QUIZ IN THE BOOK, FINAL QUESTION HERE, TRUE OR FALSE, MONEY IN THE SOCIAL... |
| 00:21:17 |
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THE ANSWER IS THAT'S NOT TRUE. LEADERS HAVE BORROWED OUT OF THE SOCIAL SECURITY FUND FOR LO THESE... |
| 00:22:06 |
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BY THE WAY, WHAT CAN FOLKS FIND AT THE WEBSITE PUBLIC AGENDA.ORG THAT MIGHT INTEREST THEM? |
| 00:22:14 |
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WELL, THEY CAN FIND WHAT WE CALL CHOICE FRAMEWORKS FOR 20-SOME ISSUES. WE OUTLINE THREE OR FOUR DIFFERENT... |
| 00:23:08 |
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A CALLER NOW FROM MINNESOTA. THANKS FOR WAITING. HI THERE. |
| 00:23:11 |
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GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:23:12 |
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GOOD MORNING. |
| 00:23:13 |
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SURE. |
| 00:23:14 |
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I HAVE ONE FOLLOW-UP QUESTION AND THEN ANOTHER QUESTION. MY FOLLOW-UP QUESTION IS ON THE SOCIAL SECURITY,... |
| 00:24:39 |
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BACK TO NEW YORK. SCOTT BITTLE, HOW ABOUT YOU? |
| 00:24:44 |
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WELL, I THINK THIS GOES TO ONE OF THE FUNDAMENTAL THINGS ABOUT THE BUDGET, WHICH IS SETTING PRIORITIES... |
| 00:25:41 |
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JEAN JOHNSON, CHAPTER 13 OF THE BOOK HAS K STREET BECOME WASHINGTON'S MAIN STREET, THE CONNECTION... |
| 00:25:51 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS WE POINT OUT IS THERE THAT THERE SOME 30,000 LOBBYISTS IN WASHINGTON,... |
| 00:27:35 |
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BACK TO THE CALLS, BERLIN, WISCONSIN, YOU'RE ON THE AIR NOW, HI. |
| 00:27:39 |
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GOOD MORNING. I JUST SAW DAVID WALKER IN THE FACE SKAL WAKE-UP TOUR IN WISCONSIN TRYING TO SOUND THE... |
| 00:28:42 |
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THANK YOU. SCOTT BITTLE, WHAT IS IT GOING TO TAKE TO GET SOMETHING DONE? |
| 00:28:47 |
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IT'S GOING TO TAKE -- IT'S GOING TO TAKE BIPARTISANSHIP AND SOME FACING FACTS AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE... |
| 00:30:06 |
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JEAN JOHNSON ONE WAY TO SOLVE ANY PROBLEMS YOU PRINT TOWARD THE BACK OF YOUR BOOK IMPROVE THE CONGRESSIONAL... |
| 00:30:19 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT IDEAS AND I MEAN, BASICALLY THE PRESIDENT SUBMITS A BUD... |
| 00:32:11 |
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CALLER NOW FROM ALTOS, OKLAHOMA. THANK YOU FOR WAITING. HI THERE. |
| 00:32:14 |
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HELLO. |
| 00:32:15 |
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MORNING. |
| 00:32:16 |
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THIS IS A GREAT DISCUSSION. I THINK THAT WE NEED TO FACE THE FACTS THAT BILL CLINTON AND THE REPUBLICAN... |
| 00:34:23 |
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THANKS. JEAN JOHNSON UP IN NEW YORK. |
| 00:34:26 |
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WELL, I THINK THE CALLER BRINGS UP A VERY IMPORTANT POINT. THERE IS -- WE ARE A WEALTHY COUNTRY AND,... |
| 00:36:24 |
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SCOTT BITTLE, HOW MUCH DID YOU UNDERSTAND THE FEDERAL BUDGET PROCESS BEFORE YOU PUT THIS BOOK TOGETHER... |
| 00:36:32 |
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THERE'S A LOT OF MATERIAL OUT THERE, IF YOU'RE WILLING TO LOOK FOR IT. MOST OF IT IS WRITTEN IN WONKESE,... |
| 00:37:19 |
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LAST CALL FOR OUR GUESTS FROM BALTIMORE, OHIO, WELCOME. |
| 00:37:25 |
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GOOD MORNING, C-SPAN. THAT LAST CALLER KIND OF SEGUED INTO THE QUESTION, COUPLE QUESTIONS THAT I HAD.... |
| 00:38:35 |
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JEAN JOHNSON? |
| 00:38:36 |
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WELL, YOU KNOW, TO THE FIRST POINT, THERE ARE LOTS OF VERY OPTIMISTIC BUDGET PROJECTIONS OUT THERE.... |
| 00:40:29 |
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OUR TWO GUESTS IN NEW YORK HAVE BEEN JEAN JOHNSON, CO-AUTHOR OF WHERE DOES THE MONEY GO, HERE IS A... |
NOTE: The transcript for this program was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.