(00:00:00) Welcome to our candidates meeting for the our candidates call in program for the Western half of the Minnesota Public Radio Network those of you in Moorhead and the surrounding area will be hearing the program on Casey CM those of you in central Minnesota on ksjn are and down in the southwest on key RSW. We'll be beginning in a moment with some calls for the candidates for the Seventh District congressional seat up in the Northwestern part of the state. And then if those of you down in southwest Minnesota can be patient a bit in about a half an hour. We'll move your candidates into the studio and you will be able to talk to them and ask them your questions those candidates for the sixth district our incumbent dfl ER which would Nolan who's seeking his third term. He's from Waite Park and his opponent is independent Republican Ross Buras and egg Extension agent from Litchfield. Also joining us at that time will be Vicky sturgeon a reporter producer from our Southwest Minnesota station K RS W, but we're going to begin with the candidates for the Seventh District congressional seat. They've joined us in the studio, and they are independent Republican incumbent Arlen staying one from Barnesville. He's a farmer who won the seat in a special election about 20 months ago. His dfl opponent is Jean winstram a farmer and educator from Elbow Lake and the American Party candidate is Ronald Holmquist a plumbing and heating contractor and musician from Garrison, Minnesota. We thank you gentlemen for coming in today. It's a pleasure to be here. We're going to be going to calls in just a moment of let me give you the phone number that you can call to ask the candidates through your questions. The number is 61236377026123637702. Please call collect if you're outside the local dialing area. We are of course in the KR K SJ our Studios, but those of you around Moorhead and up in the northern part of the 7th District. We want to your calls as well. 6 1 2 3. Three seven seven. Oh two until we get the calls coming in gentlemen. I think I'll start out the questioning with it rather general question. We're about a week away. Now from the general election that the goal that each of you has been working for for the last few months. And I wonder if you could tell us now what the message is that each of you wants to get out to the voters about your candidacy at this point. What is your general political philosophy? What it is that you want the voters to know about yourselves Congressman Stalin's let's start (00:02:45) with you. Well, I think one of the things I think we have to be concerned about at this point in time and 71% of people in this country say it's the major issue and the Gallup poll and that's inflation. I think we have to be very very concerned when the inflation rate goes into the double digit figures inflation affects every one of us. It's going to drive up the cost of Education. It drives up Farmers cost and his operation it. Takes away the savings of our senior citizens and people who lived on fixed incomes. It affects the businessman to fix the laboring man and fix all of it the prime cause of inflation were all somewhat responsible for inflation. But the prime cause is excessive government spending and wasteful government spending and I think we have to try to curb that waste in government and try to deliver the services needed by people and deliver them efficiently and within the resources that we have available. I think another concern in this campaign and it's the same basically that it was in the special election as I walk the main streets of the 7th District. I find businessman concerned about the rules and regulations. They have to work under in government the amount of bureaucracy the amount of red tape and one of the things I think that come loud and clear is that the people don't want more government in Washington. They want less and they like more government at home more local control and I think people want a voice in their government. (00:04:07) Thank you Congressman sang before we go on to Jean wants trim. Bell Canada, let me just give you the phone number to call if you have a question for the candidates. It's 6123637702. Please call collect if you're outside the local dialing area. Mr. Lindstrom. What do you want the candidate or the the electorate at this point to know about yourself and your candidacy? What's your philosophy of government? Basically? Well, I think that you know is the campaign winds down. There's you know, some interesting things that are happening. For example, I've been talking a lot about the need to bring Young Folks back into rural areas and talked about the Family Farm Security Act that we have in Minnesota. That's a way to bring people back into the into agriculture. There's over 60 people now farming in Minnesota that wouldn't have been if we wouldn't have passed that and I supported that I've talked about the fact that I've carried the anti Corporation farming bill that's keeping large corporations out of hogs and cattle raising. And as far as you know inflation, I know inflation is been you know, one of the Mainstays of my opponents campaign, but you know, the I think you have to look at what what to what are they? What do you believe what they say or what they do matter of fact, it's staying ones. Also the co-author of the camp Roth bill would show business weakest. It is highly inflationary and you look at the fact of us a military Appropriations. For example, he supported the the Marine Corps to have an 8 point 1 million dollar plane for generals to fly around it. And instead of having them go on regular military aircraft and so forth. So I think you know that, you know as a campaign wise down I think we have to be very very careful that people listen very closely and you know, for example last night we appear to try Camp agency and I know the big thing has been in tax cuts from the opposition party and yet there is nothing said last night about the camp Roth bill when we were talking to a group of senior citizens and low-income people whose programs I think would be affected by some of these huge tax. Gene wants from the dfl candidate for Seventh District congressional seat. We're ready to take your calls. As soon as we've heard from our American Party candidate Ronald Holmquist. The number again 6123637702. That's the number to call if you have questions for the 7th District dfl or the 7th District candidates. Mr. Holmquist your the American Party candidate. Yes, sir. We haven't heard a lot from you during this campaign. And I wonder if you could tell us what you feel at this point in the campaign is the important thing for the voters to know about your candidate. Well, most American party people. In (00:07:04) fact, all RX Republicans and Democrats in that order (00:07:08) and we have realized that there is something terribly wrong in the way in the management of our federal government and we have we have exercised many facts (00:07:18) from the archive. (00:07:21) Of the government itself and we can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that there is a conspiracy to merge this nation with Russia and our top echelons Executives politicians in this country are definitely bought and they are puppets on strings of the international bankers and the absolute masters of the multinational corporations. These are the people who rule the world. They have Master plans to form a one world government with a one world economy with all of us excluding themselves. All (00:07:52) of us are economic service and they are not there is something really terribly wrong in this country and we are trying to expose it. That's my message. (00:08:03) Thank you. Mr. Holmquist. I believe we have some callers on the line. Maybe we should take our first caller right now. You're on the air. Do you have a question for the candidates? You're on the air. Do you have a question for the candidates? The question is would the candidates support proposed moratorium on nuclear power plants. Mr. (00:08:32) Scanlon. No, I do not support a moratorium on nuclear power plants. I think the energy demands that we're going to see in the future and the shortage of resources that we have to fire that energy. I think we have to keep the nuclear power plants. I served in a sub committee that studied the nuclear waste disposal problem and it is a very severe problem. I don't think it's one. That's a severe we can't solve it. But when we talk about the nuclear waste and the amount of nuclear waste we have in this country. We're talking about the military ways to nuclear waste from electrical generating plants is not that large amount and here's an economic way of providing electricity without utilizing natural gas or fuel or coal. (00:09:19) Mr. Webster. Well, I think that there's certainly a lot of costs were concerned in the development of nuclear energy. As matter of fact, I would favor the development of other ways of generating electricity then nuclear. (00:09:33) I think we (00:09:36) should very very carefully look at the the any construction of new nuclear plants until we have safe ways to dispose of nuclear waste I would say however that what we've got to do is we've got to go into looking to generating electricity with renewable resources such as the sun. And and I'm I'm just afraid that if we go down the nuclear Road and put all our eggs in that basket will just have lots and lots of problems. Mr. Holmquist. How do you feel about the development of nuclear energy. I agree with mr. Winstone and part. I believe that if the fusion kind of atomic energy were developed (00:10:18) that it would be safe. (00:10:20) At the present time we have only fission and the half-life as I understand it of the waste products is way in the hundreds of years and to me this is a very dangerous situation. Okay. Thank you very much. We have another caller I believe. The air, do you have a question for the candidates? (00:10:48) General sort of policy (00:10:51) Well, I think if you check Minnesota Legislature, my environmental record is very very good. It's a matter of fact, I have consistently supported mandatory deposit for beverage containers. I think that if there's one thing as a farmer, I've noticed and other Farmers complained to me it scans and the road ditches and so forth and that we do need a mandatory deposit there. That's probably one of the most visible things that we can do and it's something that we ought to do and I think that if you check my record with the cumin congressman's environmental record, you'd find that you'd find if you were some of those concerned about the environment mine (00:11:34) would be I think more to your liking may I (00:11:38) respond certainly met. Mr. (00:11:39) Stan. I think we all have to be concerned about the environment and I think we have but I think we have to balance the environment within economics. We need a clean and wholesome environment, but I think too. Try to turn the quality of our lakes and streams back to totally total Purity total fish will swim away. And what we are doing in this country is trying to make Waters fissionable and swimmable that never were visible and swimmable. Just let me say that I think the pendulum has gone too far and it's coming back and I have to admit that the environment was raped me very low but I think in the matter of the voters the 7th District, they should look at the economics and the environment. Let me give you one more example. Bemidji was going to extend a Runway. They had an old noise model that the FAA had been using for years to test noise and determine what the environmental impact of would be on that with that noise. They came out with a new model the new model required Bemidji to spend $7,000 to run that model to determine the environmental impact that $7,000. It could have gone to building a Runway. It doesn't take too much common sense to recognize that occasional flights of dc-9s coming in to Bemidji with the airport removed from the city his Not going to create an environmental impact and as we look at what the cost is to the taxpayer in this country of environmental impact statements. There are areas. We shouldn't have them when we rebuild a rotary build a bridge in the road is needed in the bridges needed. The doesn't make a lot of sense to have an expensive environmental impact statement. So I think you have to balance it out and I'm not anti environmentalist by any means but I do think we have to balance it with economics. (00:13:14) You have a comment on this. Mr. Harris. (00:13:15) I agree with basically what I'm saying, (00:13:17) although I do agree also with mr. Wentz term on the band The can situation and any (00:13:21) renewable resource that we throw away to me as simple as they should all be recycled in that sense. I'm an environmental. It's also we have to think of the economics because economists do ruler Our Lives. (00:13:33) Let me give the number once again for those of you who want to ask questions of the Seventh District congressional candidates. The number is 6 1 2 3 6 3 7702 and call collect if you're outside the local dining area 6 1 2 3 6 Me seven 702 we have another caller on the line. You're on the air. Do you have a question for the candidates? (00:14:16) Why (00:14:16) don't you wait for that? Mr. Winston, would you like to start with it? First question? Well, I think gasohol this offers a very very exciting possibilities. As a matter of fact, (00:14:25) one of the fellows that I know of is a guy by the name of LZ Hammer who is from Alexandria and who is actually developing (00:14:33) a plant to use agricultural derived fuel to supplement his farming operation as many fact he thinks you'll be self-sufficient and you know, there's just exciting exciting (00:14:46) possibilities there it guess Hall (00:14:48) in the Minnesota Legislature. I've consistently supported the funds to develop gasohol and you know, it's one thing it would just be a great boon not only to the energy crisis, but it also be a boon to our Farmers to have a (00:15:02) The market for their products. Mr. (00:15:04) Holmquist, I agree and total gasohol has been in use in South (00:15:07) America for decades or any and I'm all for it. We have such a tremendous surplus of grains in this (00:15:15) country. Why not use them for our own benefit instead of send them over to Russia so they can sell them to somebody else make a profit from it. Mr. Stanley. (00:15:21) I think the potential for gasohol is here and I think it's an excellent alternative. I think we can look to buy a mask of conversion to create the gas natural gas. You know, I think we have to do way more. Mr. Ransome spoke about son generating electricity son generating generating electricity is quite some way off, but that doesn't mean we should be working on it and the solar heat to heat homes. These are all Alternatives renewable resources had ought to be used to produce energy (00:15:52) yet another question ma'am. (00:15:54) Hear them answer the second part of that first question. And that is is this proven to be an energy efficient way of utilizing Surplus during the American Farmer uses a great deal of energy in producing the foods that that we consume and send her abroad and I'd like to know, you know what research they're basing their their decision on to support the production of gasohol. So I'm Quest you wanna answer the trust. I think I answered in the in the South America thing. It is actually it's really been used widely. I'm in South America. It's widely used on there that that is the answer to it. (00:16:33) I have in my files all (00:16:34) kinds of proof I could but I don't have it with me so far as I'm aware. It is energy efficient to produce gas Hall from from grains. The argument comes out. I was due at what level would economic level of at the price of gasoline has to reach before it's feasible. They've use potato alcohol and pull them for years. I don't know what the price of gas is in South America, but it may well be that the price and some of these other countries make it far more economically feasible that is here. But I think we're at the breaking point the break-even point where it will become economical economically any an energy efficient to use it here. (00:17:11) Of course. It depends on the price of grain with low grain prices. It's going to be more economic (00:17:16) you had another question map. I would like them to candidates to explain their positions on Family Planning legislation and also on the human life Amendment. Mr. Holmquist, why don't we start with you on that Family (00:17:30) Planning and the human life Menon (00:17:34) who's going to fly in the family? That's what I have a question back. If the (00:17:36) government wants to plan a (00:17:37) family. I am totally against it if the individual Planet I'm totally for it. What was the part second part of it? (00:17:44) Would you favor a human life amendment to the Constitution which would allow abortion? (00:17:48) Oh most definitely. I don't care how I I receive (00:17:54) papers and arguments from all kinds of anti-life organizations and they always State the laws. Well, the laws are phony their man-made. I mean no matter what they how they try to phony it abortion is cold-blooded premeditated murder and I'm totally against (00:18:10) it. Mr. Scanlon. I've authored a pro-life or human life amendment in the Congress have been pro-life for as long as I can recall on the question of Family Planning. Let me say that I'm concerned as to again what group and who does the Family Planning I think We don't do to allow the church and the home to do the Family Planning and do the counseling. Mr. Mottram. Well, I have a hundred percent pro-life record of the Minnesota Legislature was a part of human life Amendment and I do (00:18:44) support Family Planning. I think we have to have family planning services available (00:18:47) to individuals who want to use it. (00:18:50) Okay. Thank you very much. We'll give you the number. Once again those of you who want to call in and ask questions (00:18:57) of the candidates for the Seventh District congressional seat. The number is 6 1 2 3 6 3 7702 and we like you to call collect if you're outside our local area 6123637702. Those of you who are from the 6th congressional district. If you can wait for about 10 more minutes, we will have the candidates for that seat in our Studios and you'll be able to call and ask them questions. I see we don't have any. Yeah, cause lighting up our telephone right now. So maybe I can insert a question I think is important to the 7th District out. It's largely Agricultural. And I wonder if each of you could State your feelings about agricultural policy and the involvement of the government in agricultural policy. Mr. Stalin. Well, I have somewhat of a history of being an advocate of a free market and I think a free market is fine when you've got a market right now, we don't have a market government encouragement of production in the later. But Administration is when he was secretary of agriculture encourage production been sort of fence row, I think was appropriate that he did because our bins were empty and I think we had to assure that our consumers and our customers overseas had adequate product to buy and so when the government encourage production to the point of farmers sell at a loss that I think the government has a responsibility to assist them in finding a market and creating Market I supported the 77 Farm. Very strongly my one concern and I think it's been founded to be true is that we didn't put enough incentive in for a set aside. We didn't get enough adequate participation secretary Berglund wanted to have a set aside on corn for instance of at least 25% and yet the Council of economic advisers says if you set that much aside, we have a short crop we could be short and that would drive the price up and they insisted it be only 20% 20% apparently wasn't enough and the word enough incentives. I think we have to provide those incentives to assist the farmers to curtail production to get their production in line with with demands that the price will seek a level above that support for that Target price then again, I think meaning of farm leaders in the Chicago recently said that by 1982 we could increase our farm exports by 50% I think we have to stress foreign markets. I think it's the one thing that can bring our balance of payments deficit into balance and it can increase our economic. Livelihood by giving our Farmers a better Market a better price for their product. Mr. Winstram. Well, I think in the area of Agriculture, we have to talk not only about improving the current Farm program, which I think will have to do in the next session of Congress. But I think you also have to talk about things I mentioned in my opening statement ways to get Young Folks back into farming such as a Minnesota's Family Farm Security Act. I think we're going to have to put some Nationwide restrictions on corporations entering farming and I don't think it's fair. For example for the family farmer to have to compete with General Motors or Mobil oil or any of those large corporate interests that want to come into farming to really just lose money and we've done that in Minnesota's matter of fact, it's interesting that a 1977 when there is a something called the egg land trust that was coming into the trying to come into farming in Minnesota. We'd already outlawed that and there are other states that were coming to Minnesota to see how we've done that and That's one of the things that I'd like to go to Congress and work on. Mr. Holmquist your feelings on eggplants. Well, I'm basically for a free market, but at the moment the way of the message has arrived, I think the parity situation the farmers that started the strike. I think they had the right idea and I would support something like that. Once again the number to call for your questions to the 7th District candidates 61236377026123637702. Feel free to call collect if if you're outside the local area. I've got another question that I like to ask of well, we have a caller coming up. Maybe we should try to get to them first. Well, it was a Miss miscue there. And this question I have has to do with the energy area, mr. Stainland and mr. Winstram of head some disagreement on deregulation of natural gas. And I wonder if maybe mr. Stanlon you could explain your vote. You voted to deregulate Natural Gas. What was the rationale behind that for? First of all, the the amendment was T to deregulate new natural gas. I saw no need to deregulate the old gas because it was brought in at lower cost but inflation now is driving the price of Discovery up for drilling Wells and bringing gasp. And then the gas that we have available now is deeper than the gas Wells we've drilled to this point. The gas Wells are offshore or on the North Slope and these are expensive places to develop to gas supplies. We have to provide that incentive. We spend 45 to 40 somewhere around forty five billion dollars or more a year and OPEC oil. And we can't be that Reliant. We have a deficit balance of payment of twenty nine billion. This is helping to fuel inflation. It's costing all of our consumers money if we provide those incentives and we can provide assistance to those people on low incomes who can't afford a higher cost of fuel if the price goes up with the regulation we can either provide it in tax credits. We can if we find that the companies are gouging the consumer we can roll prices back we can put a cap on them or we can Institute an excess profits tax any one of the three will regulate but you know, we just don't find more product or more production with government regulation in our problem. I think is is more product. I think we have to develop these resources and geologist tell us that there is more natural gas and more petroleum reserves undiscovered in the world than we've used to this point in time. (00:25:26) Mr. Wentz from (00:25:27) Please could you tell us why you oppose that deregulation? Well, I think the deregulation bill in itself. It's highly inflationary. They've estimated by 1985 the cost will have shot up twenty nine billion dollars and you know, it's don't make any mistake about it is going to cost everybody more money. And you know, I think that showed the power that the oil companies have and in Washington they were able to keep a energy bill for passing for five years one when one finally did pass it. It allowed them to deregulate gas. And as far as I'm having incentives, they've had incentives for years through oil depletion allowances and so forth and I don't think that you'll see the say you know, if we like the same people the Congress that passed the deregulation Bill, they're not going to roll back any prices. They're not going to put on any excess profits tax and I think that you know that it was a mistake and that we ought to like different folks and I think that's one of the major issues in the campaign. (00:26:24) We have another listener. Question on the air and we'll go to you now. You're on the air. Do you have a question for the (00:26:30) candidates? Would you like (00:26:39) to view? I don't I don't believe we're the minority anymore the phonies. I've had the show for a long time. Let's face it America's waking up. They call it conservative them but what it really is then light anism we're being enlightened to the Shams that are that have led us to the position where in let's face it. This world is in a in a state of chaos. We are going to change things. We are the up-and-coming enlightened ones who will expose the phonies and expose all the plans and and actions of the Hidden invisible Masters who rule our top echelons politicians at the moment. I don't feel we're in the morning because I I get the documents from all over the world exposing how many of us that there. Are you won't hear in the in the popular media. How many of us there? Are they call us the new right? This is phony As It Ever Was we are real that's the difference. Mr. Sanguine. Do you have a comment? (00:27:53) Well, first of all when I'm re-elected it'll be with a majority of the vote. And then of course, I'll be representing a majority of the people in the 7th District if the question is whether or not a republican can represent this District in Washington, if you go on the assumption that up because I'm a republican. I can't represent the district in Washington. Then you have to assume that all the Congress should be Democrats. There should be no Republicans and I think that's a totally erroneous assumption and I think even mr. Weston would agree with me on that one, but I want to say this that that Minority that votes for mr. Holmquist or mr. Winstram deserves the same kind of representation of maturity gets and I would like to have any one find me someone who has been denied service or denied assistance by my office because of Political beliefs we don't ask people their politics if they need help they get help we do our best. I feel obligated that when this election is over people should participate in this campaign. They should support the candidate of choice. But when the election is over, there's only one congressman and he is the congressman of all the people in the Senate District. (00:28:55) We have one more caller on the air. This will have to be our last question. You're on the air. Do you have a question for the 7th District (00:29:02) candidates (00:29:16) legislation introduced to provide shelters for battered women. How do you feel about that? Mr. Stein? Would you like to (00:29:22) begin? Let me say that. I believe and I am trying to recollect now. I believe that legislation came up for a vote in the house and I voted against it and I think that this is a problem that is not a federal problem. It is not something that the federal government should resolve but I think it's an issue that that state and local governments should work on you know, there are some things that you ought to turn over to the federal government, but there are some things that I think are appropriately done on the state and local levels. (00:29:51) Mr. Lindstrom. Well, when I was in the state legislature supported the programs for battered women and you know, it's surprising to find as you go into some of the rural counties that there's a lot of people that have been using those services (00:30:03) and I think it's kind of a cold statement to say that you know, you ought to leave that I think if you just started federal government out of help is what I'm saying, and I the only other thing I'd say that Miss Tang said when he's elected I think of perhaps can be it. Um question, I would say big brother stay out of (00:30:21) it. We don't need any more big brother you have churches. You have the relief (00:30:25) organizations the H, ew, either all kinds of organization for battered women (00:30:29) already. We don't need another layer of more (00:30:32) bureaucratic gobbledygook. (00:30:35) Thank you very much American Party candidate Ronald Holmquist dfl other Gene wants to remand independent Republican Harlan stainland all candidates for the Seventh District congressional seat in Minnesota. We'll be back in just a moment with the 6th District candidates after a bit of music. Thank you gentlemen very much for (00:30:53) coming in today. Thank you for having us. Thank you. (00:33:12) Welcome back. And we thank you six District voters for being very patient waiting for your candidates with us in the studio. Now are the candidates for the sixth district congressional seat the incumbent Richard Nolan from Waite Park you seeking his third term, I believe. Yes and his independent Republican opponent rest Buras whose account extent County Extension agent on leave and he's from Richfield Minnesota also with us in the studio now our is a Vicky sturgeon reporter producer from our Southwest Minnesota station K RS W. (00:33:50) She's been keeping an eye on this this race in the sixth (00:33:53) district. Let me give you the phone number that you six District voters. Call if you have questions for your candidates, before we go to questions here the number six one two, three, six 377026123637702. And if you live outside of the local dialing area just call collect would be happy to accept the charges 6 1 2 3 6 3 7702 and if you'd like to begin calling now, that's fine. While we go to our first question Vicki. Why don't you start things off this (00:34:29) time around? Okay, Jen, we will begin this much the same way. We begin with the seventh congressional district candidates and ask you with election day less than a week away. If there is one single message that you would like to convey to voters something about your basic philosophy before we take any calls here Congressman Nolan. If you'd like to go first, well sure every year at election time. We hear a lot of people talking about whether or not we're going to have more or less government. Whether or not we're going to have more or less spending without going to big government or little government and I think that those kind of that kind of slogan. It really adds little to Enlightenment in the election of the campaign process and in my judgment, it's not so much whether or not we're going to have more or less spending or government. But what kind of a government are we going to have (00:35:22) the government by its action or by its in action has an impact or an effect on our (00:35:26) lives? If for example, it's a government policy not to prohibit business and industry from polluting our air and water then it has the same effect as though the government said go ahead and pollute our air and water if that's in fact what business and industry is doing and so it's my judgment that would candidates ought to be talking about is what kind of a government we're going to have what kind of welfare program are we going to have are we going to have one that takes care of the truly needy and one that provides employment and work opportunities are Training for those who are unemployed and badly need of employment. What kind of a tax policy are we going to have our we're going to have one that encourages him (00:36:07) decentralisation of ownership or a concentration of (00:36:10) ownership. Are we going to have one that's fair and Equitable or one where a lot of rich and wealthy or allowed to escape their taxes? What kind of an energy policy are we going to have? Is it going to be one that benefits a lot of big energy companies? It's highly centralized. They'll make sure all of our energy needs in the future run through corporate meters or we're going to have a decentralized more individualized energy collection system likewise in agriculture government's very very much involved perhaps as much if not more than any other industry. And are we going to have the kind of price supports the kind of Finance systems the kind of research and extension services tax laws and all the rest that encourage a large-scale highly capitalized energy inefficient in an increasingly monopolistically. System of agriculture we going to redirect those programs so that they give the support to the small and medium sized Family Farm operators, which are more efficient producers of more nutritious food. And you know, we could go all the way on down the defense policy. We're going to have one it makes some sense or we're going to continue to expand and develop nuclear weapons that threaten not only a world peace but perhaps world survival and I think that what is required in this campaign election as in any campaign election as it is a thoughtful intelligent approach to these issues where the candidates would outline what they intend to do rather than just simply resorting to whether or not we have big government or less government or more government or what have you and that's kind of the the philosophy that I've tried to take with (00:37:42) me. I believe that a good government is like a (00:37:45) garden or a family requires constant maintenance constant attention as The Human Condition changes why then the laws and institutions have to be brought up to date and made to be in tune with the times. That's the philosophy of tried to carry. Me too to my role as a representative (00:38:00) before we go to. Mr. Burris is response. Why don't we give the number once again because of you who want to ask questions of the candidates for the sixth district congressional seat. You can call 61236377026123637702. Please call collect. Mr. Burris the what's the message that you have for the voters at this late date in the campaign? Yes. I've been campaigning since February and I put on over 55,000 miles now my car talking with Farmers businessmen Housewives and blue collar workers and everyone that I can find and I find the issues are quite clear in a district as we talk with these people that they go like this it's inflation its taxes and it's big government certainly a low corn prices would be in the in the uppermost minds of farmers. So when we look at the Three of those issues low inflation taxes big government big government is involved in all of those three and I say that big argument is an issue in this campaign. I think is an issue in this country voters everywhere are highly concerned about the growth of federal government and regulations and rules and taxes people feel in golf today with the federal government. If you're a small businessman ra on Main Street or running a farm, I think the farmer to resist this the very fact that he wouldn't sign up into the farm program this past year showed that he resisted the government trying to run his operation, but everyone feels that that way there seems to be a philosophy in Washington today that government knows how to spend our money better than we do ourselves. And so they want to take it away from those in a form of huge taxes and then build it back to his in form of government programs. Now many of those programs that are the people don't want don't use and they find it very expensive. I think this philosophy that the government knows best is a dangerous concept to have and I'm sure it's up for most of most people's mind that they want to have less government in Washington in a stronger local kind of government at one that's more responsive to them something they can reach and so that is a big issue and I think the voters everywhere are highly concerned now, we're going to go to the polls with that in mind if they know who to vote for to bring them a change in this they're going to be voting that way. I think those are going to be a voter's Revolt in this growth of big government in this country because they know it's more expensive than we can afford and people like to be more independent than that. It is an issue and is going to be a very important issue on November 7th. Thank you. Mr. Burris. Once again the number to call those of you who have questions now for rest Buras the independent Republican candidate for sixth district congressional seat and Dick Nolan who's the incoming dfl ER in the sixth district the number to call 6 1 2 3 6:3 77026123637702 and we'll take a call collect. If you're outside. The local area would be happy to do that. 6 1 2 3 6 3 7702 We do have a caller on the line and we'll take that call now. The air you're on the air. Do you have a question for the (00:41:22) candidates? (00:41:31) An ethical justification for the right of a government to Levy taxation. Mr. Nolan, would you like to begin? Well, I was never (00:41:44) you know, a student of Ethics when I studied here at st. John's, but I've tried to guide all of my actions as best as I can buy what I believe to be honest ethical behavior. And it seems to me that the best ethical rationalization or explanation that I could provide would be that there are a body of services that we cannot provide for ourselves individually such as a transportation system or providing for the common defense or providing for clean air and for clean water and there are a whole host of these areas that transcend the boundaries of townships and cities and even States and the threat of nuclear war and pollution of the air and water even transcends National boundaries. And so we have to to join together in an effort. To resolve those problems and increasingly people tend to look at the government as some sort of an alien force, but in fact in a representative democracy, the government (00:42:51) is we (00:42:52) ourselves making a decision to tax ourselves through a third person our representative, but it's not as though some alien (00:43:03) being or entity is taking (00:43:05) our money away from us and deciding how to spend it. It's it's we the people through our elected representatives making a decision to take some of our money to pull it with other other person's to provide for some of these common needs that we all share. (00:43:22) Mr. Burris. Do you have a comment on that? Well, I think I'm in a group of most of that statement by the congressman as we move into a modern type of government-wide. That's a naturally attack scene is necessary the many services that a government must perform. I have to be paid for its realistic this to look at this that is only way we're going to pay for it is that actually people for those kind of services? I think the the big question comes in today though with a taxpayer. Is that money being we use wisely and is it being used to my best benefit? And I think this is why so many people resent the tax (00:44:01) is a day that it's (00:44:04) gone beyond the scope of a good government and Common Sense way some of the money's being spent and they're asking for the the government to make accounting to this because they see the fraud. They see the general service office in Washington emitting that they lose twenty five billion dollars a year in fraud and mismanagement this bothers them because they know they can't run their own businesses way. They look at the federal government going into huge debt 850 billion dollar debt. No on an interest. I guess that runs hired a 55 billion dollars a year. They said well, how can the government do this? I can't run my business. That way I have to live on a budget. Why should McGovern to Live on a budget and they're afraid that if the government is going to destroy this great nation by deficit spending and so then they see money squandered on some foreign aid programs and Felicia kind of experiments that are often given out by the federal government and they (00:44:59) questioned us. So the taxpayer is questioning that (00:45:01) he's not sitting back and accepting it. He says I don't mind my taxes being taken of his being used correctly, but I object to dumb kind of government or mismanagement of my money. That's where the big objections comes to the (00:45:13) thank you. Mr. Burris. Once again, the number if you have questions for candidates for the sixth district congressional seat number six, one, two, three, six 377026123637702 and we'd be happy to accept collect calls. If you're outside our area Vicky you have another question that you'd like to put to the candidates to want to do that right now since agriculture. Number one industry, I believe in the 6th District. I would like to ask both of you to explain your philosophy on government price support. Your schedule (00:45:51) first. Okay. I do not support the general concept of price support now. I support the idea as you as I mentioned to you earlier of farmers receiving 100% of parity, but I believe that they should get that at the marketplace and not from government revenue. Now, we have a milk structure in this country with milk marketing lost set by the federal government. I do support that way. It works because I think it's a little bit different than the general concept of price support across the board for agriculture. I believe that the market is still very important a free market to the future of the young Farmers weld established farmer today. I would like to do everything I can to develop a farm program to help farmers to receive a profit and to make a profit because we need prosperity in the rural areas of our small towns are going to have Prosperity so much The Souls of should defend its must that the farmer make this kind of profit, but I want to protect his freedom running his farm as he sees bit. I do not like the concept of the government controlling price and controlling production and controlling the farmer because a hundred percent Purity by the federal government in the past has shown there's to be 100% government controls and that has not given a farmer the freedom to run his farm that way he sees best. I think we can design a farm program to assure Farm profits to the farmer and still leave the management decisions to himself and freedom of running his own Pharmacy sees fit. (00:47:18) Mr. Nolan, you've talked about hundred percent parashurama Farm prices and support. Well, first of all, there are no free markets in the world the Russian speak with one voice and so do the Chinese and sort of the western Europeans and Soldier just about every other country. And if you try to play a free market why you're in big trouble such as we were and the 1972 Russian grain deal where they came in and they secretly bought 17 million metric tons of grain and they ended up getting all the green that they needed and the selling the rest at the new world market price anytime somebody by 17 million metric tons. It has a heck of an impact on the market. So the price has doubled and tripled and they sold it to do world market price and they got all the grain they needed and and actually made some money on the deal to boot. So that's that's the kind of situation you get in if you want to try to live with the illusion. There's some free markets out there in the world that you can deal with the fact is that there are no free. There is no free market in the world. And number of systems had been devised by different countries to provide the kind of price supports or the kind of prices that they're Farmers need to do to stay in business in Europe. Now, they set the price by law and we do that for some Commodities here in this country as mr. Burris mentioned in the area of milk. We in the 1977 Farm Bill set the price of milk at eighty two and a half percent of parody and every six months that's adjusted to reflect any changes in cost of production. I've tried to examine a number of different ways systems of setting the price in the law. I've sponsored a bill which was essentially the old Stegall amendment that we had an effect in this country from 1943 to 52 which had the effect of supporting prices at about a hundred and a hundred percent of parity during that period of time and I've also introduced other measures to provide a higher percentage of parity for the a limited amount of production amount that a small or medium-sized Farmers could to secure and the reason why is I've been desperately looking for the kind. Of a program that will get the kind of price in income that the small and medium-sized Farmers need and the kind that we can get enough support in a basically Urban Congress to pass and establish establish as policy because our committee findings and they've been supported by studies conducted by the general accounting office and the Congressional budget office is that this country is rapidly moving toward a monopolistically corporately controlled system of agriculture and the big farmers in the country are now the Chicago Illinois Bank and Trust Company in the Southern Pacific Railroad and the technical oil corporations, Minnesota here is really one of the last strongholds sow the family farm system. So I've also been working to try to change the finance policies so that we get more money for the young farmer trying to get started rather than giving all this money to the big farmers to get bigger try to redirect the research and extension services so that they're aimed at low cost energy efficient Technologies. Applicable for small and medium-sized firms. I believe that we ought to revise the tax code to prohibit tax loss farming and I believe that foreign investment groups as well as domestic absentee landlords Investment Group should be prohibited from owning American agriculture likewise in the area of increasing our export markets. I think there's a lot that we could do. One of the things we already did was clean up the terrible scandalous inspection weighing system at the Docks. A lot of people would quit buying from us because they're getting short weight or adulterated materials. We pass another bill to set up agricultural a - A's in the Nations across the world that represent strong potential market so that we could have them selling our food. We now have more arm salesman. We have food salesman of abroad. So we're trying to change that but there's another thing I think we could do to expand our foreign markets tool. I've had visits with European legislators in Japanese legislators and legislators from a wide variety of countries, and they say we're real unreliable suppliers. Because if their food deficit Nation, they have to have food and they never know if they can get it from United States and if they can never know what the price is going to be so they buy what they can from other countries and get only what they can't get on the long-term contracts from us and they say we gradually buy more food from you and pay a higher price for it. If you could give us long-term contracts at agreed-upon prices at agreed-upon quantities, and I think we've got to set up the same kind of a green trading board that all the other nations of the world have developed so that they can go out and enter into those kinds of long-term contracts that will enable us to put more of our land into production and it'll help to meet the world's food needs. There's 400 million people in the world that suffering seriously from hunger and malnutrition and I think it'll help our domestic producers as well. So I you know, I Envision a really comprehensive revision of all the Farm and Food policies to help put America's agricultural production to work feeding the world, but do it in a way that this most efficient through the family farm. And quite frankly the laws have not been giving the small and medium-sized family farmer the kind of support that they need they've been giving the big the large scale on the corporate operations all the benefits and that's got to be changed. Thank you. Mr. Nolan. We (00:52:31) do have a caller on the line with the question. You're on the air. Do you have a question for the 6th District candidates? (00:52:37) Yes. I'm concerned about both candidates position relative to the right-to-work question in concern with common sight pick a thickening repeal of the taft-hartley section 14 B and so-called labor reform legislation. Okay. Mr. Dolan. Would you like to go first on this one? Well, I suppose we could spend the rest of the hour talking about those questions. But let me just suffice by saying that I support site is picketing. I oppose the right to work and they repeal of the taft-hartley and I guess those were the questions he asked. Mr. Burris. (00:53:16) Yes. I would like to respond to that two of those folks. Typically excuse me also asked about the (00:53:21) labor law reform and I supported that also. (00:53:24) Yes, I would not support the Labour Reform Bill is written in Washington right now. I would not support the common sight as picketing Bill those two I would like to respond to because I do not feel that labor needs them and I think they're a little bit unfair Advantage is written into those both those bills. That would do harm to negotiating between the the labor and of course management. Thank you. (00:53:50) Once again, the number to call for those of you who have questions for the candidates 61236377026123637702. We'd be happy to take collect calls if you outside the local area 6123637702. Another question that continues to plague us is the problem of the railroads in agricultural areas specifically of the six district and an all across Minnesota and at the same time that we're having trouble moving grain. (00:54:31) We are abandoning (00:54:32) Rail lines all across Rural America. I wonder (00:54:35) how each of you would feel we could (00:54:38) solve this problem. If we need some sort of nationalization of railroads or some sort of help for the railroads. Mr. Burris. Would you comment on (00:54:46) that? Well first we certainly are aware of the acute shortage of (00:54:50) boxcars today. We're short of track line. We're finding it very (00:54:54) difficult to move all of our grain and other Farm Commodities by Road many of our highways are breaking up for under the heavy pounding of trucks today. We don't have the funds to keep the railroad of the highways into shape. And so we know that we've made a mistake by letting a railroad system a slip by Go in and during such repair that the companies want to abandon them. We've gone too far. That way. We must protect the railroads in this country. You make sure that we have a strong railroad Network. I'm not sure the approach that we should make that I think it would take Terminus studies (00:55:32) and a lot of hearings from different people to find out the best approach to it. But we have heard of different kinds of programs have (00:55:37) been proposed and maybe out of those (00:55:39) programs. We can find one (00:55:40) that's will be correct. We've heard that perhaps the best method is for the government to own the tracks itself the road beds and then charge the service fee users feed through the railroads to run trains on that track like very much the highways are today where the federal government bills the interstate highways and so forth and in text then for the payment of them, I'm not too sure if I would promote that program at this point, but there are ways of doing it and we must put our attention to a light energy program. I'm not so sure there's a one answer to the energy Program today in or is there one answer to the railroad problem? But it's we must be a confront ourselves with it and make sure that we can develop better railroad system in a future than we have right now. (00:56:26) Mr. Nolan two years ago. I offered an amendment to the Conrail bill that provided 480 million dollars of federal Monies to be used with the private and state matching monies for the rebuilding of railroad franchise lines, and I was delighted to see while driving down the Redwood Falls area here last week that they're out actually building and reconstructing some of these Branch lines. Now we did have some problems with it. However, it was interpreted as such that the blind had to be abandoned before work could begin on it. And so we change that during the last session. So if a line is part of a state plan that has a lot of business and they want to preserve you can begin the work on it before it becomes abandoned. But we're seeing a situation now where a lot of the main lines are even requesting abandonment and There are there other problems to right now, there's grain stored all over the streets and parking lots because the farmers can get boxcars. We've done a couple things here. We've asked the ICC and I think they're going to move ahead with it a system, whereby the impose stiffer penalties for corporations that fail to promptly returned the cars a lot of times they'll sit around the yards for a week or two weeks and we think that'll help move more boxcars and I also sponsored another bill that passes session to require not any new money is our Personnel, but require the USDA to set up with their existing money's in Personnel a transfer of rural Transportation task force to do some long range planning and preparing so these we can deal with these problems before they become serious problems. And lastly. I'm glad to hear my opponent to say that he's willing to consider nationalization of the railroad beds beds across the country quite frankly, I think in the final analysis, that is the answer. In fact, I would favor nationalization of the railroads as well. Not just the lines we have another questioner on the line. We have about three minutes left in our program. (00:58:14) You're on the air. Do you have a question for the candidates? (00:58:28) The Wilderness act for Alaska and I'm wondering if Russ would have roughly devoted had he been in Congress. First of all know Peter is so delighted to hear your voice (00:58:41) is swimming near the same Peter Nardi. I Used to Know out in Western Minnesota. If you're not I still appreciate the question. I voted for the (00:58:48) extension of the ER a first of all because I think a fundamental rights like that should not have limitations on them. And secondly, there's no real constitutional provision as to how long it should take for the ratification of an amendment that simply a congressional decision and we obviously didn't have enough ratifications in the time period that was allowed. I think it's still an important vital a fundamental Amendment that's needed to the Constitution. And therefore I favored the three-year extension to make gratification (00:59:21) possible and the Alaska Wilderness Bill he was concerned about was that Go on I didn't hear him ask that question. But I was a real strong supporter in (00:59:30) proponent of the Alaskan Wilderness bill, you know for a variety of reasons. First of all, they made more than ample concessions to the business and developmental interest up there so that they could move (00:59:42) ahead and lastly it's (00:59:45) always held in reserve and if there are any of those available resources up there that America feels it needs at some later date for emergency or for a (00:59:54) regular business and Industrial purposes. They're still there. We preserve them (00:59:58) and the people can go to the Congress and petition and affect their release for any kind of a national purpose that they might be needed (01:00:08) for. Mr. Burris. Could you come in quickly on both of those? I am but thirty seconds on the ER a extension. I've said that a recent press conference that if the majority of people with the sixth district one at this I'd have to go along with that, but I'm on my own I do not favor the extension of it. I We gone through the seven year period And so at this point I'd say no, I would not unless the majority of people wanted it regards to the Laskin Wilderness. Bill haven't had a chance to study that in depth than up. And I believe that they're asking for too much up there. We want to remember that this country is in vital need of the minerals and I think that we have to be concerned about the economy of this country to so that bill should be looked at a little bit more careful. There's just too much land being set aside without any consideration about the mineral need to this company to keep our economy grinding. Thank you very much Russ Buras the independent Republican candidate for the 6228 congressional seat and the incumbent dick Nolan daddy fle. Thanks to Vicki sturgeon for her questioning in this period of our midday program and thanks to Mark Kelly and and marlys (01:01:15) bachus for their (01:01:16) help in putting this program together. This is midday on NPR. I'm John it's tea and you're tuned a listener-supported radio.