(00:00:00) It's a measure that would kill the proposed Constitutional Amendment allowing states to regulate abortion with all that happening. Wouldn't you rather be there? Well today is just going to be a day of debate abortion has been debated. I would say 50 or 60 times since I've been there and so it's okay to be back in Minnesota. I think I've heard the arguments pro and con and that's enough the vote scheduled for tomorrow, isn't it? Yes it is. I don't know if there are any votes today. I hope not I don't like missing votes. They may be some amendments Senator Helms may may understand put on some amendments, but I'll be there tomorrow. Okay good and he knew any new winds blowing your way on who might be an opponent in the next Senate election here on asada almost a hurricane, you know, all kinds of folks are interested as you may know. I'm the only guy who's running Statewide next. Last year everybody who has a Statewide office ran except me. And now they all have a free pass neural talking a little bit about running against me. And so there's a field and it'll eventually work down to one then they'll be an election and will be a tough word election. All right. Well, I see our phones are already filling up with people eagerly awaiting to ask you a question. Let's go to the first caller. Good afternoon. You're on the air. No, he's none obviously having some problems with our phone system today. Let me while they're working on that ask you about Leon. I stood from Ada then was the new chairman of the independent Republican party in Minnesota. Good friend. He his wife cuts my head. I stay with them very often. When I go to Northwestern Minnesota. Matter of fact, I'll be in halleck and Halstead and moso in a number of places. I think this coming weekend and I normally stay there and she cuts my hair. She's a lovely let lovely ladies lovely family. Of course unseated Bill Morris in in the recent chairmanship election. How do you think that will reflect on your campaign? Well, if he strengthened the party, you know, I didn't take any position in that particular race, but if he strengthens the party then I think of course strengthens all the candidates as well. And whenever you get somebody new in energetic and come in normally that the brings about a lot of action and brings a lot bad lot of activity. So I think it's a positive another issues we've seen internationally that Yasser Arafat is in some trouble in the Middle East is he in the ropes is he indeed on the ropes from your observations? Well, I think you know, I haven't been briefed by the intelligence committee about it in the last few days, but no question about it that he's having a great deal of trouble the syrians, you know want to control the PLO and want to oust mr. Arafat and since they hold most of the chords and the much stronger and quite brutal as was reflected in the way. They treated their fundamentalist. It was a city called hammer in Syria and they kill somewhere between six and twenty five thousand people and bombarding hammer. It was Anna bump bombardment that The bombardment of Beirut look like Child's Play it never hit the Press because you know, if you went over there to Syria with a TV camera and point it at somebody more than likely they'll Point gun back at you. So that discourages press from going over there. But the syrians are very hard minded and very tough-minded and there's no question that trying to grasp control of the PLO and mr. Arafat will undoubtedly still have a control if he survives the physically control of some elements of the PLO, but not the broad elements that he had control of before the PLO is made up of a series of units and his the fatah was a largest unit. And now that's splitting as well. Well, maybe the Middle East will come up in some questions later on this hour. Let's go back to the telephone and see if we have things ironed out. Good afternoon. You're on the air. I'm from st. Paul and I work with the refugee Sanctuary program for Central Americans here, and I would like to congratulate Senator boschwitz on your Let's see that you said that you would support voluntary departure status now for Salvadorans speaking with one of the refugees at the airport. Is that right? Yes. I don't know if that was the cause of it. But I would support voluntary Refugee status Asylum or any other type of status, you know, we are the great nation of refugees and asylees who comes over here or somebody who is under great pressure from his own country. I believe we've always given refuge and I think we should continue. All right. Let's see what the next caller has in store. Good afternoon. You're on the air. You have a question for Senator boschwitz. Yes, I do. I believe that security between nations comes from better understanding not from weapons, but from buildups and therefore I'm interested in what is his position on one the freeze to the First Strike weapons and three his support for a delay in the deployment of first-strike weapon. It would you put the first part of the question again, say the yeah, I think that the youth no no, no, you think you think that that Nations that weapons don't are not stabilizing is what you said is right? Well, I'm not sure I agree with that in let's take some examples of History. I think that you have to negotiate and you have to be stable with respect to weapons. The first world war the first world war we kind of stumbled into it or I should say the European nation stumbled into it, even though there was a rough parity between the the two different groups Germany in the austro-hungarian Hungarian Empire in the one side, France Britain and Russia on the other side while there was a proximate parity. They weren't talking to one another however most wars are the result of one party thinking that they are stronger than the other party and as a result they seek hegemony over their neighbors and the second world war. We had a different situation. The countries of Europe particularly, we're just so dismayed by the horrors of trench warfare of world war one that they did not spend money on defense in the 30s. The result was that Hitler did and the Germans did and disparity arose and mr. Chamberlain and others in Europe thought that they could negotiate away these problems that they didn't need the arm and that Hitler would be bought to also agree to that Viewpoint. We we knew and no no now 50 or 60 million deaths later, but that's not the case. So I think that parity and Armament is is an important thing that I think that negotiations are an important thing 85 or 80 to 85 percent of our arms are now 15 years or older. The B-52 bomber is 30 years of Titan missile is more than 30 years of Minutemen to missile is 20 years older. And and 80 to 85 percent of their weapons of five years or younger so that an impending imparity could exist. I don't subscribe to the idea that we're behind were behind. Yes and in icbms and land-based missiles were head and other parts of the Triad but nevertheless. I think that that there should be negotiations and that they should be a parody and that there should be a reduction of weapons. I agree with the approach of sort of start instead of salt, you know, salt was strategic arms limitations started strategic arms reductions. I believe in the reductions of weapons and as a result, I also believe that peace only does come through and is only retained by strength and that we have to Simply keep or Arsenal modern while you're on the subject of military spending maybe a quick question about government waste in the area of Procurement defense department waste. Is there a problem in that area and what can be done about it? Oh sure. There's a problem in that area. There. There's a great deal of waste and the senator Grassley of Iowa myself and several others go to Great Lengths at pointing out to the defense department that they don't stay within the bidding rules, you know, stay within the bids that they spend a lot of dough and we have made some progress but you know, there was an interesting article in New York Times yesterday that that pointed out that there was rather broad waste in the defense department. The Secretary of Defense said there was no waste at all quite obviously the that there is some anybody who's been in the service knows that there is some they're all out of redundancies in the armed services. In other words in business where you do something you don't have backups and backups and backups the lady who spoke before spoke about the nuclear weapons nuclear freeze and so Earthen and by and large I have supported the development of those things and some people are afraid that that geese flying will set off the computers and that there will be a nuclear attack. Well, there are a number of redundancies a geese flying. Let's say in one pot may may upset a computer somewhere if that's possible. But man we have redundancies their their computers here there there are watching and listening stations here and they all have to conform and when the these computers have gone off within 30 to 60 seconds 60 seconds being the longest we have been able to verify whether or not there was actually any type of attack or any type of difficulty underway. All right, we've got somebody waiting on the wats line. Good afternoon. Where are you calling from? And what's your question? Yes. I'm calling from shareable and I would really like to thank both the radio and the senator for allowing this to happen my wife and right my wife and I write you letters all the time. But this is the first time I got a chance to talk to you. The question is I might be our jurisdiction but the question is recently the Minnesota Legislature has passed a Content law which requires the state to buy goods and services produced only within the state and now this to me seems to run counter to the whole concept of a union in the visible and and I just wondered what your thoughts on this legislation was if you know anything about it, we now listen sure we have a Content law before us in the Senate and in the house domestic content Lords called that that requires certain parts of automobiles to be built in this country and would Lovely prevent automobiles from being imported into this country and you know in the 30s we started to trade one. We deepen the depression at that time by putting up these type of tariff barriers so that by and large I oppose them. However, some of our trading partners have these kind of barriers certainly the Japanese if you tried to sell them anything lately you find out it's very difficult indeed and the European subsidize their farm and agricultural exports and take away more kids from us. So that grains of wheat French we chose up and Chile and Peru places you'd never expect to show up because of their High subsidies. We certainly have to in the event the other countries start a trade war and and they had to some degree. We can't let them get away with it. But we cannot my judgment as a matter of policy lead the way because this country has fared very well on the world trade and buy Larger forget how many jobs are but a very substantial number of jobs in this country and the state are dependent on foreign trade. So I have opposed the ideas of domestic content and I will vote against the domestic content or when it comes in the Senate. All right more callers waiting. Let's go to the next one. Good afternoon your question, please good afternoon, Senator Bosh with in El Salvador the Salvador and Human Rights Commission declared March 29th at 43,000 people mostly civilians have been killed since 1979 and that government forces are responsible for 95% of those killings. My questions are Senator as follows how much more savagery and repression would be enough to deter you from voting for military and economic aid for that murderous regime and secondly, why don't you support a negotiated settlement rather than a military solution to the Salvadoran Civil War as Senator durenberger does and as our allies such as Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, France and Spain do You have to quit. I don't know where you get the idea that I do not support the idea of a negotiated settlement. I certainly do support the idea of a negotiated settlement and it would appear that the American ambassador to the region Ambassador stone is now pursuing that it's on the other hand. It's it would be difficult to allow people who will not participate in the electoral process to negotiate themselves into Power. There was an election in El Salvador and it was a not a bad election indeed. There's no question that the there is there are murders and that it's a it's a sorry place. I'm not I haven't heard the figure of 43,000 but accepting that figure for a moment which which seems high my that's almost one percent of the population. But but let's accept that figure for a moment the figures in recent months and in the recent years. To and certainly since the election had been for for lower and the el Salvadorans are making progress with respect to Distributing lamb. They are making progress with respect to painting a democracy. That was a good election. They had in that country 80 percent or so of the people voted and they're all kinds of allegations that if you didn't vote that you are in trouble, but the rebels in the hills are on the other hand said that if you did vote that they would put your life in danger yet 80% of the people voted people had their hands them and their cords them and they were stamped with invisible ink so that the invisible ink would not appear on their voting chords or registry chords or on their hands and so that they would not be identifiable at later dates. They took great care in that election in many many ways. And I think they're gonna have a presidential election. I met the president of El Salvador recently. And if I had any sense at all that those Folks up in the hill, we're going to be any less brutal give people any greater feeling of democracy than they could get the under present circumstances. I might feel differently, but there's very little evidence to suggest that these folks when they do gain power whether it be in Nicaragua on Cuba or any more democratically inclined than their predecessors 24 minutes now past noon Central Time are our guest today on. Midday is Minnesota Republican senator Rudy boschwitz who is taking calls from our listeners are wats line is open, by the way, if you're listening at a long distance location in Minnesota call us toll-free at 1-866-553-2368. It's go to the next caller. Good afternoon. Yes, I'm calling from st. Paul and I guess this is a related question president has said that we have a moral duty to Defend the present government in El Salvador. I want I guess I'd question is two parts first to Senator boschwitz agree. And if he does we're in the equation of moral duty do the thousands upon thousands of Civilian calcio casualties be figured in well, I haven't heard him say it in those terms moral duty. But let's presume that we do say that would you I presume the question of would agree with my prior answer that that since the elected government has taken over the unfortunately the deaths have continued this have continued also at the hands of the rebels. I don't know if the 95/5 rule is is the one that I hadn't heard that either but nevertheless both sides of quite brutal and they're handling the the other side is upsetting the economic life so that if they are not indeed killing. They are causing great disruption and not letting people live in any type of a decent way in El Salvador that government was elected and I think that we should support it. Furthermore. We have a Monroe Doctrine Monroe Doctrine was enunciated about a hundred and sixty years ago hundred and sixty-five years ago and it has kept peace in our Hemisphere and quite clearly the the rebels in El Salvador. They operate out of Nicaragua there the thousands of Cuban troops in Nicaragua there many East Germans. There are PLO their libyans are others and the many Americans worry about the 55 American advisors. We have an El Salvador. They would look across the border. They would find that indeed a concerted effort is being made to undermine governments of that area. And I think that the United States should be involved in preventing. From happening. How is your male running on El Salvador? What kind of response are you getting from Minnesota? And well, I think that by and large they they express the opinions that these last two callers have had but but not entirely I would say that perhaps a 2/3 1/3 60% to 40% Okay. Let's go back to the telephone good afternoon. You're on the air sander Bosh with your the co-author of a bill that's being debated on the floor of the Senate today as was mentioned earlier. The question that I have. I guess perhaps more than one some people didn't like the Supreme Court decisions that granted rights to Black Americans and as a result, we saw continued efforts to subvert or delay implementation of those decisions and for women. We see met the same tactics being used employed against women their families by attempting to subvert the Supreme Court decisions and certainly the one of more than two. Segoe questions that I have for you with how can you justify an amendment that diminishes rights the right of privacy really just conscience The Continuous waste of congressional time and money, isn't it? Perhaps time to say I may not agree with the decisions but let's move on since you're never really going to be able to change whether or not abortions take place only where they take place and then finally what qualifies you to make such a personal private decision for another human being. Well, I am I am compelled to make those decisions. I must say the issues come before the Senate and unless I say I'm not going to vote aye I am compelled to make those decisions. I think that the people who oppose abortion have every right to introduce and Constitutional Amendment just as women have introduced and I'm supporting the ER a Amendment for instance and One of the co-authors of it just as I feel that those rights exist. So I feel that the rights exist on those people who oppose abortion and you know, I don't I don't know how to answer that. Other than that. All right, I you know, I have to vote when they they they come geez, we voted on abortion 50 60 80 times since a hundred times since I've been in the Senate, I agree with this lady that that we waste a lot of time on it and one senator in particular who we finally got to be cool would lay in a an abortion Amendment an absolutely appropriate every Appropriations bill that came down and now we we debated and we debate it more thoroughly once a year and Senator baker has been very effective in and saying yes, we agree that we will debate this issue and will debate it was the completeness, but we won't we won't put up with An amendment and slowing down absolutely the whole work of the Senate. So in the last two years since he has been the majority leader two and a half years. I think we have been more responsible on that issue yet. The issue isn't likely to go away. The issue is not going to go away. Okay, let's go back to the wats line. Good afternoon. Where are you calling from? And what's your question? I'm Carly from Eveleth and my Christian also have to do. Ooh, whatcha boschwitz why he thinks that he is qualified to decide for all women whether or not the may have abortions and I think it's rather and arrogance you and one that's inconsistent with the senator who prides himself on being a civil libertarian. Well, I do pride myself on being a civil libertarian. I see that I take a different view on abortion. And you do I think that all I understand that life indeed does begin with conception every geneticist. I have taught to has certainly supported that the Viewpoint there though. They have not necessarily supported by the some have been in support of abortions on the other hand, but I think that life has to be protected at every stage whether it's in your older user in your younger years. We can't make decisions with respect to people who obviously in the final stages of their life, and I don't think we should make decisions that The people in the earliest stages of their life. All right, let's go to our next caller and see if topic other than abortion comes up. Good afternoon. You're on the air. Good afternoon. I appreciate your stand on protecting life at all stages Senator and I do have a question on a different topic according to recent polls close to 70% of Minnesota and support a bilateral nuclear freeze and the American Bishops have called for a halt to the arms race. The US House of Representatives has passed a resolution calling for a freeze on production testing deployment of nuclear weapons and of non nuclear systems, which would interfere with present Delivery Systems on my question is will you vote in support of the nuclear freeze resolution when it comes before the Senate and briefly State your reasons why or why not It's a long answer to give and it's hard to do that briefly. But as the nuclear freeze is now posed. I would hope that it would be amended. I hope that it would allow for not only a freeze but reductions as well. I think that the we have too many nuclear weapons and I think that we have to reduce the number and that we have to go onto single Warhead missiles and the so called Midget Man but but quite clearly all situation is that if we freeze what do we first of all the the freezes of production testing and deployment we can quite clearly watch to see the testing and deployment we can verify that there's no way we can verify the production. I would hope that there is some kind of an amendment that the provides for for either eliminating that or selling some rules with respect the verification. And in the event that we do have a resolution that says that we should freeze production testing and deployment we're going to have to negotiate the verification of that that's going to take a long time and we have a number of negotiations underway right now if I may speak for just a moment and then I will come come back very directly to the question. We know negotiate with the Russians in the start negotiations of strategic arms reduction talks that used to be called a stall talk strategic arms limitation talks with the president wants to reduce homes and I do too so they changed names of it. And that's that's General rowney who is speaks Russian has been in the business and negotiating with them on this subject for a number of years. We also have the iron F talks the intermediate nuclear force talks that take place in Geneva as well in the same building as the start talks and that's Paul Nitsa and we negotiating with respect their to the Pershing to in the so-called. Come to the ground-launched cruise missiles. We also have the mbf artworks which is a mutual balanced force reduction talks which are the land troops and tanks and non-nuclear things and those talks have not been particularly productive, but they've been going on for over 10 years and 20 succession of them is taking place now in Vienna, then we have also the Helsinki talks and they have gotten involved to some degree with arms and they take place in Madrid. So we have many talks going on. We would have to start a new series of negotiations on the fries because negotiating the verification of the freeze is going to take a good long time and you must understand that in the start talks. We made a proposal that we reduce Arms by 1/3. The Russians came back and said no when I can be reduced by 1/3 will reduce by 20 percent. However, so that the store talks of already gone beyond the fries and one has to make a judgment of whether or not he wants to Lay, the store talks aside when they are making some progress and actually making progress towards reducing arms production of of arms simply cannot be verified testing and deployment of arms can be then the other thing that is important to consider in the whole business of the freeze is the fact that 80 or 85% of all arms are 15 years or older to have I talked about this yes half an hour ago, and and I have another radio talk show and I forget which one and that their their arms are all very much newer. And so that if you freeze into place what exists you're going to run into some trouble and I would if we could get into the freeze resolution some opportunity to modernize weapons, that would make it a little different stability will not exist in the world. If one side over a period of time becomes good deal stronger than the other so I'm I'm very much a Proponent of stability very much opponent of arms reduction if the freezer is amended to accommodate those things. I would vote for it. Okay 24 minutes now before one o'clock Our Guest today on midday, Senator Rudy boschwitz Republican of Minnesota. Let's go to our next caller the wats line. Where you calling from. And what's your question? Yes, go ahead. Yeah. I'm calling from out of state and I want to thank you and without life without the right to life. Everything else becomes quite meaningless, doesn't it? Well, I agree with them. I also would like to know if the Preamble recognized As part of the Constitution or is it a separate? Well, I think it's considered to be part of the Constitution. Liberty dude of Happiness not the captain is never guaranteed. All right. Thank you. Thank you for calling in today and we'll see what the next caller has in store. Good afternoon. You're on the air. Hello. I'm Sean kraszewski calling from Minneapolis and centered boschwitz. My question is in regard to the verification of the nuclear freeze resolution or if we had an agreement you stated that you thought it would be difficult to verify a freeze agreement and recently William Colby the former director of the CIA gave testimony before the Senate and he has stated that it would be easier to verify a freeze than the president's start proposal because it would have a complete halt production and deployment and using our present technical means and satellites. We could verify very easily whether testing is going on or whether production and deployment is going on. Did you hear his testimony and I'm wondering what you thought of it I was there. The matter of fact and that's true his thesis was that if you freeze everything that any kind of activity would be detectable and however, he quite agreed that if it was going on in the garage or in side a building that it was not detectable and there is something to be said for the idea that if nothing is supposed to be going on if anything does go on. It's quite clearly a violation but production continues not to be verifiable and he considers it just to be a better situation to have the fries then the not I disagree with him without some qualifications. All right, let's go to the next call or good afternoon. You're on the air the deployment of Highly destabilizing first-strike weapon such as MX Trident to and Pershing to missiles, which will obviously escalate the arms race and Kris the danger of nuclear, how can you say that Inlet? How can you say that? They will ask I'll come on how can you say that they will escalate the arms race we've been talking to the Russians about the development of the MX and salt 1 since the early 1970s. I fully expect us to develop that weapon. They always have expected us to do so during that period they have developed and deployed the SS 17 a ss-18. Yes s19 those a First Strike weapons themselves. The Minuteman 3 would be considered to be accurate enough to achieve a first strike. However, they're not enough of them are not enough Warheads to really achieve a first strike nor other enough in the MX. But we simply cannot allow ourselves to fall behind the Russians have during a long period of time. We haven't put a new missile into the ground since the 10 12 years and the development of that missile the Minuteman 3 is already something of the Nation of 20 years the Titan missiles we have in the ground 54 of them are 30 years old and the fuel is leaking have we talked about that on that we have oh and we occasionally have an explosion in them. They simply have to be replaced. The Minuteman to is a single Warhead admissible. I hope we get back to single Warhead missiles and part of the we the scowcroft reporters, you know calls for the building of a hundred mx's and I must point out to you that the building the MX is not new to the Reagan Administration. Jimmy Carter wanted to build 200 M x's and then build a whole bunch of holes out throughout the west and let the Russians figure out which whole the DMX was in so President Reagan is somewhat more conservative is somewhat more restrained and Jimmy Carter was wants to build only half as many mx's but what are we supposed to do? We supposed to allow the Russians to develop the now they're developing. SS 24 they developed the SS 20s which is a solid-fuel missile as well and they have put all those things into the ground as 20s mobile since the last five six years. We can't sit idly by we're going to create a situation in the world that's unstable both politically and militarily and that is not a situation that I think we should allow to occur many more callers waiting. Let's go to the next one. Good afternoon. Where are you calling from? And what's your question? Hello, maybe that person getting that one is no longer with us. Let's punch up another one and ask where you calling from. And what's your question? I'm calling from Carver County and it's in regards to the The part on the milk the what wondering the one on the milk. Yeah, the new Dairy support that oh, yes. Yes. Yes the compromise plan and I am one of the one of the and producers who Pixar Cattlemen replacement Capital raises them and I was wondering this bill goes through there's going to be a you put me in rough shape. That's wondering what they were going to do about that. You mean you you you raise heifers. Are you raise a replacement cattle for the Dairy Farmers? Yeah for the Dairy Farmers to replace. Well, you know we're going to reduce probably the number of dairy cows in this country by upwards of a million and there there is a surplus of milk. We have filling the the caves around Kansas City with cheese and butter and nonfat dried milk. Nonfat dried milk doesn't have to be put in those cool caves, but but something has to be done with respect to the dairy surpluses. And I think that the compromise that I was very instrumental in helping to work out is a good one. It doesn't mean that we are that you're not going to be able to sell you replacement cows, but it certainly means means they're going to be fewer cows around and we're going to get production down we are now the CCC is now removing as I say or taking away 18 billion pounds of milk on a fluid basis a year and just stirring it. And that is not only very costly but it is something that we have to cease. We're trying to give some of it away and we are trying to give it away in parts of the world where there is hunger trying to give some away in Ethiopia. Now where there is mass starvation occurring through the pl 480 plan and program. We hope to get more of it into the hands of people who really want it. But in the meantime, there are Surplus is not only in this country, but even larger surpluses in Europe and surplus is most countries and we simply have to bring that down and bring production and and the demand back into balance. Okay. Let's go to our next caller. Good afternoon. I'm calling from st. Paul and Senator. I've been listening and I'm confused about the freeze when the Kennedy have filled freeze resolution comes up in the Senate probably in July or August. Am I correct in thinking that you are planning to vote against it for the various reasons. You've given this afternoon. I'm planning to amend it and I have not yet made up my mind what I will do but I hope it would be amended to allow for reductions Norms. Not only a freeze but reductions and I would I would hope it would be amended also so that you can replace arms and modernize your Your Arsenal. All right. I think that answers her question. Let's go to the Watts line and try it one more time. Where are you calling from? And what's your question? Yes, we are Center boschwitz. Yeah, I've written to you on this matter and you Brittany many fine letters. I don't know whether I should press you any further about you know, if President Reagan would just compromise on one of his carrier squadrons that would release about 20 billion which could be used for a massive Peace Corps effort in the Caribbean and Latin America area, which would in itself pay for pay United States back for that too in eventual trade friendship and trade and of course other areas of pressing needs such as environmental cleanup and education. When he asked for a 10% increase in the defense budget, I'm sure you only expect to get 5% and to carrier squadrons one would be a compromise and well you may be right. I'm reassessing my position on that. I voted with the Navy in that regard. You know, I've been very solidly opponent of a 5% real group rate of increase for defense long as I've been in the Senate the president has indeed wanted ten actually what happened President Carter wanted to five percent real growth to I might say and and President Reagan came in wanting a 5% real growth. Well at that time inflation was 12 13 % which meant that you would get an 18 percent to 17 18 percent spending increase in defense now inflation is going down the four percent. And the president has tried not to give away all that Seventeen eighteen percent. He wants an effect the 14% growth 10% real growth over the rate of inflation. I continue to be very steadfast and in the five percent real growth and the vast majority of the Senate that supports that view point that was in the budget that we passed and I think that that's the way we will continue at least for three more years and then we will probably lower the rate of growth once again, but you must remember if you look at the defense budget in 1968, the defense budget was 78 billion dollars and 1969 70 71 72 73 74 in those seven years the end of that seven year period the defense budget was 77 billion dollars. There was not only no inflation increase there was a decrease in in actual dollars nominal dollars as they say so that during that Period during which the money's went into a rather desperate and not very useful experience in Vietnam. There was a neglect in the military and my say that the president is very anxious to make that all up in a few years. I think you're going to see a lowering of Defense requests and the out years and certainly I would be a part of of making such lower request. But for the foreseeable future in the foreseeable future is an additional three years. I think we need a five percent real growth and that for a long period of time the the money's in defense department did not grow and were indeed shifted to other areas of the world where they didn't serve as very usefully 11 and a half minutes now before one o'clock Our Guest today on midday is Minnesota Republican senator Rudy boschwitz. Let's go to the next call or good afternoon. You're on the air. Hello. I have a concern. In about a lot of the issues that you've been discussing this afternoon one that is of particular concern to me is the connections between the growing anti-Semitism throughout the world and what's happening the kinds of support we're giving in various places a friend of mine just returned from Europe and reported on the incredible anti-Semitism that exist in Europe people there. I think are far more aware of the atrocities that have been committed against the Palestinian people for a long period of time people here are becoming more and more aware of the support. We're giving to South Africa, which is one of the most repressive horrendous racist countries in the world, and those people know throughout Europe and here in the United States. There's a big campaign starting to raise Consciousness on The issue is in South Africa. And so what's your question? Well, I would like I would like our senator being on the Foreign Affairs committee to start to look real critically at the again. The military assistance were giving to a Salvador which comes through Israel people here are becoming very aware of it comes to Israel. It comes through Israel write the amount of money that is being given to Guatemala and El Salvador the military assistance that comes through Israel is I don't know the figure right now, but it's a huge amount and I think when the people of the world are starting to hear this Americans have had this kept from him for a long time the horse people, but I have a dreadful concern that all this military assistance that we're giving over the support. We're giving all over the world is really going to have some detrimental effects. On the on the Jewish Community. Well, what do you think about all that Senator these this lady has some of these things this is one American who is not aware that military aid is being funneled into Central America through Israel. The the amount of military aid. We are giving about twice as much economic support in Central America three times as much economic supported. We're giving Military Support to those Nations and it's interesting we can tell exactly what is coming into Cuba. But from what we can see by way of tonnage. We believe that the the Cubans are receiving approximately 10 times as much in military aid and they disperse it and turn to nicaraguans quite clearly because you we see the boats are going from Cuba Nicaragua and and other places in Central and South America, but they have Seed from from Russia approximately 10 times as much military aid in the last year as we have sent to Central America. So I think that that we are not being we protecting American interests and hopefully we are protecting a better form of government down there those forms of government down there on either side are repressive and it's hard to be friends with any of them. But if we chose just deal with democracies and people and countries that were fair to their people of the hundred and sixty members of the United Nations, I suppose we'd be dealing with 16 so that sometimes in all national interests we do deal do business with people that are not particularly Savory only a few minutes left and we're asking callers to keep their questions short. Let's go to the next one. Good afternoon. Where are you calling from? And what's your question? And I wanted to tell the senator bus Which that I'm certainly Congratulate him on ways handled all these questions and some of them are statements. I have no questions except hoping that he will support the defense of this United States since I spent 23 years in the armed forces and I'd hate to see it all go down the drain. All right. Thank you for calling in today. And I think well, I try not to duck the issues and call a spade a spade. All right, let's go to the next one. Good afternoon. You're on the air Senator not everybody agrees. Yes, sir. Sorry to interrupt you. Good afternoon Senator. First of all, I bring you greetings from Oakwood School. Oh, yes. Yes. My sons went to elementary school. Yeah. I have a daughter who is serving in the Peace Corps and just after she had graduated from college. He received a letter saying that if he'd gone into the military service, she could have gotten her college loans forgiven. But since she going to the Peace Corps, they would only be deferred and I wonder if that's not one of the subtle message. Is we're giving an awful lot of people that that some of the nuclear freeze people are saying that in essence we seem to put more marbles in in preparing an army then we do in the Pursuits that might head off a necessity. Well, I must tell you I didn't know that and I will if you will stay on the phone for a while, I'll talk to you after the end of the show and get your name and address and I would like to look into that because I think that we should in the event that we do do that. If you enter the armed services, I think that we should do that to the Peace Corps. We will see we will put that caller on hold and go to the next one. Good afternoon. You're on the air. Yes. I'd like to ask about also about Central America and South America. Okay, you've got 15 seconds. Okay, the why wouldn't the blockade of arms Embargo of all arms going into that area slow down the fighting and we could with an AV block. It could stop arms from other countries and from us. So you have to understand that a blockade is an act of war and we're going to get into that deeper in that case and that may not be something that we'd want to do. And I don't think I'd approve of it. Let's let's try to think about that for a while. Let's try to squeeze in one or two more good afternoon. You're on the air. My question is as follows. I think they feel that the senator believes we can solve the problems of all the peoples of the World by letting them come in here. Some of you might question is this why can't we help people in their own country Center. I'm thinking of all these immigrants from Vietnam to come here since the mid-70s to compete for jobs housing and natural resources money aren't Public Relief rental subsidies. Why do we under limits on the resources and abilities in this country? Can we help people their own countries that are bringing them here? Well, we do help people in their own countries and you know, and we have to establish barriers to keep people out. It's an interesting comparison of our system and the system Of the Eastern countries and Russia and so forth. They have to build walls to keep that people in we have to and fortunately, you know have laws to limit the number of people who come in here United States. I'm an immigrant and the United States is a land of immigrants and I suppose that once you hear you had to have a different attitude, but my attitude at least hasn't changed. This is the only country maybe Australia New Zealand and Canada. The only countries in the world that have given any kind of relief and sucker to the downtrodden and oppressed. You know, those folks come over here and they're pretty good workers sometimes. Yes, they they go on to various government program, but after a reasonable period of time statistics consistently show that there are fewer immigrants who are receiving welfare or other forms of relief than any other segment of the population and they not Only come in and and take job so to speak but they create jobs they spend money in this country and they come in and they're tremendous consumers and just as you and I create jobs who are spending so they do as well. So I think that they are creative as well as all the other things that are said about them and I welcome them here and I hope that our doors will always be open. Well, it's been good having you along today. Thanks for stopping by and you're going to Washington later. He I didn't agree with them any of you. That's a bad sign. You're going back to Washington tonight. I know I'm not but I'm going to go back tomorrow morning and be then time for the votes do some debating on abortion. I probably won't enter into the debate my position, you know, we've debated so often I've entered into debate. My position is fairly well known and I think that the the boat should come as quickly as reasonably possible. The lawn look the lines are fairly well drawn and that we should vote and I think we will tomorrow. Alright, well, thanks for coming in. Thank you. Does it that fellow with a Peace Corps now? Okay, we'll get you into the other side idea and that that is something we should pursue. Okay, Senator Rudy boschwitz who is on his way to the telephone right now to talk to one of our Callers In the meantime, you're listening to midday on Minnesota Public Radio.