And good morning. Welcome to midday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Gary eichten. There will be a big birthday party in Bloomington tonight about a thousand people from powerful political pooh-bahs to Main Street minnesotans, they'll all be getting together at the Radisson South this evening to pay tribute to former Minnesota Republican Governor. Al quie Governor cui is 80 years old today and people from across the political Spectrum will be on hand to say thanks to the governor for his lifetime of public service and a lifetime of service. It has been Alchemy was born near Dennison, Minnesota. He went to school in Northfield flu Navy planes and World War II ran a dairy farm after the war and served in the Minnesota state senate in the mid-1950s in 58. He headed to Washington where he represented Southeastern Minnesota in the US House for 21 years, then in 1978. He came back to Minnesota and was elected governor.Defeating incumbent Rudy perpich Al quie served one term as Governor. It was a term marked by one of the worst budget crises in Minnesota History and then he went on to devote his time and energy and Christian faith to helping people most notably prison inmates. It's also spent lots of time riding horses over the years. In fact, he has a new book out about the 9 Summers. He spent riding from Canada to Mexico along the Continental Divide. It's called writing the divide and it goes on sale at the party this evening now, we should note that tickets to the birthday party are all sold out, but there will be a reception open to the public from 5:30 to 6:30 this evening and this morning Governor cui has joined us here in our Studios to talk about his life to take your questions and comments. So if you have a question or comment for former Governor elk we give us a call here Twin City area number is 6512276 thousand 6512276 thousand or toll-free number is802 for 228286512276 thousand or one eight hundred two four two two eight two eight Governor Qui. Happy birthday. Hey, thank you. It is great to to finally make it now. I have to say you look great apparently or you must be in good health, aren't you? What's your secret? Yes. I'm in good health. Have a good health. What's the secret? Well, I mean, you're more active than people half your ASF. I think part of it is pick good ancestors because I have a lot of the fish that live to be a long time and and I think doing the things you love really makes it makes a difference with it and stay close to the Lord. Hmm surprised at all the hoopla. I am never would miss pearlstein first suggested this at all that I was hoping for something quiet with just family, but when you're in thePublic service and then you need to be available to the public. Hmm. You know it always support. Well, it doesn't surprise me. It interests me at let's put it that way politicians, of course been most of their time beating each other up, you know and then but but then an event like this comes along and and it's like everything is forgotten elk we greatest guy in the world, you know, I wish some other people could figure out how to do that because really there's a problem partisan politics right now. We're working together. I recognize but politicians usually learn how to work with each other and enjoy each other. Hmm you were in well, you spent about 30 years in elected office. Some of those years were pretty rough slings and arrows and the rest looking back any regrets. I mean, you could have done a lot of things other than listen to people beat up on you. There'sThere's absolutely no regret that I did and if I was do it live my life over again, I'd do it again in that way. Now the only the only one regret that I have it all the time is that if I had stayed on the farm I would have spent more time with my children that I was able to in politics. That's the only thing I'd say about it, but but it was it was worth the conflict it was worth the pain because now you can see some of the things that you did that people have benefited from it. Hmm. Would it be tougher to serve those 30 years in today's climate than it was when you were serving?No, I don't think so. I think it always looks tougher where it is right now. I think what we've been tougher as run it tougher to run for office today than it was back. When I did he realize my last campaign for Congress was $35,000. That's what it cost and my campaign for governor was about a million dollars that it costs. Look at the costs of campaigns now and so I think the mistake we made in this country when we went to where pacts funded so much of the Campion money if I had my if I had my way on this one I was thinking about what you do. Yeah, and and that is I believe that only individuals ought to contribute to campaigns that only individuals who live in the jurisdiction in which the person is running and now with all the computers immediately when a person contributes, this is made available public so people can see who's contributing to aSince campaign hmm. You don't expect to see that happens because he had happened because takes power away from political power and puts the power in the hands of the people and people who have power don't like to give it up but empowering people benefits of All Nation. We're talking this hour with former Minnesota Governor Al quie who is celebrating his 80th birthday today and he has come by to talk about his long time in public life. If you'd like to join our conversation. Give us a call at six five. One two, two seven six thousand 6512276 thousand our toll free number is 1-800-218-4243. One two, two seven six thousand or 1-800 to for 22828 you served as Governor. He served in the Congress who served in the legislature if you had to pick which was which did you find the most rewarding? I think the most rewarding was governor because there's only one of us and you couldn't shiftResponsibility on to someone else and I think that's a tremendously challenging thing now, I might not have said that in the third year of inertia because that was really a tough one. And when I decided I wasn't going to run again, I mean I was just freed up and that last year was really great. Hmm. Do you what what what happens when you are what happened to you and your circumstance when you said okay, I'm not going to run again. Let's just get down to the people's business. What what changed the most important thing that changed was that I was no longer the enemy of every dfl legislator.At first it was hard for me to understand that when I came back from Congress because I got along good with both my Republican and Democrat colleagues, but I didn't run in any of my Democrat colleagues District. But as Governor, I would be running an every legislators district and therefore in each dfl members district. And so that pressure was off. I think that's the reason why we could we could work together, but I think with myself I gave up some partisanship on my part to after I chose not to run again because partisanship in the sense that you want to win in the next election. You want your party to win in the next election can't affect one's judgment. I tried to prevent it but I recognized after I chose how to run again that I had not completely prevented it before you taking a few shots yourself. Oh, yeah. Mmm. Yeah, that's you know, that's part of the game and I never was very good at it.You are at such a long distinguished public career tough question. I suppose what was what would be your proudest achievement. Well, if you work backwards, I think indexing the individual income tax as early my proudest achievement here in the state and because of that after that it came for the indexing on the federal level to and Dave durenberger took a look at we could get it done here and he worked hard for it in Washington, but and it comes down to this if taxes automatically go up because people move into higher tax bracket. Nobody is voting on it and therefore people who represent you aren't being held responsible and I think people ought to be held responsible for taxes as tough as it is for people to increase taxes is lot easier to cut taxes. So I think that is the most the set the second one would be that we did streamline the environmental laws so that people would not be harassed by the effort to improve the environment has happened there which means it meaning so many agencies had to go through one after the other so you could deal with all of them at the same time and the third one. As I was one who put together the Merit selection of judges and I think it really pays off the quality of the judicial system within the state on the on the Congressional side. My my greatest achievement. I felt was an education and their I say when things went through by one vote, you know, you had an impact on it when he remembers with do it in one vote to enhance the opportunity for young people at risk and especially handicapped and and learning disabled people that one I really feel glad when I see people now able to achieve all over the country who hadn't been before had been hidden away and you didn't know they were there makes you feel good in your heart that that that that had happened the the other part of it was to make certain that people who are benefited are involved in the decision-making give you an example when the war on poverty came. It was my amendment that required one-third representation of the poor. Because it's so easy for people not who are not poor to do things to people who are poor but there's wisdom and poor people as well that you can draw from and also in the programs for Children at Risk and education that they would be parental advisory committees to the parents of the kids would have a advice at it though. That's the direction that I went and the land another one that I feel I've go to agriculture. We did enhance the income of American farmers was an act that was passed in 1973 and you can see what it was like for farmers in and as a republican Congressman, I work with our Will Freeman who was a former dfl Governor here and went on to be the secretary of agriculture under first Kennedy. And then Johnson, those are the things that I feel great about to improve people's lives through the legislative process that I was involved two biggest disappointment the biggest disappointment of all, Is that I lost in my effort to reduce class sizes and Minnesota and and just to share with you in the house, which was evenly divided every Republican voted for my proposal every Republican Democrat voted against it and therefore it was defeated and because it takes one more than a majority and you know that every Republican was not really in favorite and every Democrat was not opposed to it, but they're strictly on partisan basis that vote came and then after that with a budget shortfall we couldn't we couldn't do it make those kind of changes in a sister school districts, but the good side of it is the concept and the idea caught on and for a period of times when we head to means there was substantial reduction in class sizes in Minnesota. We're talking to shower with former, Minnesota Governor Al quie who is celebrating his 80th birthday today again, if you would like to call With a question or a comment six five one two, two seven six thousand outside the Twin Cities 1-800 to for 22828 Audrey. Go ahead place. Thanks Gary for having me on the show, and I wanted to say happy birthday to former governor cui and to also tell him what a huge impact he had on the young girl. He took time to be in an award ceremony for Girl Scouts, and I received my first class pin from him and to this day. I tell people that I got my first question from him and it made such a huge difference to know that the governor of the state was willing to take time for a handful of girls. Really there were maybe a dozen of us receiving our pins, but he was there and he was there for the whole ceremony and it just meant a lot and I think we don't always have that happening with our politicians today, and they are role models and our leaders and kids need to be exposed to them and have that opportunity. So, thank you. Thank you. Thank you and happy birthday. Thank you, and you caused me to smile from ear to ear hearing you. Absolutely wish we were on TV right now. That must be That must be rewarding though, you know to have worked so hard through your life and and you know, clearly you hear from time to time or you made a difference it is it does and like we just heard now, I think sometimes we can get sated in our position in politics, but it is so significant to people to be able to touch and have a contact with a person lately like a governor is really because even now I run across people and who still have a letter I sent them framed and on the wall or a son or a daughter tells about their father had that of the wall till he passed away. I just amazed Dean are I'm sorry Dee Ann go ahead Place. Hi Governor Qui. I was a nurse in a refugee camp in 1979 and It was among Camp. I remember that. Yeah, and it was so great helicopter landed and you got out we had no idea who is coming and there you were yes, that's that's an image that's imprinted in my memory and my wife Gretchen's memory of that camp of hmong and you never knew there was five of minnesotans there. No, I do those wide, but I didn't know there was a 5:00 there. And so and I so thankful to you who didn't just talk about it, but actually went there. I also my mother had graduated from st. Olaf and you took a message back to her and I appreciate that. Well, thanks. Thanks. God bless you talk about doing more than just talking about things after you left public life. You have spent or since you've left the public life uses of And years and years working with people in prison. Why? Well, I'll tell you quickly what it was. I used to not want to have anything to do with such a person people who broke the law and are so straight lace. I wouldn't have anything to do with them. And I just one night having turned my back on somebody who had trouble happened to be in my devotions in Matthew 25, and I was reading a Jesus said about feeding the hungry and clothing the naked and so forth and it came to visiting those were sick and visiting those were prison and I went through an enormous emotional and spiritual battle with god and by the time I finished finishing the chapter it where it says those who didn't would be damned by sat there condemned knew that I could not live my life the way had before and right after that to people a white man and African-American came into my office and asked me to go to Lorton Penitentiary and do some Bible study with a person he brought with him a prisoner who just come His lieutenants and he had been the leader his lieutenants were still in prison. And so after that I said, yes, I don't want to fight with God anymore. And if it wasn't if it wasn't for that, I would never have befriended Chuck Colson. Well, I was going to ask about that because for people who don't recall or never knew Chuck Colson was portrayed as one of the more unsavoury characters in the Nixon White House went to present and now of course, he's turned over a new leaf. And you you played an instrumental part got to be good friends with him. He's going to be speaking at your thing tonight. How did you how did you to connect that? Well, I got to tell you as far as I was concerned, he was a most unsavory one of the Nixon White House to and I tell them I made sure I never had anything to do with him at all. That's why I said I hadn't gone through that crisis with God. I I said yes to him coming at a friend of his asked if there wasn't a group that would disciple him. And so we said yes Harold use of Iowa is another one of the many Hues truckers language a lot happiness with Chuckles. And and so that's what is we grew in our together as friends and so forth. He went to prison for one of the things that he did and and while there he was having trouble as far as I just tell you quickly as father died and his mother said that it was because of his father's because of the shame of his son that his father died. Now that's a terrible burden to be out of person and then one of his sons was involved in a drug charge at the University of North Carolina, and I just thought to myself, you know, what pain is he must be going through and again these things that you learn a person said to me, I understand there's a law that enables somebody else to serve a sentence of a person who is in prison. And so I decided I would call Chuck colson's attorney's office to see about that law and see if I could do it and Chuck just happened to be there. I say it happened. I kind of figured out he was testifying on another case. I forget he go by his attorney's office in a way back to prison and so I made that offer to him that and he turned me down. But Gary went in the world, you know, you look at that. What is it dumb thing to do to offer to go to prison for someone else but there was a tremendous piece when I came to the conclusion. I was going to do it to that which I can't explain to people. So do you think there's such a thing as a truly evil person? Yes. Yes, I do. There is such a thing as a truly evil person because it comes from choices that you make and I think you can make choices to where you become evil. I think from all things did it off Hitler was evil. I see all the things that he did. I think Joseph Stalin was evil. We think of all the things he did. I think EDM in was evil and so and so far so I think that I think it's the choices we make we're faced with Walking with God or moving it into evil. But I also believe that there's Redemption even for the evil person even for the evil person I think so because I've seen people in prison who you'd absolutely see say what they Have done they are evil. They are you haven't turned around redeemed and and now are the most loving wonderful people. It's just amazing and you don't think they're just putting on a show for you not the ones who are going to be in there for the rest of your life. They're putting on a show for it that know I recognize that that I can't tell the way a person who's in prison can tell a con but but no, I think there's real conversion as well and and you can't have jailhouse conversion is used to be so you can get the parole board to approve you, but we don't have a pro board, Minnesota Annie you're coming, please. I first want to wish you a warm. Happy birthday to you Governor quick. Thank you. What a treasure you are your great good heart and your your perception and your spirit. I want to thank you for that so much. I am a relatively new Minnesota resident. So never had the joy of living here when you were Governor, but certainly see your handiwork in many of the very thoughtful compassionate and wise Hallmarks of this wonderful State. I have however had the opportunities meet your brother. He was a visiting professor at a medical school in honor of my late husband and what a wonderful family you are. Well, thanks. Yeah. He's got the brains of the family. Your name being a medical researcher and then all the people who don't know the cui family. Look at that that name and say now what in the world. How do you say that? Yes, it is interesting. We found that that name in we found that name in China. You're kidding. Yeah, we got to chop at home for the queen named Kelly. You're coming, please. Yes, good morning to both of you and Governor Qui, certainly. Wish you a very happy 80th birthday this morning. Thank you. Hopefully today is special and you have many more birthdays after this question. I do have about today's political condition certainly looking at the budget crunch that not only our state is facing but a majority of the states across the country are facing as well similar to that the one that we faced here in Minnesota back in the late 70s and early 80's and looking at how Are doing with this that as soon as they get elected into office, it seems like they're hitting the ground running for the next election. And how do you think that that may impede Governor's ability to sit down and make the right the tough choices and risk their re-election and you think that it's possible in today's political climate to make those tough choices. And do you think that many of these Governors that are in office now on both sides of the aisles are unfortunately going to become one term governors Well hard hard to tell about about that. He can't prognosticated the future about it. And I got to tell you that I respect people in public office. I know the The Temptations and how tough it is. And when you say a person worries about the next election and I mentioned about earlier I even tried to remove that but in the subconscious it was still there and I look at it is survival is a powerful motivator of a person and so for politicians political survival is a powerful motivator to them you have to recognize that and so under our system as much as that we would deplore it me. What would we have instead? We could have either were some Elite group governs us and that's going to lead to Greater Corruptions. And I think without the wisdom of the people who then would be disenfranchised or the other one is yet. They have to find consensus all the time and nothing happens till you find. Consensus. And so I think we are constantly in the business of trying to hone the system. So it is more responsive to people and so that's an ongoing basis. And so the fact that now we're deploring what I look at it sometimes as extreme partisanship. I think I'm glad it's happening now people become aware of it. They keep working on how we're going to improve it. And so I tell you I'm really optimistic when people get engaged and start doing something about it themselves even that you're raising the question here on radio and if that can cause other people to share their ideas, I'm always hopeful that there will be an improvement that we coming in the future now you and most of the other former living Governors here in Minnesota participated in a forum this past spring and essentially agreed that the state should raise taxes in part to The budget to help balance the budget put the governor I think in a pretty tough spot any regrets for saying that yeah. No. No, I don't have any regrets. I never regrets for saying things. I really believe in and it's good for people to hear it. And I mean this Governor is strong enough capable enough to handle that besides I went and talked to him between his election and his inaugural and told him there to be good times when we differ from each other and I just want him to know that I support him and it does not change my support for him because I think Governor pawlenty is a good governor. And I think he has a potential of being one of the great Statesman here in the state. That's how high I am on Governor pawlenty but I got to say another thing is that there's nothing as Brave as an ex politician. You have to run ha ha ha Imagine now the former vice president Ambassador Mondale who said up front he was going to increase taxes and that it was downhill from then on when he ran ran for president. And as I mentioned before yeah, you have to make those tough decisions and take the consequences. And so you try it first to do it like this without increasing taxes, but if the economy goes down, which I hope it isn't and then you have to bite the bullet eventually former Governor Al quie is our guest this first hour of our midday program Governor cui is celebrating his 80th birthday big doings at the Radisson South and Bloomington this evening over a thousand people have bought tickets for a tribute to the governor. So the official ceremonies all sold out, but we're told there's going to be a reception starting at 5:30, which is open to the public and we're also told that it's possible that some folks who bought tickets won't be able to actually attend. So those Cats will be available to so if your morning and said that the something came up and absolutely couldn't comedy. You know, I didn't tell him I don't know how I'd noticed out of a thousand tears always coming in the first place if you so anyway, the governor's been good enough to come by our Studios today. If you've got a question for him, six, five, one two, two seven six thousand or one eight hundred two, four two two eight two eight and again, the reception starts at 5:30 and entirely possible. You might be able to get a ticket to the main event as well. We'll get to more of your questions and comments here in just a couple minutes. The feeble economy has left many people without work. Minnesota has lost more than 60,000 jobs in the last two and a half years many people who have jobs feel lucky managers are struggling to keep their companies whole have we described you? If so, let us know your information will help our Main Street radio team shape a series of Stories on And work tell us your story log on to Minnesota Public Radio dot org and follow the link to the online survey work labor and you or call 1-877-675-3354. Good morning. The strongest Winds of Hurricane Isabel are now moving across the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They're not as strong as they were but the heavy rain and 100 mile per hour winds are still doing plenty of damage power is out for hundreds of thousands of people forecasters. Say the storm is now teetering between category 1 and 2, but the National Hurricane Center says, it's still well formed and strong enough to pose a significant danger to the coast the US military isn't confirming any deaths after a gorilla Ambush on a convoy west of Baghdad the attack sparked a heavy gun fight in which two trucks were destroyed officials. Say two US soldiers were wounded but it's not clear if it happened in that attack or a second Ambush several miles away European leaders are continue to push for a quick transfer of power in Iraq French president Jacques. Chirac says, I want to see that happen within months. He spoke after meeting with Germany's chancellor. It was not immediately clear whether Chirac was backing off French demands for a provisional Iraqi government to be in place within a month in Regional news. A 40 acre piece of land for Casino has been selected in northern. Minnesota has koochiching County the Red Lake Tribal Council voted unanimously last week to approve the project The Proposal Grew From a discussion about the need for economic development along the Canadian border International Falls and koochiching County and Governor pawlenty would have to give final approval before a casino can be built. The number of West Nile Virus cases in South Dakota keeps climbing the latest numbers from the health department show another 94 human cases since Friday that brings the state total to 774. There have been seven deaths the forecast for Minnesota today calls for showers likely there's also a chance of thunderstorms in the East sometime this afternoon high temperatures today ranging from 65 to 70 degrees right now in more heads to the report us some light rain and 48 skies are partly Ly sunny in Rochester and 70. It's clouding Duluth and 69 and in the Twin Cities partly cloudy skies with a temperature of 63 degrees Gary. That's a look at the latest news. All right. Thanks Greta. It's a 23 minutes before twelve. This is midday on Minnesota Public Radio in our guests this our former Minnesota Governor Al quie who is celebrating his 80th birthday today callers on the line with questions and comments. If you'd like to join them, six five, one two, two seven six thousand or 1-800 to four two two eight two eight. Michael had please. Hello Governor Qui. Hi Mike. Hi, you're talking about your family a little bit. I do it's been seven or eight years. I did a little insurance for your daughter-in-law with her dance studio and I had to laugh so much within a half hour. I think she was up 10 or 12 times with the for the three or four-year-old. You had a very energetic grandchild there. Yeah. It was just because kids have a lot of energy, but he had I'm going to ask you I know enough about theology to understand except why we don't teach religion in our Public Schools. Mostly because most of us don't get things right and we teach half-truths and that caused problems, but why isn't there real good classes on morality and ethics in our public schools because The different religions pretty much have all that in common. And I have kids in junior high now and just wonder why there isn't some real good in deaf classes on morality and ethics. Well, I always thought it'd be great. If everybody who was studying to be a teacher would be required to read CS Lewis's book the abolition of man because he addresses that and show you this so on the question of morality the not only similarity but the exact same moral positions taken by all the religions that exist so you can start out right there and teaching morality and but I something something has happened and I think this is it the effort to enable people to live in peace with each other. There's one thing as everybody be neutral or not confront each other with that which is confronted below and and so that's why we lost it. Think conflict and dishes of opinion ought to be encouraged so is done in a loving and peaceful way because we learn from from from each other. And so I I think two things had to happen back in 1965. I went to Harvard to talk to some people in philosophy and social science to see about this whole question. The whole evening was a bus because they couldn't Define what morality was and so I realized then that we needed to develop a vocabulary of mole of ethics and and morality and I think we're developing that vocabulary now education is not like science science looks into the future education seems to look into the past. And so they're slow and catching up but I think that that whole moral concern is developing a vocabulary in this country that education will catch up with it as well when people some people here talk like this though, they're back goes up because their immediate concern is oh boy. We go. The religious people are going to impose their beliefs on me. Well, why should the irreligious people impose their beliefs and not religious people and so I think we need to have a way in which all the beliefs can be brought to the front and rather than stifle one over another and and the amazing thing that happens when people are permitted to speak the way they believe the result that come out of it with the help of its pearlstein when I was governor. We had seven conferences on extremely controversial issues and we had a speaker on each side and I would ask the speaker I watch you when you're with people who are just like yourself you really come out fiery and when you're with people who don't agree with you you kind of tone it down some I asked you not to tone it down. So we hear the full brunt of your view it was And that Malou and they would say well the reason why I'm doing this is a governor asked me to do it because there is permission in order to speak just what's out of here in your heart and the discussion that developed out of that and many times the contenders. I noticed were standing together talking with each other for a long time after the meeting was over now. That's what we that's what we need. And I recognize that some people say that whose morality is it and why should you impose it on it? I mean there's morality or Valerie. I should say valleys are being imposed on us all the time. And so we are all here have a free opportunity to express their own you were the chair of the National History standards Review Committee and from that perspective. I'm curious. Do you think that the standards the social science standards that are being talked about for Minnesota Public Schools. Are they on the right track? Well, I start first and say that I wish History hadn't gone over to social science because you shouldn't teach history. But basically as a social science venue, I think we ought to just know history what happened to the best people can record it and then with social science, I believe that you have to be so careful that the the dominant view in opposition to racism and opposition to sexism and the opposition to Poverty then dominant does not dominate the whole thing because there are other parts of history and social science that need to be addressed as well and and the confrontation between the two because it lets just take the part of racism if that is not expressed on on the various sides of it. We don't know what's happening in people's hearts. We need to draw out what vaping in people's hearts. And when you are confronted in that way your heart can change we always have to expect that the heart can change. I think the heart is awfully important. Not just the laws and the Dogma that we have Richard your question, please yes Governor this kind of ties together a couple of the strands of conversation. We've had so far in regard to the recent campaign by the Republican governor of Alabama to raise taxes if my limited understanding of it as he did so partly as a response to his own understanding of Christian stewardship. Do you have any as a politician and is it man of Faith you have any Reflections on that? Well, my reflection is that most of us were too chicken to talk about it and but most people operate in their political sphere dominated by valleys a values that they learn some place in the governor of Alabama. This is open talking about where he got his from and I got to share with you. I got mine from not only my parents with the church to my love of Jesus Christ, and that's that's where that's where it came from. And and so what I think is important that that could be more freed up and I recognize an Alabama in the Bible Belt is more easy to talk about these sort of things and it is then it is up here up here. But I admire that he would be candid and talk about I know is offensive to other other other people, but when one looks at it, then from that perspective, I think once still has to respect a person who comes from it from an other background because to the extent that comes person comes from the Jewish background. We need to respect that because that's the source of where ours come from it anyway, and when that now with the growth of Muslim in this country, I think is important that we respect the Islam religion. The fundamentalist were people in Islam who have killed our people in the Twin Towers in New York and in the Pentagon and so forth. I mean that's an apparition when you look at the people who are Muslim in this country because Friends with them you find peace loving individuals who seek to be here and to become a part of this American Nation and appreciate the values that we express because the values that we have connected to the trans identity need to be played out in our life that other people can see and so that's just another expression with the governor of Alabama in our founding fathers. The number of them spoke out sort of the same way. He did you think it was appropriate for that judge that judge down in Alabama to put up the Ten Commandments Monument. Well, it probably was not to put it there. I think one being a judge. He's a he's a judge of all the people and and I think it's better if one goes about at the way some have done in the past when you take the documents. The past and put them for everybody to see it. So the Ten Commandments are along with the Magna Carta and other important documents of that nature again, as CS Lewis did in that book abolition of man. He picked up those various parts. I think we need to recognize Nia is that because it's essential that we don't try to force people into our own view because my belief in Jesus Christ did not come from anybody forcing me into do it. It can't that was a spiritual change and I think we can only depend on the spirit to help people achieve their view in relationship to God that they have tour I your next great place. Well first congratulations on the four score and secondly I want to eat or you could use for score. I don't just lick it to do things like that. Hope is for ya. For introducing the governor to the Norwegian muffin town and I introduced him as the best governor of Minnesota has ever had and I was not just my opinion level. So here's opinion and everyone knew the governor. So everyone knew was the joke. Yeah, and then I actually stated what was interesting to me. It was a during his time as Governor. He introduced the most stringent EU I'll its legislation seat the legislation and child care legislation that draw down the highway fatalities more than any other time in Minnesota History. So in that case, he had saved more lives than any government governor in recent memory and now I want to ask a question now. I was wondering what do you think when you realized what the major intervention is was in people's lives the say that say that lessons again. What do you think when this was such a major intervention in people's lives government's role of intervening in people's lives should be The on the question of intervening and people's lives the I think that it there's a necessity when you look at the environmental laws, I think it was important that the government intervened in order to protect the environment when you look at civil rights, I think is important that we pass the civil rights laws that I voted for every one of them and work in favor of them. When you look at the government's intervention and education is essential that government is involved here. And so there are times but we want to make certain is that we leave as much decision-making as possible in the hands of the people much decision making is possible in the in as local level as possible to do where the action is taken. I mean that's just good management of Corporations as well as it is in government. And so when we also one wants to look in the intervention of people's lives, I'd mention the Streamline. Meaning of the environmental laws, but I told him I says I don't agree disagree with any of those environmental laws. I think that we ought to have strong and stringent standards and quickly impose but I but I don't want those to be used as harassment to prohibit people from being successful in their business and provide jobs for other other people and that's where I look at government can be used has been used in as an abuse abuse of measure in order to hurt people which in a way that is not beneficial to our society, you know, Governor. You just said that you think you know, the the more local the government the better closest to the decision makers do you think that's universally true though. It seems like there are a lot of folks who make important decisions in our society school board members, for example, and there are a good many people who have no clue as to who these people are what They stand for you know, they go to the if they go to vote at all. They have a list of names they've never people never heard of and is that how do you how do you educate people as to the the importance of these local decision makers and where they stand on issues people will be interested if those individuals are important to them now the problem I look at it today is the school board members have nothing to do with the taxes for operation of schools. And I believe they ought to be given the authority to Levy property taxes tell you people would be interested then because you look at your property tax form as substantial amount goes to education but the school board members aren't living it for operating costs. The state had set up the the mandated Levy for Education before the change was made under the last Administration and then mandated this the taxes that came from Evernote now, I believe that they took it too far away. I like the change that was made. So the state picks up more of a share because the income tax is more Equitable than the property tax, but I think you leave those decisions because and that's where I think the mistake is made not that you have no state government or no national government, but that you don't carry it so far expecting the people are too dumb to make the decisions. There are some people who aren't interested but the biggest reason people aren't interested is it is because I think I've got a voice in it anyway and the other part when you look at many apples for instance as a school district has an awful large school district for people that have the same kind of an interest that it is in Northfield, for example, or even more head and so one once again within within the school district look at it should you have a strong administrative core in the Minneapolis schools, or should you look at this to where there be more decisions made? The local level but even that begs the point we have a school system. Now that is operating mostly because it came out of a rural background because of that and the way the school system were in the urban areas where there were smaller schools and located around where the people were living. I think we need to involve parents more automatically into the decisions in schools. When I say automatically that doesn't mean calling them for meetings. It means more automatically and so I'm so radical that I say that the much as possible we ought to educate our elementary school kids where at least one of the parents is congregating with other parents in the daytime you like homeschooling I like oh nice going it's and I used to not like homeschooling, but when I saw the results of it, I believe in looking at the results that I see the results of homeschooling. I'm just impressed with what individuals have done in homeschooling so I don't want to do anything that stands in the way of kids learning John your comment, please thank you very much. Good morning to you guys know and they happy birthday to you. Thank you. I was not born in this country. I came in here just about four years ago. And then when I was taking the history of Minnesota, I read so much about your good works in this in this state. There's no doubt that you are one of the best Governor's is that has ever produced but I would like to look back to all your achievements. And then look at your successes, especially with particular reference to the government of Jesse Ventura and the current governor. How can you compare what went on in your government would what is happening now and what went on in this winter has government Thank you. I'm not going to go there. Everybody does different than each other and and I feel kind of a A sense of responsibility towards people who are Governors and I know how it hurts if somebody says something negative and I thought you feel good is something is said good about them. So I've already said something good about Governor pawlenty and I really mean that and I like him. He's brilliant. He's got wit. He's got a heart which I know about those things go go good. I'll just say something good about Jesse Ventura and because he went about it in a different way that I don't fully understand but when you look at the Commissioners that he pick by and large he pick some excellent Commissioners and I got to hand it to him. There has been a lot of talk in the last while hear about that Time magazine article that basically a whole issue that came out 30 years ago, Minnesota. Eight play good life and all of that is this as good a place as it was 30 years ago. Well, some people must think so if you look at this morning paper and more people gave to bit of soda, then the four states around us must be are benign winter weather everything winter weather though. Something is is good here as much as I'm critical of some of the things in our education system here. I mean, we do ranked the top of the country and so if you got kids and you want to look for something as good you probably come to Minnesota for your kids for the education system that we have and you have to ask yourself. What is it about Minnesota that draws such a huge number of somalis do such a huge number of mung mung who settled some other parts of the country and then came here afterwards so many Hispanics that come up here Ethiopians who have come here and I got to tell you That's going to make a marvelous impact on our state in the long run. Because we don't have to travel over all over the world to get to know other cultures other people will get to know them and they then hopefully if we're strong and the strong cultures that has formed us not only in the nation but here at Minnesota. They too will learn so much from us theory that in some quarters that we have lost sense of community. Would you agree? Well, that's all that's all over what's happened here. It's amazing that when you look at the 1960s and the effort to build communities at the did with the young people who were turned off by our society. They really didn't develop communities that were could be transferred to other people. It would had grew as individual individualism. And so what happens when the economy is great when you're Cheering a great deal. There's a tendency to become selfish in that way and just think think of oneself there are things that have happened that have caused Community to decline and so far we haven't figured out how to how to do it. They're communitarians who are working on this and I struggle with a thoughts of how I'm doing it, but all thing I can say is you ought to do something about it and to do something about it doesn't mean that you start forming a 501c3 about it go talk to your neighbor and then the next neighbor and the next neighbor. I'll tell you interesting a funny thing because congrats an Iva done done all these got a very sure short time. You'll get a kick out of that. Okay? Yeah, and that's a and silver and Silver Spring Maryland. We did that everybody whisper. What kind of a congressman are you Republican or Democrat and they would whisper pack while I'm a republican but I don't say it out loud come to find out on the whole block. Only one person was a Democrat. We brought them together and introduce them to each other quick question before we wrap up governor, and we really are just about out of time. Did you ever chew anybody out? You're such a nice guy? Yeah, I probably did my brother. Happy birthday Governor. Appreciate it. Thank you. Then a former Minnesota Governor Al quie joining us on his 80th birthday. Again the big doings at the Bloomington Radisson South Hotel. The actual event starts at 6:30. All the tickets have been sold, but we're told that some of the tickets may very well be returned. So if you want to get in you might be able to if nothing else there is a reception public reception from 5:30 to 6:30. And we should also note that we will be providing highlights from that celebration that's being held tonight. We'll have some highlights from that celebration over the noon hour tomorrow here on our midday program.