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>>With the debt-ceiling
crisis only days behind us,
the nation is still
attempting to grasp how
close to the brink of a
financial catastrophe we came.
Many of us outside of
Washington are beginning to
wonder whether our leaders
have lost the ability to
solve our nation's problems and
plan for our county's future.
House Democratic Leader,
Nancy Pelosi joins us today
on Studio Sacramento to share
her insights on the
debt-crisis fight,
her thoughts on Congress'
ability to do the work of
the American people,
and her own journey as America's
first female Speaker of the
House and one of America's
pre-eminent political leaders.
So you're in town today to
talk about a conference, uh,
or to be a part of a conference.
>>Yes.
>>What's going on?
>>Well, first thing we did as
soon as the vote was taken and
the president signed the bill
to open government and- and, uh,
end the pot- potential default
of our full faith and credit,
uh, was to come to Sacramento
at the invitation of
Congresswoman Doris Matsui, uh,
to have a- a meeting with
hundreds of women here about
our agenda, our economic agenda
for women and families.
When women succeed,
America succeeds.
Uh, because even though there's
that, uh, debate in Washington
we cannot let that, uh,
the opportunity be missed
to make progress for the
American people.
And as I say, if women succeed,
America succeeds.
>>And- and those issues have
always been at the forefront
of- of your career.
>>Yes.
>>And today, what is it that
you're most proud of that,
uh, has given opportunity
to America's women,
both today's and tomorrow's.
>>Well, there's absolutely no
question that- that
the Affordable Care Act,
which enables women to have
a life, a healthier life,
the liberty to change jobs,
be self-employed,
to start a business,
to change jobs, to move...
To do whatever they want and not
be chained by, um, a- to change-
job locked by a policy,
instead to be free to
follow their passion.
Life, have a healthier life,
liberty to
pursue their happiness,
and of course for women
the change is drastic.
So that would be
the biggest issue.
Uh, there are many issues,
though, that relate, uh,
to enabling women,
to the power of women
to be unleashed.
And our- our women's agenda,
economic agenda,
when women succeed,
America succeeds.
Or that equal pay
in the workplace,
raising the minimum wage
without pay fairness,
secondly about paid sick
leave which is really
important to men and women.
>>Of course, for families.
>>Mmhmm. And also, uh, for
affordable quality child care.
That I think is the most, uh,
um, issue- an issue that we
really have to take by the hands
>>You- you- you, um, referenced,
uh, the Affordable Care Act,
what's known as Obama Care,
and I- it was at the center
of the crisis we just averted.
That issue, why do you think
that that is such a flashpoint
in this country?
>>Well, I think it's because a
half a billion dollars was spent
by the insurance industry and
other anti-government ideologues
uh, to undermine and
misrepresent what is in the
Affordable Care Act.
Uh, it is- stands right there
as a pillar of economic and
health security for
America's families.
Social Security, Medicare,
Affordable- the Affordable
Healthcare- I call it
the Affordable Healthcare Act.
>>Are you- are you worried
at all because of its- its
really rocky launch, though,
that it's taking on water?
>>No I don't, I'm not
worried about that.
I don't think the launch has
been- it hasn't been rocky
in California or many of
the states that have
their own state exchanges.
It has had technical, um,
communic- uh, problems with,
uh, with the national plan,
but not to do with the
program or the initiative or
what it means to people.
So they have to
fix the technology
and they will do that.
No, but it- not- not- that won't
stand in the way of it making
a big difference in the
lives of the American people.
We're very excited about it.
>>Alright, the- the crisis
that was just averted.
It- it feels a little bit
like the movie Groundhog Day,
because we've been here before.
>>It is, you're right.
>>Well we've been here before.
Why does this keep happening,
Leader Pelosi?
>>Well it happened, uh,
two years ago, uh, when, um, we
had this discussion about, uh,
the budget, and we became very
dangerously close to defaulting
on full faith and credit.
Uh, because two things that
these times has in common
was that the Republicans
had made a proposal,
when the president accepted,
they said never mind.
And that was unfortunate.
Same thing has happened now.
They've tried to use the
Affordable Care Act as a
reason to shut down government.
Whatever you think about
the Affordable Care Act,
take it up in the normal
legislative process,
but you can't say
"I'm shutting down government."
Sixteen days that cost of
25 billion dollars
to our economy,
point six percent of- of-
point six, uh, downturn in our
GDP growth, and, uh, many jobs.
And not to even bring in the
fact that eight hundred thousand
people were furloughed, so, it-
it- it, either, y'know,
I think it's really
important for the American
people and my Republican
colleagues to understand
what the cost of that
tenter ***- uh,
temper tantrum was.
25 billion dollars.
Maybe they didn't know,
but I certainly think they
would care if they did.
>>It- it- it raises an issue,
though, people out in the
country, outside Washing-
maybe including- I'll assume
Washington as well,
people are increasingly,
in barber shop or
kitchen table conversations,
getting worried that somehow
something is broken with our
system and that we don't have
the ability as a nation to- for-
to move forward on our problems.
What can you- what can you
tell us about what's
really going on there?
>>Well what I would say is what
I say to my Republican friends:
take back your party.
The Republic- the name
"Republican" which is a
distinguished name, and,
uh, government and
politics in America,
the Grand Ole Party,
accomplished many good things
for our country, great things,
has been hijacked by some
extremist anti-government
ideologues in the
Congress of the United States.
And that's why you see the
conflict within the
Republican Party,
they are saying
"No, we can't go this place"
but other who insist
on going there.
So the conflict is within
the Republican Party,
and I would just say,
if Republicans would take back
their party, and it's a
large number in the Congress.
Y'know, they say it's a
fringe of- of Tea Party,
well 144 members of Congress,
Republican members of Congress,
voted to continue the
shutdown of government the
other night and to default
on the full faith and credit of
the United States of America-
that's a lot of members.
>>Would the other side, though,
in making the charge,
saying that the Democrats
are as unwilling to
negotiate on any of their
priorities as we are on ours?
Would that be fair?
>>We don't know what their
priorities are because really
the party has been captured by
anti-government ideologues.
So no government,
minimized government,
make it very, very limited.
So when issues like clean air,
clean water, food safety,
public safety, public education,
public housing,
public transportation,
public health, Medicare,
Medicaid, Social Security,
if you don't believe in a
public-private partnerships
there, then, um, you're not
gonna come to agreement.
Now, I don't paint all of
the Republicans in Congress
with that brush,
but that- the element there
that is wagging the dog is
really what is preventing
some serious negotiation.
We hope that a lesson has
been learned by them,
unless we go to the table with
the full scrutiny of the public.
The one good- I don't even
think it's worth it,
but the one good thing that
came out of it is the
public is focused now,
more aware of what the
choices are, and- and, uh, uh,
so we'll see how that debate
goes and I think the public-
the public awareness will
improve the de- dialogue and the
product that comes out of it.
>>So this is-
from your perspective,
this is a sea change in terms
of just attitudes of the
people coming to Washington,
because an observer might
say that, y'know, when you put
good people into a- into a
bad system, bad results happen.
And most people say
"Well my Congress person
is good, and they're decent,
and they want to
work towards solution."
>>Many of them are.
>>But it seems like once
people get under the dome,
or get back in Washington,
somehow things just
kind of break down.
>>Well, this is
a recent development.
Uh, it had its roots in the
Gingridge years in the 90s when
they impeached the president.
Shut down government,
impeached the president.
That was not, uh,
shall we say the regular order
of governments in our country,
and these were some of- it was-
we were very respectful of
President Bush when we had the
majority and he was president,
uh, they don't want Presi-
this president to succeed so
that's part of their motivation,
but they're comfortable with
that because they don't believe
in the government role.
Now, um, again this
isn't all Republicans,
and this isn't Republicans
you know outside of Washington.
And it isn't many of
them in Washington.
But it is enough of them,
uh, to, uh, wag the dog,
shall we say, call the shot.
Sixteen days of a
government shutdown,
all that time quite placing in
doubt the full faith and credit
of the United States of America.
That's a luxury our
country cannot afford.
I don't care what your beliefs
are, take it up in the regular,
normal course of this is a
legislative debate of ideas,
but don't say I'm going to
shut down government if
you don't do it my way.
>>Their claim is is that
they're trying to save the
country from destructure, and
that because of the fact that,
at least from the Democratic
side of the equation,
that there can be no discussions
on entitlement reform,
cutting spending.
>>That's simply not true.
>>Not true.
>>That's not true.
That's not true.
President Obama has
entitlement reform in his budget
he did elimn- when the
Republicans uh refused to accept
their own offer two years ago.
So that's just-
it's simply not true.
But the fact is I don't really
think they're serious about, uh,
entitlement reform either.
Because if- if they wanna charge
us with that- if they were,
they'd say let's put it on the
table with, uh, revenue and say
what is a budget that comes- uh,
reduces the deficit in a
balanced way, that subjects
every dollar we spend to the
harshest scrutiny so that the
taxpayer's getting his or her
money's worth as we meet the
needs of the American people,
and if we need more revenue
that we would close the
loopholes for special interest,
who are getting big tax-
like 38 billion dollars for
big oil's an incentive to
drill when they're gonna
make a trillion dollars in
profit drilling.
And it- it doesn't make sense.
So- so- so, um- so that is,
y'know, that values debate
is really an important one,
it's been going on since
our country began.
What the budget is and what
the role of government is, but
it hasn't been at the place of
"I'm going to shut
government down if you
don't do what I ask."
>>And that's really the concern,
which is that, it used to be,
it seemed like, that people
had common objectives,
regardless of party.
>>Right.
>>We just had different methods.
>>Yeah.
>>Today, it doesn't even come
across that there's consensus on
what the objectives should be.
Is that- is that accurate?
>>Well, if you were saying
that the Republicans don't
share the values of most
of the American people,
I would say that wouldn't paint
all Republicans with that brush.
But I would say that-
>>I'm sure they
disagree with that.
>>No, I- but most Republicans
do share values.
It's just this group that is
there now that is saying
cut 40 billion dollars out of,
uh, uh, food stamps.
Cut, slash, A Head Start,
uh, cut, uh, uh,
why should you take away a
tax break from big oil when
you would save the same amount
of money by cutting Pell Grants.
And we need to do all this
to reduce the deficit,
but we can't touch one hair
on the head of special interest
and their tax breaks,
and their tax cuts.
I- I think that the public,
uh, scrutiny of the debate,
holding us all to the scrutiny,
Democrats and Republicans alike,
as to where this values
debate goes.
And- and again,
we all have to compromise,
everybody knows that,
but if they're saying there
isn't anyway we're gonna
close one loophole but
you've gotta make Granny pay
more for her Medicare,
well that's a debate the
American people should see.
>>Okay, so let's- let's
step back from there,
because obviously you've
been in this fight,
and leading this fight,
for- for your party for years.
How many- after all those
years in public service,
what still gets you up in
the morning to do this?
>>Well, what gets me up in the
morning to do this and what
I think of as I go to sleep
at night and pray for all
the one in five children in
America who live in poverty.
Uh, I have five children,
nine grandchildren,
I see all the opportunity
that they have and all the
love and attention and that,
and I think why- why is it
in our country that so many
children, uh, live in poverty,
go to sleep hungry at night.
Uh, we don't do any of our
children any favor by saying
that this is okay for them
to grow up in a society, uh,
that has such a disparity of
opportunity for children.
So that's it.
So when I'm talking to people,
whether they're Democrats
or Republicans,
if they're standing in the
way of those one in five kids,
I choose- I love them all, but
I choose the children over them.
>>And- and when you first
got into public service,
who inspired you the way
that you inspired the young
women that were at this
conference today?
>>Well the, um, uh, my mother
was a great inspiration to me,
my father was an elected
official when I was born.
>>Mayor, right?
>>When I was born he was the,
uh, member of Congress
from Baltimore.
And then when I was in
first grade he became the
Mayor of Baltimore, when I
went away to college and, uh,
freshman year in college he was
still the Mayor of Baltimore.
So, uh, we all- public service
was a noble calling in
our family, in our sense
of responsibility, uh,
to the community was one
that was instilled in us.
I still had no interest
myself in going into politics,
but I knew that I
had a responsibility.
And so, then, my husband-
my husband's a born-raised
San Franciscan but we met
in college, and so when
I came out here eventually
I volunteered for other
candidates, this or that,
and became Chair of the
California Democratic Party,
which I thought was the
height of how great,
the biggest party,
the largest party in our
country and now I'm the
Chair of that.
And then one thing led in
another, Sala Burton, y'know
Phillip Burton's successor.
>>Widow.
>>Widow and successor,
and John Burton's sister-in-law,
when she was, um, ill,
she asked me to run.
I never intended to run for
public office, but she insisted
and I promised her I would,
and then, to our surprise
she soon passed away.
So, since I promised her
I would run, and I did,
I had to promise her
that I would win.
So- so I did.
And that's how I went from
the kitchen to the Congress.
[laughter]
>>Do you- do you worry at all
that because of sort of the
corrosive nature of the debate
that goes on right now,
that we're not attracting
people into public service.
It's becoming a disincentive
for people to participate?
>>Well, I'm very impressed by
the candidates that are coming
forth for us for
the next election,
and by the members of Congress.
And our House Democratic Caucus
is over 50 percent women,
minorities,
and LGBT community people,
so I'm- I'm thrilled for that.
But I will- I agree with you
that- that- that I- I said
at the conference today,
if you reduce the role of
money in politics and you
increase the level of civility,
you will attract more women,
more young people,
more minorities to
take the chance to run.
And that's what we should do.
Our founders, they, uh,
sacrificed their lives,
their liberty,
their sacred honor,
for a democracy,
a government of the many.
And now you, uh- it's turning
into a government of the money;
we have to stop that.
And- and I think that would-
if we change that,
we'll be more to just have a
flowering of interest in running
uh, for public office,
including increasing
the civility.
>>Do you- do you think that-
that the presence in money in
politics today really has- has
changed kind of the incentives?
>>Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Oh, absolutely.
No, uh, well the Supreme Court
decision on Citizens United
was probably one of the most
detrimental, uh,
decisions to our democracy.
>>Why do you say that? How so?
>>Well, because it- it said
you can have unlimited,
not even- you don't even know
where the money comes from.
Unlimited, secret,
special interest money
weighing in and for all the
concern that we have about
obstacles to participation
that are being put up, uh,
for people, uh, to make it
harder for people to vote,
nothing suppresses the vote
more than the suffocating
impact of endless, unidentified-
>>Both don't both parties
have equal entrée on being
able to get that money,
so it's kind of like a parody.
>>Well, there isn't parody,
but it doesn't matter.
Even if Democrats have more,
I still don't approve of it.
>>Really?
>>I don't approve it.
I think we either shouldda
dare expose, where is
this money coming from?
And I don't mean disclose like
some rich man says I gave
100 million dollars to overturn
the Affordable Care Act.
I mean let's see his name
on an ad so when he does
his confusing commercial
misrepresenting the facts people
can see whose name is on it.
So, disclose.
Amend the Constitution to
overturn Citizens United,
it has to be done.
It's a big thing to
amend the Constitution,
but it's immobilization that
our country is ready for.
Reform.
We have a legislation to have
their elections which means that
small donors will be rewarded,
that everybody is
significant in a campaign,
and just because Mr. Big Bucks
says he's gonna put up
millions of dollars,
it doesn't turn off
millions of other people from
sending their 25 dollars or
whatever it happens to be.
And- and- and empower.
Disclose, amend, reform, empower
And empower means to remove
those obstacles of participation
including the oppressive, uh,
role of money in
suppressing the vote.
And we have to deal, of course,
with the Voting Rights Act,
that, and we- issues like that,
that also contribute to, um,
um, tilting the- the- the,
uh, ground in the wrong way.
>>Project out in the future, say
20 years, and if Citizens United
doesn't get replaced,
and if in fact there's
another decision that's...
>>I'm very afraid of it
because this court doesn't
understand the corrosive role
of the money in politics.
>>What does politics look
like 20 years from now if-
if all this,
from your perspective,
if both these...
>>Well, if we had our way,
we would have a situation
where we have, uh, the
empowerment of small donors,
and that campaigns would be
largely, uh, f- uh, funded
by small donors.
And the- the- the- the rich,
special interest, secret money,
that'll weigh in, but they're
offset by small donors.
But small donors have to
know that their contribution
is valued and that's why
it's important to match some
of those contributions.
>>And the thing that most people
struggle with, Leader Pelosi,
is that most folks feel that
if big business is on the
side of the Republican Party,
that big labor is on the side
of- of the Democrats, and so
therefore it- it's kind of like
mutually ensured destruction,
that no one's really ahead
so what does it matter.
Because the pie just
grows bigger in terms
of contributions.
But your point is that, in fact,
even if all of that money is
present and it isn't parody,
voices are being stifled?
>>Yes, voices are being stifled.
What, uh- you asked about the
Affordable Care Act, y'know,
half a billion dollars
being spent to, uh,
misrepresent what it was.
We don't have that kind of
money or that kind of time
to raise that kind of money
and it isn't a good use of- it's
an opportunity cost of time.
But, uh, I- I take issue with,
uh, the special interest money-
secret, special interest money
getting all these tax breaks
in the tax code, uh, versus
the representation of working
men and women in our country.
Uh, yes, the labor supports...
Not- not universally Democrats,
but by and large Democrats,
but the, um, uh, collective
bargaining is very important.
What- what is labor stand for?
Collective bargaining is very
important, uh, to our economy
and to fairness in our system.
Uh, many of the things that some
in business are proposing
are fine ideas, too, but they
get tainted by the special
interest, unlimited money,
which uses- which hijacks, uh,
what might seem to be what
were job creators.
You job creators accept that
you wanna suppress the vote-
they're the same people that
want to suppress the vote,
oppose raising minimum wage,
overturn Citizen, uh, Citiz, uh,
not- support Citizens United,
do not support the
Affordable Care Act.
So they're not- yeah, I mean,
the way I tell people this
is, uh... Toynbee,
when he talked about the
development of civilization and,
um, those who survived and those
who did not, he talks about,
uh, the- what he called the,
um, creative minority,
and those were the leaders
who were there for the
flowering of civilization,
that they were there for
the good of the people,
so that the people can flourish.
Versus the exploitive minority,
who were there for power and
money of the few,
at the expense of the many.
And when, uh, uh, societies
got into that conflict,
well those who stayed with the
first agenda flourished longer,
those who started with power and
money, or deteriorated to that,
it causes schism in society.
A schism of the soul of what
that country was about,
of what society was about,
and that is what the power
of money is doing.
>>A lot of people, though, feel
that that schism exists today,
but in a different way, and
it's whether it's a Democrat,
or- Democrats or Republicans,
that the culture of Washington
is elite, insulated, and doesn't
really understand the woman who
works in the diner, the guy
who works as a policeman,
the woman who works
as a school teacher.
>>Yeah.
>>And that their issues are not
on the minds of folks who,
y'know, go to fancy soirées and,
y'know, go back and forth.
>>I agree with you that that
may be what the public thinks,
though I- I-
>>It's not true?
>> I don't go to fancy soirées,
so I- I don't know- I- I-
that is- I don't see that
much of that in Washington.
>>Okay.
>>But you're right,
people think that.
They think that, uh,
we drink out of silver cups
or something like that.
[laughter]
Which isn't true.
But I- I- I- I do know that
it is the purpose of the
Democratic Party to speak
for those voices of those people
who work hard, play by the rules
uh, uh, and want to achieve
the American Dream.
And that's why we're gung ho
for the- all out there
for the immigration bill.
We have to restore confidence
in who we are as a country,
to respond to you.
Who we are as a country,
to restore confidence in our
economy by creating jobs,
good paying jobs,
for people and paying a decent
wage and not exploiting labor
but, uh, uh, respecting labor.
>>Is there a balance though
between not exploiting labor,
uh, but also rewarding the
entrepreneurs and creators.
>>Absolutely, but that's-
the- there- the- the-
that's not even a question.
There- there's no- one is not
to the exclusion of the other.
It's about entrepreneurship,
that's what America- that's
what American public private
partnerships to, um, to reward
the entrepreneurship of America
and- and that is, can be very
destructive and it's a beautiful
thing, that disruption.
>>Wha- what's- what is- is
on your agenda if- if- if
the stars lined up...
>>Yeah.
>>And you were able to
push forward, uh,
your legislative agenda...
>>Right.
>>What would be the most
critical thing for you
to get done right now?
>>Well, the first thing would be
the creation of jobs, and we
have it at simple as a, b, c.
A: Amer- make it in America,
American made.
B: Build the infrastructure
of America.
It's deteriorating, it needs,
uh, repair or rebuilding
and it creates jobs,
and grows our economy.
And C: Community.
Wh- how we educate our children
protect our neighborhoods, uh,
all of that springing from
the community so that it's not
coming from above, the ideas are
coming from the community.
A, B, C.
I would add my D.A.R.E.
>>Mmhmm.
>>Disclose, amend, reform-
>>Right.
>>It- because I don't think
you can make these changes
unless you make the
change in the politics.
Walter Reuther said the
bread box and the ballot box
cannot be separated.
So I would put that as an agenda
Now, having said that- jobs.
Sure confidence in our
economy by creation of jobs,
wheth- and we do our budget,
it has to be about growth
and job creation.
Secondly, I would- sure
confidence is who we are, uh,
as- as a- a- a- a democracy,
and that is to reduce the
role of money in politics, uh.
>>And lastly?
>>Then the next would be to
restore confidence in who
we are as a people.
Now hopefully this will be done,
and that is by and large,
a nation of immigrants with
all the love and respect for
our Native American
brothers and sisters,
we're a nation of immigrants,
we've got to correct that.
And also, restore safe- uh,
confidence in the safety of
our community by passing
the background checks.
>>And I think we're gonna
leave it right there.
>>There we go.
>>Leader Pelosi, thank you so-
>>When women succeed,
America succeeds.
>>Alright.
>>Thank you.
>>From your lips to God's ear.
[laughter]
>>Thank you.
>>Thank you so much
for your time.
>>Thank you, Scott. My pleasure.
>>That's our show.
Thanks to our guest,
House Democratic Leader,
Nancy Pelosi,
and thanks to you for watching
Studio Sacramento.
I'm Scott Syphax,
see you next time,
right here, on KVIE.
♪♪
>>At Five Star bank,
community is at the
heart of what we do.
Every day we strive to have
thoughtful solutions for
our customers and help
our communities prosper.
Honest dialogue about the
issues affecting the region
is vitally important
to that prosperity.
We are proud to be a
part of the conversation
and hope you'll join in.
>>All episodes of
Studio Sacramento,
along with other KVIE programs,
are available to watch online at
kvie.org/video