Transcripts For ALJAZ The Bottom Line 20221107

Im carry johnson harring. Doha. The top stories on al jazeera sh must go back to officials in her song. Say there have been blackouts after russian reports that ukrainian force is damaged to power lines. They say that the 30 me to hide never kafka damn, was also hit since october. Both the russia and ukraine had repeatedly accused each other of planning to breach the dam using explosives or now from ill just as i said, bake what were hearing from the russian back authorities on is that they say the ukrainians must think tanks and Armored Vehicles along the 1st on axis and a high number of run, theres been increased number of artillery strikes, taking place on the city. And of course, per se on is a very important city, both politically and militarily, for russia, its the only regional capital that theyve managed to capture. Since the start of the war. Its a gateway to crimea and the rest of the size of also its the ukrainian managed to take a closer russian truth. Politicians in the u. S. Making last ditch attempts to sway voters ahead of cheese days, mid term elections. Republicans are looking to win back control of congress. I hope voters will punish president joe biden. Democrats, the high inflation, former President Donald Trump has been campaigning in florida. Biden, in the far left lunatics away, you are in your jobs, your safety, your values, and your freedom. Theyre strangling for the families hitting florida. Very odd with soaring prices and devastating. What theyre doing to jurors are, if you think about a tourism and Hospitality Services industries with crippling inflation at a dollar. And nobody talks about this that value at a level that makes our country unable to compete with other countries, especially in tourism. And then manufacturing us present. Joe biden, husband, campaigning in new york state within the chronic politicians are locked in unexpectedly tight contests with their republican opponents. Todays his most important election in our life tabs is gonna take shape in this country for decades to come. World laws inflection point. I mean is it certainly where whats gonna happen the next couple years is going to have more to do with what this country looks like 20 years from now. Then anything else you ends at Climate Change summit is opened in egypt with a warning that our planet is in distress. Delegate sat to cop 27. Have agree to officially add to the agenda. The issue of who should pay compensation for impacts of Climate Change or plan to be sending of these threats signal. The late the state of the Global Climate report is a chronicle of climate cables, as the old methodological organisation so. So clearly change is happening with catastrophic speeds. Devastating lives and lively woods on every continents. The least. 19 people had been killed in a plane crash and tons and there the air craft operated by Precision Air crashed into lake victoria. I said, attempted to land in a nearby town. Rescuers were able to wade through the water to bring some of those still inside the plane to safety. The crash is being blamed on bad weather investigations are ongoing. Augustines for Prime Minister has welcome that government offer to launch an investigation into his shooting. Him on card was shot in a leggett, a ratty on thursday. The supporters sate was an assassination attempt. You shall, i shifter buskie, Judicial Commission. I welcome the Judicial Commission as above charee said it will be formed. But what will the Judicial Commission do when this investigation is conducted under the 3 people i have named . How can we have a fair and transparent investigation . Im the thousands of protesters have gathered the opposing rallies in the brazilian city of re addition nearer in the wake of last weeks election. Supporters of both and rallied for a 5th day to demand the military block. A change in government was not as voters in the elections were rigged law supported of president s in that movies and not silver held accountable for res on Cooper Cabana beach to celebrate his, when is all the headlines, news continues here and i was just there thats after the bottom line, ah me hi, im Steve Clements and i have a question which just a few days left. But when the mid term elections will americans decide to punish the democrats or the republicans . Lets get to the bottom line. Ah. Every 2 years americans get their chance to clean up all 435 elected members of congress and start all over again. But most of the time, they just reelect the same folks, but some races. Well, theyre genuinely competitive. And every cycle bring some fresh spaces. What could really shake things up . The next week is the party that controls the most seats in the house of representatives. 2 years ago at lean democrat, this time, most polls are pointing to a republican read wave taking over the senate. Well, thats been evenly split and both parties are working hard to flip a handful of seats in their favor. Even flipping one seed for either party makes a huge difference for president biden, while its sort of a referendum on his popularity, which is not so hot right now. If his party loses control of either house of congress, the senate, or the house, it will make it almost impossible for him to pursue his agenda. Any more republicans are focusing on inflation crime and immigration democrats, on abortion rights, donald trump, and a functioning democracy. So whatll it be to day were talking with grover norquist, a long time republican activist who founded americans for tax reform, which argues for smaller government. And amy, daisy, a veteran, democratic activists who was the c e o of the Democratic National committee. During the 2016 election and currently had the signed institute a policy and politics at american university. Thank you both for joining me. Let me just start out with you, amy. Say, you know where few days away from this one. I want our watchers to get a feel for is whats on the dashboard of the voter day. What. What do you see . And weve got republicans and democrats, we also have, frankly, a lot of independents that are out there. But what do you think of the big drivers right now . The passions, the anxieties that americans are feeling right. This is crunch time for anybody whos an operative and done the 7 days out. We have had 23. Many people already vote early vote, so that small group that were, you know, everybodys trying to scare scramble to on election days. Important. So, you know, in these key races, i think a lot of its turn out, i mean to have 2 former president s and a current president all go to the same state to try and make sure that as many of their voters are, are getting out is important. And this is the time where, you know, these candidates are making their last minute please to say were, im the answer. Im, you know, on these issues on the things you care about. Im the solution for some of your biggest problems today. And so this is whats happening now. Theyre smart, its smaller than you would think. Like you mentioned at a 4345 races in the house. Really, the only have 30 districts, you know, in place be a lot about our democracy. And you know, you know, the competitiveness across the country, but you know, i think as you said, its about, listen its, its not just the issues that matter. Its issues that motivate, i think all is a matter. I dont think democrats dont care about the economy or dont care about inflation. Its whats going to motivate them and get them to the polls. And this is what candidates their teams and their you know, people on the ground or trying to figure out in these final dates. Grover, i paid a lot of attention to polls. Maybe i shouldnt, because posters rock, its so wrong. But one of the things i look at is that, you know, weekly or monthly, you see things rise for a while. It was the Supreme Court decision on abortion really dented this country. Now you see inflation, the costs of just surviving and gas at the pump. Food at the Grocery Store is certainly an economic anxiety crime. The border and im just interested, as you talk, not just to the people you know out there. But as you kind of take us back, cuz i know youre both, youre, were all junkies for this stuff. What do you think right now . Are the passions that are driving a lot of americans that will be defining in this election, Political Parties and consultants, and the establishment press, all like to think that they can shape the conversation. And there been efforts early on there was an after say this is all about roe v wade. And that lasted until it was and for our, for our audience will be what it is, abortion. Yes. The abortion issue. Whether the sprint, whether abortion be dealt with at the state level or through the courts. And so there was an effort to make that the issue and that the challenges when people walk by or drive by the gas station, or many gas stations every day. Thats like a paid political advertisement to say, biden, and the democrats brought you higher gasoline prices before them. It was someplace else. And the same thing with inflation in general when you go to the Grocery Store. So you have an effort by the republicans who might want, wed like this to be about this for the democrats about that. The rise and crime which has been taking place across the country, the day to day assault of inflation, wages growing slower than inflation and the collapse of peoples life savings. And for when kazan irish, those have forced themselves on to the agenda. Even though smart people go, well, you should care about this or the presses you should be obsessed with us. People make up their own mind and those issues that matter are cutting against the deis this time. And thats the challenge that headwinds, the democrats face. Can i ask you a question though, grover about the gas price issue, and i thought about it is the question of, do you expect the American Public just to sort of be simply say ok, gas prices are rising. Thats the fault of the president , or is it the fault of Vladimir Putin . Is it the fault of a, an agent in the world that is weapon, ising energy, and creating that sort of dynamic. And if anything, the release of Strategic Oil reserves and others was a response to that. I guess my question is, i know that the complexity of the strategic goal reserve is there and the americans may not see that that reflected in the price in the way they want. But im just interested in, do we have to dumb everything down for an American Voter or do you, do you tell them that there are certain points where the world is complex. You know, weve got Climate Change. We have, you know, a guy invading another country and that stuff matters. Im just sort of interested in depth. Well, i mean, politically going back to clinton and gore, the modern democratic parties. Goal is to raise the price of gasoline at home, heating oil and coal, show that to force people to use more expensive alternatives. So to raise the cost of energy and this is their stated goal. When the secretary of energy was asked, whats your plan to reduce the cost of energy . She laughed in the face of the journalist. We dont have one yet. Our plan is to raise the cost of energy. And the left has an interesting view of why thats a smart idea. The American People have a hard time understanding why its a good idea. And if you ask them what youre willing to pay for, for Climate Change, its a much smaller number than theyve already been asked to pay for. So the 2 parties are different. One ones, low cost, abundant energy. Trump was always talking about fracking and so on. And the others looking to shut down fracking and drilling and make america less independent, which gives you put in and other people being in charge of the cost of energy. Why is there not a greater sense that everybodys on the same boat, even if they have to wrestle over policy differences . Well, listen, elections are about contrast governor about consensus. So when youre in the middle of an election is about a about, do you share our values, you know, do you share our opinions on these things . I dont think the democratic parties in the business of trying to make life harder for people and maybe theyre Long Term Strategy is something that theyre looking at posted with the republicans or, but i think this toxicity this its, i think its having less competitive places having less conversation, i think in an interesting way these razor than margins in places should we have these, we call them try factors where the governors office, the state senate in the state house, all of the same party having a diversity of ideas. And the power structure can only help with that. Now we recently did a pull on the sinus to to that looked at impressions for 18 to 34 year olds. And this can be generational to, there seems to be theres areas that they do seek more consensus on. And in fact, the most striking thing that came out of that pull is that they think if they work together, they can actually solve younger folks younger. Far more consensus range, thats new for me. Yeah. Well, i mean, this is why we wanted to, you know, look into the poll and say that they, they, you know, they dont necessarily trust the institutions that exist. Now they dont think the Current Power structure allows them to change. They think they band together that they can, and they think that thats important. Now, theres still a lot of differences between even young, you know, republicans and democrats. But heres the other thing that i think is huge and what both parties have to look at. Theres an anger, theres an anxiety, theres an angst out there and you have to tap into that. You have to say that you understand that thats the situation and how are you the better party than to, to, to answer that. But the other thing is, i think sometimes we suffer from on both sides of the aisle, is you have to be, you cant just be against something, you have to be for something. And so a lot of these candidates in the final days they, they should be able to reflect that. And my, my final thought on that, which im very getting very concerned about, is that were electing people who think the day after theyre elected. That they only represent the people that voted for them, you know, once theyre elected, they represent their constituency. And so i think we have to have conversations. They have to be more open to, to look at a lot of different, you know, variations when they come to the table. And hopefully people are rewarded rather than chastise if they reach across the aisle to have some of those conversations. Grover, take your republican hat off for a minute, just be, you know, sharp, like what would you do to help buy and biden is about 42. 3 percent approval, which is low. You know, youre kind of, you know, at this moment, but i mean, he was in the thirtys before donald trump isnt very so we want to be careful that others have been in this, in this level and have come back. But and, and the disapproval though is, is always a harsher number up about 54 percent. Why when youve had infrastructure passed and you had support in the american recovery act passed and you had the chip sack past that was basically about american competitiveness. You had the Student Loan Forgiveness Program past why, from your perspective are his number so low, not as a republican. And if you were advising this president and his team on how to do better, so what would you advise him to do . Dont do any of the 4 things he did. If you ask people how they feel about having their money taken to pay 14 percent of the public, many of whom are graduate School Students are going to be much richer than them all their lives. Is that a good idea . No, its a bad idea and its an unpopular idea. We dont talk about it very much. The idea that we should do that give money to people to build chips here instead of somewhere else is its been tried all throughout the world. Its leads to argentina. This, this does not have a International Competition and then having the government make these decisions. Japan suffered greatly for having the exactly that strategy that didnt work. The other one is the massive tax and spending program, which hasnt even completely hidden on the taxes yet. But you see the stock market in peoples life savings way down as a result of those. Those passing bells, if they do bad things is not a helpful thing to do. He didnt focus on the things he said he was going to focus on or didnt do the things he said he was going to focus on. And thats been expensive. He should go talk to his base because they still like them. Amy, are your thoughts on that as well, and will add on this, you know, i, i listen to my friends and the progressive side. The issue its powerful for them is this sense that american democracy is dying. Were feeding away and crumbling. Theres a lot of focus on donald trump as an liberal autocrat about the january 6th attack on congress. And so i guess my question is, does maintaining a democratic rules based country get out voters . I mean, i think its important. Again, ill go back to it might be an important issue for people, but i believe that i agree with the group or if you, if youre faced with, you know, challenges for your family, for cost of living, what you need for to make sure that youre able to meet basic needs, good paying jobs, thats something that you know, could be come at the forefront and its not so you dont care about it, but its about like when im going to bow and my vote matters, i want to make sure that im investing you know for a future thats good for me and my family. So i think candidates, democrats, you know, are figuring out ways to do this, you know, as well as republicans about how do we then share with them that, that were, that were the ones who are going to bring you down that path. Its interesting, you look at a race like, why homing, i mean, that became, you know, for liz cheney this, this, let me test on democracy in a sense, in an interesting way. I watch for a little while the debate between, you know, the 2 opponents who are vying for this, you know, congressional to get through this congressional primary. And there wasnt a lot said about what they were going to do for my willing or what was going on. So i think these matters of democracy. We have a shared responsibility, both democrats and republicans to care about this. And certainly to, to say there was a problem with january 6 and how are we going to do this . There are 2 things happening. One is during the lifetime of ronald reagan, the 2 parties separated out along issues of principal. There used to be republicans, you would raise taxes to be democrats would cut taxes. They used to be republicans who would show your guns. They should be democrats who wouldnt steer you got thats gone. Ok. The democrats around the last pro life person out of office doesnt exist. Talk to the catholics. So youve got to competing forces where they were being a republican means something on all the key issues being a democrat, mean something on the key should go back to 19 fifties and sixties that were southern democrats who were conservatives. And there were northern republicans who were liberals that sorted out, the 2 parties, our principal parties. And so theres going to be much more partisan at all disagreements or partisan disagreements werent partisan already logical, but they werent partisan before. The 2nd part is the 2 parties are fairly evenly split. Okay, i mean, this is a huge difference for from 1932 to 1994 and the republicans capture the house and senate. The republicans were elected to control congress for 4 of 62 years. They werent players. Okay. There were the washington generals, and they never got to win ever. And she had a one party state in congress which runs america. President s come and go, they can start wars, but thats about it. Otherwise, congress runs america, they raise taxes. They do spending from 94 on which i point out is when the republicans all signed the pledge never to raise taxes and kept that promise as the party that wont raise taxes. Theyve won congress 60 percent of the time, never to 60 percent. If youre a democrat, your idea of democracy is complete. Democracy means we run the house and we run everything. All of a sudden they have to struggle to have a say in running government the way they used to do it for 62 years uninterrupted. In terms of congress, now they have Congress Less often than not, and theyre about to lose it again perhaps. So theres a lot of angst there. Ran people say theres no democracy in the mean. My teams not winning. So is, is, where is the country . So polarized polarized right now that most folks are just going to vote, party line votes. And if, and if no matter whos running the franchise, of the Democratic Party or the Republican Party and were independence way. Now what, what, you know, cuz i last time i looked, ah, independent, still a count for more republicans or democrats, you know, self to fight. Im just sort of interested in this ard, was she independent were already whose main issues carry the independence wins. Okay, you got a carrier base, but you got to convince the independence that the issues youre running on matter. So some of the issues, abortion, and january, 6th, a fine for the Democratic Party. Do they, when you independents, the republicans go. We want to keep your energy costs low, we want you to have more money. We venture for one k to matter. Thats an eat, thats a better sell for independent. So riling up. Your base is one thing. But who wins the independence winds again . To what degree amy, are we seeing a precursor of the 2024 president ial race . So were in mid term races, where basically every, almost all these different local and state level seats are up and you know, all the house seats in one 3rd of the senate, but not the presidency. But is this a litmus test . Basically for the 2024, whether its biden and donald trump, is it going to be somebody like biden, and someone like donald trump in 2024. And thats what were seeing as early 2012 shore. It is like underneath the underneath conversation for everything you, these are not to separate elections and a lot of respects because i think president ial politics is late chest. You make one move because the next 2 moves are going to get you, you know, maybe where you want to go. So a lot is, you know, put on the line. I think you have somebody like a desantis down in florida, who would say if he does really well in the election, does that position him in a different way for 2024 . You know, structure. If democrats lose, you know, the house and the senate, what does that say about, you know, how they position themselves for the next National Election . I think the question is to, is like, you know, youre going to have a lot of new members of congress. You know, in some of these districts across the country and how will that, you know, influence a National Election thats coming. But theres so many factors that come into play for a president ial and, and again, just seeing how we, you know, go through to figure out who the nominees are. And ill go back to something that you kind of mentioned, i think the other big challenges, the independence get to the site a lot and general action, but theyre not assigning who those candidates are that go on the ballot for the general lesson. We both have a problem in the parties. I think where were seeing smaller entities decide who are non and these are in these in these things and Party Affiliation is that decreases and goes away. That can be challenging for both sides because what are the count candidates that are getting on the ballot in the general and are they representing the values of the party . And are they somebody that an independent can align themselves with steve for your International Audience . Everyone looks at the congress and the president thats vague, interesting. Theyre going to be locked like this and accomplishing very little in terms of moving the country one way or the other. Right. 50 states are having elections, 50 governors, 7000 state legislators. And right now the republicans control most of the governorships and 30 of the state legislatures and they, they have been shifting the Playing Field over the last several years, passing School Choice across the country once considered a dramatic issue. Homeschooling is to be a go to prison issue, back in 1086. 00 in 48. 00 states. Now its legal everywhere. Private schools are legal everywhere, and School Choice is expanding everywhere. The 2nd amendment now once really beaten up, now at the states, 45 states, a pass last a you could gather can, shall carry permit. If you want to 27 states, you dont need a permit, you can carry if you want to. So on these it and taxes, youve got a whole series of 24. 00 states. Red states, cut taxes over the last several years. And youve got a 5 states voted to go to a single rate tax, not a progressive tax, a single right tax. And itll annoy democrat state one to go to a progressive tax that was voted down massachusetts about to have a vote for the 6th time. Should we go to a progressive and come back to that. And if that path is, thats it. Very interesting. If it fails, its the 6th time liberal. Massachusetts said no to a central tenet of the modern Democratic Party. Let me ask you both quickly. Some people have characterized this almost in the way that you did generationally that there generational change. And also racial divides in the country and id love you to tell me where this equation is wrong. Where use the youth and those of color vote for the Democratic Party, the elder whites and america vote for the Republican Party. This may be doing well, but what does that not account for in terms of the dynamism of the modern, you know, political stablish means groups arent monolith right. So we cant look at the Hispanic Community as having all the same. A lot of people do, a lot of people say that the hispanics are with the democrats. But if you look at the shift, dan, its african americans, women, their persuadable voters. You cant, you know, you can say base voters like theres, theyre not a monolithic. You have to go to them and talk about the values that you have, the issues that you want and what, what, how you can make their lives better. And i think thats the big challenge. Even young voters, you know, a Young College age, you know, voter who decides to go to college versus somebody who doesnt. You know, these are all differences within these groups. And i think sometimes we treat them like a monolith, and thats a big mistake. And we have to think about how were communicating with robert central or central mistake of the Democratic Party over the last 40 years is to treat mexican americans, puerto rican americans. Cuban americans are all spanish or then they give them new names. A bunch of white professors go, we think will call you latin next and take that will tell you what to do and what to think they did that to the black community for years and thats getting tiresome and the Spanish Committee is breaking free step by step ethnic group by ethnic groups state by state, the spanish hispanic vote, the people whose parents spoke spanish that vote is different in every state. Not just among the cities and the democrats were building this sand castle with something that didnt wasnt going to stay there. Go over, what was the book you wrote a few years ago. The title of the Book Committee basically said keep your hat, leave us alone. It was gun god and guns. God and tax actually got awesome therapy. Oh god was not there. What were the 3 . Keep your hands off for our money in our, in our guns, money and guns, and i, and i sort of think that, that was a very interesting thing for me because im just wondering, it was a sort of a libertarian ethic there. And you kind of look back and say, well, in one hand, what grover wrote, his really was precious, but at the same time you see a lot of republicans wanting to federalized their views used to be states rights. Or we can see a battle within the Republican Party, a divide over when you have authority from the above forcing everyone to do sun. Hows it going to go . You have a bunch of intellectuals who are unhappy that they have no original thoughts that they want to sell, but you have those guys over time, republicans do what . I have a new theory who black thatll be great, not one. And we deal with this all the time that people want to come up and have a newsletter of the universe. In point of fact, the modern Republican Party, the conservative movement, is made up of groups that on their vote, moving issue, not all issue their vote living and that returns. But they vote living issue. They want to be left alone. Whether its their face or guns or their kids education or their money, or their life savings, or their taxes, or not wearing helmets or not getting shots or, you know, whatever it leave me alone then youre in. And that, and that is a coalition that holds together because theres no conflict on a vote with an issue when you try and bring the other stuff in. Could we steal money from him and give it to me . No, no, no, no. Then you pushing people out of the circle, but well have to end it there. Grover, norquist, president s of americans for tax reform, and amy dacy, executive director of the Sine Institute of policy and politics at american university. Really great discussion. Thank you both for joining us today. Thank you. So whats the bottom line on one level, these elections are about 2 very different visions for americas future. One defined by donald trump and one to find by joe biden. But thats not necessarily whats on americans minds when they go to vote. Theyre thinking about their wallets and they see crime everywhere. Some feel that americas border with mexico is out of control. Others feel they have to save democracy, or stop trump or stop biden at all costs. And some are motivated by womens rights, the climate or racism, or all of the above. Each party is trying to figure out what the voters anxieties are. And theyre promising to fix it. On another level, theyre already thinking about the 2024 elections where some sort of trump like figure will face off against some sort of biden like figure if not those to themselves. But for now, this crazy mix of fear, pope and promises is the name of the game, at least for a few more days. And thats the bottom line, ah, in these Turbulent Times up front returns for new season. Join me, mark them on hill as we take on the big issues from the state of democracy around the world to the struggles faced by the under represented. We will challenge the conventional wisdom up front on al jazeera with. We dont simply focus on the politics of the conflict. If the human suffering that we report, we brave bullets and bomb and we always include the views from our sites. Ah