USA news on Youtube Dec 4 2017

That's for joining us this morning, thanks, Maria insights from you chairman Michael McCall. We'll be right back

That is

White House National Security Adviser HR McMaster says North Korea is now quote the greatest

Immediate threat to the United States this after the rogue regime last week test launched a missile that US officials say could reach

Washington, DC. Let's bring in former US ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson

He is also the former energy secretary under President Bill Clinton and former governor of New Mexico. Good to see you sir

Thanks so much for joining us this morning

Thank You, Maria, how serious is this threat? What can we be doing about it?

Well, it's very serious

The good news is that for 74 days or so the North Koreans did not?

Shoot a missile now. I think that was because of some diplomacy by the administration

But now for some reason they shot another more sophisticated missile look. It's a very serious situation

But what I think I like here is McMaster and Tillerson talking more

Diplomacy yes, they have to put out the word that this is unacceptable. What the North Koreans are doing

But then they're undermined by the president. You know who goes out and says he's a sick. Puppy kim jeong-hoon I

Don't like the president being insulted either, but you know this good diplomacy that maybe we're trying

Gets disrupted by the president's early-morning tweets

insulting each other so it says

Escalation is not good. It's and it's happening again

What about the fact that we've got this enormous Armada off of the Korean, Peninsula sitting there?

Warships basically saying look America is here should you make a serious mistake, North Korea?

Well, that's fine. You know I think we have to protect ourselves the Japanese the

South Koreans, are there's 25 million South Koreans, they're American troops in Japan

Dependents also in South Korea troops in Japan you know it's a very

Strategically important area for us, but I think what we need to push

And I think the Secretary of State has been trying to do

This is a freeze for a freeze in other words North Kariya cuts down on

shooting missiles for a period of time and maybe we reduce a little bit of this military

Cooperation with South Korea just a little little signals back and forth get two suits two sides talking

Because I don't think a military option

Makes sense with the collateral damage. Yes, we would beat the North Koreans

Sanctions I think have gotten a little better the Chinese are a little more serious

But not enough so then I think the third option is is diplomacy

Especially in this time of escalation well what should we understand about this most recent missile test?

I mean the fact that it has gone it went as high as it went

Shows you that they'd it's really powerful because the higher it goes the the more length it can correct

It can drop that's right 3,000 it went up

3,000 miles and it can go 8,000 miles which would reach

Washington DC now what the North Koreans? I don't think have yet is the capacity to put a nuclear warhead on nonetheless

It's still a missile that threatens Guam, Hawaii, Alaska

You know the continental United States so their technology is

Evolving very rapidly now and trying to be an optimist. I think Kim Jong moon. Who is a rational actor even though

He's totally unpredictable

I think his game plan is now that I have the capacity to hit the United States in some way

Then I'm ready to negotiate

That's my hope and this is why I think this period we should take advantage of this period and not overreact

Should try to be doing more here?

I mean obviously China is a trade partner to North Korea have they demand enough in terms of cutting off certain important

Trade products that the north needs

China has done more than they have in the past

Significantly more but not enough they need to do two things a total ban on oil imports

They refuse to do that there's only a cap on that

But the key is enforcing the sanctions the UN has

Supported and China has supported call

North Korean workers

That live in China

80% 80% of the Commerce going into North Korea comes from China

So they if they enforce that cross-border smuggling that does exist in other words

Work to do this a lot more. It would be significant, but you know to those that say China has not done anything

That's not true. Yeah, and I give credit to the administration

They've pushed China in the right direction

But it's still not enough

So I think the best option is again diplomacy work something out a short term

And then talk about the future denuclearize the peninsula. It's gonna be hard, but at least we should try governor

It's good to have you on the program as always wonderful insights from you. We appreciate you trying this morning

Thank you Bill, Richardson joining us there allegations of sexual misconduct

Rocking the media rocking, Washington Congressman John Conyers so far refusing to step down amid growing allegations coming up

Tennessee congresswoman Marsha Blackburn will talk to us about that and her proposal for handling

Harassment on Capitol Hill as we look ahead right now on Sunday morning futures back in a moment

Well the news is getting worse sex scandals casting a dark cloud on

Congress as well as business new claims this morning of bad behavior and reports of payouts to make the allegations go away

Politico reporting that Texas Republican Congressman Blake Farenthold

Used 84 thousand dollars in public funds to settle a sexual harassment claim by a former staffer meanwhile

Michigan Democratic congressman john conyers

Rejecting calls to resign over multiple harassment claims this morning

We see that there may be more accusers there, Tennessee congressman Marsha Blackburn is with me

She is co-sponsoring a bill that would name members of Congress who've used taxpayer money for sexual misconduct

Hush funds. She's also running for the state Senate seat that will be vacated by senator, bob Corker. She joins me right now congressman

It's great to see you again

Thanks so much for joining us sure let's first talk about what's happening in terms of the issues on these misconduct

We've got Lisa bloom the attorney for accused of this morning saying there are more accusers saying that John Conyers

acted

inappropriately

What's your take on this situation?

My take on all of these situations

Maria is that these are things that these members of Congress or their staffs

Need to settle and they need to do this in a way

That is not using taxpayer funds

And then it is going to be up to those members their families and their voters to decide

when and how and if they resign but the most important point for us is

Taxpayer dollars should not be used to settle these misconduct allegations and come to those

Through the office of compliance to those settlements, and this is what representative de santis

And then you had gabart rice and Cooper who joined with us in doing a bill that says you cannot use

taxpayer funds to pay for the sexual harassment

settlements, and if you did you need to pay these back with interest and we need to bring some transparency and accountability

To this fund and to office of compliance

Yes

Especially since the American people had no idea any of this was going on

What what exactly is that fun for I mean is this all sexual harassment payouts

Or is this payouts for other things as well like asbestosis and other issues that the American people were unaware of

You're exactly right the fund is used to pay many different types of settlements and claims

And it could be an American with Disabilities Act claim it could be

Asbestos it could be something dealing with Capitol Police or the architect of the Capitol

Our point is when it comes to the hostile work environment and sexual harassment

That those claims should not be settled with tax payer funds

That should be the responsibility of that individual because Mario we're talking about things that are happening

within the work of your official duties as a member of Congress but

Taxpayer dollars ought not to be used to settle those those

Those filings and complaints and those settlements so how much of the fund has been paid out for sexual misconduct

We're not exactly sure and I will tell you chairman Harper. Who is chairman of the House Administration Committee is

Really in behind this he is doing a good job to get answers. We know that all total since

1995 there have been

268 claims paid we know the total is 17 million how that breaks out with different types of

complaints and

settlements we do not know that's the information that we are hopeful to get the Chairman is working to get that for us and

Working with him you have those of us who are members who are trying to structure the manner in which this works?

the way members are

utilizing these funds and to bring the accountability transparency and

eliminate the hush fund

That has been there that has been utilized in some way shape form I want to get to your Senate seat run in a second

let me ask you this and do you think that there is a double standard when it comes to Congress in this situation because

Obviously there were you know

Accusations against Matt Lauer. He's been fired Charlie Rose. He's been fired. You know these companies in the private sector took

You know no tolerance right zero room for error here, and yet, we've got al franken hanging around

You've got John Conyers hanging around. They still have their jobs, so is there a double standard here, and when it comes to Washington

You would think and it does appear that there is a double standard

And that is here and the utilization of taxpayer funds for a personal bailout to settle these

Settlements is something that is a a taxpayer baya bailout is one of my constituents said to me last night

This is not an issue of on your own time on your own dime

This is an issue of on the people's time right and on the people's dime

Yeah, I think you make a lot of good points this morning

Let me ask you congressman about your Senate seat bid you are running for the seat, which will be vacated by bob corker in in?

2018 why the move why do you want to run for that seat why do you want to be in the Senate I

for me running for the Senate is the

Opportunity to continue to work on those issues of faith family freedom hope and opportunity and to bring accountability

legislative accountability and

Accomplishment to the US Senate. I think everybody is frustrated with the US Senate

And we all cheered when they passed their tax bill on Friday night, but Maria

We have to get things through

The Senate and to the President's desk the American people elected Donald Trump to work on issues of health care reform tax reform

securing the southern border and

Dealing with the nation's infrastructure. I am committed to those goals. I share those goals, and I am

Energized about this race. It is really going well

Why were you shut out of Twitter just because you were talking about what you were trying to

pursue in the Senate I

Was shut out because I used some pro-life language, and they considered it to be inflammatory

I was talking about a record of accomplishment that I have and chairing the Select investigative panel where we shut down

entities and moved forward with eliminating the sell of fetal body parts and

That is something that is not allowed

It is outside a federal statute and Twitter considered that

Inflammatory, and I was so pleased that others in the social media universe stood with me yes, and it is a free speech issue

Exactly. Do you feel that you were shut down because of your conservative thinking I?

There is no doubt they noted that if I removed the pro-life language

They would put it back up and I said no. I'm not going to remove the pro-life language because I am

100% pro-life

So finally they changed their mind, and they allowed the announcement to go back up well

We just tweeted out that you're on the show we'll be watching the developments obviously big week for the Senate this week

We got citizens. We're voted no on that tax plan by the way

We'll be watching your efforts to claim that seat and more congressman good to see you. Thank you

Thanks so much Marcia Blackburn their

President Trump another step closer to a big legislative victory with tax cuts coming up former Reagan economic advisor art Laffer will walk us through

What's different in that Senate bill to hash out what this final bill might look like?

We're looking ahead right now on sending one a futures. We'll be right back

I'll come back Republican lawmakers hoping that they can iron out key differences between the House and Senate tax bills

During conference beginning tomorrow night both chambers must agree on a unified tax bill before it can reach the President's desk

For signage art Laffer is a former reagan administration economic adviser. He joins me right now, art. Did you see sir?

Thanks so much for joining us good to see you, Maria

What a good interview with Marcia Blackburn isn't she wasn't she was terrific just there. Yes, she'll be a great senator

Let me tell you it looks like she's got the front front row seat here. She's the front runner so far

This plan in terms of the Senate and the house. What strikes you is most important

How will it be different than what actually lands on the President's desk. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks well

Let me just tell you there's one thing that bothers me a lot about it Maria now

I love the bill so don't get me wrong

I'm way way plus on it

But the Fate the delay of the corporate tax rate reduction is a big big big mistake. It's the mistake meat

We made in the nineteen 181 tax bill

and it caused the Great Recession of

81-82 if you know they're gonna cut taxes next year you're gonna for all the income you can all the

Sheltering you're gonna keep it all you're gonna. Not change your corporate

Headquarters none of that stuff will happen until the actual tax rate drops from thirty five to twenty percent yeah

That's the one thing that worries. I totally agree

I mean why would business managers make long term investing plans?

You're not gonna make an investing plan for five years knowing that you're not gonna get a 20% rate for in awhile

So do you think that changes by the time? I mean the house has it right away in 2018 at 20% well

I hope the House wins on this one. I really do and I if my advice means anything

I think these people should be very worried because we can ill afford a bad economy in

2018 we had a terrible economy in 81-82 and we lost seats in the House in the Senate

And you know it wasn't until January 1st 1983 our tax cuts took effect

Then we got the boom of the century we won the presidency

But we had a very bad election in

1982 and I would hate to see the Republicans have that same thing happen in 80 in the next election in 18 well it goes

Frankly we should pick up a lot of seats in the Senate if the house loses the majority in

2018 Nancy Pelosi becomes the new ooh Speaker of the House and you know what the first order of business is going to be art

Yes, I do impeach Donald Trump. I

think that might be the case and I just I mean we've had enough of this type of

politics

And I was in the Nixon White House in

72 72 and I remember all the changes all the stuff that occurs you know when you're under

impeachment when you're under threat it doesn't make for

Investigations how do you get anything done with constant investigations don't in the executive or in the executive office? Let me ask you?

A Bill Clinton by the way, it was really wrong of them to do the impeachment of Bill Clinton as well

They shouldn't have done that and in that it's too bad so in addition to the 20%

Sort of delay here and getting to 20% is there anything else that you think will change in this

as the final bill for example they don't entirely

repeal the AMT in the Senate version

Which is open to smoke the senator Perdue about no they don't repeal the AMT, and I would like them to repeal the AMT

I'm not as upset about the AMT as I am about