[speaker001:] Well, let me just start by asking what you think of this Middle East affair we've got going on?
[speaker002:] I think that it's time that we concentrate more on what's going on within our own borders than what's going on in the Middle East.
[speaker001:] I have to agree with you there. I, uh, I think that, uh, for once, we should, we shouldn't even be at, at these Mid East talks because, with the exception of our hostages, we really don't have too much of a, uh, real in-, we shouldn't have too much of a real interest in deciding whose land it is. Just let these people fight it out
[speaker002:] I agree.
[speaker001:] you know, we've got so many domestic problems, and, and what does it cost these people over there, you know.
[speaker002:] Absolutely.
[speaker001:] Oh, so how about the Soviet Union. What do you think's going to happen there. The break ups?
[speaker002:] I think that's great. Um, I'm glad to see that, but I, again, I don't want to see us pour a whole lot of economic aid into the Soviet Union without a, uh, well, uh, a whole lot under any circumstances because I, I don't know, I'm, I'm a believer in the old adage that if somebody earns something it's worth more to them than if you give it to them, and so, I'm, I'm not much in favor of it, but I'm glad to see us advising them
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] that doesn't seem to cost a whole lot of money.
[speaker001:] That's right, that's right.
[speaker002:] But I'm ready to have a President elected that at least has some sort of a domestic agenda, even if it doesn't work, at least he is somebody who, who is working on that problem. And I, I haven't seen that in the last eleven years, so
[speaker001:] Well, all I've seen.
[speaker002:] they don't seem to have a clue.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] Reagan obviously wasn't too concerned with the domestic side of, of, of his political affairs. I, I think Bush's kind of followed suit. Um, international is important, but, uh, we've got a budget deficit that just won't go away unless it gets seriously addressed. Uh, you know, and then there's the homeless issue, and there really is a lot we could be doing stateside without, uh, hurting our international aspects or straining any international relations I think, and we wouldn't have to spend the billions and billions of dollars each year that we're spending.
[speaker002:] Oh, I agree. I just, I think we got, once we started economic aid overseas we have really set ourselves up to be sort of the, the world bank, and
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] as far as aid is concerned, and I think there's a limit, and we passed it a long time ago.
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER] I agree. We've been writing off way too many bad debts
[speaker002:] Yeah.
[speaker001:] uh, country bad debts.
[speaker002:] That's another thing I don't understand is, is, is things like selling technology and, uh, even military hardware to foreign governments and then forgiving their debt
[speaker001:] Exactly.
[speaker002:] [LAUGHTER] to me that just doesn't make any sense, as, as much in debt as we are
[speaker001:] I know it.
[speaker002:] I just, I don't know. I think it's definitely time for a change, but I don't see anybody, I don't understand, too, why we have to have Democrats and Republicans, and it's either one way or the other, this
[speaker001:] Right.
[speaker002:] it s-, seems to be we're turning into a black and white society, you either do it this way or you do it that way, and there's no in between
[speaker001:] That's right, you're either liberal or you're conservative,
[speaker002:] and that, uh, it obviously isn't working.
[speaker001:] Well, I think, uh, it wouldn't hurt, and I know the Independent Party's been trying for years to get a, a, a real force in, in the, uh, in Congress, but, uh, you're right, there's just too many issues that come up that, uh, our senators and our congressmen vote on simply because it's a Democratic issue or it's a Republican issue
[speaker002:] Oh, yeah.
[speaker001:] and if they would vote with their conscience and with what their constituents feel, I think, uh, we might have a, a lot better, a lot more efficient running government and a lot better laws passed.
[speaker002:] Oh, I agree with you. Well, of course, you know, we have the national embarrassment in our state, Jessie Helms,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] and, uh, as soon as, as we can get, of course it seems to me that every time he opens his mouth, he, he just lines up people against him so,
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] it's not too, it's not too often that you see him swaying too many opinions. He's, uh, usually on the ninety-eight to two side, he's the one of the two that votes,
[speaker001:] He's one of the two, huh.
[speaker002:] Yeah, he's,
[speaker001:] [Throat clearing].
[speaker002:] very ineffective, I think.
[speaker001:] Well, let's see, Senators are in for six years, right
[speaker002:] Right.
[speaker001:] and, uh, when did you guys vote him into office?
[speaker002:] Oh, unfortunately nineteen ninety.
[speaker001:] Oh, you're stuck.
[speaker002:] Yeah, we're stuck with him for
[speaker001:] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] a little while longer, but, uh, unfortunately for him, but maybe fortunately for us, his health is not great, so, I hate,