LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
13.12.39-Shots of hearing of SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE, BOB DOLE presiding. DOLE says Congress doesn't want to deal with the issue, says the committee might reject it. Shot of Sen. PAT MOYNIHAN, conferring with aide. Shot of Sen. DAVID BOREN (D-OK), says that if administration's goal is to fight racial discrimination, why did the TAX EXEMPTIONS come first in policy? Shot of TREASURY OFFICIAL testifying, gives lame response. Shot of Sen. PAT MOYNIHAN (D-NY), confronts witness with a memo that he wrote, says there's not a word to suggest that REAGAN ADMINISTRATION disapproves of SEGREGATED SCHOOLS. WERTHEIMER-revealed documents show a debate, with half of the CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION attorneys dissenting from the ADMINISTRATION. 13.14.40-Shot of HOUSE COMMITTEE. Shot of Prof. LAURENCE TRIBE (HARVARD LAW), says ADMINISTRATION'S position is wrong with respect to the law. Shot of Rep. SAM GIBBONS (D-FL), wonders if CONGRESS needs to enact new laws. TRIBE says no. GIBBONS wonders what REAGAN should do, TRIBE says REAGAN ADMINISTRATION should admit they're on the wrong side of the law. 13.15.42-WERTHEIMER-appears that both houses of CONGRESS are moving away from the REAGAN proposal, hopes that the SUPREME COURT will decide the issue so they don't have to vote on it. 13.16.10-DUKE-intro report on "NEW FEDERALISM" debate-sending lots of SOCIAL PROGRAMS from FEDERAL authority back to the STATE GOVERNMENTS. COKIE ROBERTS reports-DEMOCRATS say that "NEW FEDERALISM" is a smokescreen to distract public from the UNEMPLOYMENT, DEFICITS, caused by REAGANOMICS. 13.16.49-Shot of REAGAN'S BUDGET GURU (and shrewd manipulator of accounting procedures) DAVID STOCKMAN testifying for Committee of Senate. Shot of Sen. TOM EAGLETON (D-MO), says "New Federalism" is a diversion. Shot of Sen. DAVID DURENBERGER (R-MN), says DEMOCRATS who criticize the plan have no better idea to balance the budget, but always complain about the DEFICIT. Shot of JOHN GLENN (D-OH), rips into STOCKMAN for his deceptions to Congress about the prospects of REAGANOMICS [deliberately cooked the books to show that TRICKLE-DOWN would penetrate to lower economic strata when he knew full well that it would not]. Asks STOCKMAN why the Senate should believe him this year. STOCKMAN defends himself. 13.18.49-Shot of committee at bench. Shot of Sen. CARL LEVIN (D-MI), ridicules the prospects propounded by STOCKMAN that the Federal Government will maintain levels of support for States to administer social programs. STOCKMAN defends the proposal. 13.19.59-ROBERTS-says two SENATORS were concerned about FAIRNESS in "NEW FEDERALISM". Shot of Sen. DAVID PRYOR (D-Ark.), of Sen. WILLIAM ROTH (R-DE) interviewed-ROTH says that he's talked to governors and State officials, who all think the idea can work, are happy to have less FEDERAL control. Says that there must be assurances that the States do not renege on providing services and that the Federal Government does not renege on the funding. Sen. PRYOR says that he hopes state officials do not simply accept the REAGAN plan, but work to modify it to improve it. ROTH says that the issue of financing is a concern mostly because the ECON0MY isn't growing, there is no suggestion that "New Federalism" is a ruse to cut spending. PRYOR says that REAGAN'S proposal is based on an assumption that the States can be counted on to raise the same funds as the Federal Government, says that there is no guarantee of this, State and local governments notoriously unwilling to raise taxes or cut programs. ROTH says that local officials want to change the way responsibilities are parceled out in Federalism. PRYOR says that local governments want not only the money but guidelines from the Federal Government on how to run programs. 13.24.51-DUKE-Senate is discussing whether to allow TV CAMERAS in its sessions. Intro commentary. Commentary by Charles McDOWELL, discusses the pretensions of grandeur in the SENATE, suggests it's past due for the Senate to be seen on TV, TV might force the SENATE to be less grandiose and long-winded, thus more efficient. 13.26.57-DUKE-signs off. Closing Credits/transcript order info/WETA credit/sponsor credits/PBS ID 13.28.43-OUT