LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
IN 01.11.15 01.11.15-WETA credit/sponsor credits/ 01.11.40-COKIE ROBERTS-on program: Budget negotiations with the WHITE HOUSE have broken down, Congress must draft a budget, controversial in an ELECTION YEAR/LINDA WERTHEIMER: report on a PRIMARY campaign in TEXAS/PAUL DUKE: a SENATE REPUBLICAN says REAGAN should make ARMS CONTROL TALKS the top priority. 01.12.06-TITLE SEQUENCE 01.12.34-DUKE: BIPARTISAN NEGOTIATIONS on the BUDGET broke down, over two issues: SOCIAL SECURITY CUTS, and REAGAN'S refusal to abandon TAX CUTS. 01.13.00-Exterior of WHITE HOUSE, shot of REAGAN'S limo leaving driveway. Shot of REAGAN in conference with TIP O'NEILL and HOWARD BAKER. DUKE v.o.-neither O'NEILL nor REAGAN would give up enough to make a compromise. Shot of HOWARD BAKER at press conf., says that the differences between the HOUSE DEMOCRATS and REAGAN were greater than previously thought, there were no new ideas that were mutually agreeable. 01.13.50-Shots of meeting of SENATE BUDGET COMMITTEE. DUKE v.o.-the debate is now mired in political considerations, exacerbated by REAGAN'S TELEVISION ADDRESS to argue his side of the debate. 01.14.10-Shot of REAGAN giving TV address from OVAL OFFICE. Title dates address April 29, 1982. REAGAN says the goal is a BALANCED BUDGET. Says there is a "different philosophy", blames DEMOCRATS for requesting too much spending, says that the DEMOCRATS are therefore wrong to blame REAGAN for the DEFICIT. REAGAN says he believes in "less spending, less taxes, and more prosperity". Gives a litany of the economic evils caused by DEMOCRATS policies-recessions, debt, inflation, etc. 01.15.12-DUKE: REAGAN is taking his case to the American people. Introduces Rep. TOM FOLEY. Shot of DUKE and FOLEY seated for an interview. DUKE asks if REAGAN can succeed by taking his case to the people through TV. FOLEY says that even the REPUBLICANS wouldn't dare to vote for the budget that REAGAN proposed. The cuts are too steep and the budget is unrealistic, and the proposed remedies for the DEFICIT are unpalatable to voters. Now CONGRESS will have a chance to make a budget, says that the budget impasse is "not Armageddon". 01.16.24-WERTHEIMER: Says that CONSERVATIVE DEMOCRATS who voted for REAGAN'S budget in 1981 will be put to the test as the campaign heats up in 1982. Intro report on TEXAS PRIMARY and Rep. PHIL GRAMM (then a DEMOCRAT, but not for long). 01.16.57-Shot of GRAMM in a BUDGET COMMITTEE meeting, saying that cutting spending is the most basic task at hand. Shot of Rep. DELBERT LATTA (R-OH, GRAMM'S co-conspirator in the BUDGET debate of 1981). Shots of CONGRESSMEN walking up CAPITOL STEPS. Shot of rostrum of HOUSE CHAMBER. Shot of GRAMM in debate in well of house. Shot of TIP O'NEILL in well of House debating. Shot of REAGAN giving speech in White House press room, says that DEMOCRATS who wanted to kick GRAMM out of the party are "unamerican". 01.17.52-Shot of field of BLUEBONNETS, WERTHEIMER says that GRAMM may be in for trouble in Central TEXAS. Shots of BLUEBONNET fields. Driveby of cattle grazing. Shot of FARMER digging postholes. Shot of CHAMBER OF COMMERCE hall sign of MIDLOTHIAN, TX., advertising a spring dance. WERTHEIMER v.o.-the small towns of Central TEXAS are going broke, and threatened to be overrun by the SUBURBS of DALLAS/FORT WORTH and HOUSTON. 01.18.50-Shot of GRAMM walking on street in suit, stops to shake hands with two DITCH DIGGERS, asks them to vote for him on Saturday. Shots of elderly residents of MIDLOTHIAN walking on streets. WERTHEIMER v.o.-although DEMOCRATIC, these voters are conservative and opposed to "handouts", which makes GRAMM strong with voters. Shot of GRAMM greeting a female grocery store clerk, asks for her vote, says he'll make sure the government "keeps its hand out of your cash register." Shot of GRAMM walking on street. WERTHEIMER v.o.-GRAMM must get a majority out of 4 candidates to avoid a runoff, all other candidates are running in oppostion to GRAMM'S role in REAGANOMICS. 01.19.50-shot of JACK TEAGUE, DEMOCRATIC challenger in the primary, leaving calling card on door of closed business. Shot of elaborate TEX-MEX/SPANISH exterior of ELLIS COUNTY COURTHOUSE. WERTHEIMER v.o.-the TEAGUE name is a tradition in TEXAS POLITICS. Still of late Rep. OTIS TEAGUE. Shot of JACK TEAGUE in a BARBERSHOP, shaking a hand, says that his politics are like his father's. Shot of a HARDWARE STORE OWNER in his store, says TEAGUE is a "chip off the old block", Shot of TEAGUE and WERTHEIMER standing outside dilapidated FEED STORE. TEAGUE says that GRAMM was a co-author of REAGANOMICS, which is wrecking life for the ELDERLY, WORKING CLASS, MIDDLE CLASS, and FARMERS. 01.21.06-shot of TEAGUE at old RAILROAD STATION, walking with his wife. WERTHEIMER v.o.-TEAGUE can't afford many TV ADS, so he and his wife are campaigning door-to-door in the district. Shots of TEAGUE campaigning in FEED STORE, bags of FEED lying on wooden floor, TEAGUE shaking hands with woman clerk dressed in vaguely cowboy-styled clothes with big hair. TEAGUE enters another store, v.o.-says that GRAMM has mocked the leadership of the DEMOCRATIC PARTY, which should not be done.