LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
01.10.28-WERTHEIMER says that the BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT and the NEW FEDERALISM were central issues right up to the closing session of the NATIONAL GOVERNORS CONFERENCE. Gov. SNELLING'S proposal for the Governors to draft a plan to define the bounds of NEW FEDERALISM was approved, but the final version didn't have a provision to take the plan directly to CONGRESS if REAGAN didn't approve. Shot of Gov. LAMAR ALEXANDER (R-TN) telling conference that the Governors need REAGAN'S approval for their plan to work. Shot of Gov. SNELLING at podium speaking to conference, says all the governors want to establish more LOCAL CONTROL in government, says the Governors owe a debt to REAGAN for trying to do this. Weird perspective shot of governors around large square of tables, voice vote on the plan, unanimously adopted. 01.12.07-WERTHEIMER v.o.-governors also decided to vote a position on the BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT, shot of Gov. J.D. ROCKEFELLER (D-WV), Says a BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT is dangerous, Governors have a responsibility to provide services to their citizens, danger that too many programs will be cut off all at once. Shot of Gov. ALBERT QUIE (R-MN), says he's decided an Amendment is needed, a plan that would allow Congress to run a deficit through a 60 pct. Vote would be ok. WERTHEIMER v.o.-most of the Governors supported the BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT, but the issue fell short of the 3/4 majority needed to change policies. 01.13.30-WERTHEIMER-intro interviews with some of the Governors-ALBERT QUIE (R-MN), DAVID TREEN (R-LA), JAMES HUNT (D-NC), says other Governors may join later. First issue-the BALANCED BUDGET AMENDMENT. Says all the three governors there are for it. Asks if an amendment could help the states. Gov. QUIE says the amendment wouldn't alleviate MINNESOTA'S problems, but it would fix CONGRESS' problems, i.e. allowing DEFENSE SPENDING to go out of control and too many "entitlements". Says that if MINNESOTA didn't have it's own BALANCED BUDGET requirement, they wouldn't have cut spending as they did, or passed a huge tax hike as they did. Says that the requirements prevent people from passing tough decisions on to the future. Gov. HUNT asks, since both the other governors have experience in Congress, whether they agree that a BALANCED BUDGET requirement in the past could have prevented today's fiscal mess. Gov. TREEN agrees, says that he supported similar amendments in Congress in the past, Says the Governors didn't want to mandate a ban on all DEFICITS, but simply that a DEFICIT should require more than a simple majority of votes, such would provide more discipline in Congress, notes that almost all states have similar rules. 01.17.30-Wertheimer intro Gov. SCOTT MATHESON (D-UT), new chairman of the CONFERENCE, notes that MATHESON will be representing the Governors in implementing the NEW FEDERALISM. MATHESON says the Governors and REAGAN have two substantial differences on the boundaries of NEW FEDERALISM. Says GOVERNORS feel that "income security" programs should be managed at the FEDERAL level, REAGAN feels all of these should go back to the states and has not decided on a Federal role in MEDICAID. Second, REAGAN won't compromise with the Governors about AFDC, which REAGAN wants to restrict to the State level. Discussion of the Governors taking a plan directly to Congress and bypassing REAGAN. Gov. TREEN says that the Governors could never get a proposal approved without REAGAN'S support, why even try. Gov. HUNT disagrees, says that the Governors and REAGAN have been negotiating for a long time with no success, says there is good faith on both sides, but the REAGAN ADMINISTRATION has failed to define its positions clearly for the Governors, but it reaches a point where the Governors need to take action and can't wait any more-the Governors and REAGAN can both take bills to Congress and let Congress settle the dispute.