LAWMAKERS
LAWMAKERS
WETA "LAWMAKERS" 9/23/1982 IN 01.00.00-WETA credit/sponsor credits 01.00.23-LINDA WERTHEIMER-on program: Congress has to accept a lame-duck session to close the year after the November elections/COKIE ROBERTS-ALASKANS feeling that Washington is out of touch with them. 01.00.43-title sequence 01.01.09-ROBERTS-it's the official "silly season" in Congress (pre-election period), so Congress hasn't taken decisive action on MIDDLE EAST PEACE PLANS. CONSERVATIVES in SENATE try to force votes on "social issues", HOUSE DEMOCRATS try to convince voters that they have new ideas. 01.01.49-TIP O'NEILL speaking to press. Says DEMOCRATS have always stood for opportunity. Pan over faces in a meeting of HOUSE DEMOCRATS. Rep. GILLIS LONG (D-LA), says new DEMOCRATS stand for PRIVATE investment instead of "tax and spend". Rep. ROBERT MICHEL (minority leader) in debate in House, says DEMOCRATS are still just proposing tax and spend. TIP O'NEILL debating, advocating a program of 200,000 PUBLIC WORKS JOBS. Says MICHEL'S district of PEORIA, IL has 16% UNEMPLOYMENT, says the program could put MICHEL'S constituents to work, basically daring MICHEL to oppose this. C/S Rep. JOHN RHODES (R-AZ) debating, says the PUBLIC WORKS idea is old and tired. Lots of jeers from DEMOCRATS. RHODES says it's a hoax. MICHEL says REAGANOMICS will "play in Peoria" better than "TIP-ONOMICS". Cheers from REPUBLICANS. ROBERTS v.o.-the bill passed by a narrow margin. 01.05.40-RHODES in debate, says that the DEMOCRATS got their "last new idea" from FDR. 01.06.13-ROBERTS/WERTHEIMER-DEMOCRATS are getting pounded with the "old ideas" charge in the campaigns. In places where UNEMPLOYMENT is incredibly high, REAGANOMICS is pretty much discredited and voters like the DEMOCRATS policies. Discussion of POLLS showing potential gains in House for DEMOCRATS. While DEMOCRATS try to win votes with spending bills, REPUBLICANS in SENATE try to help their party by debating "social issues" like ABORTION and SCHOOL PRAYER, losing the votes, but forcing DEMOCRATS to go on the record against these things. The delays mean that Congress will have to return to work after the elections to take care of APPROPRIATIONS. 01.08.23-WERTHEIMER-reports on REAGAN'S call for a post-election session of Congress including votes on DEFENSE spending. Political analyst Norman Ornstein-says REAGAN can gain from LAME DUCK CONGRESS both by embarrassing Congress for being inefficient and can probably jackboot his GIGANTIC DEFENSE BUDGET through the lame Congress with ease. Discussion with Wertheimer of the lame-duck Congress. Ornstein says that Congress is ticked off at REAGAN already, doubts that being called back in November and December will make it much worse. REAGAN will try to use the media to put the blame for the government on Congress.