#4b

Ingrid Jackson-"We saw that Congress moved fast in an economic congress. I want to know what your going to do to get Congress to move fast on environment?"

JM-I disagreed strongly with Bush on this issue. The best solution on nuclear power. Nuclear power is safe and clean. It creates 100ks of jobs. the french do it. BO opposed that. We can do that because we're the best innovators.

BO-This is one of the biggest challenges of our times. It is absolutely critical. If we create a new energy economy. We could easily create 5 mil news jobs in the same way computers did. It takes an investment in the same way the internet was created by gov't scientists. I've called for investments in solar, wind, thermal and nuclear. JM and I agree on something. The big problem in D.C. is that for 30 years no one did anything. For 26 years he didn't do anything. He voted against alternative energy [a whole lot]. We can't drill our way out of the problem. And we can't burn more fossil fuels in response to global warming.

TB should we fund a manhattan project for this or something like silicon valley?

JM-I think straight R&D by the gov't is appropriate. Oil drilling now is vital so we can bridge the gap between imported oil and it will reduce the price of oil because when there is more supply out there the price goes down.


Selling health care in America has become a profitable industry. Do you believe health care is a commodity?

BO-it's breaking family budgets. If you have insurance you've seen your premiums go up. One of things I said from the start is that we have a moral imperiative to do something about this crisis. If you got hc already you can keep your plan. We will work with your employer to reduce your premium. If you don't have hc then you'll be able to buy the same pool of insurance that McCAin and I enjoy. JM has a different kind of approach. He is going to tax your hc employer benefits. One hand giveth and one hand taketh away. That is fundamentally the wrong way to go. The United States Chamber of Commerce said his plan will lead to the unraveling of the employer based HC system.

JM-co payments go up. Skyrocketing costs. And we need to do all of things to put health records online. But what is at stake here is a fundamental difference between the two. He talks about gov't this and that. He wants gov't to fine you if you don't provide insurance. I want to provide a transferable hc plan that you can transfer across state lines. If you put the tax on it and you add 5k do the math. 95% of american people will have increase funds to buy the insurance of your choice. The point is we got to give people the choice and not mandates. [you should have the freedom to screw your worker].

tb-is hc a privilege, right or responsibility.

JM-it's a responsibility. but gov't mandates I am nervous about. BO has never mentioned the fine.

BO-let's talk. .it's a right. In a country like ours people shouldn't go bankrupt over medical coverage. Number 1 if you got a plan you like you can keep it. There is no mandate. Small business do not have a mandate. I am giving them a tax credit. You are going to have to make sure your child has hc. kids are cheap to insure. He voted against SCHIP that is responsible for making sure kids have Hc now. Mandates. It's is absolutely true that our gov't has to crack down on insurance companies. And you know about this state by state shopping idea? Ins. Cos will find a state that has loose laws. He believes in deregulation in every circumstance.