00:04 - Good afternoon

00:05 - I'm Francine shirts or senior vice president of politics and policy at pcn

00:10 - president of the Pennsylvania press club and your host for today's luncheon

00:14 - joining me at the head table is Kevin Tucker

00:17 - with the duty to bony and Tucker associates

00:20 - and lanie effort

00:21 - broad and Liberty

00:22 - thank you both for your support and thank you for being here.

00:25 - The Pennsylvania press club luncheon series could not be possible without the support

00:29 - of the generous organizations listed on our sponsor banner.

00:33 - Today's program is streaming live on PC and

00:35 - select an airing live across the state on PC ntv

00:39 - our speaker today is congressman Brendan boyle

00:42 - congressman Brendan boyle was born and raised in the city of Philadelphia

00:46 - the son of an immigrant congressman boyle's father was a janitor for septa and his

00:50 - mother was a school crossing guard.

00:52 - The first in his family to attend college he attended the university of notre dame

00:57 - and later graduated from Harvard university's John f k Kennedy school of government

01:01 - with a master's degree in public policy

01:04 - he was elected to the Pennsylvania state legislature in two thousand and eight

01:08 - becoming the first democrat to ever represent his legislative district two years

01:12 - later his brother Kevin was also elected to the state legislature making them the

01:17 - first brothers to serve together in the house

01:19 - in two thousand and forty teen congressman boyle pulled off a major upset

01:23 - win over three better funded rivals to be elected to congress.

01:28 - Now in his sixth term congressman boyle is the

01:30 - ranking member of the house budget committee

01:32 - he's also the lead democrat for the u s congressional

01:35 - delegation to the NATO parliamentary assembly

01:38 - and a visiting lecturer at Princeton university

01:40 - please help me to welcome congressman boyle.

01:43 - Hi.

01:51 - Well thank you thank you to

01:53 - Francine and to to everyone at pcn and everyone

01:57 - who was involved with the

01:58 - pa press club

02:00 - including and especially Kevin is one of the co-founders

02:03 - and Lonnie

02:04 - most of all

02:05 - all of you

02:06 - for being here this is actually the first time I've heard the the opportunity

02:10 - to address the Pennsylvania press club

02:13 - but not the first time

02:14 - I've been in Harrisburg

02:16 - obviously having served here for sixty years as a state representative

02:19 - leaving about a dozen years ago.

02:22 - Once I won the seat in congress so it's great to be back.

02:27 - Being back of a few of you.

02:29 - Or

02:30 - Commented or were nice enough to say

02:33 - that I still look young

02:35 - and I'm going to share with you

02:37 - the key

02:38 - to looking younger than you actually are

02:41 - working congress.

02:43 - There are considered a kid as long as you are under seventy.

02:48 - And in the senate you're a kid as long as you're under ninety.

02:52 - But it is it is good to be back and an honor to be invited to speak here

02:57 - you are one of.

02:58 - The interesting things if you are invited to speak the Pennsylvania press club

03:03 - Francine said talk about

03:05 - whatever you want to talk about.

03:08 - So I was tempted to make this entire speech

03:10 - about sports and the upcoming football season and

03:13 - but I far better would probably be more appropriate if I I resisted that temptation

03:18 - instead I don't want to speak

03:21 - about

03:22 - the typical political stump speech

03:25 - and given that of course I can talk about the ins and outs

03:29 - that go on every day and in Washington DC

03:32 - what a variety of issues whether it's a budgetary or foreign policy

03:37 - but given that I'm outside

03:39 - of d c at this moment

03:41 - and this is an opportunity

03:43 - to take a step back and maybe look at things are where we are.

03:47 - As a commonwealth but as a country and as a world

03:50 - and maybe do something

03:52 - a little

03:52 - higher level.

03:54 - So

03:55 - It has been said

03:56 - previously

03:58 - by someone much more intelligent than i.

04:01 - That history does not repeat itself

04:03 - but it often rhymes.

04:06 - Well I can't help

04:07 - but note

04:08 - that the lyrics of airtime.

04:11 - Sure do rhyme with those as of about a century ago.

04:15 - So think about it

04:16 - just over one hundred years ago

04:18 - as the world was coming out.

04:20 - Of world war one.

04:22 - The united states decided

04:24 - to pull within itself.

04:27 - And it saw the rise.

04:29 - Of three powerful

04:31 - and dangerous isms.

04:34 - Nativism.

04:36 - Protectionism

04:37 - and isolationism.

04:40 - I would

04:41 - contend that all three of these isms

04:44 - in some shape or form are back in front of us

04:48 - again in our time.

04:50 - First in terms of the nativism

04:52 - the early twentieth century not today

04:55 - but the early twentieth century was actually the greatest.

05:00 - Era for

05:00 - in terms of high immigration to this country

05:04 - that we've ever seen.

05:05 - Much of it was from southern and eastern Europe

05:09 - many

05:10 - particularly from from Italy

05:12 - especially coming to our state of Pennsylvania.

05:16 - The nineteen teens and

05:18 - early nineteen twenties

05:19 - you said only saw a rise in anti immigrant

05:23 - sentiment.

05:24 - In fact you saw the rebirth

05:27 - of the kkk.

05:29 - Many people might assume that the kkk was at the height of it's power

05:33 - in the Jim crow era.

05:36 - Believe it or not that is false.

05:38 - In terms of membership

05:40 - and in terms of money

05:42 - by far the peak of the kkk his power

05:45 - was the nineteen twenties

05:47 - and one of the major planks it had

05:50 - was an anti immigrant plank.

05:54 - The governor of Indiana

05:56 - was an out and proud klansman as were dozens of members of congress

06:01 - and in fact it impacted our politics.

06:06 - The

06:07 - presidential convention.

06:09 - Was the Democratic convention of nineteen twenty four.

06:12 - Its presidential nominating contest when over one hundred ballots.

06:17 - The plot the power of the klan was such they were able to block the nomination

06:22 - of the catholic governor of new York

06:24 - al Smith at least they were able to nineteen twenty four.

06:28 - Ultimately the clan would follow the many ways it was actually

06:33 - more a racket to personally line the pockets of those who ran it

06:38 - and eventually the anti immigrant fervor

06:41 - would die down.

06:44 - That brings us to the second

06:45 - ism

06:46 - of that era.

06:48 - That is protectionism.

06:50 - As the united states decided

06:52 - to look inward.

06:54 - It decided

06:55 - on a bipartisan basis

06:57 - that it would raise revenue

07:00 - through high tariffs.

07:02 - It ended up passing a tariff regime.

07:05 - That we haven't seen

07:07 - well

07:07 - until recent times.

07:10 - Sure enough

07:11 - the great depression began in nineteen twenty nine and one of the root causes.

07:16 - Were those high tariffs

07:19 - and then finally in terms of isolationism.

07:22 - Lemon can understand that after the horror

07:25 - of world war one or as they called it then the great war.

07:30 - The united states wanted to look within.

07:33 - It wanted to give into an instinct that had always been there

07:36 - an isolationist one.

07:38 - Mark twain as many great lines

07:40 - one of which is america has two great friends in the world

07:44 - our greatest friends of all

07:46 - miss Atlantic and mr pacific.

07:49 - Well that was a very popular viewpoint and

07:51 - sure enough that's what the united states did

07:54 - and while Hitler

07:56 - and Nazi Germany Rose

07:58 - in the nineteen thirties and other.

08:01 - Power for.

08:03 - Despotic regimes Rose.

08:06 - The united states slept.

08:08 - As did other western powers.

08:11 - We ultimately paid

08:13 - the price

08:15 - in world war two.

08:17 - So coming out

08:19 - of world war two.

08:21 - Previous generation of Americans previous generation of other westerners

08:26 - learned the lesson.

08:28 - Of the early twentieth century.

08:31 - They went about

08:32 - out of these ashes

08:34 - creating institutions

08:36 - such as NATO such as the world bank

08:39 - in I mf.

08:41 - The

08:41 - isolationism of the early twentieth century

08:45 - was completely discredited and went away

08:48 - it had been a major plank of the republican party but

08:51 - at nineteen fifty two something very important happened

08:55 - at that

08:56 - political convention back when the conventions were real.

08:59 - It went to a third ballot the last time at a republican

09:02 - convention we have seen it go beyond the first ballot

09:06 - and the gentleman who was considered and his nickname was mister republican.

09:10 - Senator taft of Ohio a committed isolationist.

09:14 - Was defeated and the major reason why the major

09:18 - differentiator

09:19 - between he and the man who beat him

09:21 - gen Dwight d eisenhower.

09:24 - Was isolationism

09:26 - and specifically support for NATO.

09:29 - I felt so strongly.

09:31 - That the united states would be a peace that the world was at it's best

09:35 - if we practice peace through strength

09:38 - and that if we played the will of law leader

09:40 - of the free world.

09:43 - In retrospect we can see now that in many ways

09:46 - that was the bipartisan foreign policy.

09:49 - From that era all the way up until

09:52 - twenty sixteen.

09:54 - Whether it was republican presidents

09:57 - like ike

09:58 - and Nixon

09:59 - and Reagan.

10:00 - Were Democratic presidents

10:02 - like Truman hey

10:04 - sure there were foreign policy disagreements on other issues certainly Vietnam

10:10 - but when it came to the idea.

10:12 - That the u s led the free world.

10:15 - That the u s was the leader of the transatlantic alliance.

10:20 - Absolutely no dispute

10:22 - or doubt whatsoever.

10:24 - That began

10:25 - began to change in our politics

10:28 - about a decade ago in fact all three items

10:31 - that I mentioned.

10:33 - Began

10:34 - to rise again.

10:36 - We have now seen.

10:38 - A challenge for the first time in the post-world war two era.

10:43 - Of this consensus

10:44 - that the united states actually needs from and benefits from NATO

10:48 - that we need

10:49 - allies

10:50 - and partners.

10:52 - I don't think the bed is going to go away

10:55 - once the current occupant of the white house retires.

10:59 - I think this is an issue that we will continue to have to confront

11:03 - and all Americans

11:05 - whether democrat or republican.

11:07 - Need to decide and think carefully

11:09 - about where we stand

11:11 - and how we want america's few teacher

11:13 - to be.

11:14 - In terms of protectionism.

11:17 - It is a fact.

11:18 - That today tariffs are higher

11:20 - than at any point

11:22 - since the nineteen thirties.

11:24 - I believe that that is a terrible mistake

11:27 - a tariff after all his attacks.

11:30 - Costs are too high right now I think the vast majority

11:33 - of the American people agree with that

11:35 - and one of the reasons why they are so high

11:38 - are these tariffs

11:40 - and then finally in terms of

11:42 - nativism or the anti immigrant sentiment.

11:45 - I would observe

11:46 - that it is higher today

11:48 - than at any point in my lifetime.

11:51 - Though I believe that we are a nation of laws yes

11:55 - and a nation of immigrants.

11:57 - Many think falsely that the first pope John f Kennedy wrote

12:01 - as a member of congress was profiles in courage

12:03 - was the second book book he wrote

12:06 - the first was a nation of immigrants.

12:09 - But it wasn't just a Democratic president

12:11 - Ronald Reagan

12:12 - began his fall campaign and nineteen eighty

12:16 - in front

12:16 - of the statue of Liberty

12:19 - and in the last speech he gave as president of

12:21 - the united states one that you can watch this day

12:23 - on YouTube and a recently was doing.

12:26 - On the full day.

12:28 - Before he left January twentieth nineteen eighty nine.

12:32 - His entire speech of only about six or seven minutes.

12:36 - Was about how this is a nation of immigrants then if we ever lost that

12:41 - we would lose that spirit

12:43 - that renews

12:44 - this country

12:45 - in each and every generation.

12:48 - I am very proud of this country.

12:51 - I think sometimes.

12:53 - That is challenged on

12:55 - both

12:56 - ideological extremes.

12:58 - Some people who believe that we lost our greatness

13:02 - some who argue that we were never great to begin with

13:06 - I passionately disagree three with that view.

13:10 - I am the proud son

13:11 - and grandson of immigrants.

13:14 - What brought them to this country is probably the same thing that brought

13:17 - the ancestors.

13:19 - Of a lot of people in this room to this country.

13:22 - The belief

13:23 - in the American dream.

13:25 - Trip think.

13:26 - No force in the history of the world.

13:30 - Has ever motivated tens of millions of people

13:33 - to get up from their homes from their small towns

13:37 - from their countries

13:39 - and at great personal risk and cost

13:41 - leave everything behind

13:44 - to pursue

13:45 - that dream.

13:47 - We are the descendants

13:49 - of those brave and great people.

13:52 - On July second

13:54 - of this year

13:55 - I had the opportunity

13:57 - to host about forty of my colleagues

14:00 - both democrats and Republicans some very

14:02 - progressive members some very conservative members

14:05 - and everything in between.

14:07 - Right back in the room where it all began.

14:10 - Independence hall and right next door ca congress hall.

14:14 - We were there on the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary.

14:18 - Of the vote of the second continental congress

14:20 - for independence

14:22 - not July fourth.

14:23 - That was the adoption of the declaration of independence for July second

14:27 - the date the John Adams

14:29 - predicted

14:30 - it turns out that the us would always celebrate

14:32 - at our nation's birthday.

14:34 - He said that

14:36 - while he got the date wrong he was

14:38 - incredibly

14:39 - incredibly accurate in this

14:41 - he said that this date will be celebrated from one continent to the other

14:46 - with pumps and parades from this day for evermore.

14:50 - What we are celebrating is not trust the independence or freedom of one people.

14:56 - Were celebrating the ideas that were born there.

15:00 - That speak to the freedom the made freedom

15:03 - and rights

15:04 - of our people.

15:06 - That's what the united states

15:07 - stands for at our best

15:09 - and that is what we must continue

15:11 - to fight for

15:13 - thank you.

15:14 - Why.

15:21 - Are you considering a run for the us senate

15:24 - twenty eight

15:25 - I didn't write that by the way.

15:28 - I made.

15:29 - A little bet with myself on the way over here.

15:32 - How long it would take before that before that question

15:35 - came up

15:36 - and in retrospect I wish I'd taken the under.

15:40 - So.

15:42 - I am

15:43 - in a very fortunate position I am currently the ranking member

15:47 - or what they would say

15:48 - in the building a couple of blocks away minority chair

15:52 - of the house budget committee

15:54 - if democrats were to win this November first I have to win my reelection

15:58 - they don't take that for granted and if also democrats were to win

16:02 - the majority this November that I will become

16:05 - the chairman of the budget committee

16:07 - when I first got to the congress a dozen years ago Paul Ryan

16:11 - was the chair of the house budget committee it as an incredibly

16:14 - August history in recent times people like

16:17 - in addition to Paul Ryan John Casey Leon panetta William gray a

16:23 - it's an incredibly important position.

16:25 - At the same time

16:27 - either maybe this opportunity

16:29 - in in twenty twenty eight

16:31 - and I I might have said one or two things that are not necessarily complementary

16:36 - of of one of our two senators

16:38 - so what I will do and I'm not

16:40 - you know being quarter pulling any punches as.

16:43 - I'm certainly not going to make a decision about any future election cycle

16:47 - before I've gone through the the current one.

16:50 - I know from being a sports fan for too long that if you look two games ahead

16:54 - you end up stabbing your toe and losing the next game in front of you

16:58 - but

16:58 - to be candid that will be a very

17:00 - tough decision

17:01 - and it's one that that I will probably sit down at some point next spring.

17:06 - Make a decision but one way or the other I feel very grateful and blessed

17:10 - to even be in this sort of situation that I am

17:13 - to have those as

17:14 - as possibilities

17:16 - I'm going to try to combine two questions on

17:18 - immigration

17:19 - I can multiculturalism

17:21 - coexist with mass immigration doesn't Reagan's the vision of immigration presuppose

17:26 - americanization and assimilation of immigration and then additionally

17:31 - everyone talks a little bit about.

17:33 - Some specific individuals and asks.

17:36 - What do you say to the families of.

17:39 - The victims of illegal illegal aliens.

17:42 - Well so let me take the second one the first.

17:45 - First what I says to any family

17:48 - that has been victimized and had someone.

17:51 - Killed or assaulted

17:53 - my deepest and sincere sympathies

17:56 - the last thing I'm going to do is attempt to politicize your grief.

18:00 - Now if and thank god I I've never had a family member of mine

18:04 - assaulted or or killed.

18:07 - Frankly i.

18:09 - If I were in that situation I don't think I

18:11 - would particularly care if the killer was here.

18:14 - Legally or was native born.

18:17 - I would observe the simple statistical facts

18:20 - that on average

18:22 - immigrants do commit less crime

18:25 - than the native born population despite all of the stereotypes.

18:29 - Now to your your first question can we survive

18:33 - and

18:34 - and bland multiculturalism

18:37 - with still being one country

18:39 - so you're asking is can we continue to be e pluribus

18:42 - unum

18:43 - out of many one.

18:45 - I believe the answer is yes.

18:47 - If you look a couple of hundred years ago the things that were being written and said

18:51 - about the Irish and other catholics coming to Pennsylvania and coming to this country.

18:56 - It is remarkably similar to the same sort of stuff that you see today

19:01 - while there are different.

19:02 - They speak a different language many actually

19:04 - did they spoke their native Irish speakers.

19:08 - They have this alien religion

19:11 - wherein their services they speak a different language

19:17 - surely they won't assimilate

19:19 - and become American then the same thing was said

19:22 - about so many of the Italian immigrants who came to Pennsylvania and came to america

19:26 - in the late nineteenth and early twenties century

19:29 - the reason why Columbus day

19:31 - today is a holiday

19:33 - is actually it was a reaction

19:35 - to an awful lynching

19:38 - of Italians in Louisiana a lot of people don't know that history.

19:42 - It was actually done as a way

19:44 - to be pro immigration to a group that.

19:48 - Very much was on the outs in the margins of society at that time.

19:53 - I don't think the people saying those things and worrying about america.

19:57 - Would have expected the twentieth century americana

20:00 - will be defined by people like

20:02 - frank Sinatra

20:03 - and bing Crosby

20:05 - and other great

20:07 - luminaries of American culture and politics and business

20:10 - etc

20:11 - and I just cited examples from two different.

20:14 - Ethnic experiences but of course there are so many others as well

20:17 - and then they continue to this day

20:19 - so no I don't share this great pessimism.

20:23 - If the country is radically changing by

20:25 - historical standards actually this hasn't been

20:28 - a high period of immigration

20:30 - to this country other periods were

20:33 - actually much higher

20:34 - in terms of the immigration to the united states

20:37 - I always have great confidence

20:39 - in this country and our ability

20:41 - to americanize families

20:43 - I have no doubt whatsoever

20:45 - that within a generation to generation

20:48 - those families will succeed and be as American

20:51 - as yankee doodle dandy

20:52 - written by the way by the son of immigrants.

20:55 - You were the only house democrat from

20:57 - Pennsylvania to vote against ending aid to Israel

21:00 - why do you think the Democratic party's stance

21:02 - on Israel has shifted for some in recent years

21:04 - and what does it mean for the future of the Democratic party

21:07 - but first I don't think this is an issue.

21:10 - In terms of the Democratic party alone

21:13 - there has been a

21:15 - we also the same polling

21:16 - there has been a a remarkable shift.

21:20 - In terms of public opinion.

21:23 - On the situation in the middle east and then specifically

21:27 - about the relationship between the united states and Israel.

21:30 - I think a lot of it oh and I should add to that among younger people.

21:36 - A majority of democrats independents and Republicans

21:39 - have this this rather dim view

21:43 - of Israel I find that to be a tragedy.

21:47 - I have always been a strong supporter of the u s Israel relationship

21:52 - indeed and in my home neighborhood growing up I grew up up

21:56 - around not only a large number of Jewish Americans

21:59 - but specifically holocaust survivor families

22:03 - and I've been involved in a number of years with

22:05 - holocaust education as a former board member

22:08 - of our local holocaust awareness museum.

22:12 - I do sense however that for many Americans their conflating their view of Israel

22:17 - to this specific Israeli government

22:20 - and Benjamin netanyahu and smoke trick in bengal year.

22:26 - Now we will see as we know in the united states.

22:29 - Not all governments last

22:31 - and there are elections they'll be facing an election

22:33 - in a couple of months and we'll see what that election brings us

22:37 - but there's no question there has been a sea change.

22:39 - On this issue in terms of us public opinion

22:43 - and

22:43 - coming up with what our relationship will look like moving forward

22:48 - it's clearly.

22:49 - Not going to go back to the way it was.

22:53 - Pre the last couple of years but finding

22:56 - what is the appropriate relationship

22:59 - is something that we need to do with real.

23:02 - Forethought

23:03 - and sensitivity

23:05 - always stressing what is in the best interest

23:07 - of the united states

23:09 - but we also need to do it in a way that is not knee jerk

23:13 - to the current moment.

23:15 - Your Pennsylvania colleague congressman Glenn Thompson is being harshly criticized in

23:20 - his own party for trying to reform the visa program for immigrant agriculture workers

23:24 - do you support his efforts and why

23:26 - yeah so

23:27 - first gts someone I get along

23:29 - with quite well he's

23:31 - I believe it or not I'm the Dean of the Pennsylvania Democratic delegation

23:35 - and he is

23:36 - the Dean of the Pennsylvania Republicans and an overall our most senior member

23:41 - and obviously he's a committed

23:43 - caring conservative

23:45 - and and I am not but were able to

23:47 - put that aside and work together on those areas of common agreement

23:52 - now in terms of his specific proposal I have not seen that

23:56 - and and I'm not aware of it I do think though that.

23:59 - Again balancing our economic needs especially in the farming sector

24:04 - with the current reality specifically within the republican party

24:08 - and how that immigration issue has become such a hot button issue.

24:12 - I can't really predict

24:13 - how that's how that's going to play out.

24:15 - I think actually.

24:18 - If we had some pragmatism from the white house to finally get

24:22 - to a common ground here.

24:25 - There is the real possibility of bipartisan compromise on this

24:29 - if the white house wanted to lead in this way

24:31 - and not just exploit the issue.

24:34 - Some far right activists are seeking counting non

24:37 - journalists to make claims about non citizens voting

24:40 - are you familiar with this tactic supposedly to

24:42 - pressure congress to pass the safe america act

24:45 - well you know it's.

24:46 - I

24:47 - Don't know how many times

24:49 - members of the media and academics have to look into this and show

24:54 - that the I the idea of voter fraud widespread

24:57 - is a myth.

24:59 - This has been demonstrated time after time after time and if you weren't to believe

25:05 - president trump's

25:06 - claims.

25:07 - What you would have to believe is that

25:10 - in twenty twenty.

25:12 - The election of which he was still in the white house.

25:15 - Somehow something nefarious happened that cost him the election an election he lost

25:20 - by four and a half points in terms of national popular vote

25:23 - as Mitch McConnell himself pointed out on the senate floor

25:27 - early afternoon on January six before everything

25:31 - descended into chaos.

25:33 - Senator McConnell pointed out the twenty two thousand

25:35 - election by historic standards.

25:37 - Was not especially close.

25:39 - Actually the Bible won the national popular vote in two

25:41 - thousand and twenty by a greater margin than Obama won

25:45 - in twenty twelve

25:46 - or that George w bush won in either election

25:49 - where the Gerry Ford won in seventy six where he or a Nixon in sixty eight

25:54 - or even jfk and nineteen sixty.

25:57 - The reality is.

25:59 - Trump

26:00 - lost the two thousand and twenty election.

26:02 - He lost this state by one point two percent

26:05 - and then he came back and he won

26:07 - in twenty twenty four winning this state by one point seven percent

26:11 - and winning the national popular vote by about one and a half percent.

26:15 - Why exactly the president can't

26:17 - catch us come forward and admit this

26:20 - is is absolutely is absolutely beyond me

26:23 - also

26:24 - why does he think the two thousand and twenty election

26:26 - when he was president was stolen away from him

26:28 - but then in two thousand and twenty four

26:30 - it was such a good and clean election.

26:33 - When it was president biden in the white house

26:36 - and of course that election ended up seeing Donald trump winning

26:39 - so this is a complete fantasy and forests and.

26:42 - You know we really need to get back to the point.

26:45 - As a country

26:47 - we stop denying election results and I hope the

26:50 - bad great tradition which has been which existed

26:54 - for centuries.

26:56 - His resume to beginning with the twenty twenty eight presidential election.

27:01 - Under the peace through strength banner and given your foreign policy expertise

27:04 - how should america at both the federal and state

27:07 - level face the growing threat of unrest in China

27:10 - and what do you wish your state elected peers knew about that threat

27:14 - well that's a very good question I have to say

27:16 - with all of the recent focus on Iran.

27:20 - I am quite worried.

27:22 - That we have and I say we the federal government.

27:27 - Taken the eye off the ultimate ball which is China

27:31 - there is no question that China is becoming more and more active

27:35 - and assertive in it's neighborhood.

27:38 - Choosing paying

27:39 - as made himself dick tater for life.

27:42 - The leader in China typically you were even though it is a communist.

27:46 - Regime

27:48 - typically they rotated leaders and they had term limits

27:51 - choosing pink dot rid of that

27:53 - at his last

27:54 - party conference he's there

27:56 - as long

27:57 - as he will live

27:58 - so he has consolidated

28:00 - power there is no question about that

28:03 - and I don't think that's a positive

28:05 - for the united states China contain use to be

28:07 - an economic competitor they continue to steal

28:11 - our I t property

28:12 - they continue to be a back bad actor

28:15 - on the world stage and I think that

28:18 - this administration is making a complete mistake

28:21 - for many reasons in terms of its middle east policy specifically

28:25 - it's Iran policy and right now I have to say if I were

28:29 - look I'm a democrat but I think you can tell him.

28:32 - Giving these answers as I see the world

28:36 - and I have the ability to to call the balls

28:37 - and strikes if I thought there was a coherent

28:41 - foreign policy from this white house.

28:43 - I will be happy to extend my hand on a bipartisan basis.

28:47 - I see absolutely

28:49 - no coherent strategy

28:51 - when it comes to China from this white house

28:53 - whatsoever.

28:55 - One minute tariffs

28:57 - are low the next minute tariffs are through the roof

29:00 - the next minute

29:01 - he's a dynamo using paying and saying all these nice things.

29:06 - Literally it changes day by day

29:08 - so I think it is

29:10 - reasonable to continue to be concerned

29:13 - about China specifically what they are doing in the south China sea

29:16 - the one final point I'll make on this as everyone then raises Taiwan.

29:22 - I hope the folks in Beijing

29:24 - have seen what the Ukrainians are bravely doing.

29:27 - Over the last four and a half years

29:29 - it is remarkable the way Ukraine has literally reinvented warfare

29:34 - on the fly and on the cheap.

29:36 - Right now as

29:37 - I stand here

29:39 - and we gather

29:40 - for really one of the four times

29:42 - in the last four and a half years.

29:44 - I can honestly and genuinely say Ukraine is winning this war.

29:48 - That is absolutely remarkable and it's a cautionary tale

29:52 - does using paying and anyone in Beijing who would want to act

29:55 - by force on Taiwan

29:57 - and I I think I said final point but this is the final final point.

30:00 - I will be going toe to toe Taiwan for a few days in early October and I hope to

30:06 - come back from from that experience and be able to

30:09 - share more at a later time.

30:12 - What does the Democratic party need to do to be successful in the midterms

30:15 - what is a pretty.

30:17 - Broad question I think there are several things first

30:20 - as proud Pennsylvania we should celebrate the fact.

30:23 - That we are

30:25 - the single most important state politically in the country.

30:29 - Certainly that is true at the presidential level

30:31 - too

30:32 - in twenty twenty twenty twenty four

30:34 - whoever won Pennsylvania won the white house.

30:38 - All three were were close elections but we as the biggest battleground state

30:42 - were more important to that election

30:44 - through each of those elections

30:46 - than any other

30:47 - and then in terms of the midterms.

30:50 - Pennsylvania more than any other state.

30:53 - Will determine which party controls the house of representatives

30:56 - for the next two years

30:58 - we have

30:59 - four

31:00 - incredibly competitive seats

31:03 - here in Pennsylvania

31:04 - if I if

31:06 - everything was out on election night and you only have pcn

31:11 - and you only had the opportunity to look at those four competitive

31:15 - congressional seats in Pennsylvania and you saw one party

31:18 - winning a majority of those.

31:21 - I think you could turn off the TV and know which party

31:24 - is controlling the house of representatives

31:26 - trust based

31:27 - on those four elections of France you and I did

31:30 - a promo for pcn and and hope people tune into

31:33 - your election night coverage in terms of now where the democrats need to do.

31:38 - Both in this state and nationally.

31:41 - I go back to the overwhelming consensus of polling

31:45 - since twenty twenty four

31:47 - when voters have been asked

31:48 - what is the top issue.

31:51 - Far and away number one has been

31:54 - the high cost

31:55 - of living.

31:57 - Whether you call it inflation whether it's simply cost the goods cost of living.

32:01 - It was far and away number one in the twenty twenty four election.

32:05 - It is even higher on the polls today

32:08 - than it was in twenty twenty four.

32:10 - Costs I have not come down it is a fact

32:13 - costs have not come down despite the president

32:16 - promising when he was campaigning this state

32:19 - that he would and I quote

32:20 - I will lower costs on day one.

32:23 - He has failed.

32:25 - He has failed miserably

32:26 - and the American people know it which is why

32:29 - on the question of do you approve or disapprove

32:32 - of the president's handling of inflation

32:35 - he has as of today according to a fox news poll

32:38 - the lowest ratings of any president

32:41 - since George

32:42 - w bush

32:43 - in the fall of two thousand and eight

32:45 - during the great recession.

32:47 - So he has failed

32:49 - now in terms of what we need to do as democrats as

32:51 - number one point out what I just did

32:54 - but then number two also say for us it really will be our number one priority

32:59 - and here is the strategy to bring down food costs years the strategy

33:03 - to bring down healthcare costs which have really spiked

33:06 - in the last last year

33:07 - here is the strategy on each and every one of these.

33:11 - Things.

33:12 - Where we're going to put the high cost of living

33:15 - in this country just being too expensive

33:17 - for most ordinary Americans

33:19 - we were going to put that front and center finally and

33:23 - and

33:24 - you know so far at least from the reception that I've

33:27 - been getting in my district and other places I've been

33:30 - throughout the state and country

33:31 - I think the American people are craving that right now.

33:35 - Do you support building an lng terminal on the Delaware river

33:38 - oh I y.

33:40 - That issue hasn't exactly been in front of me

33:43 - but you know my approach when I was a state legislator here

33:46 - was that all of the above approach

33:48 - I was a supporter for example of drilling in the Marcellus shale

33:53 - and voted accordingly wanted to make sure we did it responsibly

33:57 - with the proper environmental protection

33:59 - I also

34:00 - suppose added a an extraction tax which was really

34:03 - a big issue at the time but I notices

34:06 - has sort of dropped off

34:08 - my approach has been that you know Pennsylvania sits.

34:11 - On some of the largest natural gas deposits

34:15 - in north america we are it has been said the Saudi Arabia

34:19 - of natural gas it seems to me that we should

34:22 - take advantage of that

34:24 - to the fullest now is it

34:26 - as clean as as hydro or wind

34:30 - no but it is far cleaner than say coal

34:33 - or oil

34:34 - and sure enough over the last twenty years as you've

34:36 - seen a decline in coal you've seen a dramatic increase

34:39 - in terms of natural

34:41 - gas gas

34:42 - so making sure that we have a balanced approach that

34:45 - yes.

34:46 - Leaves true to our goals in terms of climate change

34:50 - and bringing down the expected

34:52 - increase

34:54 - in these temperatures and the powerful storms

34:56 - that come with them

34:58 - but at the same time recognizing that we do have energy needs as well

35:02 - not just for economic reasons

35:04 - but also for national security reasons.

35:08 - What should be done to lower consumer food and gas prices.

35:11 - Well first and foremost.

35:13 - End this Iran war.

35:16 - On the day before this war began.

35:18 - February twenty eighth

35:20 - the average cost

35:22 - of a gallon of gasoline.

35:24 - Was two ninety eight.

35:26 - It is now well over four four dollars

35:28 - and climbing.

35:30 - This was incredibly self inflicted wound

35:34 - and look when it comes to foreign policy

35:36 - as you might have gotten the sense I'm no pacifist.

35:41 - That said.

35:43 - Entering or launching a war

35:45 - when you have no strategy

35:47 - to win and you don't know what the end game looks like.

35:51 - Is a terrible mistake.

35:54 - Today as we speak Iran is actually stronger

35:57 - than they were at the beginning of this war

36:00 - five months ago

36:01 - and the American people have paid the cost

36:04 - first and foremost let's not forget

36:06 - the ultimate cost that has been paid

36:08 - by those service members the eighteen

36:11 - who have lost their lives.

36:13 - In service to our country

36:15 - and I I think I can speak for all of us that we deeply

36:18 - respect and honor their sacrifice

36:21 - and will always think and remember those families who are suffering today

36:25 - that's the ultimate cost

36:26 - but in terms of the cost

36:28 - dollars and cents

36:29 - the American people are now paying it at the pump

36:32 - and they will continue to pay it

36:34 - until this war ends until we are able

36:37 - to reopen the shipping lanes and until we are able to get

36:42 - to some back

36:43 - back to some sort of semblance

36:45 - of pre Iran war normal I'd also point out

36:48 - that the high cost of gas just doesn't hurt.

36:52 - The average consumer when you're when you're going to the pump

36:55 - whether it's water or sheets

36:57 - or sunoco or any other

37:00 - evacuate stores.

37:02 - It doesn't just hurt there in terms of adding.

37:05 - Costs

37:06 - to shipping

37:07 - we are also then getting hit with higher prices

37:11 - in terms of what we buy

37:12 - in terms of consumer goods so

37:14 - there's no question this has been a contributing factor to why inflation

37:18 - is now high and also on the rise

37:21 - after it had dropped month after month in two thousand twenty four.

37:25 - We'd like to thank congressman boyle and wish them well we have some momentous for

37:28 - him these gifts are compliments of the world affairs

37:31 - council of Harrisburg pcn and the Pennsylvania press club

37:34 - in closing we want to thank you for being with us

37:36 - our next luncheon will be Monday August twenty fourth

37:39 - our guests will be Chris rapp Democratic

37:41 - candidate for the third congressional district

37:43 - for scheduling information visit us at p press club dot org.

37:47 - Thank you.

37:49 - Three.

38:15 - It.