WATCH: AZ Freshman Rep. Ruben Gallego On C-Span's Washington Journal

Freshman Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-CD7) was interviewed this morning on C-Span's Washington Journal program.  Among the topics are immigration and veterans' health issues.  (Click on picture below for the entire interview.)

The transcript below is provided by C-Span; it is a little disjointed, but might be useful to you.

00:00:27	GUEST I WAS RETURNING FROM WAR. I GOT INVOLVED IN VETERANS
00:00:31	Host ISSUES BECAUSE WE WERE VERY MUCH BEING LEFT
00:00:33	GUEST BEHIND. THERE ARE A LOT OF PROBLEMS YOU SEE NOW, HEAR NOW THAT USED TO BE WORSE BACK IN THE DAY. A LOT OF US CAME BACK AND BECAME MORE POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND IT DOVE TAILED OFF OF A LOT OF PROBLEMS IN ARIZONA WITH SP 1070. EVENTUALLY SOMEBODY GAVE ME THE BADGE TO RUN FOR OFFICE AND I TOOK IT AND RAN FOR STATE REP. I WAS THERE FOR FOUR YEARS AND LOVED THE JOB I DID AND PLACE OPENED UP FOR CONGRESS. I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO RUN. I FELT IT WAS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ME TO SERVE ARIZONA IN A GRANDER SCHEME HOST: HERE YOU ARE AND YOU ARE A MEMBER OF THE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE. GUEST: WE HAVE FOUR BIG
00:01:15	HOST BASES IN ARIZONA. THEY ARE IMPORTANT TO THE ECONOMY OF ARIZONA. I AM HAPPY TO BE ON THAT COMMITTEE. HOST:
00:01:21	GUEST ONE OF THE FIRST VOTES YOU ARE GOING TO TAKE IS THE ISSUE OF HOMELAND SECURITY BUT IMMIGRATION. GIVE US
00:01:27	HOST A SENSE OF THE BILL BEING VOTED ON TODAY. GUEST: THIS IS REALLY A BILL THAT IS ENTIRELY BASED AND AIMED AT PLACATING THE TEA PARTY BASE OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
00:01:38	GUEST THERE IS NO CAUTION THAT THIS BILL IS GOING TO GO ANYWHERE BEYOND CONGRESS. THERE IS, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW IF THERE ARE ANY VOTES IN THE SENATE FOR IT EVEN TO PASS WITH THE AMENDMENT THAT THEY WANT WHICH HE WILL STRIP A LOT OF FUNDING AWAY FROM ANY TYPE OF DEFERRED ACTION PROGRAM OR DAPA, A NEW PROGRAM, EXECUTIVE ACTION THAT THE PRESIDENT JUST RECOMMENDED. THESE ARE TIMES IT SHOULD BE SERIOUS ABOUT HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING AND WE HAVE A SMALL ELEMENT OF THE RIGHT WHO REALLY ARE TAKING HOSTAGE THE HOME LAND SECURITY BILL FOR PURELY POLITICAL PURPOSES WHICH IS NOT GO TO GO ANYWHERE. AT THE END OF THE DAY, I THINK IT JUST SLOWS DOWN THE WHEELS OF GOVERNMENT AND IT'S REAL SFOFRPT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE FIRST FEW DAYS OF CONGRESS WHEN THE BIG TALK WAS ABOUT WORKING IN A BI-PARTISAN MANNER. HOST: THE LAST GUEST, HOUSE SPEAKER SAYS THESE ARE REACTIONS TO THE PRESIDENT'S OVERREACH AS IT WERE ON THESE KIND OF ISSUES. YOU DON'T
00:02:37	HOST SEE THAT? GUEST: THEY ARE TEMPER TANTRUMS. BECAUSE THEY ARE REACTIONS DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO LISTEN TO THEM. AT THE SAME TIME, YOU KNOW, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
00:02:46	GUEST TO REALIZE THAT THE REACTIONS THAT THE PRESIDENT -- ACTION THE PRESIDENT HAS TAKEN ARE ENTIRELY BECAUSE THE CONGRESS NEVER MOVED ON THE COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION BILL THAT WAS PASSED BY A BI-PARTISAN GROUP OF SENATORS. WHAT I AMMING AT LEAST FROM ARIZONA -- WHAT I KNOW AT LEAST FROM ARIZONA AND I HAVE FRIENDS UNDER DEFERRED, IF THEY RECEIVED THEIR PAPER WORK, THEY HAVE OBTAINED JOBS, PAYING TAXES, GOING SCHOOL. SOME HAVE STARTED BUSINESSES. THIS IS GOOD FOR AMERICA. SOLDIER, NOW THE NEW EXECUTIVE ACTION PROGRAM FOR A PARTY THAT VALUES THEMSELVES AS A PARTY OF FAMILY VALUES, THEY ARE SAYING WE WILL ACTIVELY GO AFTER FAMILIES AND SEPARATE THEM, SEPARATE FATHERS FROM THEIR CHILDREN AND THAT IS I CAN LUS OR MOTHER FROM THE CHILDREN. IF YOU ARE THE PARTY OF FAMILY VALUES, YOU AT THIS POINT, YOU ARE SPEAKING PURE HYPOCRACY. HOST: FROM THE STATE YOU ARE AT AND YOU MENTIONED THE FRIENDS YOU HAVE. WHAT DO YOU HOME HOPE TO BRING TOE THIS GRAIMINGS
00:03:45	HOST DEBATE IN THE GUEST: WHAT I HOPE TO BRING TO THE NATIONAL IMMIGRATION DEBATE IS TO PERSONALIZE THE LIVES OF A LOT OF
00:03:53	GUEST THESE IMMIGRANTS AND DAKA AND DAPA RECIPIENTS. THEY ARE AMERICAN IN EVERYTHING BUT THE FENCE THAT THEY CAME HERE, THEIR PARENTS BROUGHT THEM HERE WITHOUT THAT THEIR KNOWLEDGE. ONE OF MY FIELD MANAGERS WHO IS A RECIPIENT DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL HE WENT TO TRY TO JOIN THE MARCHINES NEW YORK, HELLO. AS MY GUEST: WE NEED BORDER ENFORCEMENT. WE NEED A GOOD PROGRAM THAT IS PICKING
00:07:40	GUEST UP PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY THAT ARE DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY PEOPLE THAT HAVE ZERO CONNECTION TO THIS COUNTRY. NO ONE HERE IS ADVOCATING OPEN BORDERS. WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS THAT PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME KIND OF CONNECTION TO THIS COUNTRY, PEOPLE THAT HAVE DAUGHTERS OR SONS THAT ARE U.S. CITIZENS OR WERE BROUGHT HERE WITHOUT THERE WILL SHOULD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE THEMSELVES RIGHT WITH THE GOVERNMENT SO THEY CAN STAY HERE AND BE PRODUCTIVE MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY. I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE ARE SOME COMPANIES THAT MAKE MONEY OFF OF WHAT I WOULD SAY IS RUSSIAN DOUBLE PROGRAMS BEST QUESTIONABLE PROGRAMS -- QUESTIONABLE PROGRAMS. THE GOVERNMENT IS HERE TO BE JUDICIOUS AND TO INTEGRATE A HUGE SECTION OF THIS POPULATION. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO STABILIZE IT WITH FULL RIGHT TO CITIZENSHIP. HOST: DON, FROM OKLAHOMA. CALLER: I HAVE A QUESTION AND A COMMENT.
00:08:46	HOST I WATCHED
00:08:49	CALLER THE HOUSE YESTERDAY. DEMOCRATS WOULD CALL THE IMMIGRANTS ILLEGAL. UNDER THAT SCENARIO, IF PEOPLE BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE, THEY ARE NOT ILLEGAL. IF PEOPLE BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE, AND SET UP HOUSE, IS IT OK? IS THAT LEGAL? GUEST: NO. THIS IS A COUNTRY, NOT A HOUSE. THIS IS A COUNTRY
00:09:26	GUEST THAT HAS CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS AND WE HAVE DUE PROCESS. FOR US TO AUTOMATICALLY CALL PEOPLE ILLEGAL WITHOUT ANY DUE PROCESS OR UNDERSTANDING THE TRUE NATURE OF WHAT THEY CROSSED IS, I THINK, EMOTIONAL AND REACTIONARY. I DO NOT DO THAT. I'M SORRY THAT YOU FEEL CONGRESS SHOULD BE DOING THAT. HOST: WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE ILLEGALLY IN THE UNITED STATES? GUEST: THE BEST APPROACH
00:09:56	HOST IS -- THEY SHOULD TALK TO AN IMMIGRATION LAWYER AND START BRINGING THEMSELVES RIGHT WITH THE LAW. I KNOW THAT
00:10:03	GUEST PROCESS IS EXTREMELY LONG. WE, AS GOVERNMENT, SHOULD MAKE THE PROCESS FOR IMMIGRATION REFORM TO BE FULLY FUNDED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE FOR DHAKA OR TOP A -- OR DAPA, START PAYING TAXES IN BEING AN EVERYDAY AMERICAN. I INSURED -- I ENCOURAGE THEM TO GO TO THE PROCESS AND I THINK IT IS TEDIOUS AND I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO MAKE IT MORE EFFICIENT FOR EVERYBODY. A LOT DO NOT HAVE THAT OPTION BECAUSE THEY ARE SO FAR BEHIND AND THEY ARE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE THEY MAKE ENDS MEET AS MANY OF THEM HAVE KIDS, YOUNG AMERICAN CITIZENS AS CHILDREN. THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE GETTING A BETTER LIFE. A LOT OF THE COUNTRIES THEY BELONG TO ARE NOT SAFE TO GO BACK TO. HOST: FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT GO UNDER, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK THEY WILL PUT THEMSELVES IN THE PROCESS?
00:11:05	HOST GUEST: IF YOU ARE IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT PAPERS, YOU ARE AT A DISADVANTAGE IN TERMS OF GETTING
00:11:12	GUEST JOBS LEGALLY. YOU WILL BE EXPLOITED. AT SOME POINT, YOU'RE JUST LOOKING OVER YOUR SHOULDER AT SOME POINT. WE HAVE NOT UPDATED THE PROCESS FOR PEOPLE TO BECOME RESIDENTS. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M COURAGE THEM TO DO IT ANYWAY. HOST: PAUL, FROM VIRGINIA. CALLER: I CONSIDER MYSELF AN
00:11:38	HOST INDEPENDENT ALTHOUGH I AM A REGISTERED DEMOCRAT. THE JOHN F. KENNEDY DEMOCRAT
00:11:43	CALLER SAYS ASK NOT WHAT YOUR COUNTRY CAN DO FOR YOU, BUT WHAT YOU CAN DO FOR YOUR COUNTRY. MY COMMENT AND QUESTION. WE HAVE SO MANY AMERICANS IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE OUT OF WORK AND CANNOT GET JOBS. WHY IN THE HELL DO WE HAVE TO HAVE THESE ILLEGALS COME UP HERE AND DO THE JOBS? THESE AMERICANS ARE SITTING AT HOME, SOME OF THEM NOT GETTING NO MONEY. IT DON'T MAKE SENSE THAT YOU BRING THESE PEOPLE UP HERE AND LET THEM DO JOBS AND OBAMA IS GIVING A $3000 INCENTIVE PROGRAM FOR BUSINESSES TO HIRE THESE PEOPLE? THIS IS AMERICA. YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF AMERICAN PEOPLE FIRST. GUEST: FIRST ABOUT YOUR $3000 COMMENT. IT IS WRONG. THAT DOES NOT EXIST.
00:12:39	GUEST SECONDLY, THE PREMISE THAT ALL IMMIGRATION IS COMING FROM MEXICO IS ALSO WRONG. WE HAD IMMIGRATION COMING FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. LASTLY, IMMIGRANTS DO NOT TAKE JOBS IN THE SENSE THAT EVERY TIME WE HIRE AN IMMIGRANT IN AMERICA LOSES A JOB. MANY THE JOBS THEY ARE DOING ARE QUITE DIFFICULT. IF YOU LOOK AT THE AGRICULTURAL WORK, THIS IS BACKBREAKING WORK. A LOT OF TIMES, THOSE JOBS GO UNFULFILLED IF THEY DO NOT GET IMMIGRANT -- MIGRANT IMMIGRANT WORKERS COMING UP FROM CENTRAL AMERICA OR MEXICO. THESE ARE THE JOBS THAT PAY NINE DOLLARS PER HOUR. STUDIES HAVE SHOWN THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE ENTREPRENEURIAL. THEY START A LOT OF BUSINESSES IN HIGHER A LOT OF PEOPLE. I DO NOT THINK IT IS A NET NEGATIVE TO THIS COUNTRY TO HAVE IMMIGRATION. SOMETHING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT, IN THIS COUNTRY, WE HAVE SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDING ISSUE. THE POPULATION THAT IS COMING OUT AS IMMIGRANTS ARE PAYING INTO SOCIAL SECURITY AND NOT TAKING OUT. THAT IS GOOD FOR OUR ECONOMY BECAUSE SOCIAL SECURITY COULD GO BUST. THAT IS STILL A BIG ISSUE. THEY ARE PAYING TAXES. HOST: ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA. RYAN, DEMOCRATS LINED. CALLER: GOOD MORNING.
00:14:03	HOST I AM A DEMOCRAT. I DO NOT HAVE A PROBLEM
00:14:08	CALLER WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, BUT, I FEEL LIKE THEY KNOW THEY ARE HERE ILLEGALLY AND EVERY TIME I DID SOMETHING ILLEGALLY AND GOT IN TROUBLE FOR IT, I WAS PUNISHED. I WENT TO JAIL. I LOST MY SOCIAL SECURITY. I FEEL LIKE THEY ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUR SYSTEM. WE HAVE TO TAKE THE BASQUE -- HAVE TO TAKE THE BACK SEAT TO THESE PEOPLE. I HEARD ONE PEOPLE TELL ME GO BACK TO MY OWN COUNTRY. I WAS BORN HERE IN AMERICA. I HOPE WE CAN FIX THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM. GUEST: THANK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M NOT SAYING YOU SHOULD BE WITHOUT
00:14:53	GUEST ANY PENALTY IF YOU DID COME TO THIS COUNTRY IN AN UNAUTHORIZED MANNER. WE ARE SAYING YOU SHOULD PAY A FAN -- A PENALTY, A FINE. WE ARE NOT TRYING TO PUNISH ANYONE VERSUS ANYONE ELSE. WE WANT TO MAKE EVERYBODY RIGHT. IF YOU ARE HERE IN THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT PAPERS, WE ASK THAT YOU LIVE BY THE LAW. EVEN IN THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL, WE HAVE A PENALTY PHASE TO RECOGNIZE THE FACT THAT SOMEONE CROSSED WITHOUT PERMISSION. HOST: BONNIE, WEST VIRGINIA, REPUBLICAN LINE. YOU ARE ON WITH OUR GUEST. CALLER: GOOD MORNING. I
00:15:34	HOST WOULD LIKE
00:15:38	CALLER TO SAY ONE THING. I HAVE BEEN WATCHING TV, C-SPAN FOR YEARS AND YEARS. I LIVED IN WASHINGTON, D.C. AND WAS POLITICALLY ACTIVE. MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WHAT I SEE NOW IS, HERE ARE THESE PEOPLE COMING IN FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY THAT HAVE NO IDEA ABOUT OUR GOVERNMENT. BECAUSE WE ARE A DEMOCRACY, WHY IS IT THAT YOU THINK YOU CAN GAIN VOTES OR GET OTHER PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY TO ACCEPT IMMIGRANTS WHEN YOU STAND UP THERE SAYING, THOSE ARE REPUBLICANS AND YOU ARE PITTING -- PEOPLE THINK THERE IS ONE PARTY OF HATE AND ONE PARTY THAT LOVES YOU. YOU CANNOT PICK PEOPLE WHO DO NOT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS COUNTRY -- ONE DEMOCRAT AGAINST A REPUBLICAN. THESE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW ACIDS FROM ELEPHANTS AND WE NEED TO TEACH THEM. THE ELEPHANT IS THE PARTY OF THIS AND THE DEMOCRAT IS THE PARTY OF THAT. GUEST: IT HAS BEEN SIMPLE TO EDUCATE THEM THAT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IS FOR EDGE OF -- IMMIGRATION REFORM.
00:17:00	GUEST SP 1070 TOOK AWAY AND STARTED A LOT OF THE RACIAL PROFILING PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR IN ARIZONA. AS A PARTY PERSON, THE REPUBLICAN PARTY DID IT BY THEIR ACTIONS. WE INTRODUCED THIS BILL THIS YEAR TO DEFUND HOMELAND SECURITY IN ORDER TO TAKE AWAY STATUS FROM MILLIONS OF YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE CURRENTLY PAYING TAXES AND BEING GOOD MEMBERS OF SOCIETY. THAT WAS THE REPUBLICAN PARTY. IF THEY DID NOT DO THAT, I WOULD NOT HAVE TO SAY IT. I HAVE TO EDUCATE PEOPLE. MANY PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES ARE IN MIXED FAMILIES. SOME OF THEM WILL BE HERE LEGALLY AND SOME WILL NOT BE HERE LEGALLY. SOME ARE MARRIED TO CITIZENS. THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES AND THEIR NEIGHBORS. WHEN I TELL THAT THESE PEOPLE ARE TAKING AWAY THEIR STATUS, THEIR PAPERS AFTER BEING HERE IN THIS COUNTRY FOR TWO YEARS AND PAYING TAXES, THEY CARE. HOST: DO YOU THINK THERE IS AN APPROACH THAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS CAN WORK TOGETHER? GUEST:
00:18:14	HOST IT IS CALLED COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION. IT WAS PASSED BY THE SENATE AND A GROUP OF REPUBLICANS AND SENATORS. LET'S DISCUSS THAT BILL.
00:18:21	GUEST IT WAS DISCUSSED IN THE SENATE. THERE IS NO REASON WHY WE SHOULD NOT BRING IT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL FLOOR. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN AN APPROACH TO COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM. HOST: BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU HEAR THE TERM AMNESTY. GUEST: I THINK IT IS A BUZZWORD.
00:18:40	HOST WE ARE NOT ASKING FOR AMNESTY. THE PEOPLE THAT RECEIVE
00:18:44	GUEST DAKA OR DAPA WILL HAVE A BACKGROUND CHECK. THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TEMPORARY STATUS UNTIL WE GET COPPERHEADS OF IMMIGRATION REFORM. HOST: GLENN, INDEPENDENT LINE. GOOD MORNING. CALLER: GOOD MORNING. I'M GOING TO TALK
00:19:05	HOST
00:19:07	CALLER ABOUT DISPLACING 30 MILLION AMERICAN WORKERS WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT POPULATION THAT IS HERE RIGHT NOW. WHERE ARE THEY GETTING THEIR TAX ID NUMBERS? SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE? IT IS HARD TO GO TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE NOWADAYS OR THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT POPULATION. ALL THIS MONEY THAT IS BEING SPENT ON THE ILLEGAL POPULATION. THEY HAVE THEIR OWN COUNTRIES ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THEY ARE OVERSTAYING VISAS WHERE THEY ARE DOCUMENTED. IN CALIFORNIA, THEY ARE GIVING OUT LICENSES TO UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE WITH NO DRIVING TESTS. WE HAVE GOT TO GET CONTROL OF OUR COUNTRY. WE HAVE CHILDREN THAT WERE BROUGHT HERE WHEN THEY WERE YOUNG. YES, THEY DO NEED A PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY. GUEST: A COUPLE THINGS. TAX ID
00:20:08	GUEST DOES COME FROM THE SOCIAL SECURITY DEPARTMENT. IT IS DIFFERENT FROM YOUR NORMAL SECURE -- SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER SO THEY CAN IDENTIFY YOU AS A RECIPIENT. THAT MEANS YOU ARE PAYING TAXES. THE ASSUMPTION THAT WHEN YOU GO TO THE SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE AND THE HOSPITAL THAT THOSE PEOPLE ARE "ILLEGAL" IS WRONG. THAT IS YOUR VIEW BECAUSE THEY ARE PROBABLY A DIFFERENT SKIN COLOR FROM YOU. I'VE HEARD THE STATEMENT BEFORE. MOST OF THE PEOPLE THERE ARE PROBABLY CITIZENS. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, IN CALIFORNIA, THEY STILL HAVE TO DO A DRIVING TEST. AND ABIDE BY THE LAW TO GET CAR INSURANCE. HOST: OUR GUEST SERVES THE SEVENTH DISTRICT OF ARIZONA. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED IN YOUR FIRST WEEK OF WASHINGTON? GUEST: IT GETS
00:20:54	HOST COLD HERE. HOST: AS FAR AS THE PROCESS IN THE HOUSE.
00:21:00	GUEST GUEST: I RESPECT A LOT OF THE MEN AND WOMEN
00:21:04	HOST THAT SERVE. BOTH SIDES WANT TO DO THEIR BEST FOR THE COUNTRY AND THEIR
00:21:09	GUEST COMMUNITY. MORE I SEE THE TIME COMMITMENT, YOU HAVE TO HAVE MORE RESPECT. A LOT OF US ARE TRAVELING FROM VERY FAR FROM WASHINGTON, D.C. I AM LUCKY I HAVE A DIRECT FLIGHT, BUT THERE ARE SOME MEMBERS THAT HAVE TO GET BACK AND FOURTH TO THEIR STATE AND FAMILIES. IT IS HARD WORK FOR THEM. IT SHOWS HOW DEDICATED BOTH SIDES ARE TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY BETTER. HOST: YOUR DESCRIBED AS A MILLENNIAL OF SORTS. GUEST: IT IS AWESOME TO SIT DOWN
00:21:43	HOST AND TALK TO THEM. THE HISTORY THEY WILL TELL YOU.
00:21:48	GUEST IT WILL SURPRISE YOU. I'VE BEEN ABLE TO TALK TO JOHN LEWIS A LOT. I TALKED TO NANCY PELOSI. THE HISTORY WHERE THEY TELL YOU ABOUT OTHER MEMBERS AND WHAT HAVE SEEN. IT IS INSPIRING. FOR SOME BUT HE THAT GREW UP READING A LOT ABOUT POLITICS TO BE HERE IS A GREAT JOY. IT IS GREAT TO BE AN AMERICAN. HOST: AT YOUR SWEARING IN CEREMONY, YOU INVITED A LIBRARIAN AND A FORMER BOSS. GUEST: MY SCHOOL LIBRARIAN, I INVITED BECAUSE IN ORDER
00:22:19	HOST FOR ME TO AFFORD COLLEGE, I NEEDED TO STUDY A LOT TO MAKE SURE I
00:22:23	GUEST PASSED MY ACPS AND SATS. MY SCHOOL LIBRARY AND WOULD LET ME INTO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY A LOT AND STUDY ALL THE TIME WITH THESE BOOKS THAT I COULD NOT AFFORD TO BUY. I HAD A BOSS WHEN I WORKED AT A RESTAURANT, I WAS A LINE COOK. HE WAS A GOOD GUY. HE TAUGHT ME A LOT ABOUT HARD WORK. WHILE WORKING, HE WOULD LET ME FILL OUT MY COLLEGE AND FINANCIAL AID APPLICATIONS. I WANTED HIM TO SEE -- I WANTED THEM TO SEE ALL THE DID FOR ME IS THE REASON I'M HERE. HOST: RANDY, DEMOCRATS LINE. CALLER:
00:23:07	HOST CONGRESSMAN, MY MOTHER HAS EIGHT BOYS, SEVEN WENT THROUGH THE VIETNAM WAR AT THE SAME TIME.
00:23:14	CALLER ALL OF US WENT TO THE SERVICE FOR ECONOMIC REASONS. I FEEL LIKE I DO NOT NEED NOBODY TO THANK ME FOR MY SERVICE BECAUSE IT WAS SOMETHING I HAD TO DO AT THE TIME. NOW, I FEEL LIKE WE ARE FIGHTING A CIVIL WAR ALL OVER AGAIN. NOBODY EVER TALKS ABOUT THE OTHER COUNTRIES COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY, HAVING BABIES, GOING BACK TO THEIR COUNTRIES JUST SO THEIR BABIES CAN HAVE CITIZENSHIP. EVERYTHING IS FOCUSED ON THESE HISPANICS. I USED TO OWN A CONVENIENT STORE AND I SAW ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE. IRISHMEN TELLING ME THEY ARE NOT CITIZENS. YOU, AS A CONGRESSMAN, -- CAN YOU ELABORATE ON THE PROBLEMS OF OTHER COUNTRIES? GUEST: I DO NOT QUITE GET WHAT HE WAS AXING -- WHAT HE WAS ASKING.
00:24:25	GUEST AS A MARINE, I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE THE SONS OR DAUGHTERS OF UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT ARE SERVING. SOME HAVE DIED OVERSEAS. WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MILITARY FAMILIES, WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE THAT A LOT OF MILITARY FAMILIES ARE MIXED MARRIAGES OR SITUATIONS WITH A LOT OF THESE UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES. ESPECIALLY IN TERMS OF OUR BORDER STATES, A LOT OF MILITARY FORCES THERE ARCHER ON FROM A BIG POPULATION OF PEOPLE. HOST: FROM RED OAK, TEXAS. RICHARD. REPUBLICAN LINE. CALLER: GOOD MORNING.
00:25:13	HOST I'M 54 YEARS
00:25:16	CALLER OLD. I'VE BEEN IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADE FOR 35 YEARS. YOU CAN NO LONGER GET A JOB IN THE CONSTRUCTION TRADE BECAUSE ALL IT IS IS HISPANICS. I DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE ILLEGAL OR WHAT. ALL THEY DO IS SPEAK SPANISH, STICK WITH ONE ANOTHER. I FEEL LIKE AN ILLEGAL IN MY OWN COUNTRY NOW. I HAVE GOT A FELONY FROM BACK WHEN I WAS 17 YEARS OLD SO I RELY ON THE CONSTRUCTION TRADE. NOW, AT 54 YEARS OLD, I WORKING FOR $10 PER HOUR BECAUSE I'M HAVING TO COMPETE WITH THESE UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS. THEY ARE NOT UNDOCUMENTED, THEY HAVE WORK PERMITS. THEY WORK FOR NOTHING. WE DO NOT HAVE 11 MILLION IMMIGRANTS PICKING OUR CROPS. THEY ARE TAKING OUR JOBS. GUEST: WHEN IT COMES -- WITH THE COPPERHEADS OF IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL COMES THROUGH, PART OF THAT IS UNDERSTANDING WE NEED TO HAVE A BALANCE.
00:26:15	GUEST WE DO NOT WANT OUR U.S. COMPANIES USING -- YOU DO NOT KNOW IF THEY ARE HERE ILLEGALLY OR NOT, BUT THEY ARE HISPANIC SO THE ASSUMPTION IS THAT THEY ARE. I ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN A UNION. AS THE FAMILY OF UNION WORKERS, $10 WORKING CONSTRUCTION IS RIDICULOUS. YOU ARE KILLING YOUR BODY. MY FAMILY GREW UP IN CONSTRUCTION AND ARE PART OF THE CARPENTERS UNION. THEIR AVERAGE SALARY IS $30 PER HOUR AND THERE'S MORE PROTECTION. HOST: WHAT ARE YOUR ISSUES SPECIFIC TO ARMED SERVICES? GUEST: WITH SEQUESTRATION HAPPENING, THERE
00:27:03	HOST SEEMS TO BE A MOVEMENT TO CUT BENEFITS FOR
00:27:06	GUEST MILITARY PERSONNEL. THERE NEEDS TO BE A THOROUGH UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT WE WILL DO IF WE START CUTTING BENEFITS. THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT ARE RELYING ON THIS FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES. THEY WERE PROMISED THIS. WE EITHER HAVE TO BECOME ADULTS AND AND SEQUESTRATION -- AND AND SEQUESTRATION OR GO THROUGH THE PENTAGON BUDGET AND LOOK AT ALL OF THE GLUT THAT EXISTS. CUTTING MILITARY BENEFITS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. HOST: HE IS A FRESHMAN DEMOCRAT FROM ARIZONA. RUBEN GALLEGO. HE SERVES
00:27:43	HOST AS THE HISPANIC CONGRESSIONAL CAUCUS WHIP. JOINING US FOR THE FIRST TIME. >>

We welcome your comments about this post. Or, if you have something unrelated on your mind, please e-mail to info-at-arizonaspolitics-dot-com or call 602-799-7025. Thanks.