Talk of Alaska

Right quick. Except for the nuclear missile. It goes on in the program. Wondering because of the deficit and the program the current equivalent of the group or product. And or support spending. Do you know. Interesting thing about Star Wars is the series of programs that were started by past administrations that were put together into one office and the president's opposition called the Star Wars and I guess that's what we're stuck with is the concept of this research concerning the development of protective weapons that we could use you could position in space for our own defense. There are no offensive weapons being developed as far as space is concerned we're looking for the ultimate weapon that might be able to stop missiles in the air or when they're fired. It's almost like Star Trek the

concept of a force field we're looking at all the things that would be possible to stop weapons and yes they would cost a considerable amount of money but they wouldn't cost as much as it currently is costing us to build the other weapons which are weapons designed to to attack. To retaliate when we're attacked. Now we are looking for this and we're going to continue that research it is expensive and the question is whether the American people have the will to try and see if that's possible. We think it might be possible with our technological base to find a way to prove to the world that any kind of missile in space would be outmoded totally ineffective because there would be a defensive mechanism against the use of those weapons if that was the case I think we would save the world a lot of money and a lot of pain. As a matter of fact at the funding level that we've supported to slightly below what was recommended by President

Carter. Thank you. This is your opportunity to talk to Senator Ted Stevens. Our next caller is from Anchorage. Welcome you're on the air because the claims about military spending is everything. How much money have we think independently. Why not. Why can't we. Why can't we see how much money we're spending. We're spending money to defend our country. We're now in the book of our money as a matter of fact to spend upon conventional warfare if you're in the service

book of the money over 60 percent is paying people such as you. Know about the money that we're spending on the big ticket items. They're called big ticket items are basically DMX in the in the B-1 and the modernization program for the Navy. Their programs have been under way now through several administrations. We've saved money President Carter wanted to spend 55 plus billion dollars to deploy DMX on deserts in the western states. We cut. That down to 19 billion dollars it's still a very large amount of money but this administration is inherited a great many things from past authorizations the Amex is one of them the nuclear weapons programs another. But they're necessary in order to defend this country against the threats that we face the Constitution says that a member of Congress has two basic duties. The first is to provide for the common defense and the second is to promote the general welfare. Unless we're

able to defend this country the freedoms that we have won't be worth very much. I understand your point. I just look at it that way. Think of the people and everything and I just you know and let the listeners go first hand experience fraud and abuse in the military and we're doing our best to get to that. Thank you Chris. You're listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network and this is your opportunity to talk to Senator Ted Stevens. Our number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 you can call the senator directly ask your questions and have them heard by the entire state. Our next caller is from Kodiak Kodiak welcome you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Stevenson It was a question I have is since something like 20 years since Alaska became a state and to the best of my knowledge that a company had promised to

relinquish. And I don't have exact figures in the great quantity of plant. And again the best of my knowledge nothing's been done about this. If anything can be done or is being done. You talk about the state land grants wait is it wait is that right. Correct yeah. I mean the state land grants the native land grants they get a land grant. The federal government had promised that within a given time it would be. Why you can ask. Well I mean what happened now. During the statehood we obtained the right to get one hundred three point five million acres from the federal government the federal government owned about 99 percent of our land. That land that we had the right to get was delayed for many years due to the problem of the land. We call it the

land that Congress had required that there be a review of the land in Alaska the term and what should be set aside. Well as national conservation areas we have done that. We completed that act in 1980 in this administration has conveyed more land to Alaska than anyone since we became a state in the last 25 years. We're well on our way to getting our way. OK. Problem getting him to return to. The state well make up his mind how the land is. My job is to get a beginning as quickly as possible. Thank you. Let's give some more cars some opportunity if the number is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 collect our next caller is welcome Do you know your an ear. Protection.

Or protection. You know I'm going to try to make these answers shorter because I'm told there's 13 people waiting now. We didn't do that I work with the governor Hammond to find the best way we knew to protect the basic resources there and southeastern which were fisheries timber development in mining potential. And we worked out the best we can and the difficulty is is that there are competing interests and South-Eastern just will not get together and figure out a way to survive. Southeastern must find a consensus or the whole economy's going to fall apart. It was very important

that we had to take it to that effect at the river to the developer to take to the river. The public's thinking well you know that's not really true. I worked with Governor Hamer as I said I don't know of anyone that worked as hard for Southeast Alaska as governor Hammond did and we did our very best to protect the competing interests down there and protect the future economic base of southeastern including the protecting the fisheries. Associated with that development that borax mine for our next caller from Anchorage Anchorage welcome you're on the air with Senator Stevens. Her career her career

you know. And I never heard it. Well I was. Something else so I didn't hear that my of my commercials are are presented by my campaign committee this received contributions from employees of a lot of organizations. He doesn't seem to quite get it through his head that it's illegal in the federal campaigns to collect any money from corporations in the state of Alaska corporate contributions are legal. That's why it's so easy to confuse people in the states and say well you know if Stevens got contributions from these contractors we have no contributions from any corporation the monies that we receive come from political action committees that are formed in a federal sense by employees of particular organizations. They contribute money to my campaign because they know generally I'm for a strong defense. That's their right and I support their right to do it. And

I can understand why people here would get confused because instead it is possible for corporations to contribute to state campaigns not to mine. Thank you. You're listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network. Our guest is Senator Ted Stevens. He's receiving calls from all over the state. The next caller is from Point Hope Point Hope welcome you're on the air. Yes this is a good point. Question. Are there any types of federal support in the Bering Sea. No we don't have it. We don't have any federal program for fisheries there. We do have research programs to support. Research and start a new one this year Lou to have some research done on the food chain in the North

Pacific. I'm worried about reports we've had that there's more more fur seals floating ashore on the problem than have been harvested at least on St. George that was a report I got and that the growth of ocean mammals. Is such that we we think maybe some adjustments should be made to fishing patterns out there. But we don't have any support base if that's what you mean in the sense of. Paying people to. Hear the question. Thank you very much. Thank you. This is your opportunity to ask a question to Senator Ted Stevens the number is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 you can call us to collect our next call is from Homer. Homer welcome you're on the air. Well. Yes and No. I think that we got to

have research to find out more about those mammals so I don't think they should be taken without complete protection. And so it is a yes and no answer. I think it's a matter that I've got to rely upon the state to take the basic position on that one because I really don't have the ability to study to find out whether what they're going to do is right or wrong. This is your opportunity to talk to Ted Stevens. You're listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network and the number to call here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 Our next caller from Sitka. Welcome you're on the air. Good evening. This is. A question is concerning. The Japanese. Attention. Organized violations of Fisheries. Law

in in the SC. In 1982 MPAC Council meeting here and. We talked about the Japanese by their own admission they had carte 800000. King Salmon in the sea. And at that time we were just taking their word for it because we had no significant amount of overs on the boat and then this here we come to find out this fall that the Japanese potentially probably have been in illegally fishing for quite a long time and organize. Your office I'm told knew about that. Two years. And this season we only had a 40 hour pit opening

in Kings in history and at the same time the Japanese were taking vast amounts of metric tons of fish and who knows what their incidental catch. Let me tell you. That's just another absolute false I did not know about that for two years. I didn't know about it until the day before it was announced here. Now as a practical matter that was the result of interception of two vessels one for each of the two Japanese associations the deal would bottom. The long line of vessels and the other association of the other associations. But I didn't know about that. And that's just a nother one of these false charges that's been made by. My opponent I've got the support of the three largest and most well organized fishing organizations in the in the state. You know that they wouldn't support me if I was off in a conspiracy with the Japanese.

That's just that's just absolutely false as my fact. The thing is pushing the foreign fishing out of the off the our shores has been the bill that I originally sponsored became the Magnuson act by the passed the 200 mile limit law. My goal is to eliminate foreign fisherman from our waters and I certainly have not assist in any way for them to violate the laws nor abide had any any knowledge that I covered up from that I. I think if there's anything that that really is really bad in this campaign is they continue the search. You know my point even said that I personally conspired with those Japanese to violate the law. Now you're a fisherman you know that's not fair. Yes senator but how come you didn't. You're problem too because you know it was the information that was not available until those two ships were seized and they were when they were

seized the Department of Justice took the evidence in order to prosecute the captains in the bustles. They did not tell us until that was done. I did not know what it was not known for two years that's an absolute lie. And I think it would be nice if you didn't repeat it because it was a live one John Havelock said it and he knows that was a lot and I've told it to him in the face that he knows it was a lie and it's time he apologized for that. Thank you Senator for that. Anyway I don't know what. Well you know in this state it's a matter of trust. You know you just think of the things I've been working on now for the fishermen and the fisheries the state. And you think that I would sit on information like that for to you. Thank you. Let's make time for another caller this one from Fairbanks. Welcome Fairbanks you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Yeah. And I'd like to ask you if you would comment on the observation that the political system against us

for us for increasing global to say that that is a fact. To present us. No I don't think a growth of a dissatisfaction with policy terrorism is going on in this world long before this administration took office. Yeah but it's only been recently where it is going to rise again. For in. For example the incident. Oh is that right. It wasn't just recently that hostages received in Iran. For. The growth of terrorism worldwide as a character in the same period of time. Look at Britain look at the IRA look at what's going on in the other as the world's might think we've been relatively immune from terrorism in our country and really don't understand the world movement. Why do we have looking at

the barrack Iam in order to try and protect the people who resigned there. Thank you. Let's make room for another caller and we have a number of cars backed up when the time is growing short. Our next call comes from Goodwood. Welcome good you're on the air. Good evening. Stephen. You know you might have a question. Next time I'm going to go first. Yeah it doesn't warm all of his opinion. People have to call me if you want to as people too new here to educate myself. Things I have that record.

And you know me. That's not your opinion though is it. Well I don't have an opinion. What's your question. My question Do you support support. I support the reduction in nuclear arms I think that the start talks are going the right direction. The real thing we face is the question of how to bring about a reduction of nuclear arms and then eliminate the limitation of them. And I do believe that there will be a freeze when we get to an agreement to bring about the reduction of nuclear arms reduction would you support. I support the current process we're going through which is a process leading to a new reduced level that I believe that reduction must take place

first. Well let's go on to someone else I'm going to move along our next call is do you know do you know welcome you're on the air. Hello. Sure my name is country. Well we're doing our best to talk about native allotments I think. And there are thousands of them and they involve a lot of litigation because of claims made

by other people and we're trying to process those and process the native land claims and process the state's elections and they all must be surveyed and we're really doing pretty well as my In fact 40 percent of all the land's been conveyed since we became a state 25 years ago been conveyed in the last four years so we're doing everything we can and will continue to do that we accelerated at I added money to the budget this year for more surveys and more people to try and work out the problems on those allotments. Thank you we're going to have to move this time to a caller from Anchorage Anchorage. You're on the air. Thank you very much for you. My question for. You. Right to reproductive choice as expressed by Supreme Court. And Supreme Court nominee thing Roe v. Wade. I don't think that I'm going to make a decision on Supreme Court judges by one issue. Thanks

to takes it takes two thirds to confirm two thirds of the Senate to confirm a Supreme Court justice. Those hearings take a long time I voted for Sandra Waite O'Connor and I believe that the process we used for her will be used in future Supreme Court justices. And I'm not going to make the decision on one issue that's the end of that answer. Thank you. Let's move on to another caller. You're listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network. The number to call is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. Get your calls across to Senator Ted Stevens. You can call us collect. We're looking for calls from all over the state. This is your opportunity to make your concerns known our next caller is from Juno Juno welcome you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Oh yes. Yes distros can ask you to support

Immigration and Naturalization Service. Deporting Politico. Refugees. Back to their countries. Despite the fact that. Many of the refugees claim that they are in danger of death by coming back there. And there's been. Some evidence that the refugees who have been deported have in fact later been killed by my desk. But how. Do you support. That. Well our national policy is is that political refugees must show that their lives would really be in danger if they've made. Entry into our country illegally in order to be political refugees they have to establish that and I believe you know when you look at the number of people that have come in from those areas that yes I support that I don't think we should have illegal immigration to the extent we've had it particularly from those areas. And I

think we should protect our country's immigration laws. I want to support a similar plight to refugees from communist countries. I have. Thank you tend to make room for another caller. Our next caller is from Petersburg. Welcome Petersburg you're on the air. Thank you. Thank you Senator Stevens I have a question about going to America. Have any other senators considered changing countries by improving economic care protecting interests. But exporting agricultural economy. About 65 or 70 percent of all the aid we sent to Central America has been economic aid. And we're doing the best we can to do just what you said. I think it's essential to support the economies and try to preserve freedom out there at the same time.

OK thank you thank you. You're listening to Senator Ted Stevens on the Alaska Public Radio Network. This is your opportunity to talk to the senator and make your concerns known to the entire state. Our number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. Next caller is from Kodiak. Kodiak welcome you're on the air. Hello how are you what's your name. This is David and Senator Stevens. First I want to thank you. Making your program and my question in light of the carrot and stick mentioned by the president in the last debate do you feel the Reagan administration can actually be taken seriously on its dealing with international terrorism. Oh yes I think so I think mistakes are made. Never was a mistake made in bombing down the mining those Harbor has been a mistake made on this. Booklet and that's what you get into when you were trying to assist people to defend

themselves in this manner. The difficulty is as I said we just get Nicaragua to live up to the contrat or process the statement of principles they signed we wouldn't have to do all this. But you tell me would you rather go down there or send your sons or daughters down there to fight a war when Nicaragua comes across those borders or would you rather keep pressure on Nicaragua to try and convince them not to do that the alternative is to send our people down to defend the Coast Rica El Salvador Honduras when they're attacked by Nicaragua. I don't believe in that and I think we should do the best we can under the circumstances I think we've got great credibility in the world now. And now it is a matter of fact if you just look around you you find most Americans are very proud of this country. They're waving the flag and the young people of this country are supporting the president in overwhelming numbers. Thank you. Let's let's we've got to make time for another caller. Our next caller is from Point Barrow. Darryl welcome you're on the air. Thank you. Senator Stevens. Hello who is this.

So much anger but I really haven't heard anything positive. I do have a question but I'm going to anger from whom or what if any way for me. Yeah. I'm not angry yet. Well let's ask one question. OK. How do you propose to safeguard and promote the personal freedoms of women. I proposed a good person doing what I've been doing all along I think that's what I've been doing I've been for the I've been trying to assist the best I can in order to preserve the rights of women to make their own decisions. And what would you have me do. Well good for her to relate to the issue but the epidemic. It's certainly true that I. Want You and Congress just passed my domestic violence bill as it was just passed but trying to avoid this new program to do to fund centers for. The

victims of family violence including the elderly. I've been I think very sensitive that a whole little whole area. Both of my late wife and my present wife are very concerned about the earth you're talking about and I talked about it a great deal and I think it's incumbent upon those of us and in the federal government to be sensitive to the needs of our women to make certain that they have the equality that our Constitution mandates and to to really be sincere about I think I have been freedom of choice. Yes thank you. That I'm sorry to say was our last caller and there were 12 callers that we didn't have an opportunity to get to. To those of you I'd like to extend our apologies. And to all of you who called in I'd like to thank you very much our guest has been Senator Ted Stevens. Thank you very much Senator for joining us. Stories.

We've been listening to a special election 84 presentation of the Alaska Public Radio Network. I take that. Director is Carlos Raven telephone coordinator and Chaplin and Pamela Brown. Clint Good evening. This election presentation is produced and funded by the member stations of EPR and the satellite program development fund of National Public Radio. This is a PR in the Alaska Public Radio. From the Alaska Public Radio Network. This is a special election 84

presentation. Good evening. I'm Corey Flintoff. For the next hour you'll have an opportunity to talk directly with Senator Ted Stevens to get your concerns aired and your questions answered for the entire state to hear. You can call the senator at 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. Call collect and we'll put you on the air. The number again 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. Before we start I'd like to remind our listeners that an hour is a very short time and we'd like to give the opportunity to as many callers as possible so please keep your questions as brief and direct as possible. Senators STEVENS Welcome to the program. GORE It's great to be with you and I'm looking forward to this hour it will go fast. It will that I have a request for you Senator as a candidate we've asked asked that of everyone who's appeared on this series and that is that each of your answers to the callers be as direct and importantly as personal as possible. I think one of the unfortunate things about modern

political campaigning and especially in Alaska is that you don't give the get the opportunity for face to face or at least voice to voice contact with as many of the people as you'd like to. So that's the format of this program it is an interview program and this is the listeners opportunity to be the interviewer. Call us here collect at 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. The lines are open and Senator Ted Stevens is at your disposal. This program of course is going out on state wide satellite reaching all of the 15 public stations and the repeaters. And Seward is also on the line. That should give you an opportunity to call no matter where you live in the state and talk directly with Senator Ted Stevens. Senator Stevens were waiting for that first caller you had a short opportunity now to travel around the state. What do you see as the major concerns that Alaska's senator is going to have to deal with in the next

six years. I think the major concern has been expressed amazement over the budget. Corey. When I landed it the first question I was asked was What are you going to do about the national deficit and the budget problems. It is an immense problem and the amount of our national debt has skyrocketed as you know because of the very high inflationary period we went through in a period of high interest rates and something people forget about and that is that the battleships and various other things cruisers that we ordered to work to be done. Four or five years ago the bills are now being paid there. But there are different dollars we're paying for in that when and the cost of escalated because of that period we went through between the time the work was authorized and the time the vessels were actually started on the construction it takes a period time to bring this to all the way through the defense area

and I do think that the main problem they want us to deal with is to get the deficit under control to get a balanced budget. And to try and get rid of this horrendous burden of the national debt which is represented by the interest we pay on it every year are paying a hundred sixty five billion dollars this year on interest and think of all the good programs we could have if we didn't have to pay off the loans of the past and pay interest on the money as we part in the past. Same thing happened to us if we were individuals you know and had run up debts we'd just have to stop buying and start paying off the debt if we were going to live normally so I think that's the number one issue federally. Well I think our listeners are going to have a lot of questions about what you propose to do about the deficit and the national debt. Our first caller is here from Eagle River. You go river welcome. You're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Senator I have a question for you concerning agriculture both in the state and in the

country. Given the kind of family farming in America and the problems that we're having here in the state with the program the culture. I'd like to hear you got a plan for promoting that model. Excuse me moderate scale agriculture in the state. Also with that given the fact that you might be called to food for small scale family. The country that made that program what we have here you know a large way. I'd like to hear what you can what your pointing could do to help. We have family farming I suppose. You could see. Well that's a it's a complex question of course here in the state I think one of the main things has been holding up a writ of development of our agricultural potential has been the lack of financing for the new farmers and. The advantage of some of the

National Farm programs even for the existing and developed farms. It does seem to me that one of the problems that's caused that has been the pattern of the state. Conveyance of land as you know was a reversionary interest to the state. Through a period of about 10 years really and there people have those who are unable to get. Financing through federal institutions. I think that was my fact and a mentor of mine requested a part of Agriculture to study ways that we might dovetail federal programs with the state of Alaska programs taking into account that. Situation where the state reserves that reversionary interest in the title so far as the National Family farms of course one of the things we've done is it seems indirect but we've changed to the state tax laws so that farmers. When the parent that owns the farm passed away they don't have to be sold to

pay a state tax one of the things I think was breaking up most of family size farms was was not income taxes it was a state taxes. And when we looked into the problem in the Midwest it caused the break up of farms. It had been the requirement to sell a portion of the farm in order to pay the state tax when they state tax laws put such a burden upon family size farms we've changed that. And I think we'll have to wait and see but I think that will have a substantial impact on retaining family size farms. If you were doing anything specific with the federal government working with the state you know the problems we're having with the Delta area and it's difficult just like it is in the rest of the country it's difficult here for people to start a farm without in the capital. Well as I said the real we did look into that and I went to the delta area. Been there twice this year. It's my conclusion that the impact of that is that

the state has the right to require. That the farm be forfeited back to the state of certain things aren't done. That means that the farmers do not have clear title and therefore can't get financing right. I realize that but you know the problem with the marketing culture you know you go full circle with that. Cultural therapists give an area for people to think you know we can't legislate those infrastructure for farm communities must be built up for doing everything we can to encourage that too. Federal laws as far as entry into the lands are concerned we did Dani and I did preserve the homestead law through this period and we hope to have that dovetail with the state laws regarding the development of adjacent lands at the state and the federal government have control of that are our farming potential but I think the main thing is right now and far as our new farmers is financing they cannot

live through a concept of one year financing. I'm sorry thank you for your questions we have six cars waiting. I'd like to remind the folks out there this is your opportunity to ask your questions of Senator Ted Stevens. Our number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. You can call us collect. Our next caller is from Fairbanks. Welcome Fairbanks you're on the air. Good evening Senator Steven donating how are you what's your name. You're a resident of Fairbanks. And what a very quick statement on the subject of human rights and terrorism in Central America. I will speak quickly. Quick question. So that others may call it the Reagan administration with your help and support of two governments in Central America that are well their violation of human rights to their use of committing atrocities so brutal it can only be compared to the death camps. According to Amnesty International in the Catholic church of some fifty thousand people slaughtered in

El Salvador thirty seven thousand were murdered by government security forces. We support 40000 of them killing innocents have been murdered in Honduras because they oppose US occupation of their soil. And then of course there was the illegal act of another act of terrorism. The mining of ports and harbors of Nicaragua. My question Senator Stevens. Why have you and why do you support international terrorism and those countries that commit terrorism and I have mentioned in my statement the senators. Even Thank you very much. Thank you for hanging up. That means you know that you are the way that money that you are express that expresses the difference between us I don't support terrorism. You know that I support the action of our government in trying to protect those that then assist those who are trying to protect their own freedom in Central America. Furthermore the real key to it is is that pursuant to the Rio Treaty we're obligated to send troops to assist any countries

in Central America that's attacked Nicaragua now has almost 150000 people under arms. They're about the size of Tennessee about twice the size of the Kenai Peninsula. And they have tanks and artillery long range troop carrier aircraft. They have troop carrying equipment and missiles. I don't mean nuclear missiles but they have short range missiles there. There is no reason for that unless they are about ready to attack their neighbors they have exported revolution to El Salvador. And I don't believe all that business about the those death squads I hear about that all the time. I know that those people are fighting a revolution and there's three or four different parties down there. But as a practical matter I also know that and unless we find a way to contain Nicaragua and keep them from exporting revolution we're going to face the proposition of sending American troops down there to

defend either El Salvador Honduras one of those Central American countries against Nicaragua. The only purpose of having all that armament is to attack their neighbors. We have not gotten involved in fighting down there thank God and that's our policy is to avoid being dragged into a war down there. I do support the concept of trying to prevent Nicaragua from exporting revolution and strangely enough you know this is the one area I agree with Mr. Mondale even he believes we ought to contain Nicaragua. Thank you and next caller is from Ketchikan. Welcome. You can you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. My new job. I'm a resident of catch you can. Senator as you are aware that you can't is experience. Rather severe economic slump. Our forest products industry is very depressed based on factors beyond our control. In addition to variance for a local pope.

This almost guarantees a permanent pope. My question is this. What is the difference between Mr Havelok and your solution. To any and or economic resolution to our problem. Joel. It seems to me that the difference between. Let's have a lock and me is that he he criticizes me and Senator McCaskill for having tried to get an exception to the Clean Water Act to give the mills there a chance to survive economically. We all know that. Requirements that EPA is imposing on the mills in Southeast Alaska won't improve the water. As a matter of fact if the mills are forced to go through the procedures and put in that new equipment we might have well have an air pollution problem down there by virtue of increasing the sludge that's burned. The difference between me and Mr Havelok is that I feel that we must press for whatever we can

to assure the continuation of the economic viability and economic viability of those mills. I believe that we will eventually get that we have been working as you know seven years on that. And we thought we had the understanding we would get an exception or a variance. The P-8 decided against that when they changed the regional director but. I believe that those mills have to survive when we fought the last battle. We want a concession as you know of enough timber Dick. That would be cut from the areas of southeastern Alaska from the Tigris force to sustain those mills at their current level. They would not be able to expand but we were guaranteed enough timber to supply them. Now the people that opposed us in terms of the lands ACTA found another way at us through the EPA and using requirements the EPA for compliance with standards that have no relevance to the Alaska conditions economically speaking. They would put burdens on those mills that you speak of. You have had

terrible times down in SE in the fishing has gone down the mineral development has been delayed. The timber industry is an all time low because of the impact of these new regulations and the impact of the strong dollar abroad which makes it so expensive for foreign purchasers to buy our timber. I think we've just got to continue to advocate federal action that will save these mills and save the Southeastern economy and I continue to believe that's what I should do and what I will do. My opponent has criticized me as you know for pursuing that course of action. But Senator I appreciate your concern and Ketchikan need your help because it is a significant factor of our lives. We appreciate all the help you can give us. Thank you very much. Thank you for your education and this is the Alaska Public Radio Network Our guest is Senator Ted Stevens and this is your opportunity to ask him your question and have the answer heard by

the rest of the state. The number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 you can call us collect our next caller is from Anchorage Anchorage welcome you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. So last Saturday. How are you what's your name. My name's Dave Adams. And my question is in regards to your opening statement and balancing the federal budget. Do you support a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget. I'm also curious about your opponent and if the budget amendment passes how would you facilitate balancing the budget once it has become. In part because we would have increased spending if you had any. Well I have supported the balanced budget the Constitution and the balanced budget I believe in it I think it ought to be the discipline of the federal government is the discipline of almost every state in the union as far as putting it into effect.

At the period we're in right now of course going to be very difficult to put into effect we have about 190 billion dollar deficit right now. But I don't think that's beyond the possibility to cure a 1 percent difference in unemployment a reduction in employment is roughly 35 billion dollars off the deficit in one year a one percent reduction in interest rates as roughly 15 billion dollars off the deficit in one year. In other words if we if we got interest rates down to where they should be somewhere between 8 9 percent and we got unemployment down where it should be below 5 percent the deficit would almost be gone. I think when people project out the curve the economic curve towards balancing the budget which really means we'll be able to pay the interest annually on the national debt we would have the budget balanced if we could do that. And did not increase spending. It's really not that difficult. We

have the will to do it we can do it. Thank you Dave. I'd like to move on our next caller is from Sand Point standpoint welcome you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Yeah my name is Mike smaller and I'm a fairly new resident here to the Sandpoint area and I was curious what is being done on were guards the federal funding for airport improvements. Pacifically out here if there's any improvement for the Aleutian Island area and also has there been any money funded for a new Coast Guard base for the illusion. Yes Mike. Well first we did have money for the extension of the Dutch Harbor Airport to go along with the state's money but we've run into some difficulties there because of the potential location of that. We have secured a substantial amount. Airport Improvement. Money and a state of Alaska is

second or third in the nation in terms of the amount of monies we've received I think this next year would have some 30 billion million dollars coming to the state on the federal funds for airport improvement. We also have put up the money this year the federal Congress Congress has for the Coast Guard to decide where it wants to locate and Aleutian Islands the Coast Guard station and it will be other Dutch Harbor I believe but they they've got the right to located anywhere along the Lucian chain and to commence design of that. We I feel very strongly that from the point of view of safety and search and rescue it's necessary to have another Coast Guard station out there and the demand is there for that kind of service. Thank you. You're listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network Our guest is Senator Ted Stevens Our number is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 you can call us to collect our next caller is from Juneau. Welcome to you know you're on the air. Thank you.

My name is Judy Crondall and I have a question for Senator Stevens and that is whether or not he or grieve with President Reagan that the only alternative to Marcos in the Philippines is communism. And if so how does he account for the significant opposition to Marcos from the Church of the business community of the South. I don't quite think that Judy that the president has stated that categorical. He said we must be sure that we don't get to the point where we have supported those who are really supporting the communist goals in the Philippines. And I think that we have to be very careful that we don't take the route we did with Iran in the Philippines Philippines is very close to us I think we have natural connections they're much more close historical connections than we had with Iran and we just cannot afford to be in a situation where we're left out of a government because of a reaction we take to one of their leaders. Leaders are temporary. You know they're just a heartbeat away from

somewhere else. And I don't think we should set our national policy with regard to the Philippines on the basis of a short term reaction to the Marcos government a Marcos government has gone through some some real strains it's obvious that there's a growth of opposition there and we think that will work out in a normal democratic process without our making action taking actions which will cause a total collapse of the government that that led to Mr. Marcos. We have great friends in the Philippines and I do support the president in his attempt to preserve that friendship base. In the second. They are Mondale. I remember him saying that the only alternative to Marcos was communism and my concern is that if Marcos does turn out to be temporary We will have a shot from dealing with whoever comes to power.

And I don't think that's the case we're not going to shut ourselves off of the Philippines at all. Not unless we would draw support from the government per se as we did in Iran and cause the government to fall. The people of the Philippines books to me like they are demanding and getting some reaction from their government. After all there has been now the charge against the people involved the queen a matter I believe that you just have faith in the fact that we know what we're doing and we're not going to lose Philippines as a friend. Thank you Juno. Our next caller is from concert to be oh you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Yes sir how are you what's your name. Dick. Head. I'm not an Oreo and I'm not in. It with Mr.. You're. Now my question. I'm curious what

I was covering and ignored and enjoyed the time. Oh sure people. You know people like me that time. And what parts of it is what. Can you do about it. Well now. Dick I don't quite understand we do have some. People are interested in exploring the Norton Sound and the check for oil and gas development under the outer continental shelf program. Those are scheduled for later as you know. The federal government has asked members of the oil and gas industry to try and see if it's possible to locate oil out there. What we're doing now is trying to make sure that whatever happens out there is consistent with the protection we must we must have far far ocean mammals in our fisheries.

Now. To my knowledge there hasn't been any drilling out there yet. Do you think there should be. I think that wherever drilling can take place without risk to our ocean mammal and our fisheries Yes we should continue to look for all in gas to sustain our national nation's economy. Thank you Dick in cuts of you your this is your opportunity to talk to Senator Ted Stevens Our number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3. You can call us collect if you have difficulty getting through. Please keep trying. Our next caller is from Anchorage Anchorage welcome you're on the air with Senator Ted Stevens. Hello Steven I was looking over my voting record and I was really confused when I porked on October 2nd were you willing to pay a bill. Killing it for this Congress.

And yet you are a co-sponsor of the legislation could you please explain it in a way also when to pay whether you intend to post. Good thing for them I'm going to remember Congress I was a co-sponsor as you know a Senator Packwood who was the manager of the bill made the motion and told the Senate it was impossible just to solve the deadlock that it occurred on that bill. And in order to get to the other matters pending before the Congress before we wound it up the money bills and the other bills that were had to be dealt with. We did table that bill I do intend to support it when we go back into session. Thank you very much. Thank you. Our next caller is from Sitka. Sitka welcome you're on the air. Hello. Then it could be of a different type of thing for

you for a port in Europe and before that I was born and raised in Fairbanks. Then for the fact that you consider yourself one of the most. Powerful senators in the Senate today and hints at the fact that without your effort legislation for the development of nerve gas and other chemical weapons would have failed and since it is the fact that you receive thousands of dollars from defense industries PAC is it true then senator that since you were unable to stop the Alaska land bill and since you have told a lot of controllers here in SE that you have quote. Used all your shit to stop the salmon treaty banned you've been able to enable to APM legislative relief for the tooth out these large campaign manager down there. Is that really true. Senator Stevens I think you are better. Do you think I care then an Alaskan senator. No if you hung up yeah you know you and you hang up and I'll answer you. Thank you.

So you just read John Havelok diatribe that I run into all the time. Let's deal with some of those in the first place I did vote for the resumption of production of chemical weapons when we found out the Russians had used Russian had used nerve gas in Afghanistan and can and probably have used biological warfare and we didn't have any stocks even to use to test to see how we could protect our troops. Now the problem we have is trying to get people to understand that we made a treaty with the Russians when Nixon destroyed almost 90 percent of our chemical weapons. We thought the Russians would keep that treaty and suddenly we find that we're running into the second third generation of new chemical weapons that the Russians have developed and they have violated that treaty and we have the duty of trying to protect our troops. We find that the Russians now have chemical

protection equipment in their tanks and in in their for their troops in the field. We don't have those and we can't develop them unless we produce some so I did vote to produce it. Thank you for listening to the Alaska Public Radio Network our guest Senator Ted Stevens and this is your opportunity need to direct your questions to him. Our number here is 5 6 3 7 7 3 3 you can call us collect. Our next caller is from Fairbanks Fairbanks welcome you're on the air. On the program. Yes I do. You know the interesting thing about Star Wars is that it's a series of

programs that were started by past administrations that were put together into one office and the president's opposition called the Star Wars and I guess that's what we're stuck with is the concept of this. It's research concerning the development of protective weapons that we could use in a good position in space for our own defense. There are no offensive weapons being developed as far as space is concerned we're looking for the ultimate weapon that might be able to stop missiles in the air or when they're fired. It's almost like Star Trek the concept of a force field we're looking at all the things that would be possible to stop weapons and yes they would cost a considerable amount of money but they wouldn't cost as much as it currently is costing us to build the other weapons which are weapons designed to to attack to retaliate when we're attacked. We are looking for this and we're going to continue that research it is expensive. And the question is whether the American people have the will to try and see if

that's possible. We think it might be possible with our technological base to find a way to prove to the world that any kind of missile in space would be outmoded and totally ineffective because there would be a defensive mechanism against the use of those weapons if that was the case I think we would save the world a lot of money and a lot of pain.