Here & Now

Former U.S. Sen. Feingold On Economic Plan, Campaign Finance

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

I SPOKE WITH SENATOR FEINGOLD EARLIER. RUSS FEINGOLD, THANKS VERY MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

RUSS FEINGOLD:

GOOD TO SEE YOU.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

TELL US WHY YOU’RE RUNNING AGAIN.

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, YOU KNOW, AS I’VE BEEN AROUND THE STATE IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, JUST AS A PRIVATE CITIZEN, REALLY, I’VE WATCHED PEOPLE GET HIT PRETTY HARD. THEY FEEL LIKE THE STATE IS NOT UNIFIED ANYMORE. THAT PEOPLE ARE KIND OF PITTED AGAINST EACH OTHER, AND THAT’S BEEN SOME OF THE POLITICS BOTH FROM THE GOVERNOR AND NATIONALLY. AND PEOPLE ARE KIND OF DOWN. AND THEY’RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING POSITIVE. THEY WANT TO FEEL THAT THEIR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES ARE TRYING TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. AND I THINK MAYBE I CAN BE ONE PERSON THAT CAN HELP MAKE THAT HAPPEN. THAT’S THE WAY I’VE ALWAYS CONDUCTED MYSELF. THAT’S THE WAY I WAS BROUGHT UP IN JANESVILLE BEING A NATIVE OF THIS STATE AND I FEEL LIKE WE NEED THIS RIGHT NOW AND THAT’S WHAT EVERYBODY’S TELLING ME.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

HOW DO YOU DO IT?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, YOU HAVE TO RUN A POSITIVE CAMPAIGN THAT’S ABOUT THE FUTURE. FIRST OF ALL, THOUGH YOU HAVE TO GO OUT AND ACTUALLY FIND OUT WHAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT. PEOPLE LIKE TO ASK ME WHAT ARE MY TOP PRIORITIES IF I GET IN THE SENATE. THAT’S NOT THE QUESTION. THE QUESTION IS WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN. AND I’VE JUST FINISHED GOING TO ALL 72 COUNTIES SINCE I ANNOUNCED ON MAY 14TH AND WE LISTENED. WE LISTENED VERY CAREFULLY. AND I GOTTA TELL YOU THE THING WE MOST HEARD IS THAT PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. SOME CASES IT’S WHETHER THEY HAVE A JOB OR WHETHER THEY’RE AFRAID THAT THEY’RE GOING TO LOSE THEIR JOB BECAUSE OF A BAD TRADE AGREEMENT. BUT WHAT WE HEAR EVEN MORE OFTEN IS EVEN IF YOU HAVE A JOB, THAT ECONOMIC RECOVERY HASN’T REALLY BENEFITED A LOT OF WORKING AND MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES. THEY CAN’T PAY THEIR BILLS. AND THEY’RE GETTING REALLY CRUNCHED. SO THIS IS THE CONCERN THAT I’VE HEARD MOST AND THAT WILL BE OUR TOP PRIORITY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

AND SO YOU HAVE ROLLED OUT AN ECONOMIC PLAN THAT INCLUDES RAISING THE MINIMUM WAGE, ALLOWING STUDENTS TO REFINANCE COLLEGE LOANS AND PUTTING A NEW BANKING REGULATION LAW ON THE BOOKS. AND I’LL JUST TICK THROUGH THOSE. ON THE MINIMUM WAGE, OPPONENTS SAY THAT THIS WOULD HURT BUSINESS AND THE ECONOMY. HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO THAT?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, THE MINIMUM WAGE HASN’T BEEN INCREASED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL FOR A LONG TIME. IT’S $7.25, WHICH IS WAY OUT OF WHACK. HERE YOU HAVE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE VERY TOP END DOING VERY, VERY WELL. THE VERY WEALTHY GETTING WEALTHIER AND A LOT OF AVERAGE CITIZENS WHO WORK VERY HARD ARE NOT BENEFITING. I THINK IT’S TIME FOR A LITTLE BALANCE. AND I THINK A $15 MINIMUM WAGE THAT WOULD BE GRADUALLY BROUGHT INTO PLAY WOULD NOT ONLY HELP THOSE FAMILIES, IT WOULD, BUT IT WOULD ALSO HELP THE BUSINESSES, BECAUSE PEOPLE WHEN THEY HAVE A LITTLE MONEY SPEND IT. AND IT WOULD HELP THE OVERALL RECOVERY SO I THINK IT’S-IT’S JUST THE OPPOSITE. I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY AND FRANKLY VERY GOOD FOR WISCONSIN AND VERY GOOD FOR A LOT OF WISCONSIN FAMILIES.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

NOW, ON YOUR COLLEGE AFFORDABILITY PLAN, YOU SAY QUOTE CONSIDER PROPOSALS TO ALLOW FUTURE STUDENTS TO GRADUATE DEBT-FREE. LIKE WHAT PROPOSALS?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL YOU KNOW, HILLARY CLINTON HAS PROPOSED AN IDEA THAT I NOTICED THE OTHER DAY WHERE SHE WOULD CREATE A FEDERAL PROGRAM WHERE STATES WOULD BE GIVEN AN INCENTIVE TO START PAYING MORE OF THE COLLEGE EXPENSES WHICH OF COURSE IN THE STATE OF WISCONSIN THAT’S GONE WAY DOWN, PUSHING TUITION UP. SO THERE WOULD BE FEDERAL MONEY IN THE APPROACH AND THERE WOULD BE STATE AND LOCAL MONEY IN THE APPROACH. AND THE GOAL HERE WOULD BE TO TAKE THE BURDEN OFF THE BACK OF STUDENTS. STUDENTS IN OUR STATE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO START THEIR LIVES IN HUGE DEBT. IT MEANS YOU DON’T TAKE THE JOB YOU WANT. IT MEANS YOU CAN’T BUY A HOUSE. IT HURTS THE ECONOMY. AND FRANKLY IT’S A DENIAL OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. AND THE INCUMBENT SENATOR, RON JOHNSON, HAS SAID SEVERAL TIMES HE DOESN’T BELIEVE THERE SHOULD BE ANY STUDENT LOANS AT ALL. AND I REALLY THINK THAT’S WRONG. WE NEED STUDENT LOANS. BUT IF WE CAN GET TO A POINT WHERE THERE IS SOME OPPORTUNITY TO NOT EVEN TAKE ON THIS DEBT, I THINK IT WOULD BE GOOD FOR OUR SOCIETY, GOOD FOR THE FAMILIES AND ULTIMATELY GOOD FOR THE ECONOMY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ON THE 21ST CENTURY GLASS-STEAGALL ACT, WHY IS THAT NEEDED?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL YOU KNOW WE HAD A TERRIBLE ECONOMIC COLLAPSE. WE’RE SEEING WALL STREET FALLING RIGHT NOW. THAT’S BECAUSE OF UNWISE POLICIES. IN THE TIME OF THE DEPRESSION, THE GLASS-STEAGALL ACT WAS PASSED SAYING, LOOK, AFTER THE GREAT DEPRESSION, IF YOU’RE A BANK, YOU’RE EITHER AN INVESTMENT HOUSE OR YOU’RE A DEPOSIT HOUSE. AND THE ELIMINATION OF GLASS-STEAGALL IN THE 1990s WHICH OF COURSE I VOTED AGAINST WAS ONE OF THE MAJOR REASONS WHY WE HAD A COLLAPSE OF OUR ECONOMY AND A LOT OF THIS PAIN OCCURRED. SO LET’S BRING IT BACK. THERE’S A BIPARTISAN BILL BY SENATOR MCCAIN, SENATOR CANTWELL, SENATOR WARREN THAT WOULD BRING US BACK, BRING THIS KIND OF LIMITATION BACK IN AT LEAST SOME FORM AND SAY, LOOK. IF YOU WANT TO BE A BANK THAT TAKES DEPOSITS AND GETS FEDERAL INSURANCE, SO BE IT. AND IF YOU WANT TO DO THIS INVESTMENT STUFF, SO BE IT, BUT YOU DON’T GET THE FEDERAL INSURANCE. IT’S ESSENTIAL THAT WE DO THIS AND I WOULD SUPPORT SUCH A BILL IF I WERE ELECTED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ON TO YOUR CAMPAIGN. YOU’RE NOW TAKING MORE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM OUTSIDE WISCONSIN, KIND OF SWITCH FROM YOUR GARAGE DOOR PLEDGE DATING BACK TO 1992 TO GET THE MAJORITY FROM IN-STATE. WHY THE CHANGE?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, YOU KNOW, MY ORIGINAL PLEDGE IN 1992 FOR THAT ELECTION WAS BASED ON THE LAW AT THE TIME AND I WAS ABLE TO DO THAT FOR SEVERAL ELECTIONS, OFFERING THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE A CONTRACT SAYING IF YOU HIRE ME, THIS IS WHAT I’LL DO. WHAT HAPPENED IN 2009 IS THE SUPREME COURT CHANGED ALL THE RULES THAT WAS BASED ON. WHAT THAT WAS BASED ON WAS THE IDEA THAT SINCE 1907, CORPORATIONS COULDN’T USE THEIR TREASURIES TO DOMINATE OUR POLITICAL PROCESS. THIS CHANGED THE ENTIRE PROCESS. NOW CORPORATIONS AND BIG SPENDERS FROM OUT-OF-STATE CAN USE UNLIMITED AMOUNTS OF MONEY, NOT EVEN REPORTING IT, IN ORDER TO DO THIS. SO MY VIEW IS WE STILL HAVE A VERY SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF CONTRIBUTIONS FROM WISCONSIN. IN FACT, FAR MORE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM WISCONSIN IN THE LAST QUARTER THAN RON JOHNSON. THERE’S NO COMPARISON. SO WE HAVE A MUCH MORE GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN. SO I GOT TO TELL YOU, IF PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THE STATE IN ADDITION TO ALL THE WISCONSIN PEOPLE WANT TO SEND $25, $50 TO MY CAMPAIGN TO HELP US TAKE ON THIS CORPORATE DOMINATION OF OUR SYSTEM, WE’RE GOING TO DO IT. BECAUSE THE OTHER SIDE HAS NO BELIEF IN ANY RULES AT ALL. IN FACT THE INCUMBENT SENATOR WELCOMES THIS OUT OF STATE MONEY, THIS DARK MONEY, AND I THINK IT’S WRONG.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ON THAT YOU HAVE ASKED HIM TO SIGN SOMETHING CALLED THE BADGER PLEDGE. BREIFLY, WHAT IS THAT?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

IT’S REAL SIMPLE. IT’S BASED ON THE MASSACHUSETTS MODEL THAT WAS USED IN A SENATE RACE THERE. IT SAYS WE CAN ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS OUTSIDE INDEPENDENT MONEY. WHAT IT SAYS IS IF AN AD COMES IN FROM ONE OF THESE OUTSIDE GROUPS THAT HELPS ME, I HAVE TO PAY 50% OF THE COST OF THAT TO A CHARITY OF HIS CHOICE AND THEN HE WOULD HAVE TO DO THE SAME THING FOR ME. AND ALL HE HAS TO DO IS SIGN IT. IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL WORK. THERE IS NO OTHER WAY TO STOP THIS. AND SO THE CHOICE IS THIS. IS RON JOHNSON IN FAVOR OF THIS HORRIBLE SYSTEM WE HAVE NOW WHICH I THINK HE IS WHERE YOU HAVE UNLIMITED DARK MONEY COMING FROM THE OUTSIDE OR ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A WISCONSIN-BASED CAMPAIGN, GRASSROOTS CAMPAIGN WHERE THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN GETS TO DECIDE.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

IF HE DOESN’T SIGN THIS, ARE ALL BETS OFF?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

LOOK, IT’S THE ONLY THING THAT WILL WORK. HE HIMSELF HAS SAID REPEATEDLY THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO TO STOP THOSE OUTSIDE CONTRIBUTIONS BECAUSE THE SUPREME COURT HAS SAID THAT THAT’S THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT. I THINK THAT’S DEAD WRONG. BUT WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING. WE HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. I HAVE TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY BY OFFERING A VERY TOUGH PLEDGE AND HE REFUSES TO SIGN IT. BECAUSE YOU KNOW WHAT? HE LIKES IT. HE’S GETTING $2.5 MILLION FROM THE CLUB FOR GROWTH ALONE. I WANT A WISCONSIN CAMPAIGN.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

WE KNOW THAT SENATOR JOHNSON IS ARDENTLY OPPOSED TO THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, SAYING QUOTE OBAMACARE HAS NEVER BEEN ACCEPTED BY THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. THE HARM THAT THE LAW INFLICTS SHOWS THAT THE PEOPLE WERE RIGHT. HOW DO YOU RESPOND?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, I’M CONFUSED ABOUT HIS POSITION ON THIS BECAUSE PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS ELECTED. HE PROPOSED THIS AND THEN THERE WAS AN ELECTION IN 2012. AS I REMEMBER, PRESIDENT OBAMA WAS OVERWHELMINGLY ELECTED AFTER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WENT INTO PLACE. SO WHAT DOES HE MEAN? THAT THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTRY HAVE REJECTED IT. EVEN HIS SUIT TO THE SUPREME COURT WAS REJECTED. HOW, WHAT HE HAS DONE IS SPENT A GOOD PART OF HIS SENATE TERM, INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN, HE’S FILED A LAWSUIT. HE FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WHICH WAS THROWN OUT IN FEDERAL COURT IN WISCONSIN BY A REPUBLICAN-APPOINTED JUDGE. IT WAS THROWN OUT BY THE COURT OF APPEALS. IT WAS A FRIVOLOUS LAWSUIT. HE’S LIVING IN THE PAST. THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS HERE TO STAY. AND THERE MAY BE SOME THINGS THAT NEED TO BE DONE TO IMPROVE IT. I’M ALL FOR THAT. BUT LET’S NOT WASTE OUR TIME ON SOMETHING THAT’S ALREADY BEEN DECIDED.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ON THE IRAN DEAL, EVEN SOME DEMOCRATS SEEM TO BE CRITICAL OR CONCERNED ABOUT IT, SPECIFICALLY POINTING OUT THAT IT LAPSES IN 15 YEARS. WHAT’S YOUR POSITION ON THIS?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

WELL, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS TERRIBLY IMPORTANT AND EVERYBODY HAS TO LOOK AT IT VERY CLOSELY AND I’VE TRIED TO DO THAT. I READ THE AGREEMENT. AND I THINK ON BALANCE IT’S THE RIGHT THING TO DO. WE HAVE A CHOICE BETWEEN DOING NOTHING OVER THE NEXT 10 TO 15 YEARS OR HAVING THIS AGREEMENT. HOW, THIS AGREEMENT DOES NOT PREVENT US FROM TAKING ACTION DIRECTLY, MILITARY ACTION, IF NECESSARY, AGAINST IRAN ANYTIME WE FEEL LIKE IT. THESE SANCTIONS THAT ARE COMING OFF FOR IRAN CAN GO RIGHT BACK INTO PLACE UNLESS WE SAY IT’S OKAY FOR THEM NOT TO GO BACK INTO PLACE, SO-CALLED SNAPBACK PROVISION. SO AS THE PRESIDENT HAS CORRECTLY POINTED BUT, WE’RE NOT REALLY GIVING ANYTHING UP. AND A LOT OF EXPERTS THINK THIS IS GOING TO BE A WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY VERIFY THAT IRAN IS NOT GETTING A NUCLEAR WEAPON. AND MY BOTTOM LINE IS THEY CANNOT GET A NUCLEAR WEAPON. BUT THIS MOVES US IN THAT DIRECTION. THE ALTERNATIVE THAT THE INCUMBENT RON JOHNSON IS FOR IS NOTHING. IT JUST LEAVES US IN A SITUATION WHERE THE ALLIES WHO ARE WORKING WITH US SAY WE’LL JUST DEAL WITH IRAN ON OUR OWN AND IT BASICALLY LEADS US TO A WAR. A WAR WITH IRAN THAT IS NOT NECESSARY.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

THIS LAST QUESTION. WHO ARE YOU BACKING FOR PRESIDENT?

RUSS FEINGOLD:

I’M BACKING THE DEMOCRATIC NOMINEE, WHOEVER THAT IS.

FREDERICA FREYBERG:

ALL RIGHT. WE LEAVE IT THERE. RUSS FEINGOLD, THANKS VERY MUCH.