Return to Transcripts main page

Glenn Beck

Congressman Refusing to Deal with Border Situation; Pork Barrel Spending Big Problem in Congress; Hotel Chain Offers Condoms Instead of Bible; Mitt Romney Interview

Aired November 14, 2007 - 19:00   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
GLENN BECK, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, border politics. My exposure of drug gang activities in Mexican border towns has one U.S. congressman all fired up. But not the way you might think. I`ll explain.

Plus, the war on God checks into a hotel. How hotel room Bibles are being replaced with intimacy kits. Room service, anyone?

And we`ll sit down with presidential candidate Mitt Romney for a half hour. We`ll take the gloves off on everything from immigration to the economy.

All this and more, tonight.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

BECK: Well, hello, America. It`s going to make blood shoot out of your eyes tonight.

You know, our border crisis is as bad as it ever has been in this country. And now, due to the so-called leadership in Washington, things are only going to get worse.

For the last few weeks I`ve been telling you about the town of Laredo, Texas, and the nightmare that they are living through. They`re just across the river from the Mexican town of Nuevo Laredo, a lawless Dodge City where the Mexican government has handed control to the drug lords and the street gangs.

As of right now, 60 American citizens have been snatched off the streets. 21 are still missing. Tragically, kidnapping, murder, beheadings, and mayhem are now the new normal at our southern border. So here`s "The Point" tonight.

Our continuing border crisis is the most striking example of disconnect between Congress and the American people. While Americans are being killed, kidnapped, raped, leaders like Congressman Henry Cuellar are name calling instead of problem solving. Why would I expect more? Here`s how I got there.

Last week on this program I spoke with Congressman Cuellar and the sheriff of Laredo, Texas. The sheriff quite literally puts his life on the line every day, trying to keep the people of his town safe.

When he dared ask the congressman how he planned to protect us from the violent influence of Mexican drug lords, Congressman Cuellar`s answer highlights the dismissive attitude that has infected so many weasels in Congress.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I want to ask the congressman, who is he representing, President Calderon or his district here in Laredo, Texas?

REP. HENRY CUELLAR (D), TEXAS: We will work with the local law enforcement , and we represent. But your job is to be a county sheriff, not a U.S. Congressman, which is a big difference.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BECK: I`ll tell you, that amazes me every time. You know, I said it that night, and I`ll say it again. Shame on you, Congressman. Who the hell do you think you are? How dare you say that, in that tone, to a man brave enough to wear a gun and a uniform in the name of protecting Americans in one of the most dangerous areas in America?

There is absolutely no room for that kind of condescension and that attitude from a congressman to one of his constituents. Who the hell answers to who?

When a dedicated sheriff on the front lines of hell is expected to take crap from a disaffected congressman in our nation`s capital, the system -- no, better yet, the people in it need changing. So tonight, here`s what you need to know.

Congressman`s Cuellar`s new plan of attack now -- I found this out late last night as press started to call me. He wants to take the focus off his bungling of the border by implying, never calling, by implying that I`m a racist.

Nice try, Congressman. But just because you wear a little lapel pin, you know, that says you`re in Congress, it`s not a badge. You don`t frighten me, sir.

The congressman is taking me to task for citing the overwhelming percentage of Laredo`s kidnapped that are Hispanic. First of all, I never said that. And if I did, wouldn`t that make me the exact opposite of a racist?

I want to protect all Americans. I don`t care what race they are. They`re Americans. We need to seal our border and get the hell out of bed with Mexico and get back into bed with America.

Congressman Cuellar, you can be rude to your sheriff. You can take all the cheap shots you want at me. But unfortunately, that won`t change the fact that you`re dropping the ball. And as a result, the people of your district are winding up dead.

Take a long, hard look, Texas. Is this really the kind of guy you want representing you? Or would you rather have a guy that -- I don`t know -- represents the citizens and the sheriff who protects them?

Dan Patrick is a radio talk show host and a Texas state senator, and Cindy Rocha joins me now by phone. Her brothers are two of Laredo`s kidnapped.

First of all, Cindy, I am so sorry for what happened to your brother. Can you tell -- your brothers. Can you tell me who has been helping you?

CINDY ROCHA, BROTHERS KIDNAPPED IN LAREDO: Right now we`ve had support. The only one we felt like we had a lot of support from is our sheriff, Rick Flores.

BECK: OK.

ROCHA: We`ve had some -- just a couple pat on the backs saying -- from our mayor, Robert Salinas, and Congressman Henry Cuellar. But unfortunately, it doesn`t go beyond just the words "We`re here for you; we`re going to help you." That`s it. But we haven`t had much support from them.

BECK: Cindy, why do you suppose that is? I mean, I am -- I am shocked that I am being attacked now by the mayor of Laredo and Congressman Cuellar, being called a racist. Do you think I`m a racist for pointing this out, that there are now 60 citizens of Laredo that have just been pulled off the streets of Nuevo Laredo?

ROCHA: No, sir. You are not a racist. I think they are more focused on their pocket money than on their citizens, unfortunately. And they just -- I think it`s just an excuse for them to turn the point somewhere else and try to, like, go around this border crisis that is going on right now.

Our mayor states on the local news, he says that no, you`re exaggerating. Apparently, he doesn`t see the news here in Laredo, he doesn`t read the newspaper.

BECK: Yes.

ROCHA: I understand Henry Cuellar, maybe he doesn`t come to Laredo as often as he should.

BECK: So...

ROCHA: But our mayor lives here, and he needs to look at the TV and read the newspaper. It`s on there every single day.

BECK: Dan, let me go to you. You and I talked about this on your radio show on KSEV in Houston. And I have to tell you, you told me, "You`re opening up a can of worms -- a can of worms here." I can`t believe that I`m under attack on this.

You`re in the government in Texas.

DAN PATRICK, TEXAS STATE SENATOR: Yes.

BECK: What the hell is going on?

PATRICK: First of all, please let her call my Senate office. I realize it`s a federal issue, but we`ll do what we can to help her. So just contact my office in Texas, and we`ll help.

Let me tell you what`s going on, Glenn. This is no different than if you stand up for the pro-marriage amendment. You`re considered, you know, homophobic and anti-gay. If you want to drill off Florida or California for needed oil, you`re against the environment.

This is a case where you just stand up and speak your point of view, as we have a right to do in America, and stand up for you what you believe, and the other side wants to come out and try to paint you as being a racist.

BECK: I don`t...

PATRICK: As being anti-Latino.

BECK: I don`t even know what I`m doing that could be construed as racist. I`m standing up for American citizens...

PATRICK: Of course.

BECK: ... that have disappeared in greater numbers than disappeared or were kidnapped by Iran in 1979.

PATRICK: Well, you`re pointing out the truth, Glenn. See, that`s the problem. Any of us who stand up to protect our border in Texas or in America, when we point out the truth, the other side doesn`t want to hear it, because there are many people on the other side for several reasons.

One reason, maybe they don`t want to protect border. They like the system as it is.

Or the other side of it is, Glenn, it`s politics. If any Hispanic Democrat would agree with you on this issue, then they would have an opponent in the next mayor`s race...

BECK: Dan...

PATRICK: ... saying that that person was against the Latino population in Laredo. So they`re -- they`re protecting their position. We`ve got to get to a point, Glenn, in America where we put the next generation over the next election. We`ve got to start doing the right thing.

BECK: I know. Well...

PATRICK: And what cities, Glenn, in America have 60 people been kidnapped in the last couple of years?

BECK: I don`t -- Dan -- Dan, I`ve got to run. Thank you very much.

And Cindy, please tell anyone else that has lost a family member in Laredo I am not going to be bullied and I will not give up on your family members. We`ll get to the bottom of it eventually.

Coming up, today`s "Inconvenient Segment." From minimum wage to the insanity behind all the pork that passes through Congress, it is politicians maximizing their politics. It`s an extension of this story. And it`s something that needs to be fixed.

And presidential candidate Mitt Romney joins me for an exclusive interview. Tough but fair questions. Everything from immigration to soaring out-of-control oil prices in China. Don`t miss it. It is coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, all week I`ve been giving you a sneak preview of my new book -- comes out next Tuesday -- "An Inconvenient Book." Today I want to take you inside two chapters that will make blood shoot right directly out of your eyes.

First one is Chapter 9, "Political Games." Believe me, once you finish this section, you will realize to those in Washington it is all just one giant game. And this American wants no more part of it.

One of my favorite parts in this chapter is the story about how Congressman John Murtha actually had the audacity to tell a fellow congressman right on the House floor that there would be major consequences if he tried to interfere with a $23 million pork project that Murtha was trying to push through.

I -- you know, I see some of this stuff and I wonder whatever happened to that ethic and earmark reform thing that the Democrats promised all of us when they took over?

Well, if you need more proof that all of those reforms are just nonsense, take a look at the $600 billion spending bill that President Bush vetoed yesterday. Oh, he hates children getting an education. Really?

Maybe he vetoed it for the $10 billion worth of pork spread over 2,000 different projects, including -- take a deep breath -- a prison museum, the Clinton School of Public Service in Little Rock, a Portuguese as a second language program, and an educational program aboard a 65-foot catamaran.

David Williams is the vice president of policy for Citizens Against Government Waste.

David, I`ve got to tell you, I`m a -- I`m a citizen, and I think our government is a waste. Help me down off that tree.

DAVID WILLIAMS, VICE PRESIDENT OF POLICY, CITIZENS AGAINST GOVERNMENT WASTE: I can`t. I really can`t. Because the government is wasting a ton of money for ridiculous projects. The Democrats came in last year, into power, into office, and said we`re going to drain the swamp.

BECK: Yes.

WILLIAMS: We`re going to make these huge changes in Washington. Yet a year later, literally a year later, we`re back to zero. We`re right back to where we were before.

BECK: And here`s the frustration. You know, look, America, if you`re watching this show for the first time, know right out on the front, I`m a conservative. But I`m not a Republican.

And here`s what people don`t say on television. What the hell is wrong with the Republicans? Because the Republicans, this direction will point to all of this pork. And then they`ll get right back in, and they`ll do it, too. Am I wrong?

WILLIAMS: No, no. Absolutely. And that`s what happened, is the Republicans spent themselves into oblivion...

BECK: Yes.

WILLIAMS: ... between 1994 and 2006. They spent so much money that the Congress, the president, no one was there to say no, because the president signed these spending bills. Congress passed them, and President Bush put his hands over his eyes and signed them.

BECK: Yes. Somebody -- a liberal called me up on the radio show the other day and they said, "You people who are all conservatives. You wanted President Bush`s tax cuts, and now look."

It`s not the tax cuts. It`s the Republican spending and now the Democratic spending.

WILLIAMS: Well, and Glenn, if anything, the tax cuts is really what`s saving this country right now.

BECK: I know.

WILLIAMS: Because it`s bringing in the revenue. Believe it or not, tax cuts bring in revenue.

BECK: Yes.

WILLIAMS: It`s the spending that`s dragging us down.

BECK: Yes. So tell me -- because here`s a really scary thing. There was another spending bill that he didn`t veto yesterday.

WILLIAMS: Right.

BECK: It`s the war -- emergency war spending bill. But it doesn`t have -- it has tons of pork but no funding for Iraq. How is that even possible?

WILLIAMS: Well, this is amazing. This is the annual defense appropriations bill. There`s $3 million for the First Tee Program, not the tea you that drink but the tee that you play golf with. And this is in the defense bill. A golf program in the defense bill. Figure that one out.

BECK: OK. Thanks a lot. I -- I appreciate it.

I`m telling you, America, "Inconvenient Book." Wear it while wearing a tarp, because blood will shoot out of your eyes.

Now here`s another one. How about the chapter on "Minimum Wage, Maximum Politics"? By the end of this section, you`re going to realize that, while most politicians love to use the issue for grandstanding: "What a black-hearted person. What American doesn`t want to help the poor?" Uh- huh.

It`s actually just about helping themselves win elections. And I have proof. As I was researching this chapter -- before I get to the proof, I have to tell you that I found one of the greatest quotes from Idaho Congressman Bill Sali that I have ever read.

It`s so perfectly encapsulated, this whole issue. I had to publish it in the book word for word. It happened during a House debate on the minimum wage earlier this year.

The congressman is with us now. I want you to tell the American people exactly what you said and the point you were trying to make.

REP. BILL SALI (R), IDAHO: Well, the point I was trying to make, Glenn, was that, you know, government gets out of bounds and thinks it can do things that it can`t. And I will say this.

Public policy is hard work. It takes a lot of study. It can`t be about, you know, standing in front of the cameras and playing to, you know, kind of the old FDR kind of notion that, you know, we`re going to make people dependent on us, you know. That will win us the next election.

Public policy is hard. And the problem with -- with minimum wage legislation is it`s an attempt to address the problem that`s created by the federal government and its spending in the first place.

BECK: OK. How do you mean that?

SALI: Well, because, you know, if you look at the amount that we spend on federal taxes, on state and local taxes, on all federal and state regulation, suddenly we get up to about 50 percent of the value of everything that we buy in government.

BECK: OK. All right. So now you -- you introduced a bill. It was about Americans should be lighter. Why don`t you tell America about this bill?

SALI: Well, this was hyperbole, and I didn`t actually introduce the bill, but I did have a draft. It was to reduce graft by 10 percent. I called it the Obesity Reduction and Health Promotion Act. So that you would -- you know, everyone would weigh less.

BECK: Right.

SALI: And we would reduce obesity and health promotion because, you know, our health care professionals tell us that we need to lose weight.

And you know, it was a jab at Congress for taking itself seriously in trying to enact minimum wage legislation when what we ought to be doing is addressing the problem of federal spending. That`s where the real trouble comes in.

BECK: I love this. By the way, America, it obviously didn`t pass. I mean, look at me. Do I look ten pounds lighter?

Congressman, the one thing I found as I was doing research on this -- on this particular part of the book is it became so very clear to me that, if this wasn`t about politics, Congress would index the minimum wage. You`d never hear about it again because it would just index. It would automatically go up with the cost of living.

The other thing that is remarkable to me is the average city, I think it takes about $61,000 to live in for a family of four. New York is 150 -- what is it -- $146,000 for a family of four to live in New York City. Isn`t this a state, or even better, a city issue, not a U.S. issue?

SALI: Actually, what you`ll find is this is a government spending issue. The more government you have, the higher income you have to have to be able to make ends meet. That`s the problem.

BECK: All right. I have to tell you, you look great. I don`t know if you`ve lost that ten pounds but...

SALI: I lost -- I lost five pounds just from drafting the legislation.

BECK: Right. That`s great. Congressman, thanks a lot.

SALI: Thank you.

BECK: Now, coming up, hotels are tossing out the Bible for condoms and sex dice. I don`t even know what sex dice are. The sad details, next.

And Mitt Romney joins me for the type of honest questions that you`re not going to find anyplace else. I`m not going to talk about his religion. How about we talk about the border and health care and socialism? Coming up.

(NEWSBREAK)

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, just when you think that the outrage is they don`t have "An Inconvenient Book" on every nightstand, many hotel chains have now stopped including the Bible as a standard room amenity. These days Gideon`s good book is out, and iPod docking stations, flat-screen TVs, and intimacy kits, with a mini-bar full of condoms and sex dice, are in.

Is it just me?

Jim Daly is the president and CEO of Focus on the Family and author of "Finding Home: An Imperfect Path to Faith and Family."

Here you have Marriott, which is -- I mean, Marriott is a Mormon hotel chain, or always has been. The Marriott family are big in the Mormon faith. They have come out with a statement -- I want to quote it. Their new hotels will be "cutting edge, more urban, and less value-oriented."

What the heck does that even mean? What does it say about them, the hotels, or us?

JIM DALY, CEO, FOCUS ON THE FAMILY: Well, it says a lot about the culture, unfortunately. This is like replacing the Guttenberg Bible at the Library of Congress with "People" magazine. You know, it`s just -- it doesn`t make sense.

And just when the culture needs organizations, companies to be firm, to stand up for values in the culture, here we`re going to put these toys in the hotel which, you know, from what I understand, a lot of people that -- especially during the holidays when they go a hotel, they`re depressed. They`re lonely. And many, many people have found answers through the Bible being there at the bed-stand. So it`s just unfortunate all the way around that we can`t be a culture of hope.

BECK: Yes. I will tell you, I travel a lot, and I usually bring my own Bible with me, but I mean, I hate to sound like a complete zealot, but that`s just what I am. I have read the Gideon Bible. Now, when I was an alcoholic and would have known what sex dice were, I didn`t.

But they say that the reason why it`s changing is because hotels that are traditional for, you know, people traveling on business, it`s down 18 percent. But condom hotels, the ones that have the condoms and people are visiting, that business is up 23 percent, because they say people are using hotels differently now. It`s just for, you know, fun on the weekend with your wife or whatever.

DALY: Well, it`s an expensive way to buy a condom. But beside that, I mean, it`s just amazing that, again, I think they may be misreading the American people. I don`t think that`s necessarily the trend.

I think what people are looking for -- I just went to Disneyland, and my wife and I stayed at a hotel nearby. I would have been horrified if my two boys 5 and 7 to walk into that hotel room and have them open the drawer and say, "Daddy, what`s this?"

BECK: Yes.

DALY: You know, it`s just not where we`re at, and I think there might be a handful of people that might much rather have something encouraging in there for people that are desperate and lonely to be able to pick up and read and be hopeful again.

BECK: It really amazes me that we always seem to play to the bottom denominator. We don`t strive to be better than we are. We always just seem to reach down in the barrel.

DALY: Why do it?

BECK: Yes. Jim, thanks a lot. I appreciate it.

Now, coming up in just a second, we have presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He`s going to take some time from his very busy campaign schedule -- schedule to speak to yours truly. Yes, an interview for the next half hour that you don`t want to miss. Coming up next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Well, you know it and I know it. America is in trouble in many ways. If we listen to the government and we don`t listen to ourselves. We are fighting wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, terrorism threatens us abroad and at home. The border crisis is out of control. Oil prices are through the roof. We`re $9 trillion in debt. Meanwhile, our politicians are saying let`s stack on some more debt, our economy`s on the brink of recession.

Considering this is the good news, why would anyone want to be president? Whomever we send to Washington, DC next Election Day, they are going to have their work cut out for them. For the democrats it`s been pretty much a two-way battle between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, kind of.

For the Republicans the race has been a little more interesting, with a glut of almosts and wannabes from Fred Thompson seeming to be more suited to playing a politician than actually being one. But the race now centers around Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney and looks like Huckabee is starting to come on.

Early on Giuliani seemed to be the team to beat, but today`s numbers tell a different story. Not only has Mitt Romney taken the lead in Iowa and New Hampshire but he`s also coming on strong in delegate-rich states like New York, New Jersey, and California. His message is gaining momentum. So we decided tonight to spend the rest of the show exploring the real story behind the man that is Mitt Romney.

And he joins me now. Governor Romney, how are you, sir?

MITT ROMNEY, (R) PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I`m terrific, Glenn. Good to be with you.

BECK: You know what, I`ve decided that as soon as the rest of the media asks Senator Hatch and Harry Reid when they`re going to give a speech on Mormonism and how it affects their job I`ll ask you that question. In the meantime, why don`t we talk actual issues? You`re in San Diego today. You`re down at the border.

ROMNEY: Yeah.

BECK: I for one, and I think the American people feel this way, I`m tired of being called a racist because I`d like my government to enforce our own laws. I would like drugs to stop coming into our country. And I would honestly like Congress to enforce the laws that they passed last year, which made the double border fence, the one that you`re seeing in California, actually built. If you`re president, will you build the fence that is law now?

ROMNEY: Well, absolutely. We have to build the fence. I also had the occasion of being with A.J. Bonner, who`s the head of the Border Patrol agent union. And we looked along the fence, and I asked him how many people try and cross here in San Diego, where there is the fence?

And he said, you get about 100 a day trying to cross and we stop about 40. The other 60 get in. And I said, what are we going to have to do to stop these crossings? And he said you`ve got to turn off the magnets. And the magnets are sanctuary cities that offer benefits to people who come here illegally, states that say they`re going to give tuition credit to illegal aliens, and then also it`s the sanctuary employers, people who hire people that have come here illegally.

BECK: OK. So in Arizona they just passed a law that you could lose your business license if you knowingly hire illegal aliens. And I have gotten mail from people saying Glenn, I won`t survive, how do I do that? You tell me how you`re going to shut down the special interests of the unions, shut down the special interests of big business, who are all trying to get rich on the backs of what I believe is modern-day slavery. How are you going to do that?

ROMNEY: Well, first of all, it`s not fair to have employers not knowing who`s come here illegally and who`s here legally. We like legal immigration, and we should bring in enough legal immigrants to meet our needs in this economy. But to allow employers to know who`s in which category we have to have an employment verification system. You give a card to people who come here legally identifying their name, their number. When an employer wants to hire someone that`s not a U.S. citizen with a valid Social Security number, you take a look at the card and then you determine whether they can be here legally. If they are, you are you hire them. If they`re not here legally you can`t hire them. And if you do you`re going to get sanctioned just like you do for not paying your taxes. But we have to have that employment verification system in place.

BECK: Mitt, how do we know -- I`m tired. As an American I`m tired. I`m tired of having to look at the enemies overseas and then the enemies in our own country that are just lying to us. How do we know that you`re not going to be the same guy that we see over and over -- we`ve been trying this for decades. How do we know who`s actually going to do this?

ROMNEY: Well, you know, I ran for office in Massachusetts as governor, and during my campaign I made a lot of promises. When the campaign was over I asked the person who`d been traveling with me as well as the person who helped prepare me for my debates, and I said would you write down all the promises you can remember that I`ve made? Turned out to be 92, 93 promises.

And during my inaugural speech I added a few more to get it to an even 100. And about two years into my office term I published a list of all 100 and the action I`d taken. I`d gotten all 100 checked off before I left office, and I`m pretty proud of the fact that I followed my own agenda and kept my promises. That`s what I`m going to do if I`m president.

BECK: Well, I appreciate that. And it`s seemingly rare. Will you pardon Compean and Ramos if you were president?

ROMNEY: I would certainly look at the circumstances of their case. I`m not in a position now to know the kind of details you need to know to make a pardon. I have to tell you, I look at pardons with a great deal of care, particularly if there`s been violent crime. As governor of Massachusetts I did not pardon anyone. And so in a case like this the case raises a lot of questions about prosecutorial discretion and whether that was inappropriately used. And that`s why I would take a very close look at it. And it certainly is a candidate for considering a pardon.

BECK: Why is it -- or what is it going to take in Washington for both parties to understand the American people are serious on the border? I mean, Spitzer finally gets it. Clinton was astonishing, how she was trying to play the fence, or ride the fence on driver`s license. Will you give driver`s license -- or let me rephrase this, what do you do to California or San Francisco, who said we`re going to -- we`ll introduce our own I.D. for illegal aliens?

ROMNEY: Yeah, well, here`s what you do. First of all-f they`re going to give driver`s licenses to them you say, you know what, we`re going to cut back on federal highway funds to any state that gives driver`s licenses to illegals. Number two, if you have a state like Mike Huckabee`s state in Arkansas that fights to give people a tuition break if they`re an illegal in their state, you say no, you`re not going to do that. If you do that, we`re going to cut back on higher education funding.

And number three, if you have a city like Mayor Giuliani`s city, New York City, that says that it`s a sanctuary city, they`re going to provide benefits to people that come here illegally, you say we`re going to cut back on federal funding to those cities as well. We can end the magnets that draw people here illegally -- illegal employment by having an employment verification system, the sanctuary state of mind which you see in sanctuary cities, sanctuary tuition breaks, sanctuary drivers` licenses. All these things are bad ideas. And the American people are going to speak so loud and clear on this issue it`s going to get done.

BECK: You are one of the more successful businessmen in our country. And I have always wanted somebody that is a businessman, that will run this country like a business and answer to the balance sheets and everything else. And I`ll get into that in just a second.

But I see a lot of corporations that are involved in, you know, creating a North American Community, and I quite frankly, I worry about our sovereignty. I worry about the people who think that we should be a European-style union down the road. To be able to be competitive. I`d just like to hear them make the case to the American people before they sell our sovereignty down the road -- or away from us. Do you believe that there is any kind of desire in the business community to have a North American Community?

ROMNEY: Well, there may be on the part of some people, but I think the idea has no merit whatsoever, and if I`m president we will not in any way release our sovereignty or diminish it, either by eliminating borders or checkpoints or by building a superhighway or entering into treaties like the Law of the Sea Treaty that removes some of the most important elements of our sovereignty.

This idea has no merit at all. The right way for America to become stronger is not to try and attach some other nation to us or get cheap labor from next door. It`s instead to strengthen our own nation, invest in technology, in productivity.

BECK: That made my heart flutter there for a second. You had me at hello on the answer on that one.

We`ll be back with more with Mitt Romney here in just a second. I`m looking for a candidate myself that will give us a moon shot to get this oil octopus off of our face. We`ll do that in 60 seconds.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Back for the final half hour with republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

Governor Romney, I have such a great belief in this country because I believe in the people of this country. We are innovators. We are the guys who brought almost every new technology to the world at one time or the other. We can do anything. Will you be a guy that will say I`m going to promise a moon shot, I`ll put the resources, and by this date we will be off this foreign oil and get this monkey off of our back?

ROMNEY: You know, you`re telling my campaign speech for me, Glenn. That`s exactly what I tell people, and that`s exactly what I believe.

BECK: What`s the date?

ROMNEY: Twenty-five years -- The date is two years -- or excuse me, 20 years from now that we`re entirely off of foreign oil. I used to ask if we could do it in 10 years to my team, my environmental and energy team, and they said look, you know, it`s going to take a while to build nuclear power plants, to have the liquefied coal where you sequester the CO2, to get all these projects in place, to improve the fuel efficiency of our homes and our cars, but if we make the investment and aggressively make the changes necessary to become energy secure first and then ultimately energy independent, we can do it within two decades.

BECK: OK.

ROMNEY: And that`s a job which if we begin doing it now the impact is going to be immediate. Once we let the world know we`re committed, the worldwide markets are going to change because America is going to be on the pathway to getting itself off of foreign oil.

BECK: I`ve got to tell you, I feel like the guys who were right before World War II saying -- screaming at the top of their lungs build ships. We are on the precipice of real problems, and everybody seems to go the opposite direction on energy. Every time we try to do something, we`re sabotage -- we sabotage ourselves. How are you going to get power plants built in this country when the power companies don`t want to build those power plants because they don`t trust the government to pull the rug from underneath them and change the rules and say oh, now it doesn`t fit environmental standards?

ROMNEY: Well, what`s going to happen is that you`re going to see finally the people who are environmentalists that are so concerned about global warming coming together with people that are concerned about our national security and saying, you know what, we`ve got to come together, we have got to get ourselves off of our dependence on oil and dirty burning carbon energy sources, and that`s how we are going to get nuclear power plants, we are going to get coal that sequesters the CO2. And that`s going to take investment. It`s probably going to take public-private partnerships to encourage some businesses to actually believe that we can get these things done.

But we`re going to have to make the investment of energy, of financial resources, and of educational resources to get ourselves on track to become energy independent.

BECK: I agree. And I mean this with all due respect. I really do, governor. America, you want to know how his faith influences him? There it is. Here`s a guy who has much more optimism than I do that people on the other side of the global warming argument are honest brokers.

Do you really think that these environmentalists that -- look, I believe the planet is warming. I believe we should do everything we can to keep this planet green. We are stewards of this planet. We should be responsible with it. However, I don`t believe that the big machinery behind this movement is anything other than global socialism. Are you telling me you don`t believe that, governor?

ROMNEY: Oh, I believe a lot have very different incentives than many. But I also believe that there are within the world of people who are very concerned about the environment and the warming of the planet, there are within that world a lot of folks that say you know what, it`s time to start developing nuclear power. France is 80 percent nuclear. And they`re going to begin asking for action. We don`t have to get all the environmentalists, but if we can get some, to say let`s get together with the other side of the aisle, we can get something done.

BECK: The guy who started Greenpeace is on board with nukes.

When we come back, I want to talk about the good and the bad of the health care program in Massachusetts. Some say it`s a path to socialism. We`ll let the governor respond to that. Coming up.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Back with republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Governor, you and I have talked on my radio program several times, and I have told you that there`s really just a few things that I want in a candidate, for a guy that I can support and vote for, and I think most Americans feel this way.

You cannot compromise with evil. You`ve got to be able to call it by its name, you`ve got to look at it in the eye and say this is evil and we cannot co-exist with it. The other is sovereignty. Don`t do anything to lose the sovereignty of the United States. And the other is socialism. We don`t co-exist with socialism.

You are very proud of the health care program that you put in Massachusetts because you got it done. However, there are a lot of conservatives that look at that and say, okay, but it`s not total socialism, but it`s the road. I want a guy who doesn`t compromise with socialism and puts it all in the private sector. Explain.

ROMNEY: Well, Glenn, actually what we have right now is the road to socialism. What we have right now in health care is creeping socialism with more and more people going on Medicaid and Medicare. And those who don`t have insurance, when they show up at the hospital, they get care, they get free care paid for by you and me. If that`s not a form of socialism, I don`t know what is. So my plan did something quite different. It said, you know, what if people can afford to buy insurance, if they can afford to buy insurance or if they can pay their own way, then they either buy that insurance or pay their own way, but they no longer look to government to hand out free care.

And that in my opinion is ultimate conservatism. That`s why the Heritage Foundation worked with us and was at the celebration of the signing. The Heritage Foundation, as you know a quintessentially conservative group, recognizing that the principles of free enterprise and personal responsibility were at work. And I`m proud to talk about what we did. We did not need to raise taxes. We did not need to have the government take over health care. Instead we rely on private market dynamics to get people and our state insured and for individuals to finally take responsibility for some portion of their health care rather than expecting government to give them a free ride.

BECK: Do you believe that health care is a right?

ROMNEY: I don`t believe health care is a right. I think it`s something that we wish to obtain. I believe that we as a society, as a generous people, will care for people in need. But I think also that if people have the resources of their own to pay for their health care or to buy health insurance, that they should either do that or not expect to go to the hospital and get somebody else to pay their way.

BECK: How do we afford -- to me this is your strong point because you can actually get us out of this. How do we afford what we already have in 2012 or 2015? How is our country just not economic wreckage in five, six years?

ROMNEY: And this is where the great divide is going to be because Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and John Edwards want to give out even more free health care. Hillary says her plan costs $110 billion a year more. My plan gets everybody insured with no additional spending.

So that`s part one. Part two on Medicaid, which is growing like crazy, we say we`re stopping that, we`re going to give the states the money they`ve gotten in prior years plus an inflation factor, give the states the flexibility to create their own plans instead of mandating how they have to do it from Washington.

That cuts dramatically back on the growth of Medicaid. We can bring sanity to our entitlement programs as Republicans and Democrats working together. I did it in Massachusetts. I`m going to do it in Washington if I get that support that I need.

BECK: OK. Final thoughts with Mitt Romney in just a minute.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

BECK: Back with final thoughts with our guest for the last half hour, Governor Mitt Romney. While I may not be in your tax bracket, I`m not far off, and I want to know, how much is my fair share? Currently, the top -- you know, I don`t even know what it is. Ten percent pays 40 percent of all income tax in America. What is the fair share of Americans?

ROMNEY: Well, you know, over a long period of time out of the total economy the federal government has taken about 18.5 percent of the total gross domestic product. And if the Bush tax cuts are repealed like the Democrats want them, that grows well over 20 percent, it keeps growing and growing and growing. We`ve got to keep the Bush tax cuts permanent. I have want a savings plan that allows middle income people to save their tax money tax-free. I want to kill the death tax. We don`t need new taxes. We don`t need the federal government taking a bigger and bigger bite from people. It`s simply unfair.

I also don`t want to raise the burden on middle income America. So, I`ve got my principles when it comes to this issue and I want to make sure we`re fair to our citizens and don`t take a bigger slice for government.

BECK: Quickly because I think we`ve only got 90 seconds. Are you concerned with the banking situation with the subprime loans and the dollar situation? I mean, China could just snuff us at a drop of a hat with the dollar situation and our banking situation. Concern you at all?

ROMNEY: Absolutely. The credit crisis is something which could spread throughout our economy. I hope it does not. The Fed is taking aggressive action to keep that from happening. It may or may not be enough. I think most economists think we`ll be able to stave off recession, but we`ll probably see a significant slowdown at least.

And with regard to the dollar`s decline, people around the world are looking at our economic challenges, our entitlement growth and wondering if we`re ever going to deal with it. I think we have to have a president that will deal with the growth of spending and will not do it by raising taxes but by cutting spending. That`s what I intend to do.

BECK: Would you guarantee the home loans as president? Would you take on some of those subprime loans to help out the people that took those loans and the banks that would be under that burden or not?

ROMNEY: Well, I don`t look to bail out the banks and the investors who took on risky loans and knew what they were getting into. Individuals who didn`t know that their monthly costs were going to go through the roof, they can use some help, and the FHA and others could refinance those mortgages to make sure people keep their homes.

BECK: Mitt Romney, best of luck to you, sir. We`ll talk to you again.

ROMNEY: Thank you, Glenn. Good to be here.

BECK: America, there he is, Governor Mitt Romney. From New York, good night.

END