The adhering to is a records of a meeting with Virginia Legislator Tim Kaine that broadcast Sunday, January 16, 2022, on "Face the Country."
MARGARET BRENNAN: We go currently to Sen Tim Kaine. He joins us from Richmond. Greetings to you, legislator.
SEN. TIM KAINE (D-VA): Greetings, MARGARET. So, you simply listened to that CBS survey, which reveals 65% of the nation, does not believe the head of state is concentrated sufficient on rising cost of living, which is that a 40 year high of 7%. Why do you believe the White Home shows up so inaccessible with the general public?
SEN. KAINE: Well, appearance, I believe it's a difficult time today, and also MARGARET, as you recognize, the White Home's emphasis, considerable power on the economic climate in the initial year, document work development in the initial year of the White Home, 3.9% joblessness price and also really solid development in earnings. However the rising cost of living concern is genuine, we have actually reached tackle it. A few of the rising cost of living is- belongs to the proceeding pandemic, which has actually interrupted supply chains. However Head Of State Biden and also Congress are additionally servicing campaigns in the Build Back Better regulations that will certainly decrease price healthcare, prescription medicines, education and learning. Individuals listen to the title of the expense, and also they do not recognize what it could provide for them. However if we can obtain it passed, a few of it takes care of price vehicle drivers that unsettle most households and also we can reveal them we're listening.
MARGARET BRENNNA: Also the White Home economic expert is utilizing the previous strained when describing Construct Back Much Better. It's dead. You do not have the enact the Us senate.
SEN. KAINE: Yeah, I do not concur with you, MARGARET, you're appropriate that it's dead, the- one of the most current variation of it is not mosting likely to occur, however if you consider the core of the expense, I believe the core is education and learning and also labor force and also points like lowered childcare and also education and learning expenditures, labor force training and afterwards assistance for the labor force in locations like healthcare. There are various other items of the expense that are much more debatable. I still think we're mosting likely to discover a core of this expense, whatever we call it, we're mosting likely to discover the core of the expense and also pass it, and also it will certainly deal straight with a few of these rising cost of living issues.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Autonomous planner James Carville got on one more network today, and also he stated Democrats grumble way too much. He stated- you're not speaking- he stated you're not speaking sufficient regarding the facilities expense you simply passed. You're speaking about points that have actually fallen short, and also you have actually a ballot arranged today that will certainly additionally stop working on ballot legal rights. Why do you believe that is an efficient method to have high account failings instead of discuss the important things that individuals are stating do matter to them on the economic climate and also rising cost of living?
SEN. KAINE: Well, MARGARET, I do believe we- we are yapping regarding the facilities expense. Definitely, I am, in Virginia and also whether it's high speed roadway, rail, bridges, ports, airport terminals, electrical power grid, it's mosting likely to indicate a great deal of helpful for every postal code in the nation. Relative to ballot legal rights, appearance, whatever the experts state, you recognize, makes political feeling. It is- it is such an existential concern. Those people that endured the assault on the Capitol Jan. 6 and also are seeing wholesale initiatives around the nation to make it harder for individuals to elect and also to threaten the stability of political elections, we need to do this. Most of us need to be tape-recorded currently in time regarding where are we in securing the right to elect. Today, it does not appear like it has the ballots to pass, however we're mosting likely to terminate our Martin Luther King Day recess and also exist today due to the fact that we believe it's so essential for the nation. As well as we will certainly be electing, both on the expenses, however additionally on if we can not obtain Republican assistance for the expenses- we have consistent Autonomous assistance, might we discover a course to make some policies, modifications to pass them.
MARGARET BRENNAN: However you do not have the ballots to put on hold that 60-vote limit. So, what- what type of system are you picturing right here that is in some way going to obtain this via?
SEN. KAINE: Since today, MARGARET, we do not have all 50 Democrats aboard with policies modifications, however there are a number of various courses. Some include policies modifications like a take to the filibuster. However there's various other courses that we might take where we simply- the 60-vote limit is just if you wish to restrict dispute, we might do longer dispute and afterwards in the dispute and also have a straightforward bulk. However we will certainly have a ballot on the expenses, and also we will certainly have a ballot on a regulations course to arrive due to the fact that it's so essential for the nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: The- the head of state, as you recognize, provided this really top-level speech today- this previous week in Georgia. He's called the neighborhood regulation there "Jim Crow 2.0." Because speech that he provided, he- he contrasted his challengers to Bull Connor, Jefferson Davis, which Republican politician leader Mitch McConnell stated belonged to stating, "concur with me or you are a chauvinist." Exactly how does defining challengers like that in fact sway any kind of type of Republican assistance? Isn't the head of state hindering himself?
SEN. KAINE: You recognize, MARGARET, I check out those remarks in different ways. Joe Biden was difficult in his words, however I believe what he stated remains in the 1960s, state the Ballot Legal right Act of 1965, individuals, consisting of individuals of a good reputation, needed to determine were they mosting likely to base on the side of Bull Connor or base on the side of John Lewis. It coincided factor that Martin Luther King made in his popular letter from the Birmingham Prison and also stated, I'm contacting individuals of a good reputation. You might not be chauvinists and also you might not be professional discrimination, however this is a minute in time where you need to determine which side, you're mosting likely to stand with in these initiatives to hinder minority ballots and also install feats and also plans and also individuals's means, all individuals of a good reputation need to determine where they're mosting likely to stand.
MARGARET BRENNAN: So, you differ with Sen. Prick Durbin, that stated the head of state might have gone also much there. I indicate, exists any kind of outreach to Republicans right here that have- some have signified some determination on the Electoral Matter Act or various other steps?
SEN. KAINE: MARGARET, I have actually been participated in outreach to Republican politicians on ballot legal rights given that July and also have actually located absolutely no assistance with the exemption of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, that was a co-sponsor of the John Lewis expense. We can obtain no co-sponsors regardless of repetitive initiatives when we placed the expense up on the flooring to continue to it, they elect versus also discussing the expense, understanding that they might obstruct its flow. They do not also wish to discuss it. So, I give thanks to Sen. Murkowski for being a fan of bring back the preclearance arrangements in the John Lewis expense, however so far she's been the just one that has actually wanted to place her name to sustain for any one of these arrangements.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Yeah, you were with us back in Nov. when a Republican won the governorship in your house state. You condemn that Autonomous loss on legislative Democrats, that you stated, "simply blew the timing of facilities, labor force and also education and learning. Congressional Democrats have bulks in both residences, and also the American public anticipates us to supply." Clock is ticking right here in advance of those midterm races. What do Democrats require to supply on in order to hang on to any kind of type of bulk?
SEN. KAINE: You're right, MARGARET, I believe we might have won that race had we done facilities a month previously. Currently we have actually supplied on the significant American Rescue Strategy. We have actually supplied on a when in a generation facilities financial investment, although a month far too late, I believe we need to go right into that Build Back Better expense and also do the core arrangements that decrease prices for Americans in these crucial locations. If we do that will certainly talk to their rising cost of living problem, we will certainly assist individuals out in every postal code in this nation; I believe we have actually reached do that. As well as it is my hope that we will certainly discover a course, although the Las vega chances might not be fantastic. We require to discover a course to secure freedom from an attack that is being led by Head of state Trump and also his fans around this nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Legislator, thanks for your time today.
SEN. KAINE: Definitely.
MARGARET BRENNAN: FACE THE country will certainly be back in one min with nationwide safety and security consultant Jake Sullivan.