Here and Now
Peter Barca on Foreign Policy and the 2024 Election
Clip: Season 2200 Episode 2241 | 6m 51sVideo has Closed Captions
Peter Barca on running for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District seat and foreign policy.
Peter Barca, a former U.S. Representative, discusses running for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District seat when foreign policy related to Ukraine, Israel and more are prominent election year issues.
Here and Now is a local public television program presented by PBS Wisconsin
Here and Now
Peter Barca on Foreign Policy and the 2024 Election
Clip: Season 2200 Episode 2241 | 6m 51sVideo has Closed Captions
Peter Barca, a former U.S. Representative, discusses running for Wisconsin's 1st Congressional District seat when foreign policy related to Ukraine, Israel and more are prominent election year issues.
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>> DEMOCRAT REPRESENT WISCONSIN'S FIRST CONGRESSIONAL AND THAT MAN WAS PETER BARCA, WHO RECENTLY ANNOUNCED HE IS CHALLENGING STEIL AGAIN THIS FALL.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US TODAY, PETER BARCA.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> YOU SPENT THE LAST FEW YEARS SERVING AT SECRETARY DEPARTMENT IN THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO LEAVE THAT JOB AND RUN FOR CONGRESS THIS FALL?
DECISION.
YEARS IN THE EVERS ADMINISTRATION, IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
WE ACCOMPLISHED A GREAT DEAL.
WE WERE ABLE TO CUT TAXES FOR MIDDLE CLASS FAMILIES, WE WERE ABLE TO GIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOLS ON EVERYTHING FROM VAPING LAWS, YOU HAVE TO HAVE REGISTRIES, BECAUSE MY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT WORK FOR ME TOLD ME THAT PEOPLE END UP, ESPECIALLY CHILDREN, END UP IN THE EMERGENCY ROOMS FROM THIS DANGEROUS VAPING.
ONE OF THE LAST BILLS HE SIGNED WAS NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART AND THAT'S USE THE TAX SYSTEM FOR ORGAN DONATIONS, SOMETHING VITALLY IMPORTANT.
AT THE END OF THAT BILL-SIGNING, I HAD FOUR PEOPLE FROM THE U-W ORGAN DONATION CENTER, THEY SAID SECRETARY BARCA, YOU HAVE TO TELL YOUR STAFF, YOU ARE GOING TO SAVE HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS OF LIVES THROUGH THIS ASPECT.
SO IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.
I LOVED DOING IT EVERY SINGLE DAY OF IT WAS A DIFFICULT DECISION TO LEAVE, BUT LIKE MOST PEOPLE IN AMERICA AND I HAVEN'T TALKED TO ANYONE YET THAT DOESN'T FEEL WE HAVE A DO-NOTHING, DYSFUNCTIONAL CONGRESS.
I DON'T LIKE WHAT I'M SEEING.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT ABSOLUTELY HAS TO CHANGE.
WHEN I WORKED IN THE POLITICAL SYSTEM, WHETHER IT WAS IN CONGRESS OR THE STATE LEGISLATURE, I WAS THE KIND OF PERSON THAT BELIEVED YOU ROLL UP YOUR SLEEVES, WORK WITH BOTH PARTIES, AND YOU SOLVE THE MAJOR ISSUES OF THE DAY.
RIGHT NOW THERE'S TOO MUCH POLITICAL INTENSE PARTISANSHIP AND NOT ENOUGH EFFORT TO TRY TO RESOLVE THE ISSUES OF OUR DAY AND TO MAKE PROGRESS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN, WHO I CARE DEEPLY ABOUT.
CONGRESS PASSED RECENTLY, AND THAT WAS THE FOREIGN AID PACKAGE.
ON HOW YOU WOULD HAVE VOTE HAD YOU BEEN IN CONGRESS.
I'M GOING TO RUN THROUGH THE FOUR ELEMENTS OF THE BILL.
KIDS WITHGIVE ME A QUICK YES OR.
WOULD YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THE AID TO TAIWAN?
>> YES.
>> UKRAINE?
>> YES.
>> FORCING TIKTOK TO DIVEST FROM ITS PARENT CHINESE COMPANY?
>> YES.
>> AND YES OR NO ON FUNDING FOR ISRAEL.
>> YES.
>> SO GIVE ME A PERSPECTIVE.
REPRESENTATIVE FROM WISCONSIN VOTED KNOX ON BOTH TIKTOK AND AID FOR ISRAEL.
WHY WOULD YOU HAVE SUPPORTED THOSE TWO ELEMENTS?
>> WELL, I WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY VOTED FOR IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, FOR THE ENTIRE BILL.
WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND WE HAVE TO PROTECT OUR ALLIES, AND IT'S VITALLY IMPORTANT THAT AMERICA CONTINUE TO HAVE A STRONG PRESENCE IN THE WORLD AND SUPPORT OUR ALLIES AND DEFEND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY OVER THE LONG-TERM.
THIS BILL DID ACCOMPLISH THAT, I'M GLAD IT PASSED, AND IT'S A VERY IMPORTANT MEASURE.
>> SO LOOKING AT THE CAMPAIGN AHEAD, THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL IS CONSISTENTLY REPUBLICAN DISTRICT.
BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN PLAY THIS FALL?
TWO YEARS AGO.
IT'S A DISTRICT.
EVEN WHEN I REPRESENTED IT, YOU HAD PARTS OF WAUKESHA COUNTY, WHICH IS DEEP RED, VERY DIFFICULT FOR A DEMOCRAT.
THAT WAS TAKEN OUT.
AND INSTEAD, PARTS OF MILWAUKEE WERE PUT IN.
IT STILL HAS ALL OF KENOSHA COUNTY, VIRTUALLY ALL OF ROCK COUNTY, AND SO IT'S A VERY -- IT'S A TYPICAL PURPLE-TYPE DISTRICT THAT, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE LIKE MYSELF, WHO HAVE MANY PEOPLE ENCOURAGED ME TO RUN.
IT TURNS OUT THAT KENOSHA, RACINE, ARE THE MOST SWING PARTS OF THE DISTRICT, AN AREA I REPRESENTED FOR OVER A DECADE BEFORE JOINING THE EVERS CABINET, AND IF AND I HAVE A STG REPUTATION OF WORKING WITH BOTH PARTIES AND GETTING THINGS DONE.
I FEEL LIKE IT'S TIME FOR CHANGE.
S-ACCOUNTABILITY IS THE CORNERSTONE OF DEMOCRACY.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE VERY BIG PROBLEMS.
BRING FORWARD.
PEOPLE CAN COUNT OFTEN ME TO GO TO BAT FOR PEOPLE.
IN MY HOME DISTRICT IN THE ASSEMBLY, I'VE ALWAYS WON BY OVERWHELMING MARGINS BECAUSE I'VE HAD SUPPORT FROM DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS AND REPUBLICANS, AND I'M VERY PROUD OF THAT.
>> SO WHAT IMPACT DO YOU THINK THE TOP OF THE TICKET, BRAZOS BN VERSUS TRUMP, WILL HAVE, INCLUDING YOUR RACE?
>> IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW, QUITE FRANKLY, AND I REALLY CAN'T WORRY ABOUT THAT.
I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT MY OWN RACE.
DO-NOTHING CONGRESS, AND WE NEED TO CHANGE THAT.
I THINK PEOPLE BELIEVE IN ACCOUNTABILITY.
I'M A PERSON KNOWN FOR GETTING THINGS DONE.
IN THE LEGISLATURE, I WAS THE LEADER FOR SEVEN OF MY -- SEVEN OF THE 10 YEARS THAT I WAS HERE, AND I'M SOMEBODY THAT WAS KNOWN FOR STANDING UP FOR THE PEOPLE IN MY HOME DISTRICT AND WE ACCOMPLISHED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT.
VIOLATES RIGHT NOW.
WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE HURTING, HAVING TROUBLE MAKING ENDS MEET.
YOU'VE GOT PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO GET INTO THE MIDDLE CLASS, BUT EVEN PEOPLE IN THE MIDDLE CLASS ARE HAVING TROUBLE.
THERE ARE THINGS WE CAN DO.
WE CAN HAVE BUY AMERICA, WE'LL TRY CHAMPION IN THE LEGISLATURE, I WAS THE LEAD AUTHOR.
ALSO IN THE CONGRESS, WHEN I WAS IN THE CONGRESS, I GOT A BUY AMERICAN PROVISION, DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION BILL, SO SHIPS ENGINES WOULD HAVE TO BE MADE IN AMERICA AND THAT BROUGHT BACK HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE LAID OFF, AND MANY MORE WERE HIRED.
UNIONS ARE WHAT GAVE US A PATHWAY TO THE MIDDLE CLASS, AND WE HAVE TO GET RID OF THESE DISASTROUS TRADE DEALS THAT ARE HURTING AMERICAN BUSINESSES, HURTING AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS AND HURTING AMERICAN WORKERS.
SO THOSE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT I PLAN TO CHAMPION, BUT AS A FORMER SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, BOTH OF MY PARENTS WERE ENTREPRENEURIZE, WORKFORCE WAS SAME THING DOWN IN THE FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'LL CHAMPION IS IT'S RIDICULOUS TO HAVE REMOTE LEARNING RESTRICTIONS ON PEOPLE ON SOCIAL SECURITY.
AGO, BUT PEOPLE DESPERATELY NEED WORKERS, SO IF PEOPLE WANT TO WORK, THEY'RE NOW RESTRICTED 15, 20 HOURS IN SOME CASES, BUT IF THEY WANT TO WORK 30, FORCED 40A WEEK, GOD BLESS THEM.
I WILL STAND UP FOR OUR FREEDOMS, TAKING AWAY FREEDOMS FOR WOMEN TO MAKE THEIR OWN HEALTHCARE DECISIONS.
PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO VOTE.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> ALL RIGHT.
PETER BARCA, WE'LL FOLLOW THIS THROUGHOUT THE FALL.
THANK YOU.
I APPRECIATE, ZAC, KEEPING YOUR I APPRECIATE, ZAC, KEEPING YOUR
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