The Ed Show for Thursday, July 31st, 2014

THE ED SHOW
July 31, 2014

Guest: Ellijah Cummings, Ana Rivas Logan, Bernie Sanders, Jane Kleeb,
Steve Morse, Larry Cohen

ED SCHULTZ, MSNBC HOST: Good evening Americans and welcome to the Ed Show
Live from Detroit Lakes Minnesota. I`m ready to go. Let`s get to work.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, CURRENT AND 44TH PRESIDENT OF AMERICA: America
cannot wait forever for them to act.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well let`s talk about what the President is doing when
he`s not golfing and that is executive orders.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The President Obama may be secretly planning to take
action.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He said essentially, "I`m going to take matters into my
own hands."

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You cant let your brothers ad sisters in congress leave
for vacation without fixing that problem down there when your all so
outrage, can you?

JOHN BOEHNER, SPEAKER OF THE UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: Oh
no, this is too hard.

REP. STEVE KING, (R) IOWA: This is a man caused disaster.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think it`s a mistake for the President to take on
everything as a one man band.

KING: The man that caused it is Barrack Obama.

BOEHNER: And it will be sacrificing the integrity of our laws on the altar
of political opportunity.

OBAMA: If the congress will not do their job, at least we can do ours.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Rumor has it, once Congress goes away he`s going to do
exactly that.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You guys are going to register these eight year olds
from Guatemala to vote, right?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Is he trying to bait on the Republicans to impeach him?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Good to have you with us tonight folks. Thanks for watching. We
start tonight with breaking news on John Boehner`s "Do Nothing House of
Representatives.

Earlier today, it was supposed to be better than this, House Republicans
pulled their $659 million dollar Border Security Bill from the floor.
Boehner didn`t even bother to bring it up for a vote because he knew it
wouldn`t going to pass.

Now after the bill was pulled some Republicans were simply outrage.
Republicans called an emergency meeting to discuss the disaster and that`s
exactly what it was.

A top Republican aide told NBC News that House Republicans are delaying
their August recess until Friday. You mean their backing it up all of 24
hours? They planned a conference tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. on the
Border Bill. Its cocktail hour, can`t do it right now

The Republican Party is an absolute mess. If there was a day that John
Boehner needed a good cry is was probably today. John Boehner and the
House leaders released a statement after their failed votes saying this,
"This situation shows the intense concern within our conference and among
the American people about the need to ensure the security of our borders
and the President`s refusal to faithfully execute our laws. Through an
inclusive process a border bill was built by listening to members of the
American people that has the support not just of a majority of the majority
in the House, but most of the House Republican Conference. We will
continue to work on solutions to the border crisis and other challenges
facing our country."

I got some swamped land I`d like to sell all of you in Florida tonight.
That statement is an absolute embarrassment to the body. It`s a joke. A
majority of the majority isn`t good enough to pass the laws. Once again
House Republicans are abandoning the American people without doing their
job.

Here`s where it gets really good. The day after suing the president of the
United States over executive actions, House Republicans are now urging the
president to act on his own. The same statement from Boehner read like
this, "There are numerous steps the president can and should be taking
right now, without the need for congressional action, to secure our borders
and ensure these children are returned swiftly and safely to their
countries. I think this is unbelievable. Does Boehner even know the law?
Unbelievable failure for the Republican Party is what it is. They look
like their totally out of control.

A new House Republican Leadership? Well their in a tail spin at this hour,
probably drinking pretty heavy. This was the first vote with McCarthy as
the leader in the House and Scalise as the whip. Now no doubt a horrible
first day on the job. John Boehner can thank his good buddy Senator Ted
Cruz of Texas for this rough day at the office. Cruz was out rallying
House members. Yeah, out rallying House members against the bill. Senator
Cruz was upset the bill didn`t defund President Obama`s deferred action for
child arrivals.

Now the program grants amnesty for children to this country without adult
supervision. This is the law that was passed in 2008. This is how this
country handles unsupervised minors. Now its clear Senator Ted Cruz has
more control over John Boehner House than the Speaker does. Congressman in
the halls right now are calling him Speaker Cruz.

Meanwhile, the democratically controlled Senate, they go no problem. They
got the job done. On Thursday the Senate approved their version of a
Border Bill with a vote 63 to 33. That was the number. The Senate Bill
provides $2.7 billion in funding for the Border Crisis.

Earlier today Boehner said, the Senate Bill would dead on arrival. He made
clear its going to be his way on immigration or nothing at all.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BOEHNER: Instead of addressing the crisis at hand Senate Democrats are
talking up some not so scheme to jam through the Senate Immigration Bill,
even though they know it will never happen. And I`ll say it one more time,
the House will not take up the Senate Immigration Reform Bill, or accept it
back from the senate in any fashion, including in this border bill, nor
well we accept any attempt to add other immigration reform issues or
anything a like it including the Dream Act into the House`s Border Bill.
Any attempt to exploit this crisis and these kids by adding such measures
would turn into a brick wall here in the people`s house.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: So Boehner is smacking up the Republicans in the Senate who voted
for this. Do you really think John Boehner cares about these kids? No he
wants a crisis. And I have said numerous times on this program, the
Republicans are never going to do anything when it comes to immigration
reform in this country. It`s a political boondoggle forum. It`s something
that they don`t want to deal with down the road. So give me a break. That
sound by it right there is why absolutely nothing gets done in Congress.
Boehner can`t get support from his own bill then he kills the Senate bill.
There`s no compromise, his way or the highway, right? He is the puppet of
the Tea Party at this point.

Earlier today Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi slammed Republicans on their
in action.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

NANCY PELOSI, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES MINORITY LEADER: Here we have a
majority in the House, I speak to the House, that is anti-governance, anti-
science, and anti-Barack Obama. You see it in everything they do.
A solution is there, it`s bipartisan, on the Highway Bill. They reject it.
A solution is there on the Voting Rights Act. It is bipartisan. They
reject it. A solution is there on immigration reform. They reject it
because they are anti-governance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Anti-Barrack Obama, I think that`s putting it nicely.
Republicans are out to get the President at whatever cost. Today is
another example. Make no mistake I think impeachment will be on the table
for Republicans if ever they get the power. This is why I think President
Obama needs to tread lightly very carefully with his use of executive
actions on immigration. We`re less than 100 days away from an election.
Do we have to do it now?

I think that they were baiting him with that most recent statement today.
Republicans would have no problem turning his possible work permit program,
if it comes to that, into grounds for impeachment. It would be a trap.
According to some legal experts though, President Obama is well within his
legal rights granting work permits to millions of undocumented immigrants
but the president should be careful as I see it and think about the
consequences before he acts on that one. What we need to do is get
progressives in this country to act. Be at the polls in November and fix
this.

Fix this with a majority of Democrats in the House. The Democrats proved
positive today have never been a problem when it comes to immigration
reform. It has always been the Republicans. And they are scared to death
that they are going to work low wage workers right into unions in this
country and strengthen the very bodies that they are trying to destroy.

Get your cell phones. I want to know what you think. Tonight`s question,
"Does Senator Ted Cruz wear the pants in the Republicans Party?" I`m
voting yes on that one. Text A for yes, text B for no to 67622. You can
always go to our blog at ed.msnbc.com. We`ll bring you the results later
on the show.

Lots to talk about on this issue tonight. Let`s bring Congressman Elijah
Cummings of Maryland. Congressman, great to have you onboard with us
tonight. I appreciate your time.

REP ELIJAH CUMMINGS, (D) MARYLAND: Good to be with you Ed.

SCHULTZ: I want to start with this. Yes, sir. It almost seems as if the
Republicans are taking this personal. That if they were to pass something
on immigration that it would injure their family. It would injure them
personally like they have something very personal at stake here which takes
me to the powers, the money powers that run the Republican Party. Its
almost as if they have given them marching orders do not do anything on
immigration. Your thoughts, what`s happening here? Unpack this for us.

CUMMINGS: I can tell you its clear, first of all that they are in
disarray. And it does seem to me Ed that they are going to somebody else`s
marching orders. And I think it`s a very conservative right of the
Republican Party, no question about it. And, you know, I got to tell you
I`m very disappointed in Speaker Boehner. I think he needs to be leading
and he`s not leading. He`s basically following a Tea Party crowd and a
very conservative crowd.

And I mean think about this suit Ed. You got a situation where they`re
suing the President because he delayed the employer mandate. But they had
been the ones over the last year or two who had been trying to defund the
Affordable Care Act, delay it, destroy it and did everything in their power
and voted 50 times against it. But then when he cuts a little slack for
the employers to mandated, to ensure their employees then they file a suit
against him. And Ed, this is the epitome of dysfunction and distraction.
That`s what this is all about. And these guys ...

SCHULTZ: So now their telling the president -- now they`re telling the
president to go do something on immigration and saying, "Oh by the way you
have the powers to do this." What do you think of that?

CUMMINGS: Ed, I was shocked when I read that. So they tell him you`re not
doing your -- you`re doing your job, so we`re going to file suit against
you. And then when -- then they say, "But oh, we want you to do your job."
It`s totally confusing and the reason I think all of this has come about
Ed, is because it does not simply make sense. And I`m sure the American
people are getting tired of it. I mean as a regular everyday citizen, if I
were watching this I`d be extremely upset. There is no way that we should
be coming to Washington and leaving problems of the American people
unsolved and unresolved and that -- and the reason why ...

SCHULTZ: Why did ...

CUMMINGS: Go ahead.

SCHULTZ: Well what do you think that Boehner is even ...

CUMMINGS: And the reason why we couldn`t get a vote today ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

CUMMINGS: The reason why we couldn`t get ...

SCHULTZ: Go ahead.

CUMMUNGS: ... a vote today is because they were so bet on trying to make
sure that they did harm to the president. That`s what this is all about.
They want to block the president in every single thing he`s tried to do.
And it`s very unfortunate.

SCHULTZ: Well do you think they`ll get the votes or is tomorrow just
another moment of show voting for Republicans? Where is this going to go?

CUMMINGS: I think this is quite likely that there will be another moment of
show voting because again, I don`t see Speaker Boehner leading. Again,
you`ve got the Conservative wing of the party and they are saying, you
know, "We don`t want to pay for any type of reform here." They are saying
that we don`t to -- although they claim they want to address a problem,
they don`t want to spend any money. And they want to send these young
people back to their various countries, probably into -- in many instances
a harmful situation. So ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

CUMMINGS: ... I think we got to -- and there`s nothing -- I can`t see much
changing tomorrow. And again I call for Speaker Boehner to stand up and
lead.

SCHULTZ: Well how much of a problem do you think Ted Cruz caused in the
House today with Republicans, the Senator from Texas? I mean -- go ahead.

CUMMINGS: Oh, I think he caused a lot of problems because keep in mind it
was Cruz who met the folks, the Republicans when we set down the
government. And if you`ll recall Ed, after the government was set down,
Boehner came back a month or two later and basically said it was ridiculous
that they set the government down.

You know maybe they ought to stop listening to Cruz because Cruz doesn`t
seem to get it. The American people want us to solve problems. They want
us t resolve issues. They do not want us walking away, going on vacation
without these issues being resolved, period. And mostly (inaudible)
because they`re reasonable.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Elijah Cummings, it`s good to have you with us
tonight. I appreciate your time. Thanks so much.

Let me bring in former Florida States Representative Ana Rivas Logan. Ana,
how bad is this failure for the Republicans today? I mean what does this
do all the way down to the local that they just now -- their getting image
tarnish beyond that they just are dysfunctional and cant get anything done?

ANA RIVAS LOGAN, FMR. FLORIDA STATE REP: Well I think you said it right.
They are totally dysfunctional. They are hijacked by the far right. They
can`t make any decisions. For Speaker Boehner, I mean everything he does
it just seems that he can`t get anything done. He is also cow tallying
(ph) to the far right, which is not helping him at all. And frankly
Senator Cruz needs to remember what chamber he belongs to. And if he wants
to be Speaker of the House, he needs to run for Congress and then run for
Speaker. He has hijacked the far, you know, the Republican Party. The
Republican Party is totally, totally dysfunctional, if it was dysfunctional
before its even worse now.

They can`t seem to get anything done. And once again it`s because they
have been hijacked by the far right, the Tea Party who is only interest is
self-serving. And these elected officials need to remember that they have
been elected to make the tough decisions, to make the tough choices. And
they need to be -- they need to stand up. The Republican Party has no room
right now for moderates, for the centrist Republicans. They`re afraid to
lose their primaries. So since they`re afraid to lose the primaries ...

SCHULTZ: Yes.

LOGAN: ... they`re moving to the right.

SCHULTZ: Do you think the President should do something when it comes to
executive orders on immigration at any level? Should the President take
action and be aggressive on this? And how would that play into the
midterms?

LOGAN: Well it seems to me that that`s the only thing that can be done in
Washington right now, is for the President to do the executive orders
because Congress is broken. They can`t get anything done. They are trying
to do a quick fix here, a little band aide on a huge problem when the
reality is that what they should do is a comprehensive Immigration Reform.
That`s what needs to be done.

So the President is taking the bull by the horn and he`s making decisions
but then congress doesn`t want him to make decisions. But then they want
him to make decisions. The GOP just can`t seem to get it right. They
can`t seem to get it straight.

SCHULTZ: So Ana, in Florida your take on this. Who`s the political loser
here at this hour for Florida voters, a pulse of the state as you see it?

LOGAN: The immigrants. Those young children that are arriving, lost, you
know, those are the losers. The losers are the immigrants. And if we go
back, I mean we`re all right immigrants. We all arrive in this country as
immigrants. And it`s these children who have lost here.

SCHULTZ: Well politically is this damaging the Democrats in Florida, a
state that has to deal with immigration?

LOGAN: It is extremely damaging to the Republican Party. They can`t seem
to do anything with immigration. They can`t seem to make any decisions.
They can`t seem to have any good outcomes here because they are totally
dysfunctional. So, you know, it is an extremely damaging what is occurring
to the Republican Party. It`s going to hurt them in the elections. It`s
going to hurt them in the general. Its going to hurt them in the primaries
because, you know, what`s going to come out to vote in the primary is once
again, is the far right, ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

LOGAN: ... the extremist.

SCHULTZ: Ana Rivas Logan, great to have you with us tonight. I appreciate
your time. We do focus a lot on Florida on this program. You know I just
believe that the Republicans do not now or in the future, in the near
future want to do anything on immigration reform. Its the blame stick, is
what it is. They can just always put that peg right on the ground and
point to a problem that has all been caused by the Democrats. They`re
pretty good at doing that.

And its pretty clear what Boehner did today was, you know, he, you know,
ripped on the Senate Democrats and the senate totally for passing their
immigration bill, to save his own face, with his own people as if they have
the problem. No, it`s Boehner. And it`s a House that I predict will do
nothing tomorrow morning at 9:00.

Remember to answer tonight`s question there at the bottom of the screen.
Share your thoughts with us on Twitter at Ed Show and on Facebook. I
appreciate you`re liking us there and at wegoted.

Coming up, D‚j… vu another pipeline threatens the Midwest, wildlife and
water supply. Jane Kleeb joins me to discuss these Sandpiper pipeline.

But first, yesterday five conservatives voted against the VA bill which
would allow veterans better access to healthcare. I`m not surprised.
Senator Bernie Sanders is the hero at this hour on this bill. Stay with
us, we`re right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: What`s hot, what`s not? Time now for the Trenders here at the ED
Show. Keep in touched wit us. Join the Ed team. Follow us on
twitter@edshow, like us on Facebook and of course in at wegoted. And
that`s where you get my podcast. Just like the radio show. It is
wegoted.com. You can find it at rawstory.com our friends there and
ringoffireradio.com and on iTunes. It`s free access in 24/7. That`s great
efficient videos up there right now.

The Ed Show Social Media Nation has decided and we are reporting. Here are
today`s top Trenders voted on by you.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number three trender, Leaving Lady.

PELOSI: Why would you sue somebody unless you want to prove something?

BOEHNER: We have no plans to impeach the president.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: What you thinking is ...

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Nancy Pelosi challenges John Boehner on impeachment.

PELOSI: Republicans are putting the special interest in the House of
impeachment hungry extremist before the need of the nation.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I don`t know why we`re yelling about.

PELOSI: If you don`t want to hear peoples that use the word impeachment as
your people have done then tell them, "Impeachment is off the table." That
should the speaker should do.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The number two Trender, On the Spot.

RUTH BADER GINSBURG, ASSOCIATE JUSTICE OF THE SUPREME COURT: Contraceptive
protection is something that everywoman must have access to, to control of
her own destiny.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Do you believe that the five male justices truly
understood the ramification of their decision?

GINSBURG: I would have to say no.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Justice Ginsburg says her male colleagues have a blind
spot to women.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: But you do in fact feel these male can use five
justices have identical blind spot?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I`m sorry. I did not see you there.

GINSBURG: In Hobby Lobby? Yes. The same kind of blind spot the majority
had in the lead (inaudible).

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: You just don`t get it. Do you?

GINSBURG: I`m ever hopeful that if the court has a blind spot today, its
eyes will be open tomorrow.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And today`s top Trender, Serving our soldiers.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: There`s a last minute push today to reform the VA.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Huge scandal f the VA a major backlog a veterans
waiting for care.

SEN. BERNIE SANDERS, (D) VERMONT: This will make certain that we address
the immediate crisis.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Congress votes on the VA fix before their August
recess.

SANDERS: Funding for veteran`s needs must be considered a cost of war.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: A $17 billion package hiring more doctors and nurses.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The VA is not sacred, the veteran is.

SANDERS: This issue should and must go beyond politics.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: Joining us tonight, the man who quarterback this whole thing and
I want to say that had it not been for Bernie Sanders we would not be at
this point and have a chance to address this crisis in this country.
Chairman of the Senate, Veteran`s Affairs Committee. Senator, good to have
with us tonight, at this hour, where are we on this bill? Is this really
going to happen?

SANDERS: Yeah. The House passed that yesterday by a very strong vote and
I expect that we`ll have a vote within a few hours right here and we will
pass it.

SCHULTZ: OK. Senator, does it take a crisis like this for a congress to
do anything? And I don`t mean to sound terribly politically jaded here but
it seems to me that the Republicans didn`t want to go home waving the flag
saying they support the troops when they left the veterans behind. How
much will that play in any of this?

SANDERS: Well, I think that`s exactly right. Look, everybody understands
that when you send people off to war and they come back with all kind of
injuries, with post traumatic, stress disorder, with traumatic brain
injury, without legs, without arms, you have a moral responsibility to make
sure they get the benefits and the care that they are entitle to. And
right now, there`s no secret. There are very long waiting lines in VA
facilities allover this country. It`s an issue that we have to address,
this bill does that.

SCHULTZ: How far does it go to solve the problems that were in front and
center weeks ago, in dealing with the backlog? I mean will this really
alleviate the problem?

SANDERS: All right, it`s going to go along way but not as far as I would
like. It will be good for year, a year and a half. I think we`re going to
have to come back and discuss this issue again. What it does do Ed, is
first provide $10 billion in emergency funding to make sure that every
veteran in this county who`s in the VA will be able to get to see a doctor
inside or outside of the VA community health center or what. So we`re
going to deal with the waiting list, that way.

Second of all, we`re putting $5 billion to make sure that the VA has the
doctors and nurses, medical personnel and space that they need so that in
the future, when veterans come in to the VA, they got to get quality care
and they`re going to get it in a timely manner. Thirdly, if you live a
long distance away from the VA, more than 40 miles, you will be able to go
to a private doctor within your community.

So this is a very, very good start. I have a feeling that we`re going to
need to do more work. But for the next year, a year and half I think the
VA is going to be in pretty good shape.

SCHULTZ: So senator, how soon after this is signed by the president? Do
you expect this bill to have an impact? When will veterans know that it`s
a different ball game?

SANDERS: Well, as soon as the rules can be implemented but I think we`ll
be moving pretty quickly. Right now, already the VA has aggressively
reached out for those veterans on waiting list, getting them in to a
private facilities. They`ll be able to do that now much better in the
coming months.

SCHULTZ: Senator, does this, you know, show that congress can do
something? I mean there`s not a whole lot going to -- happening. I mean
if it had not been for you, this would not have unfolded in a positive
manner.

SANDERS: Ed, if you have people who are serious about addressing real
problems, of course things can happen. In this case, John McCain, the
Republican came forward, said he wanted to work with me and we`re able to
get it through the senate. Jeff Miller, the chairman of the House Veterans
Committee, so serious guy, he wanted to make something happen. We`re able
to bring the house and the senate together.

Bottom line is that this country today faces enormous problems. If there
is a wheel on the house plot, on the Republican hot side which we have not
yet seen in most respects, of course we can make things happen. And it`s
an absolute disgrace. And given the problems facing this country, congress
has done so little.

SCHULTZ: How hard was it for the Republicans to fork out $17 billion?

SANDERS: Well, it`s going to be $12 billion because some of that is offset
within the VA. This is not ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

SANDERS: ... easy for them. But I think the case that we made, over and
over again until the American people understand Ed, is taking care of
veterans is as much a cost of war, as the cost of wars and tanks and guns.
The American people understand that. That`s what they wanted and that`s
eventually where the Republicans came to us with.

SCHULTZ: Senator Bernie Sanders, congratulations. Great work. Thank you
for what you`re doing for America.

SANDERS: Thank you Ed.

SCHULTZ: I think that you`re giving the tax payers, your money is worth.
There`s no doubt about that. Thank you senator. I appreciate it.

Coming up, a new pipeline threat. The Rapid Response Panel weighs in on
these crude intentions.

Plus, the weirdest immigration conspiracy theory today. Michelle Bachmann
lays out her thoughts in tonight`s Pretenders.

Next, your questions coming up, Ask Ed Live, right here on the Ed Show on
MSNBC afterwards.

(COMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. Appreciate all the questions. We
have a few every night here on the Ed Show. Tonight on our Ask Ed Live
segment, our first question comes from Dallas. He wants to know, "If
President Obama campaigned around the nation during the August recess to
rally Democrats, do you think it would have a big impact come November?

Absolutely, yes I do. The President is a great motivator of young people
and that is the key demographic. And the young folks, I believe this
country understand what President Obama has been up against the 20
something and 30 somethings. They understand the obstruction. They just
need to be motivated to get out there. And I do believe that the President
could have a huge impact on this midterm election. Don`t underestimate his
ability.

Put it this way, I don`t think there`s a whole lot of Republicans that
would like to see the President go into their district because he will get
the base out and it`s going to be a base selection. Our next question is
from Sheila, "How can Congress justify going on vacation when they`ve done
nothing all year?"

Well they`ve done a little bit. But, you know, Sheila, there`s three things
you just can`t get around. That`s debt, taxes and elected officials
vacation time.

Stick around rapid response panel is next. We`ll be right back.

HAMPTON PEARSON, CNBC CORRESPONDENT: I`m Hampton Pearson with your CNBC
Market Wrap. A steep sell off on Wall Street as investors worry about
earnings and another default in Argentina. The Dow slides 317 points. The
S&P drops 39. The Nasdaq falling 93points.

As for the economy jobless claims rose by 23,000 to 302,000. They`re
reading was slightly above estimates. The report comes one day before the
governments closely wipe (ph) employment data. And shares of LinkedIn are
up, sharply after hours following its latest earnings report.

That`s it from CNBC, first in business worldwide.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. A newly proposed oil pipeline could
spill trouble for families and wild life across the Midwest.

A Canadian Energy Company, Enbridge, has fast track the new Sandpiper
pipeline. The massive 616 mile project would be the most expensive private
construction deal in Minnesota`s history.

Double the cost of the Minnesota Vikings Stadium in Minneapolis, Sandpiper
would pump crude oil from North Dakota straight to critical Minnesota
Wetlands and Wild Rice Fields.

The Native American lead group Honor the Earth says the proposal threatens
a region relying on its ecosystem as well as a native treaty.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

FRANK BIBEAU, HONOR THE EARTH ATTORNEY: You`re talking about taking an
environment that we live in and putting a ticking time bomb in and see in
how long we can continue to exist or flourish.

All three of the greatest fresh water resources of the North American
continent are at risk with one pipeline.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The group also says that even though the proposed
route doesn`t pass through Indian reservations, it still violates their
treaty rights, which gave them jurisdiction over all lands above the
boundary established in 1825.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: The proposed pipeline crosses the Red River of the North which
flows at the border of North Dakota and Minnesota.

The sense of water way has had 300 hundred year floods in the last decade
alone causing billions of dollars in damage. Minnesota is also home to the
vulnerable headwaters of the Mississippi.

The oil line puts the great river in severe damage. Enbridge wants to push
225,000 barrels a day straight across the beginning of the Mississippi over
to superior Wisconsin.

Residents and legislators are not sitting on the sidelines while the oil
line threatens their way of life. They`re concerned.

Congressman Rick Nolan of Minnesota has condemned the propose route and
community groups are organizing to take a stand.

Joining me tonight on the Rapid Response Panel, Jane Kleeb, Executive
Director of Bold Nebraska, also with us tonight Steve Morse, Executive
Director of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership. Great to have both of
you with us tonight.

Now, what I`m hearing here in this part of the country is that the ag
community is very concern, farmers very concern about getting their product
to market because the trains are carrying a lot of coal, they`re carrying a
lot of oil and a pipeline is needed. This is the case that`s being
presented by those who are in favor on this.

Jane, what concerns do you have and what are you hearing from people in the
Midwest especially in Minnesota?

JANE KLEEB, EXEC. DIR. BOLD NEBRASKA: Yeah, I mean, it is false choice.
And so it is true that some farmers are having difficulty getting their
grain to market. But the solution is not another pipeline that is going to
be in the ground from anywhere from 50 to 100 years, especially one that is
going to threaten the land and water.

And, you know, the Great Lakes, you know, the stakes that around the Great
Lakes are really facing a lot of threats not only from tar sands pipeline
but now from the (inaudible). And so you really have to ask when it`s
enough, right? When will the oil companies have enough pipelines? Never.
They`ll keep on threatening our communities.

SCHULTZ: Steve, is there a path that environmentalists would say, "OK
too", that there`s just a different way it has to go or is it just the
Sandpiper pipeline in words, proposed right now? What about that?

STEVE MORSE, EXEC. DIR. MINNESOTA ENVIRONMENTAL PARTNERSHIP: The pipeline
really raises a lot of issues as Jane touched on. I mean, it is here
because of these extreme extraction measures, both in Canada and North
Dakota where we`re increasingly piping more petroleum products across our
state.

We already have a number of pipelines that transect Minnesota and billing
another one is kind of like getting a bigger built in order to address
obesity. It`s really the wrong solution.

That being said, this route is particularly bad. There are 28 sites where
it crosses rivers, lakes, and wet lands where we don`t even have road
access.

The state agency says, you know, if there`s a spill it will have massive
consequences in these areas. And what we know on projects like this is
there will be spills. There already are spills.

And so yes, we know the site has a lot of problems. There might be sites
that are better. As a matter of fact, even the state regulatory agency,
the Pollution Control Agency that that`s our water quality has really
recommended a goal significantly further and getting move right out of the
lakes area.

And so, there`s a lot of controversy here and the -- our Public Utilities
Commission really needs to straighten this out as does Enbridge.

SCHULTZ: Jane, it sounds like I`ve heard the story before ...

KLEEB: And you know Ed, there`s actually ...

SCHULTZ: Go ahead.

KLEEB: There`s a public hearing coming up actually on August 7th where I
was just with citizens in Minnesota and they do have some different routes
but they`re going to bring, they`re calling it the Citizen`s Route. And
they want that to be looked at.

Their concerns though that Enbridge has their fingers so deep into
government and with all their lobbyist that that citizen`s route won`t be
considered. And so I hope that that PUC is going to do a fair process.

SCHULTZ: Well, the Democrats have the majority in the House and Senate and
a democratic governor in Minnesota but it sounds like we`ve heard the story
before. Enbridge says 96 percent of land owners have welcome surveyors for
the pipeline.

Have they been cash whipped along the way? Is this the same story as we`ve
heard with the Keystone XL?

KLEEB: It`s exactly the same stories. And so when I was visiting with
land owners and groups that are representing land owners, they have the
same exact stories that I`ve heard from farmers and ranchers in Nebraska on
Keystone XL with TransCanada`s pipeline.

That pipeline companies essentially want to get on the farmers land for
that first survey, from their perspective in order to develop a
relationships so they can get what they really want which is a signature on
a contract for a lifetime easement.

And the really concerning part is that land owners that have already signed
easement with Enbridge, if Enbridge decides to sale that pipeline to
another company tomorrow, China, Russia, whoever, they have that right and
landowners have no recourse.

SCHULTZ: Steve Morse, what about the political ...

MORSE: It`s important to recognize ...

SCHULTZ: Go ahead.

MORSE: Well, I`m just going to say that the route is -- has not been
approved by the regulatory agencies yet, you know, the company is out there
buying this -- is negotiating these things but the route has not been
approve by any government agency.

SCHULTZ: OK. Well, that`s what I was going to bring up with you is that,
is there a different political dynamic in Minnesota? Is this as much slam
dunk as many people think that the Keystone XL is?

MORSE: No. I definitely do not think it`s a slam dunk. And part of the
reason is that, yes, in Minnesota removing aggressively on a path away from
these energy sources of yesterday and that`s really what this is. This is
more of the same old type of energy sources removing aggressively to wind,
solar, other renewable and also working on efficiency and reducing our
consumption of gasoline.

And so I do think there are some opportunities and I do think there are
some possibilities. And one of the most important things is that unlike
past pipeline issues, we have had tremendous citizen engaging.

Jane was talking about meeting with some of the groups here in Minnesota
recently, it`s true. We`ve got this grounds as well as support.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

MORSE: We`ve gotten over thousands comments into the early period. So,
we`re seeing more engagement which is going to lead to more transparency,
which I hope will lead to better decision making.

So, I remain very hopeful because we have a good people in government that
we can influence.

SCHULTZ: OK. And Jane finally, the Native Americans, the Indians are they
making the case? Do they have legal right to this land that they could
stop this Sandpiper pipeline?

KLEEB: They do. They not only have kind of water rights but they also
have hunting rights. And this pipeline threatens both of those. And so
they have strong legal grounds and I think that you will see them in strong
numbers on August 7th for the hearing and this will continue the cowboy and
Indian alliance, we`re not going away.

In big oil, a Republican can continue to do the reports but citizens are
standing up and we will continue to stand up.

SCHULTZ: All right, Jane Kleeb, Steve Morse, great to have both of you
with us tonight. We`ll follow the story.

Michele Bachmann plays experimental psychologist. Here outlandish take on
the motivations behind the border crisis is next in Pretender. Stay with
us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: And the Pretenders tonight, medical examiner, Michele Bachmann.
The Minnesota Congresswoman has a new theory about the unaccompanied minors
fleeing violence in Central America that come to the Southern United States
border.

On a right-wing radio show, she explained why she thinks the kids are
future victims of a liberal plot to use them for medical experiments.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MICHELE BACHMANN, (R) MINNESOTA: We have 400,000 foster children in
this country. And now President Obama is trying to bring all of those
foreign nationals, the illegal aliens to the country and he has said that
he will put them in the foster care system. But if you have a hospital and
they are going to get millions of dollars in government grants so that they
can conduct medical research on somebody and a ward of the state can`t say
no. A little kid can`t say no, if they`re a ward of the state.

So here you could have this institution getting millions of dollars from
our government to do medical experimentation and a kid can`t even say no.
It`s sick.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: It`s a slight changing tact for Bachmann. Earlier this month the
Congresswoman described the increase in unaccompanied minors as an
invasion.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

BACHMANN: Since April, we`ve had an invasion of 300 to 500,000 as the
estimate foreign nationals penetrating and coming across America`s Southern
border.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

SCHULTZ: If Michele Bachmann thinks her views of the kids on the border
are healthy, she can keep on pretending.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

SCHULTZ: Welcome back to the Ed Show. This is the story for the folks who
take a shower after work.

Supporters of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, now they want you to believe
that this deal is going to just really create American jobs and boost our
economy. They`re wrong. And we`ve heard it all before. When the U.S.-
Korea Free Trade Agreement took effect in 2012, President Obama was wrong
on this. He said the deal would increase U.S. exports by $10 to $11
billion and support 70,000 American jobs. Instead the U.S. trade deficit
with Korea has increased by $8.7 billion costing nearly 60,000 U.S. jobs
mostly in manufacturing.

In a recent survey, 82 percent of Americans said that they believe
protecting American manufacturing jobs is more important than gaining
access to products from foreign markets.

Now, those Americans did pay attention to the TPP because under this
agreement the United States government would be required to grant all firms
operating in this agreement of the TPP country the same access to U.S.
government procurement contracts over a set dollar value.

Now, what this means folks is that the United States would have to wave by
American procurement policies, which is why 122 House members are now
speaking up.

In a letter sent to President Obama, law makers called the current
provisions unacceptable. They write, "This proposed TPP terms could result
in large sums of U.S. tax dollars being off shored and invested to
strengthen many other countries manufacturing sectors rather than our own.
We urge you to reconsider."

Reconsider`s a big word at this hour. No doubt about it.

Joining me now Larry Cohen, President of the Communication Workers of
America.

Mr. Cohen, good to have you with us on this issue tonight. We`re getting
closer to this although the deadlines have been backed up. But the more we
look at this, it`s just a big loser for workers.

If the TPP went ahead with these provisions, what would it really mean to
our economy?

LARRY COHEN, CWA PRESIDENT: So first of all it means that nation of origin
as you just said is out for all the signers, all 11 other or more nations
depending on the signing date. So what does that mean? That means that
U.S. procurement which is more than twice government spending which is more
than twice all the TPP nations combined has to flow in the other direction.

Again, we`ll get told that, "Well, we can enter into, you know,
manufacturing or services contracts in those nations." But if our total is
twice when all of them are put together, we have to lose again. And just
thinking the irony of this, U.S. stimulus in a downturn. Today markets
were down based on soft economy.

If we could pass stimulus, it would actually negate the value of the
stimulus because it would mean that you couldn`t do nation of origin,
meaning favor by America, even in our own stimulus policies. And
therefore, we have no ability to stimulate the economy in an economic
downturn like we had in 2008.

This is insane. And this 122 are saying to the White House, we will
support it and we`re going to continue to organize among the majority of
the Democratic caucus and some Republicans to make sure that TPP will be
dead on arrival if it continues to have these kinds of provisions in it
that might be good for foreign policy but they are no good for workers.

SCHULTZ: And you were recently in Germany. I want you to tell us about
that. They are not going to sign on to this because of this International
Tribunal which they want no part of, yet the U.S. negotiator, Mr. Froman on
this, thinks that this is going to be easy to get through. What`s the
dynamic here?

COHEN: Right. Well, that`s a related issue. So that means that`s
investor state dispute settlement which means corporate state,
multinationals can go over the top of national law and sue in private
secret tribunals and there are 500 of these cases right now from other
trade agreements if their future profits are hurt.

So let`s relate it to this topic. So if we have procurement legislation
that gives advantages in a stimulus situation to U.S. companies, foreign
multinationals could sue the U.S. or any state or local government saying
those procurement policies favoring our nation cost them their future
profits and therefore they can sue proliferation (ph) for any lost profits.
But it`s not just about nation of origin requirements. It could be we
raise the minimum wage and they have to pay more, ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

COHEN: ... that`s the case that`s going on right now or public safety,
environment, anything else.

So Germany had said no. German Bundestag, the parliament saying no. They
won`t take any agreement from Canada or the U.S. that has those provisions
in it.

SCHULTZ: And how much weight do you think they carry in this discussion?

COHEN: Well, they carry a lot when it comes to the Canadian European
agreement. They can shoot it down, because it had that in it.

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

COHEN: They carry a lot when it comes to the U.S. (inaudible) it`s called,
the Trans-Atlantic Trade Agreement. They can shoot it down. Germany is by
far the largest economy in Europe.

SCHULTS: OK. We will follow the story. It`s getting to the 11th hour on
it. No doubt.

Larry Cohen, good to have you with us tonight. I appreciate your time.

That`s the ED Show. I`m Ed Schultz.

Politics Nation, with Reverend Al Sharpton, starts right now. Good
evening, Rev.

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

Copyright 2014 Roll Call, Inc. All materials herein are protected by
United States copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed,
transmitted, displayed, published or broadcast without the prior written
permission of Roll Call. You may not alter or remove any trademark,
copyright or other notice from copies of the content.>