The Tea Party View

With government shut down and Americans fed up, politicians on all sides are pointing fingers. In this high stakes climate, and with anxiety rising in global markets, it may seem a fool’s errand to try for a civil conversation that pushes past the talking points. But I thought it important to do just that, and with a conservative whose voice is gaining increasing national attention. So, for this special “This… Is Interesting,” I tapped Steve King, the Iowa congressman whose district includes Ames, Fort Dodge, Mason City, and Sioux City.

King, 64, built a construction business before entering that state’s senate in 1996. He was elected to Congress in 2002. The New York Times featured King on the front page the other day, calling him “one of the most outspoken advocates for blocking Obamacare, even if that means shutting down the government or defaulting on the national debt.”

King is also a man who normally gets heard only in sound bites. In our conversation, I engage with him in-depth on health policy and today's political showdown for a full half hour. As you’ll see, we don’t see eye to eye on many things, but we disagree in civil tones.

In a country as big and diverse as the United States, King represents a point of view that many Americans hold. Given the dysfunction of Washington, where a small groups of lawmakers has the power to force debate tied to must-pass measures like raising the debt limit, it’s also a point of view Americans of all political stripes have to reckon with.

My guess is our conversation will at turns surprise and enrage you – and hold your interest throughout.