issues that they have -- congress has neglected for decades. host: shelby intown t-fpblt more of your calls and comments in just a moment. other news this morning, the headline here, the front page of the "new york times," visionary, soviet leader who lifted the iron curtain, gorbachev, whose rise to power in the soviet union set in motion a series of revolutionary changes that transformed the map of europe and ended the cold war that threatened the world with nuclear annihilation died in moscow. he was 91. few leaders in 20th century, any century, have had such a profound effect on their time. in little more than six tumultuous years, he lifted the iron curtain decisively a*ltering the political climate of the world. at home he promised aefr delivered greater openness as he set out to restructure his country's society. it was not his intention to liquidate the soviet empire.

within five years he presided over the dissolution of soviet socialist republicans. and ended the debacle in afghanistan. in an extraordinary five months in 1989 stood by as the communist system imploded from the baltics in countries already weakened by widespread corruption. for this he was hounded from off his hardline communist plotters and disappointed liberals alike. the first group fearing would he detroit old system. and the other worried he would not. it was abroad he hailed -- was hailed as heroic. the distinguished american diplomat mr. gorbachev was a miracle, a man who saw the world as it was. unblinkered by soviet ideology. the former soviet leader a guest on this network back in 1996 in a conversation with c-span founder brian lamb. here's what he had to say. caller: now we have an opportunity after the cold war, at the end of the cold war, to

build a very diverse world with all the multiplicity. even though there are still dangers after the end of the cold war, i hope we will avoid the new division of the world. i hope we'll take advantage of the opportunities because this is why we did what we did. in working together. in overcoming surmounting barriers that we had overcome. not only the mountains of weapons, but mountains of lies about each other that we had to setaside. stereotypes. what people met then they saw all of us are the same and we want to live, we want to enjoy life. i'm very glad i recently on this visit i have seen -- i have been to eight states of the united states. and i have some very private meetings and i once talked to

20,000 people. to a group of 20,000 people. there was enormous interest. many questions. people are very open. open-minded. they applaud the fact that they can now breath after this sort of -- this had been averted. people again are also worried because we see someone -- started on this question but of course i went on to contemporary politics. of course my book is more about past. you cannot divide the past and present. host: former soviet leader, the last soviet premiere gorbachev dead at the age of 91 after a long illness. more of that interview is available on our website at c-span.org. back to our conversation with you on the president's proposal on crime and guns.

202-748-8001. is the line for republicans. 202-748-8000 for democrats. and independents and others, 202-748-8002. we welcome the comments of current and former law enforcement officials. that line 202-748-8003. it's called the safer america plan unveiled by the president yesterday. it includes $14 billion for hiring and training an additional 100,000 police officers over the next five years. it includes also $20 billion for crime prevention programs across the country. $1.7 billion for the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosive to hiring more agents and investigators. it would push congress, the senate, to pass universal background checks in -- on all gun sales. the house has passed the measure saying that. and would also advocate for a ban on assault weapons and high capacity magazines.

the house passing a measure on that as well. back to your calls. let's hear from alex in the nation's capital. democrats' line. caller: good morning. something somebody said a few callers back about car deaths being similar to gun deaths. i would love to see the statistics on how many of those car deaths are -- i think he mentioned 3/5 of the deaths were by suicide and 2/5 by homicide. were 2/5 of those car deaths also homicide? i would be interested to see that statistic. the other thing i called in to talk about i really hope that cities use the money in the grant program that's in biden's safer america plan to have anti-racist training for cops. let me tell you what i mean. there have been many studies done that show that cops' impulses when they are

interacting with black folks and brown folks as opposed to encountering white folks, black cops no matter their race or ethnicity, will pull the trigger, react vie rently, quote-unquote, in self-defense exponentially more often than when they are interacting with white folks. that's what we talk about when we talk about implicit bias and how that leads to more black and brown deaths at the hands of the police. i hope that cities and states use the grant money in this proposal should it get passed, fingers crossed, about time we do something about crime, and agree with everybody that's calling in saying there must be an election coming up because biden is finally doing something. host: let me ask you. on that point you said the implicit bias. you cited the study that said that cops would be quicker to pull the trigger for folks of color, black and brown people than white people. does that study say why? what's behind that?

why is that? caller: well, it's difficult to get at that. the psychology behind it is still nacent. we can all deduce that it's because we live in a racist society. we live in a majority white country where black and brown folks historically have been demonized and -- through the media and through our school systems. we have been taught that black and brown folks are violent. are dangerous. are lower education. of lower abilities. all of which are untrue. the messaging and things we have been taught growing up lead us to believe that that's what leads in those quick thinking moments police have to do -- find themselves in. almost daily. it's those what are called in psychology those short cuts that people take in those fight or flight moments to make a quick

decision. that's why what we can assume is why cops are more likely to pull the trigger when they are interacting with people of color. host: i appreciate that more information on what you had to say. maple heights, ohio. tom, on the republican line. good morning. caller: hi. host: hi, tom. caller: since joe biden's taken over, the country's went downhill. crimes -- crime's out of control. everything's out of control. afghanistan. and hunter biden is just smoking crack. host: grand blank, michigan. democrats line. don, good morning. caller: it amazes me to listen to some callers when they call in. they have got to be -- i don't

know what they are on. you need to remind these guys that joe biden's son is not the president. we are a country of laws. if you're not going to follow the laws, you need to be arrested. it's time for merrick garland to arrest trump and crush this party because they are a bunch of traitors to the country. host: as a senator joe biden was involved in the passage of the 1994 assault weapons ban. he called for it again in comments yesterday in wilkes-barre, pennsylvania. president biden: i'm determined to ban assault weapons in this country. determined. i did it once before. and i'll do it again.

for many of you home, i want to be clear, it's not about taking away anybody's guns. in fact, we should be treating responsible gun owners as examples how every gun owner should behave. i have two shotguns at home. long story. i support the second amendment. but the second amendment has one of the most conservative justices in history, justice scalia once wrote, quote, like most rights, the rights grant the by the second amendment are not unlimited. they are not unlimited. right now you can't go out and buy an automatic weapon. you can't go out and buy a cannon. for those brave right-wing americans who say it's all about keeping america's independent and safe, if you want to fight against the country, f-15, you need something a little more than a gun. i'm not joking. think about this.

think about the rationale we use, that's used to provide this. who are they shooting at? shooting at these guys behind me. folks, look. i went to every major school shooting in the country since i was chairman of the judiciary committee all the way through vice president and president. over 48,000 people died from gunshot wounds in 2021. in the united states of america. over 26,000 by suicide. when guns are the number one killer, guns are the number one killer of children in america. of children. number one. more children die from guns than active duty police and active duty military personnel combined. hear that again. more children in america die from guns than active duty

police and active duty military in the united states combined. we have to act. we have to act for those families in buffalo, uvalde, new town, charleston, las vegas, orlando. i have been to every one of those sites. host: on gun violence, perhaps not unrelated story, this from stat news, u.s. life expectancy dropped sharply the second consecutive decline. they write that americans born in 2021 can expect to live just 76.1 years. the lowies life expectancy has been since 1996 according to a new government analysis published wednesday. this is the largest, biggest, two-year decline.7 years in total in almost 100 years. that from statnews.com. comments on twitter on the president's safer america plan. this one says, defund the police garbage that came out in 2020 protest are not refuted by the democratic leadership was one of

the dumbest moments in political history. they are still paying for t talk about what republicans are doing in service to trump, not even close. democrats want to take your guns what they call assault weapons are not even equal to police and military weapons. why do you think there is a second amendment? muskets were the main weapon for civilian and military when it was made. now civilian guns are interior. this one says, biden has been in some capacity of higher office for 50 years but acts as if he's had zero responsibility for the state of our country. if anyone is to be blamed, it's him. he's been there longer than anyone other democrat. in manhattan, sofia is on the independent line in new york city, good morning. caller: good morning. how are you. being a conservative republican most of my life i changed to independent two months ago. what president biden came out of his mouth yesterday was absolutely excellent.

january 6, those terrorists when they hit this young man on his neck, that's still with me. i'm 72 years old. that's one. the second one, george floyd, these are bad cops. left hand in the pocket. that stays with me until now. i can't get it out. ok. so those people that one america news is out. 2340u it's news max. if they can stop watching them they will understand, they will be impeached. thank you for listening. the listeners i enjoy and the guy calling from washington, d.c. he is absolutely right.

we been told which one to be scared. host: to dave, alexandria, louisiana, republican line. caller: no. this is dave from auburn, new york. am i on? host: you are. dave from auburn, new york. caller: yeah. host: got your name right. go ahead. caller: thanks. the president said the threats were young man with his hands on the steering wheel. young black man. it was the police. most of the violence is gang related violence. these young black men are killing other young black men. a city 25 miles away from me and every day there are shootings. it's mostly gang related

violence. if you look in chicago or any other place they have their problems there. it's gang related violence. if you want to address this problem, you are are going to have to get a better system. bob woodson, woodson center, he advocates for intercession in these young men's lives. again, people are discovering and the answer is really, it goes beyond the gun. it goes to a culture. it goes to an education system. i don't have any answer for it. i'm just wanting to point that out that the shootings are more -- are gang related. if you could get that problem under control, which that's a

tall order i'm sure, but that would be a step that i think -- host: the city of atlanta recognized a problem with gangs in that city. this is an nbc report. haven't street gang broke into atlanta homes of celebrities, athletes, and influencers, prosecutors say. monday, prosecutor announced a sprawling indictment targeting members of what she said is a haven't street gang that has been targeting the atlanta area homes of famous athletes, entertainers, and others who flaunt expestive possessions on social media. singer mariah carey, marleau hampton of the real housewives of atlanta, atlanta united player brad guzman, and the falcons' calvin ridley. the 220 count indictment was filed october 22nd and charges 26 people, most accused of violating george's anti- georgia's anti-gang and racketeering laws. ellicott city, maryland.

roland on the democrats land, go ahead. i'm sorry. helps if i push the button. go ahead. caller: thank you for taking my call. i got a few questions for the republicans. i come to find that fate is stronger than love. fate is what makes you why you on may fight on somebody who needs extra help on medicaid. i got mine, don't care about yours kind of attitude. all right. the one thing about republican -- trump, he knew -- he knows how to rally to exaggerate a lot. before him no other president holds rallies every other week just to spew hate. all those folks, retireds, those who got time waiting -- to go see him at the rally.

and listen to the pure hate. have you listened to biden? it's always about the hope. what he intends to do. you listen to republicans, trump at his rallies, it's all this assaulting democrats and everything that he has done. back to this, the folks in west virginia that voted for trump, what trump make in those four years? host: president biden speaking yesterday in wilkes-barre, pennsylvania, the headline here from "the new york times" reporting, it's sickening, biden calls out republicans over attacks on the f.b.i. the president criticizing what he called maga republicans. here's what he had to say. president biden: think about what the world saw. not what we saw, the world saw. did you ever think the united states that would happen?

what i find even more incredible is the sense of it. cops attacked and assaulted. speared with flag poles. sprayed with mace, stomped on. dragged. brute amized. police lost their lives as a result of that day. police lost their lives. one of the officers said, it was worse than anything he experienced in war in iraq. let me say this to my maga republican friends in congress, don't tell me support law enforcement if you won't condemn what happened on the 6th. don't tell me. can't do it. for god's sake, whose side are you on? whose side are you on?

look, you are on the side of the mob or side of the police? you can't be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection. you can't be a party of law and order and call the people who attacked the police on january 6 patriots. you can't do it. what are we teaching our children? it's just that simple. now it's sickening to see the new attacks on the f.b.i. threatening life of law enforcement agents and their families for simply carrying out the law and doing their job. look, i want to say this clear as i can. there's no place in this country, no place for

endangering the lives of law enforcement. no place. none. never. period. i'm opposed to defunding the police. i'm also opposed to defunding the f.b.i. host: president biden yesterday. here's the reporting this morning of the "wall street journal." biden urges police funding, tighter gun laws. they write in there, many democrats have pushed for increasing police accountability since may 2020 when george floyd was killed by a police officer in minneapolis, setting off nationwide protests over the use of force against black americans. during the protest some progressives and activists called for defunding police departments. a stands that -- stance that many democrats blame in their part for the loss of house seats in the 2020 election. a few more calls here on our opening topic. to dee in washington, d.c. the independent line. go ahead. caller: good morning. thank you, c-span.

i'm calling to compliment the caller who inserted implicit bias into the conversation. with respect to police officers who are more apartment to enact violence against innocent suspects and/or to overreact when it comes to violence against black and brown bodies. i would also like to condemn the caller who declared that black people are being shot in areas by gang violence. for example. buffalo as well as charleston massacre by dylan roof were outstanding examples of why the biden-harris administration is leading to continue to press the agenda for not only responsible gun ownership but a ban to access for predominantly white males who have been the

perpetrators in enacting mass shooting and violence against black and brown bodies or white bodies that are not subscribing to christianity. host: these are the numbers on the mass shootings. the gun violence we showed you earlier. the mass shootings as of now in 2022, 450. you see the spike, we talked about this before in the program, between 2019 and 2020, 611 mass shootings in 2020. 692 mass shootings by the gun violence archive is defined as four victims killed or injured in that shooting. not including the shooter. in richmond, indiana, republican line, jerry. good morning. caller: good morning. yes. during 2020 riots, which destroyed more property and killed more people than january 6, you never heard democrats

carrying on about supporting law enforcement then. investigations into the biden family, hunter biden. you never hear support from him or democrats about supporting law enforcement in any of that. as he puts it, look, man, you can't be on the side of law enforcement unless they are investigating me and my family. thank you. host: to wesley in capital heights, maryland. on the democrats line. good morning. caller: thank you for taking my call. i just want to make a statement. two statements. the first one is, i think the former president should be charged with involuntary manslaughter. the reason why i say this is when he told those people go up to the capitol and fight like hell, but be peaceful, you can't do both at the same time. but anyway, if he had stopped

those people when they got up there to the capitol steps and breaks those windows, he should have stopped it then. that woman wouldn't have been tp*eubd killed by >> hosted by the atlantic council, watch live at 2:45 eastern on c-span, c-span now, our free mobile video app or online at c-span.org. >> c-spanshop.org is our online store. browse through our apparel, books, and accessories. there is something for every c-span fan and every purchase supports our nonprofit operations. trump now or anytime at c-span

shop.org. -- shop now or anytime as c-spanshop.org. now on the recommendations for restoring american leadership at home and abroad. her remarks were part of the time for choosing series. [applause] >> god bless you. [applause] >> thank you, everyone. what an honor to be with you this evening. sen. ernst: what an honor it is