Latest Answers

Latest Answers http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/latest/%2A/%2A/%2A/%2A a view of answers sorted by date en Well that’s something that’s going to be, I’m saying as it relates to price controls, but we’re going to be dealing with energy in the upcoming session. We’ve been going step by step on bills with energy. We did a lot of renewable energy in the last session, the 110th Congress. We worked a lot on raising CAFÉ standards. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/well-%E2%80%99s-something-%E2%80%99s-going-be%2C-i%E2%80%99m-saying-it-relates-price-controls%2C-we%E2%80%99re-going-be-dealing- Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:17:29 -0600 Whitney J 1766 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com We’ve got to address the problem with debt in this country. The government has to stop running itself on a credit card and Americans need to get out of debt. And the exorbitant interest rates that are charged on these credit cards, I’d love to address because there comes a point where you got to say, at what point does it become loan sharking and the other part a fair and equitable reasonable amount of money to expect a return on the borrowed money, so anything we can do to help people get out of debt in this country should be a priority. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/we%E2%80%99ve-got-address-problem-debt-country.-government-has-stop-running-itself-credit-card-and-a Fri, 21 Nov 2008 15:12:41 -0600 Whitney J 1764 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com There’s actually been a misconception throughout the country that members of Congress do not get social security.  The fact of the matter is members of Congress do get Social Security and we’ve had a debate in this country as people know over the future direction of that program.  My view is that it has been one of the most successful programs coming out of the post depression era, trying to make sure that the senior citizens in this country have dignity in retirement, have a source of income during their retirement, at least something they can depend on and that’s why it’s so important to maintain that a guaranteed Social Security and why many of us were extremely nervous President Bush’s proposal to privatize at least a component of Social Security.  And I think as you look at what’s happening in the financial markets today and stock prices, if you had a significant of your retirement, including your Social Security invested in the stock market and you were coming to your retirement period right now, you would really find yourself in a bind because the value of your retirement would have plummeted in recent weeks and that is why its so important that we maintain the security in Social Security. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3Bthere%2526amp%3Brsquo%3Bs-actually-been-misconception-throughout-country-members-congress-d Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:07:48 -0500 Whitney J 1702 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com   Well people are being squeezed economically all over this country.  You see rising gas prices.  Rising food costs, the cost of going to college are higher and higher, which is why it is essential that we provide a student loan program and extend Pell Grant program, but some of these basic costs we need to work hard to try to drive them down over time, which is one of the reasons its so important in the area of energy for example.  To reduce our dependence on oil and diversify our energy sources by going to renewable energy and energy efficiency so that we’re not entirely dependent on one source of energy. And over time, if you can get more sources of energy into the market place and create that competition you can drive down the costs.  That’s not necessarily an immediate solution, but it’s something we should have done many years ago.  Many of us are pressing to take that direction for a long time and finally we’ve had a wakeup call to get moving in the area of healthcare.  My view is we need to significantly reshape our healthcare approach.  We have a big fight in the Congress over the children’s health program to expand access to healthcare for millions more American children.  It passed the Congress, unfortunately, President Bush vetoed that. I hope that will be one of the early orders of business in January 2009 with the new Congress, but the caller is absolutely right, that we need to find ways to reduce the costs of essential goods and services to the American people. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526amp%3Bnbsp%3B%2526lt%3B/p%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bb-style%3D%2526quot%3B%2526quot%3B%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bspan-style%3D%2526quot%3B%2526quot Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:02:18 -0500 Whitney J 1699 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com Well first of all we don’t have a health care system in this country. Hopefully that’s one of the things that will happen with the new president. When you talk to small businesses, large businesses, people that have their own business, they all agree, most of the people I talk to agree, that we really do need a healthcare system in this country. Hopefully that will be started on this next year, and we can get it accomplished, but its gonna take a little while to make it happen. Reporter: What about the whole question of cost, which your Republican colleagues will definitely bring up? Rep. Hooley: They’ll bring it up, but so will the Democrats. You have to understand it was Republicans that put us into this hideous deficit that we have right now. I think as we bring our troops home from the war, that’s where we’ll get some of the money. And we’re gonnna have to look very carefully at what we do and where we’re putting our money. And if you don’t do this you’re gonna have a Medicare system that’s gonna go broke as well. So you have to put the Medicare system with the rest of the health care system together. Again it may be a slow start but we’ve gotta move forward on this. I think its critical to our country. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/well-first-all-we-don%E2%80%99t-have-health-care-system-country.-hopefully-%E2%80%99s-one-things-will-happen Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:24:06 -0500 Bryan H 1676 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com Well I would think that as long as you are on a public sidewalk that you can do that, just as if someone was striking and they march around with a sign and keep moving. There are certain rules that you can’t just sit in front and block the doorway. But if you are moving and not obstructing anything in that regards. And you have a sign in front of you, as long as you are moving that is freedom of speech and I would think he has a right to do that.” Reporter: You think there might be a better way to get his money back? Meeks: Yeah, if the employer owes him money take him to court. It seems that $610, I’d take him to small claims court and have it adjudicated, and if the judge sees it his way, get his money back. Reporter: And it’s New York, so why not judge Judy? Meeks: Well he can do that to (laughter) http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/well-i-would-think-long-you-are-public-sidewalk-you-can-do-%2C-just-if-someone-was-striking-an Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:25:17 -0500 Matt Laslo 1665 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com I guess I need to really look at that. That’s an interesting idea. I’m not gonna respond to that until I see whether there is any efficacy to what the person is saying, but that’s an interesting idea. I am convinced that one of the things that is necessary with social security is to make sure we stop raiding the fund first of all. And secondarily we need to allow people some flexibility, because there are only three ways to affect the ultimate pay out. That is either pay more in, or take less out, or do something different with the investment mechanism of what’s put in. And for me that is where we have overlooked the big issue is that third one. You know, social security, as an investment, is paying like less than 1% return; its just not a good return. And we need to try to latch on to the economic strength of the country to help fund retirement. Reporter: You know politics, you know Washington, do you feel like there is enough political will to tackle this issue? Franks: Without sounding arrogant, I will try to vote for what I think is the right thing, including something like this, if I thought it was the right thing, if we can get a fair vote, which is always the challenge.” http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/i-guess-i-need-really-look-.-%E2%80%99s-interesting-idea.-i%E2%80%99m-not-gonna-respond-until-i-see-whether- Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:19:52 -0500 Matt Laslo 1663 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com Well as someone who had a family situation where my dad did not have health insurance, I had to drop out of college and go to work; I have a strong personal opinion that we should mandate some sort of health coverage, but I’d like it private with choice. I think right now we really have some of that, but I think some folks without health insurance end up using the system, maybe not paying for the system. But everybody should have access to health care in this country.  Reporter: Do you think the government has dropped the ball on it? Mica: I do. The more serious problems are the cost of healthcare that has driven prices up for everybody, the lawsuits are totally out of control. The paperwork, the monster we have created in regulatory fashion around healthcare has driven costs up, and if we compare the costs in the US to costs in over countries: we could do a better job. Reporter: And do you think there is a quick fix to it, what’s the answer to get rid of all that paperwork and to bring the cost down? Mica: Again, bring the cost down for drugs, defensive medicine, for healthcare in general, I think you’ve really gotta have some serious lawsuit reform. We’ve go to change that, we’ve got to get to a paperless system, a less bureaucratic system, that will help some. But I think we really might want to look to the Massachusetts system, where everyone is required to be covered, but everyone has a choice and I think that would be something that would be preferable. http://www.askyourlawmaker.com/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3Bwell-someone-who-had-family-situation-where-my-dad-did-not-have-health-insurance%2C-i Tue, 16 Sep 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Matt Laslo 1678 at http://www.askyourlawmaker.com