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Considering the displeasure reportedly voiced by congressionals about Fannie and Freddie golden parachutes for their CEO's when will the elected officials of the government go on Social Security and give up their golden parachutes? Bet Social Security would get fixed last week if this happened.
Asked by: AYL Guest. Received 47 Votes.
Categories: Money & Politics · Taxes. Tags: Public Fleecing.

Listen to: U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

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

Answered on Oct 15th, 2008 More
People find it hard to keep gas in their cars to get to work and keep food and a roof over their family head. Government's more concerned with property owner keeping up properties. Taking them to court if they can't keep it up to their standards people have been working job that have been on short time not week or month but years.
Asked by: candycain325 from Calhoun, GA. Received 14 Votes.
Categories: Economy · Ethics. Tags: NO FAITH IN OUR GOVERMENT.

Listen to: U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

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.

Answered on Oct 15th, 2008 More
The country was founded & directed by the constitution.The constitution was aimed at freedom of the people of government intrusion by police, military, and other agencies.How are we straying from this and is "big brother " here?
Asked by: Jeff Gearding from Newport, KY. Received 3 Votes.
Categories: Civil Liberties · Homeland Security · Judiciary · President Bush. Tags: The people - constitution.

Listen to: U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Well I don't think that Big Brother is here in the sense that we are still able to protect people's civil liberties. However, I will say that under the Bush administration there has been an effort by the president and others to erode those civil liberties to really blur the line. We've seen this with the electronic surveillance program where they want to take the judiciary out of the process. Our system is premised on having some independent body stand between the powers of the federal government, the police powers, and the individual citizen.

Answered on Feb 20th, 2008 More
Independent studies show both parties receive huge amounts of money from the lobby groups and the winners allegiance will be to multinational corporations. How can the public benefit from an election if the lobbyists are not eliminated?
Asked by: Ernest Paviour from . Received 1 Vote.
Categories: Campaign 2008 · Civil Liberties · Economy · Environment · Ethics · Foreign Policy · Globalization · Immigration · Money & Politics · Regulation · Taxes. Tags: All impacted by lobby groups.

Listen to: U.S. Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

Well, I think that we do need to reduce the influence of lobbyist on the electoral process and on the hill, in terms of increasing transparency, prohibiting lobbyist from winning and dining members of Congress, reducing travel. Common Cause, Public Interest, other groups, other public watch dog groups, hailed it as a landmark piece of legislation. It dramatically limits the influence of lobbyist in terms of their winning and dining of legislators, no traveling with lobbyist. It sets up some very important firewalls in the process.

Answered on Feb 20th, 2008 More