I am Congressman Alan Grayson, representing Florida’s 9th District. AMA

What the hell is wrong with Barack Obama? Up here in Chicago we've known him for a long time - my wife first met him in 1996 and was impressed with his intelligence and passion for liberal causes. He came to our neighbor's house in 2004 for the Senate primary, when hardly anybody knew who he was. We've been supporters for a long, long time, but whoever that is in the White House is not the Barack Obama we knew in the Illinois Legislature or as a Senator. Sure, he's got to compromise somewhat to get things done. But reducing Social Security benefits on his own initiative? Ignoring Bush administration war crimes? Not bothering to prosecute one bank executive for fraud? Throwing whistleblowers in jail while expanding "state secrets"? Getting rolled constantly by the Republicans? Insisting he has the right to kill Americans anywhere at any time just on his say so?

What happened to this guy, and why can't any of you Democrats in Congress get him to see people are tired of him talking like a liberal but acting like a Bush Republican?

One could say that he hasn't decided yet what he wants to be when he grows up.

Can anything be fixed as long as we're stuck in a two party system where both sides pretty much know that they've got their constituency by the balls? No matter what the Democrats do to piss me off, at the end of the day, I'll put up with their shit because it's better than letting the Republicans take power. I'm sure there are right-wingers with the exact opposite predicament. How can this problem be addressed, if at all?

First, there is no moral equivalence between the parties. The Republicans in Washington are callous, bigoted tools; most Democrats try to serve the common good. That's my observation, and I see it up close. More generally, there have been times in American history when one party stopped serving the common good, and it simply disappeared. If we can sharpen the differences between the parties, then the Republicans are very much in danger of that, despite their dirty money, voter suppression and gerrymandering. In any case, if some Democrats piss you off, then replace them with ones who don't.

I am not saying there is moral equivalency. If there was, there would be no problem with people like me simply rejecting both sides. Instead, both parties are bad (in my opinion) but one is so clearly worse that I'm forced to choose the "lesser of two evils." I don't see how you can say that Democrats are largely working for the people when they voted to take us into Iraq (granted, that was a while ago), tried to ram SOPA down out throats, didn't oppose Obama on the indefinite detection provisions of NDAA 2012, didn't stand with Rand Paul against the use of drones (which was the perfect opportunity for some of that bipartisanship I've heard so much about), haven't held Obama's feet to the fire on Gitmo, haven't taken Obama to task for being soft on Wall St., etc.

It's actually worse than that. The real danger is that the choice will become meaningless, like choosing between paper and plastic at the supermarket.

Would you ever consider doing "Better Know a District" with Stephen Colbert?

I represent Disney World. Too easy for him, don't you think?

Do non progressive democrats in congress realize how even SUGGESTING cutting social security harms their chances or re-election?

Only the ones who are awake.

Hi, welcome to reddit.

I read multiple reports that representatives spend 4, 5 hours a day on the phone calling donors for money, leaving little time to attend hearing, study bills, and talk with constituents, not to mention the huge influence that money donors have on politics. What can realistically be done to get the influence of money out of politics?

Public funding of elections (which some states already have), reversal of the Citizens United decision (which four justices have said that they favor), and a citizen movement to vote against any candidate who takes PAC money or accepts support from so-called "independent expenditures."

Recently I found out that 20-somethings are going to have a lower standard of living than their parents' generation because of debt and unemployment. How do you suggest we fix this? Is our government acting in our best interest or more concerned with personal party politics?

We must-must-must remedy inequality in America. That's the only way to ensure that living standards rise with productivity again.

How much do your constituents' opinions, letters, change a Congressman's mind? If you receive overwhelming support for a bill that goes against your personal views, how do you vote?

Constituent communications (including personal contact) inform me, but I feel completely in sync with public opinion in my district. I have never seen overwhelming support in my district for a bill that goes against my personal views, and it's quite possible that I never will.

Cannabis/Marijuana. Recreational, Medical, Industrial. Why not? How can we make this happen? Will you be a leader on this issue? Do you know why this is such an important issue?

I don't think that a uniform rule (much less a prohibition with stiff criminal penalties) throughout the country is necessary. I believe that the states can make those decisions on their own. Obviously, two states just did.

Can we remove the cap on social security and increase the amount that is taxed for social security? The current system subsidizes higher income earners at the expense of lower income earners. This tax is regressive, the opposite of its intent.

The answer is "yes." When elected Democrats discuss how to pay for Social Security benefits in full beyond 2037, this is the most common suggestion.

Any tips/advice for a teenager who's interested in politics and may want to get involved in the political system one day?

Pick an office that you can win, just by knocking on enough doors. (Like city councilman or school board member, in many places.) You'd be surprised how few people ever bother to do that. That puts you on the "conveyor belt" to higher office.

Thank you for replying!

My pleasure. Thanks for caring, and wanting to be involved.

Would you be willing to entertain cuts to military spending or foreign aid in order to shore up entitlements? I am a constituent of your district.

Yes, but there is no need to do that "in order to shore up entitlements." The Social Security trust fund has $2,000,000,000,000 in the bank. That's even more than I've got. Isn't that enough?

Under current law, the Social Security system can pay out every single dollar of every single benefit to every single beneficiary for at least the next 20 years. Don't we have more pressing problems than to mess around with that?

As a Canadian using the single payer system I have to say I do admire the fact you are looking to provide better healthcare. However, I am not very fond of our own single payer system. Do you see America going down that road, or is your ideal system something else? If so, what?

My "bottom line" is simple: I want every American who is sick to be able to see a doctor, and get the medical care that he or she needs. That would be a dramatic improvement over what we have now. That's what I want to see, regardless of how we get there.

Mr. Grayson, hello from just North of New Port Richey, FL, in your 9th district.

First, let me say how proud I am to have someone with your character representing us in the House. When people talk about an "honest politician," your name consistently comes up with others such as Joseph Lieberman (from my birth-state of Connecticut). Your decision to leave a lucrative and successful career in the private sector and enter public service is an inspiration.

My question focuses on your struggle to impose fiduciary responsibility on Washington, holding policymakers accountable for decisions that act against the interests of the people. Sir, how do you scale your efforts beyond the few such as yourself and Jim Himes? It seems, from a citizen's perspective, that the representatives who want to do right are few and far between, fighting a losing battle against an entrenched oligarchy.

As a follow-up, what is one thing you wish the average citizen would do or become educated about, in order to begin to heal the country from years of failed policies and self-serving decisions?

Hi, everybody. Regarding how one holds elected officials accountable, the answer is "elections." Despite the influence of dirty money, I still believe that democracy is viable, and it's the best way to throw the bums out.

The most important thing to be educated about is the distribution of wealth and income in America. Inequality is at an all-time high. That's the underlying cause of so many problems. Legislation is often just a bandaid over that wound.

Thank you for your reply. I feel that without serious campaign finance reform, "dirty money" can (and often does) steal an election. Until enough people are outraged by that, there isn't enough critical mass to change the system. This contributes heavily to, and amplifies exponentially, the inequality that exists.

Your own experience with the electorate illustrates exactly how the election process often fails to be an accurate representation of the will of the people. Politically-savvy voters in this area love you, but the marketing machine convinces the other segment of the population.

Well, lucky for us, the "other segment" is on the run.

The recent disclosures about offshore tax havens haven't gotten as much attention in the US as they have in Europe. Why do you think Congress is reluctant to tackle this issue, and are you willing to be a champion for reform? If you want to find revenue sources to offset rising benefit costs, going after tax cheats seems like a reasonable place to start.

There is a general perception, right or wrong, that the expertise on this issue resides in the IRS, and the Administration has not taken the lead on this.

Who picks out your ties?

Clearly, someone with no fashion sense whatever, and poor vision to boot. But a true patriot.

TNG or DS9?

BSG. I not only watched every episode, but also listened to RDM's commentary. So now that's out there.

You're one of the few democrats I trust. Do you believe it is possible for progressives to build a new progressive party that can compete with the traditional two party system?

I don't think that that's necessary. All that is necessary is that progressives discipline elected Democrats the way that the Tea Party disciplines elected Republicans.

And how do we fund it?

Well, we have 100,000 people who have contributed to us at CongressmanWithGuts.com, and we raised more money than any Democrat in a competitive race other than Rep. Berman (who represented Hollywood). That's the new paradigm.

As a minority member of the Committee on Science, Space and Technology, how have you not...I don't know, punched someone in the face? Fallen on the floor in unstoppable laughter? Pulled all of your hair out? When many of your Republican counter parts think "Intelligent Design" is actual science? Or that the liberal agenda of pushing Global Warming is actually the literal work of the devil?

We're working on that. Stay tuned.

Is there any hope of getting needed, massive infrastructure investments? I realize the fight for the ARIA was tough, hence hope...

Sure. If we defeat enough Republicans in the next election, then we will see massive, much-needed infrastructure investments. The Democrats certainly support that.

What is an average day of a congressman?

Well, it would take me all day to answer that question. However, Ryan Grim at the Huffington Post did a very interesting article about that subject around a month ago, discussed how much time is expended (i.e., wasted) on fundraising. Professor Lessig wrote a book on the same subject. As for me, since we have 100,000 contributors at CongressmanWithGuts.com, I can concentrate on stuff like legislating.

Rep. Grayson,

I currently work in Hillsborough County, and I have lived there in the past (and voted for you!) and will soon live there again. In short, I think you've done well so far.

However, I naturally distrust members of Congress, as do many Americans. There are too many that cave to corporate interests in order to get campaign contributions (and to ensure they get to be fat cat lobbyists when they retire). I'd like to think you are not one of these, but I'd like some guarantee from you.

I want you to take this pledge, to not become a lobbyist when you retire, so we can know that you are one of the few politicians who can be trusted -- one of the few that have our interests at heart rather than your own economic goals.

Will you do this?

If not, why?

Seriously, you don't need to worry about that. I don't often talk about this, but Politico identified me at the sixth richest Member of the House. Why would I waste my time doing lobbying?

Thank you for taking the time to do this AMA Rep. Grayson. I know you have only been representing your district a short time, however you've always been a loud voice inside the Democratic party, so if you had the opportunity would you ever aspire to a higher political position?

Sure. Anything's possible. But the first half-century of my life was over before I was ever elected to anything, so maybe in 2058?

When talking about economic issues, I often feel like politicians "dumb stuff down" in order to ensure that everyone "gets it." For instance, in spite of all the times I've heard high gas prices attributed to the president (both Bush and Obama), where higher gas prices are in fact caused by a higher worldwide demand. This, as well as the solvency of Social Security, seems to be simple economic concepts that a 10 year old could grasp. That being said, why do our politicians constantly "dumb" things down for the public? Edit: syntax

Actually, it's too often the opposite. Take the "chained CPI"; no one has dumbed that down enough yet, because if they did, then no one would want to support it. ("If the price of milk doubles, we won't count that as a 100% increase in the cost of living, because some mothers will start to feed their children Kool-Aid instead of milk.") The example you give is not so much "dumbing down," but rather "the blame game," something which really is pervasive in our political system.

What do you think about the Time article on the current state of healthcare? Are the cookies really that burnt so to speak, and what are the chances we can actually do something about it?

I actually have printed out that article, and I have been carrying it around with me, looking for time to read it. I understand that this is hopelessly old-fashioned of me, but I think that I will refrain from commenting on it until I know what it says.

In your opinion, what is the best and worst part about being involved in politics?

The best part is all the good that you can do for people. The worst part is the sellouts.

First off this AMA was posted on Alan Grayson's official Facebook page so the thought it is bogus as stated previously....seems to be bogus.

I really appreciate your being so available to Progressive radio hosts. I wish the Sunday news shows would have more Progressive guests as opposed to being so heavily laden with Republicans. And when those Progressives are on TV I wish they would be as pointed as Republicans are. Could there be a class for these Progressives to help them with messaging? Your messaging is pretty direct and I just wish the message of Progressives would be getting out more effectively. I can win arguments with my Conservative friends all the time but the elected officials seemingly cannot come up with a pointed argument to save their life let alone win an argument as to why we need to help people that Republicans want to throw under the bus.

thank you....

I am accused of a lot of things, but being bogus is not one of them.

You want a messaging class for Progressives? Then check out our YouTube channel at RepAlanGrayson. That's a messaging class for Progressives. Seriously, I am merely one of 201 Democrats in the House of Representatives, and you can lead a horse to water . . . .

Can you explain to me the motivation behind budget cuts to programs like NIH and NSF? Don't technological progress and research into basic science drive innovation and lay the foundation for developing next-generation therapies for improving people's lives so much more?

I understand that there are bloated programs and studies that aren't well conducted but it is often the case that putting science at the mercy of money results in bad science.

The motivation is stupidity. The NIH produces roughly ten dollars in tangible economic benefits for every dollar it spends. Blind anti-government hatred is throwing our future in the trash.

Behind closed doors are there more democrats that aren't part of the Progressive Caucus that are drawing a hard against SS Cuts line but not willing to say it publicly?

It varies. Now that the President has proposed such benefit cuts, however, I think that you will (ironically) see more who will draw a hard line against Social Security cuts, for their own political preservation.

What is your stance on federal spending creating more jobs? Do you think it's a joint effort and priority between businesses and the government?

The responsibility of every national government is to ensure that aggregate demand equals aggregate supply, so that there is full employment. John Maynard Keynes pointed this out 75 years ago. Federal spending is one way, but not the only way, for our government to accomplish that. Private, profit-making businesses have no means to accomplish that on their own. Their purpose is to make a profit, not to match aggregate supply and demand.

Due to a brain aneurism, somebody very close to me is disabled and on social security disability benefits because she can no longer work. What will these new budget cuts do to her? What should I expect going forward?

The sequester budget cuts do not have any direct effect on Social Security disability benefits. The President's "chained CPI" budget proposal would cut those benefits, and those cuts get larger and larger over time.

Thank you for the response. Good luck to you.

Thanks!

Liz Fowler, top Obama healthcare aid and former staffer to Sen. Max Baucus, who had enormous influence in drafting Obamacare, now lobbies for Johnson and Johnson.

How can you best fix the problem of legislators and federal regulators working for special interest groups before and after they are in office?

That's a good question. The Bush Administration essentially was populated by lobbyists, as the McCain and Romney campaigns were. I'm very unhappy with the "revolving door," but there is essentially no effort to end it, even among Democrats, who should know better.

How can you oppose the wars of America, but support an Israeli assault on the Gaza Strip that would kills hundreds of innocents, throwing in the fact that you are Jewish amid all of it? That seems like a typical double-standard mentality of a politician.

Well, say what you want, at least my handle is not "Lit A Fart Once."

In your opinion, should Congressmen on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology have some sort of background in the sciences so that they can have a more innate understanding of their legislation?

A Member of Congress having an innate understanding of legislation? Surely you jest.

To be honest, several of the members would be more at home on the Committee on Religion. And for sure, putting them on the Intelligence Committee would be a real oxymoron.

Can the chained CPI be stopped or is it a done deal at this point? Do you get the sense that the President has any idea how betrayed his supporters feel by this proposal?

It can be stopped. The President does not know yet, but he will in a week or so, when he sees how much his polling figures drop.

The GOP vilifies women, LGBTQ, and minorities which lost them the election. Instead of learning for their loss, they continue to push legislation that attacks these groups. I am wondering if the GOP are using women, LGBTQ, and minorities as a distraction? What are they really up to?

They are using them as scapegoats, and they are bigots. They hate it when I say that, but it's true. Basically, their whole pitch is "brown people are going to steal your stuff." If you don't believe me, then listen to Rush Limbaugh some time.

How do we get more people to value health insurance?

I'm not sure that I understand the question. Polls show that 90% of the people who don't have health insurance say that they don't have health insurance because they can't afford it.

This is not a statement about you, however, why the heck has US politics gone completely insane in the last 20 years?

It used to be that we could see that representatives might be self-serving but at least they appears relatively intelligent. Nowadays, it's like they've abandoned intelligence in favor of "dumbing down" the message, to the detriment of sanity and actually getting anything done.

FoxNewsFoxNewsFoxNews. Or as I have called it, "Monty Python's Lying Circus." The problem is not the "dumbing down," it's the lies.

I'm guessing Fox News came here to downvote you.

It wouldn't be the first time. They staked out my office once, and had some dweeb follow me down the hall.

I don't have any questions. I just wanted to say thank you for everything you've done!

And I just want to say thank you for not wearing out my typing fingers. Further.

Hello Rep. Grayson: I interned on your campaign last year and I am super excited that you are back in Congress! I have two questions for you, First) What are our feelings on the impact of the sequester and do you believe there will be a bargain reached any time soon? Secondly) What are your feelings about the Republican sponsored HJR 494 in North Carolina, attempting to establish an official state religion?

(1) The sequester substantially undermines aggregate demand, and could easily cause a new recession. Even the Federal Reserve recognizes that. But there will be no "bargain" to end it, because a weak economy forces wages down, and that is precisely what the Republicans want.

(2) They should stick to official state birds.

What's your prediction for the Governor's race in Florida?

Anybody But Scott. Rick Scott has united Florida -- against him.

Thank you Congressman for doing the AMA,

My question is about the future of the Democratic party: Who do you see as being the favorite for the presidential bid for the next election?

The current polls show that the largest number of Democrats favor Hillary Clinton, followed by Joe Biden. That might change, of course. The "Grayson For President" campaign draws overwhelming support among my five children. (My wife is pleased that my current job gets me out of the house.)

What do you think about the opinion that the age of retirement being below the average age of death is a large financial burden? Also, what do you think diseases among seniors related to obesity that are treatable or preventable by reduced lethargy or dietary changes?

For more context behind the predicament here's this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGgoCm1hofM

Actually, the real problem is that the rich in this country live nine years longer, on the average, than the poor. (As if being poor isn't bad enough, by itself.) By talking about "the average age of death," one disregards the huge differences that you find when you disaggregate those data.

It is true that obesity causes many medical problems, but there is some scientific dispute about what is causing obesity. "Lethargy" may be blaming the victim.

Thank you, Rep. Grayson, for taking the time to do an AMA.

I read your petition and the following bit was interesting: "We also know that there are common-sense reforms that would reduce health-care costs and save taxpayers hundreds of billions of dollars without cutting benefits."

Can you tell me what those common-sense reforms are?

Reducing the overhead in the Medicare Advantage program, when such overhead results in no benefits actually provided to recipients. Paying providers for health, not procedures. Preventative care. Increasing competition among providers, especially hospitals. Etc.

How do we get money out of politics? How can citizens reclaim our democracy from our elites?

My tired fingers respectfully request that you look at my answers to these questions above.

First off, thanks for being awesome and for being willing to serve. You give me hope for my state and my country.

All I do is just say what other people are thinking, but no one else is saying. Why is no one else saying it? That is a very interesting question.

What surprised you the most when you first started out in Congress??

How easy it was to talk to other Members, and to get to know them as human beings. How far removed from reality most media reports are, even (or especially) in the so-called "mainstream media." How easy it was to make a difference right away, just by paying attention and working hard.

How do you think this is going to effect the elections for next year for the Dems? Do you think this will have a backlash from the Republicans how the Dems are trying to hurt older citizens?

It has already started. The Republicans were on their way to committing mass suicide through the Ryan Budget, and now they are going to try to put the Democrats on the defensive.

How likely do you see the legalization of medical marijuana implemented in our state? With a growing support for medical marijuana after Colorado and Washington's both passed bills for it in the last election, I think there will be a tipping point where the majority of Floridians will support it. How far away are we from this tipping point?

As I said above, it will take a ballot initiative, or overthrow of the Tallahassee Mafia.

Can you please post a picture of yourself with a cat?

No.

Hi sir: First you have my utmost support, although I live in Brevard (which is not your district). I maded phone calls for you because I think you hold Washington accountable, and someone has to have some sanity there. My question would be:What sort of action can we undertake to legalize medical Marijuana in the state of Fla? And also thanks for standing up to the cuts against "entitlements".

We would have to see a ballot initiative on that in Florida. There is zero chance that the Republicans in Tallahassee would vote for it.

What do you think is the most important issue facing America that gets too little attention from the mainstream press?

Inequality.

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I am aware of both sides of the argument. In particular, I am aware of all of the missiles that have been launched against Israeli civilians. Neither side should disregard the grievances of the other.

A two-year term for members of congress was probably a great idea back in 1790 but today these short terms seem to be doing more harm than good. Members of congress can never stop running or raising money. Do you think congress would be more effective if representatives served four-year terms? Also, do you support term limits?

Yes. No.

is there a philosophical divide between Obama & the democratic party? Should Obama be asked to resign?

Most Democrats whom I know would place Obama on the right side, not the left side, of the political spectrum within the party. That, in itself, is not grounds for asking for his resignation.

The true cost of chained cpi is seriously underestimated.

Senior's pay 0.27% more (CPI-E) than standard CPI estimates.

If COLA is adjusted down 0.30% then the difference becomes 0.57%.

http://d1lj51l9p3qzy9.cloudfront.net/handle/10207/bitstreams/96498.pdf

Also, the more seniors use cheaper alternatives, then the resulting lower CPI calculations will make it worse as the standard of living and COLA adjustments spiral downward. Are you aware of these issues? If you agree will you address these issues in further discussions with colleagues?

It's an average cut of $28,000 in benefits for each recipient. I think that's clear enough.

What interests does President Obama represent?

You should ask him.

Mr. Grayson. Since social security and Medicare are funded by the employees and employer, why should the federal government be able to have so much oversight? Why are these funds not administered on their own. Can't the two funds be separated out away from the federal budget process?

They are administered on their own, and they are separated from the federal budget process. That's how it comes to be that Social Security has $2,000,000,000,000 in the bank. The Republicans are exploiting and abusing the budget process in order to promote cuts in Social Security and Medicare, when they are separate.

I live in your district, Congressman (New Port Richey). Why do I get so much stuff sent to me from Bilirakis and I haven't even heard of your name before?

Do you think longer terms and term limits (say, one term) would fix the do-nothingness of Congress? It seems that members of Congress only act for reeection purposes, so I think if reelection was removed from the equation we would not see all the lobbyists threatening primary battles.

Also, in the day and age of communications that we live, do you think representative even have to travel to Washington to get stuff done? I don't see why representative don't just stay in their districts full time and use the electronic communications available to us to conduct their business. Why do I propose this? I think if we can get all the representatives back into their home districts then it will be a lot harder for lobbyists to control them.

Sadly, New Port Richey is not in my district, although I would love to be your Congressman. (The district numbers changed last year; that may be why you didn't know.)

Term limits would not fix the do-nothingness of Congress. The Republicans, who are anti-government, use do-nothingness as an anti-government strategy. You may recall that when the Democrats were in charge of the House, the last thing that anyone would say about us was "do nothing."

Remote voting is a much more complicated issue than it seems. It actually might make it easier for lobbyists to control members, since there would be far fewer face-to-face conversations among members. That being said, it will be interesting to see what happens when state legislatures start to experiment with it.

In your opinion, does Barack Obama honestly believe and invest in progressive priorities such as investments into infrastructure, entitlements, climate change, progressive taxation, holding banks accountable? Or is he playing Good Cop Bad Cop with the Republicans?

Infrastructure, yes. Entitlements, not really, at least judging by his budget. Climate change, progressive taxation, holding banks accountable, no.

Glad to see you back at it! What do you see as the top issues for your district that wouldn't normally get national attention?

Foreclosures. Home ownership. The minimum wage, especially for tipped employees. Equal treatment of community collleges in federal programs. Immigration reform. Bilingual education. Etc.

How did you get into your current line of work?

What is the main driving force in your life?

I prosecuted war profiteers in Iraq. I was the only lawyer to bring such a case before a jury. I ran as an antiwar candidate. I feel the same way about the war in Afghanistan.

On the second point, see Deuteronomy 16:20.

How can the average Jo(sephine) help change the current trajectory of the government beyond voting? It seems to me that our elected officials are more vested in corporatism than democracy, with the exception of a handful like yourself. The economic collapse of 2007 only exacerbated income equality by rewarding the perpetrators, imo.

Run for office. (It's easier than it looks.) Make telephone calls to help candidates who you support. Forward interesting political information to friends and neighbors. Join and support organizations like the PCCC, Democracy for America, Progressive Democrats of America and MoveOn.org. And for sure, please contribute to our campaign at CongressmanWithGuts.com. (We now return to our regularly scheduled programming.)