IAmA Candidate for Congress running against SOPA co-sponsor John Conyers, AMA

So I have a question for all of you. If you could change one thing about Congress, what would it be?

Personally, I'm worried by the amount of power held by lobbyists and special interest groups - think about how long it took to kill SOPA (which should never even have been seriously considered) largely because of how much backing from hollywood it had.

Congress exists to represent the will and best interests of the masses, and it seems illogical to expect ordinary people to hire lobbyists to convince congressmen to do what they were elected to do.

I couldn't agree more Cheeky! I think that the influence lobbyists hold threatens to undermine our democracy. Like you said, representatives are elected by the people and for the people. They're supposed to be on the side of the people and not on the side of money. What would you like to see done to change this?

Perhaps there could be tighter regulations on the amount of campaign contributions congressmen can accept from special interests groups - or, if not, they should be made to publish who has donated how much (if such a system is not already in place).

Furthermore, I'd love to see reform on congressional insider trading (http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18560_162-57323527/congress-trading-stock-on-inside-information/).

Yes, this is fantastic! We used to have a system where those donations needed to be published in elections but because of the court case Citizens United in 2010, they don't have to do this. Big corporations or lobbyists don't have the limitations now, which is why we need to get rid of SuperPACs. Going to Congress isn't about getting rich, its about doing what's right and best for the people. So I think we need to put these tight restrictions in place and reign in on SuperPACs.

You make a good point about insider trading too. It's illegal for the rest of us, it should be just as reprehensible to our leaders.

Campaign finance reform. Until big money gets out of politics, nothing can really change.

Citizens United was a heavy blow to our system in 2010 and we are still feeling the damage from having all of this money in politics. I have always been a strong advocate of campaign finance reform. What specifically would you like to see done to change this?

Bring back civil rights to the forefront and pass major legislation as such. Here is a list of major legislation (not only civil rights):

• Passing legislation for homosexuals to marry offer the same benefits as heterosexuals.
• Passing a law strictly defining corporations are not people, investigations, arrests, punitive damages and dismissal of political representatives at the federal level who engage in having talks in lobbyists.
• Passing a law requiring the release of all politicians tax records on personal and business finances.
• Passing a law designating that unions are not exempt from antitrust laws.
• Passing legislation allowing stem cell research, marijuana, explicitly legal.
• Passing legislation where pharmaceutical companies who receive financial subsidies for a recently released cure/vaccination/etc - The said cure/vaccination/etc is explicitly in the public domain.
• Dissolve the DHS and provide more resources to the FBI.
• Passing laws providing additional severance for 60 days to individuals who are suddenly unemployed due to the company/division collapse if a business did not disclose to the individuals about the termination 30 days prior.
• Dissolve the Consumer Protection Bureau and provide more power and enforcement with the FTC.
• Pass legislation switching over to the metric system. This will make us compliant with the rest of the world. Hanging on to such an archaic system makes the United States look dumb and ignorant. This will allow us to create jobs too.
• Passing legislation where software cannot be patentable.
• Passing legislation encouraging works to be in the public domain.
• Passing legislation mandating every product include the VAT on the price being sold to the consumer.

There is a need for more fairness in this country and there should be no discrimination based on sexual orientation. Who is the government to say that they're not in love. Corporations are not people and that needs to be addressed especially if we are to move forward with dismantling the Citizens United decision which created an inflow of corporate money in to the process which is just wrong. I'm for accountability, you should know what you're Congressman are making and they should likewise be paying into the system that they advocate. None of the insider trading that I think a few people have talked about.

I said I would honor what the people of my district and state have decided in regards to marijuana which is to make it legal in Michigan. That's what a representative does, represent what the people want. There is something to be said about regulation of pharmaceutical companies because medicine should be affordable, period.

The DHS was created to help streamline intelligence agencies but it has been dragged down by the massive bureaucracy. President Obama talked about this just last week and how he wanted to cut down on the administrative overhead and paperwork that this agency has to do in order to clear up the redundancy. I think this is a good solution because we do need coordination among our law enforcement agencies. You're point on 60 days to individuals is an interesting one. Something needs to be done to help these people who weren't notified and are now left out in the dark due to no fault of their own. I'd like to look into this.

I think that the Consumer Protection Bureau is important, as I have been a vocal advocate of consumer protection here in Michigan. We need to have someone looking out for the consumer. To one of your later points on this issue, here in Michigan the Senate passed an awful law that wouldn't require stores to put the price tag on their items, which is a huge detriment to the consumer. This is why these types of departments are needed.

It is a little strange that we are behind most of the world on this. We're one of three countries that aren't on this system, I guess that is antiquated. I still think that intellectual property though the internet is developing and is yet to been seen where it will go. I think that open source programs as well as privately created software has gotten us to where we are today technologically. But I'd like to look into this more.

Hope I answered your concerns!

Right now, there's a disproportionate number of lawyers in congress. While that's understandable, it also creates bad incentives. Lawyers have a naturally adversarial bent (they are trained to think that way) which encourages partisanship. I'd want to see a more diverse professional background in congress.

Spot on. Congress is supposed to be a representation of America, all of it's people and backgrounds. I think lawyers are useful in understanding the laws and legal procedure, but I agree that we need a diverse set of backgrounds. I'm not a lawyer, by the way, I am a Ford retiree.

Utterly and completely destroy lobbyists. Make that entire business illegal.

The power they hold is out of control and I am up for aggressive campaign finance reform to knock that influence down to par.

I'm a little late to this IAMA, but what I'd like to see is Congress interacting with the rest of the country some more.

One of the reasons that I think all the TARP money went to big businesses is that members of Congress don't know any small businessmen. Their dry cleaning is done by the government. They may have a government vehicle that is maintained by the government, or if they have a personal vehicle, they don't have to take it by the oil change place - they have a staffer to do that. Meals are provided by the dining services group. Their dry cleaning is done by a contractor on-site.

So they're living in a bubble and don't get the chance to interact with the rest of us. And the people they meet all the time -- they're expensive lobbyists hiring by large companies or industry trade groups. There are no lobbyists for the people living in their district -- such as Mr. Smith who has a landscaping business, or Ms. Jones who runs a daycare.

The closest they get to meet their Representative or Senator is at a rubber-chicken dinner. And then it's not a back-and-forth session with some discussion, but a 15 minute speech and time for the carrot cake to be served.

So, if elected, how will you break out of this bubble, and remain connected with the people in your district?

I'm in my district quite frequently and I'm out eating with my family at the restaurant down the street or the new place that just opened up across town. I can't represent people if I don't know them.

I hold coffee hours in each city I currently represent once a month and I don't just sit there and talk. I think this is a great forum to hear what people are thinking and how they are feeling. A representative can never get enough opinions and can never talk enough to the people.

I think you break this bubble by not relying on the perks and by going out and being who you were before you were elected. After all, once you're elected, nothing about you really changes, you still put your pants on one leg at a time just like everyone else.

Accountability. In all its forms.

Yes. I've sponsored legislation in the Senate to compile attendance and voting records in an easy-to-access format for both the House and Senate for public use. Accountability is key for the public to see if we are doing the job you sent us to do. We need to answer to the people.

Also agree with cheeky triangle that money has to get out of politics. But from a different angle. It's not just lobbyists, it's the very way of thinking:

Today politicians say "I know I was elected on a pledge to not raise certain fees, but now that I’m in power I realize that was unrealistic. We will have to triple them." What the politicans in fact mean is "I have decided that promises made by this government to repay bankers, at an agreed-upon interest rate, for money they fabricated, are more important than promises made to my own constituents." And if promises made to legal abstractions are always to be given priority over promises made to what we still occasionally, whether fondly or cynically, call the people, we might well ask ourselves why our system of government is still deemed democracy. So what I ask is for Congress to return to the power of the people over the power of money.

With much respect, I'd like to ask on what grounds we can believe you would be different?

Well, I'm currently working on legislation that would require lobbyists to disclose 100% of the money that they expend, not just towards legislators. I've always spoke out against the influence of money in government and am trying to make those words into actions.

i would get rid of congress itself, its not for the people by the people its for the corps by the corps atm.....

Well, having the institution is important but you're right that so many of our representatives are out of touch and have lost their way in representing the people. We need to send them a message and elect new people in.

If you could ride any animal into battle (fictional or non-fictional), wielding any weapon, what animal and weapon combination would it be and why?

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Well played, sir.

Thanks DJ!

What Operating System(s) do you run in your computer(s)?

My laptop runs Windows 7 Home but I also use my iPad which runs iOS5. Luckly, at the moment, both at the moment can surf the internet unhindered by SOPA.

I live in Michigan, and recall our state being in the news a few months ago for our anti-bullying bill containing an exemption for religious beliefs or a deeply held moral conviction, basically creating a licence to bully!

I was wondering what your thoughts about that bill are, and how to improve anti-bullying awarness in Michigan. Thanks!

Anti-bullying legislation was one of my passions in the State Senate and I had sponsored the bill even in my early years in the legislature. I brought the bill up when I was first in the Senate in 2006. Bullying is just wrong in my book and I worked hard with Kevin Epling, whose son died as a result of bullying in Michigan, to see a bill go through. But what the Senate ended up passing was absolutely awful and went against everything I was hoping it would achieve.

Like you said, it allowed a license to bully based on strong moral convictions or beliefs. So as long as you believed strongly that a kids was against your beliefs, a kid or a staff member could bully them. I voted no on both bills that went through because they didn't protect kids which is exactly the main point of anti-bullying. You can check out more of my comments at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUHzRjrgDCU where I talked to MSNBC about my vote on the issue

Isn't bullying legislation just feel good, issue of the day, moral panic stuff that really just poses as a bullet point on campaign materials and in the end doesn't really accomplish anything since we already have laws governing harassment on the books?

Michigan can't even get a another international bridge built that everybody in this State wants except Matty Moroun. After so many years of State shutdowns because of budget arguments its hard for me to trust anyone from Michigan's legislative arm since nothing ever got done unless there was a especially strong leadership from the executive branch.

Unless I'm missing something, I don't even see any of the issues you stand for on your website, just contact and 'social media' buttons and a donate button. I'd love to take out Conyers as he's a disgrace to my district, but so far I see nothing exemplary that would sway me to vote for you except that you're not John Conyers, and frankly, that just isn't good enough anymore.

EDIT: I was missing something, I had to click on his name to get to the main meat of the page. That's not a good design :-/ .

I don't think that it is just a symbolic measure. It would require there to be a policy in all of our school systems to deal with bullying and would require reporting of these incidents. It helps to hold administrations accountable for dealing with a bullying problem in schools which is making an unsafe learning environment for our kids.

I agree with you on the bridge project and have been a supporter of it since the beginning. It seems like a common sense decision to me. I'm glad that a Detroit judge found him in contempt the other day with non-compliance on the state and put him in jail. Hopefully this sends a message to him and all of those he bought off that Michigan is moving forward.

Thanks for the feedback on the website. I'll have to check that out and maybe I can change the layout. What would you like to know about me? Ask away!

I am not seeing any verification on the twitter or facebook.

I'm kind of new to this, what am I supposed to do?

Well, you gave us your facebook and your twitter. Just say hello to reddit on one of those.

Edit: Facebook verification... thank you!

Thanks for helping me out with that! I posted on my Facebook. Sorry that I hadn't done that before.

Perfect. We take all the current congress members and replace them with these guys.

Thanks HighSky!

Thanks everyone for all of the questions and comments today! It has been great talking with everyone and I've really enjoyed the feedback. It's getting a little late and I think I need to go to bed. I'll check in the morning for any new questions and feel free to send me comments on my website at www.glennandersonforcongress.com or email me at [email protected].

You can also contact me on my Facebook and Twitter.

Thanks Reddit!

love that you're against SOPA. now, what else do you stand for? why are you running?

Thanks, I'm glad you stand with me on SOPA. I've decided to run for Congress because my district is faced with out of touch leadership right now. I was an employee at Ford for 28 years and a realtor after that in my hometown of Westland. I know the troubles that my district is facing and I love sitting down and talking with those same people about how to turn our area around. Unfortunately we don't have that kind of leadership from the current Congressman. I want to see new jobs coming into the area that compliment our strong manufacturing history while moving us into a progressing economy. I'm standing against Emergency Financial Manager legislation from the State which threatens a few of my communities in the district with state take-overs and the firing of their elected officials! I'm running for Congress for a variety of reasons, but mostly because Southeast Michigan needs a positive change and I'm willing to give it to them.

Glenn, first off, i want to thank you for doing this AMA.

As a life long MI resident who is working supporting GM and grew up in a GM family, i feel that what happens to Detroit will have an equal effect on the rest of the metro area. While i understand the issue of elected officials being rendered moot, i still think that once you get to far into the crap hole (several billions of debt? I believe thats what was reported a few weeks ago) then you need to take drastic measures. Detroit is a city that is set up for a million plus people but only has 700k or so right now.

Plus, and this is just my personal opinion, i cant see the people of Detroit being capable of electing the right people into office who can actually make change with out being greedy for them self. I have a strong and disturbing belief that if Kwame would run again for mayor, he would win...

You're welcome p8nt, it's been fun.

That's absolutely right that what happens in Detroit will affect the rest of the Metro area, which is why the deficit is so important. You also hit on one of the underlying issues, which is a decreasing population. That is something that we can target to start making the large changes that are needed. Encouraging entrepreneurship and the retention of our younger generation who are graduating all of Michigan's fantastic universities, will help to bring people in to Detroit to startup and live. There is amazing potential to change the situation if we can encourage people to locate in Detroit and bring the jobs with them.

What changes would you like to see in Detroit?

I've been so engaged talking with all of you that I just noticed that Rep. Smith is putting the SOPA bill on hold! I think kudos are due to all of the internet community who proved individuals still can make a difference. Let's make sure to continue keeping an eye on this, because its too important to let go. Check out this cool article on it:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/20/stop-sopa-congress-changed-their-mind-on-sopa_n_1219759.html

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Thanks Katy! It's been great talking with everyone on here tonight. I appreciate your vote and support!

how do you feel about all the deal making that seems to be necessary to get anything done. I will vote for yours if you vote for mine.

I understand the need for compromise some times, after all, many times you have a mix of different ideas and you still need to come to the best possible solution. I don't think that the current Congress is doing a good job of it though because they're just not doing anything. That being said, I also believe there are times that you need to just do what you feel is right and stick to your convictions. I did that with bullying legislation in Michigan. You can check out a video of me explaining that to MSNBC at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUHzRjrgDCU

What specifically do you plan to do to improve the economy, not just of Michigan, but of the entire country? Are there any bills on the matter that you support? What specifically do you think needs to happen to restore the economy, and how do you plan to make it come to fruition?

Well first off is bringing jobs back to the US. Ford was recently praised for their efforts to outsource to Detroit. Encouraging this return of jobs back to America is a huge step. Secondly, we need to invest in infrastructure which is what the President's American Jobs Act would have done, but Congress couldn't move on it.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/09/08/fact-sheet-american-jobs-act

What things would you like to see happen to improve out economy?

Intellectual property has gotten out of control. Copyright lasts way too long. Trivial software patents have gotten way out of control and need to be reworked. America needs small-medium business. When senators and congressmen work with the lobbies of large companies they ruin opportunities for small business start ups.

Agreed, small-medium business are the lifeblood of our economy. Senators and Congressmen need to work with everyone and not just bow down to the large corporations and large donations in order to improve our economy.

As a side note, thank you for taking the time to do this AMA...I've seen a few, and most of them just answer a select few questions and are done. You are doing more than that, and I've noticed. I think that a lot of current politicians are....well, to say it kindly, EXTREMELY undeserving of their job, and I am glad to see that not all politicians fit this mold. I am not from Michigan, so I cannot vote for you (that I know of?) but I do wish you the best of luck. The only way this country can improve is for people like minded to you to be elected.

Thank you so much grkirchhoff! It's been a pleasure to be on here talking with you. I appreciate the support and hope that you keep in touch with me, even if you're not in the district. I'd love to hear more about what you'd like to see done!

I am by no means an economic expert, but my understanding is that the general consensus is that a large part of why the economy is so wrecked right now is because of wall street. The disasters that have happened, have happened, and likely cannot be reversed, but what do you think should be done to prevent similar things from happening in the future?

And as with your comment just above, I think bringing jobs back to the US is great. What do you think is the best way to do this? I saw a thing on 60 minutes not too long ago where the CEO of a large company claimed he could bring many jobs into the US if not for the excessive corporate taxes. What do you think of this?

Edit: the company I was referring to was CISCO,here is a link, go to about the 7 minute mark in the video.

There are a lot of things that contributed to creating the economic crisis and Wall Street greed was a major part of it. Government institutions who's job is supposed to be monitoring and preventing the sort of behavior that led to the these problems completely failed. This is unexceptable. These institutions should serve as a safe guard to protect the people that can't afford the economy collapse.

The second part of your question is fantastically complicated and requires multiple things to happen at once, but the answer that fits in here is: create fair trade policies that will end the outsourcing of jobs without overburdening the lower/middle class consumer while at the same time, transitioning the U.S. economy to high tech manufacturing jobs.

We need to make things here again - things that the world needs. Like advanced battery technology.

Ok, one moment while I check out the video.

Glenn, thank you for doing this IAmA. I'd certainly vote for you if I lived in your congressional district, so take a small campaign donation in lieu of my vote. I've browsed your website, so I have a good idea of your stances on policy.

I guess my question is... Who is your favorite elected official from the past 50 years, and why? Which person inspires you more than any other?

Thank you so much for your support!

That is a super hard question, because there have been many great people serving this country over the last 50 years. To have a two-tiered answer, I would have to say Bobby Kennedy inspired me to get into public service. If it hadn't been for his tragic death, I think he would have been a fantastic president. His message of fairness was something that really resonated with me.

In Michigan, one person that comes to mind is Governor Bill Milliken. A true moderate Republican, Milliken placed the public good before personal advancement and partisan politics, particularly on the issue of environmental conservation, one of Michigan's most important resources. A truly honorable man, Michigan is a better place for his service and the state would be much better if it had more public officials like him, Republican or Democrat.

I'm with blu3j4y... where can I go to donate?

You can go to my website at www.glennandersonforcongress.com

Thanks Hendr111!

What issues are you most passionate about?

What do you think of the job Obama is doing? Anything you disagree with?

I've been most passionate about anti-bullying legislation in the State Senate and it continues to be one of my greatest passions. I also think that job creation is absolutely essential, especially in my area where the effects of auto lay-off have been hard on the community. I've also been working on consumer protection laws and election reform in the State and hope to continue doing so in Congress.

I think that President has had a few missteps along the way but has been doing a good job considering the situation when he took office. Are there things that I think he still has to do? Yes. But I'm happy that he is starting to turn the country in a better direction and support him going forward.

Thanks for the answers, reading the other questions here you seem to have a great understanding of the whole SOPA issue which is nice to see.

Good luck!

Thanks! Please keep in touch with me and I'd love to have your support at www.glennandersonforcongress.com

I'll keep up the fight against SOPA.

Your policy list on your website includes a lot of issues but is missing some(or I wasn't able to find those particular issues).

1) How do you feel about science policy in general?

2) If you were to increase science funding to one specific area of science, what would it be and why?

3) Global warming. Discuss.

4) In your trade policy you write:

For years, America has suffered economically as a result of an uneven playing field in the global economy. We have been better stewards of the environment than our trading partners and have a proud tradition of providing our workforce with a living wage and safe working conditions. Fighting against trade agreements that undermine American competitiveness around the world is essential for Michigan companies. I will stand up against unfair trade agreements such as NAFTA that do not promote good labor and environmental standards.

How do you respond to people who argue that NAFTA makes goods cheaper on the whole for the average American?

5) In your education policy page, you say that the government has used the "wrong incentives" to try to fix education. In your view what would be the right incentives?

6) In your policy bit on consumer protection you write:

By providing protection to one and all through common sense regulations, we will keep our citizens safe from unscrupulous and predatory practices.

What this means isn't clear to me. Common sense regulation seems to be a bit of a buzzword. Could you expand this/give explicit examples of what you mean?

7) It seems pretty clear that you are trying to focus on economic issues. So, I'm going to be rude and inquire about social issues. What is your stance on gay marriage? How do you feel about DOMA and the repeal of DADT?

8) You say that you are in favor of expanding public transit. How do you feel about different types. In particular, would you emphasize buses or trains more if you were in charge?

Thanks very much for doing this. You seem like a great guy.

I'm not sure what you're referring to when you say science policy. But my answer to that is that science is good. We should increase energy research in the field of science. That is going to help with our energy crisis and create a new wave of jobs in a new sector of the economy. That solves more than one problem.

Global warming exists and the government should acknowledge that. I won't deny that NAFTA has had some successes however, I do think that there are parts of the agreement, such as the environmental standards, that need to be re-worked to have the best possible policy.

Currently teachers are pressured into teaching towards a test instead of being able to give individual attention to the students. Oftentimes the government, especially here in Michigan, attacks teachers and continues to cut their budget. We need to send a better message by giving them the resources and respect to do their job.

During the Bush Administration, there was an attack on safety regulation. People in the US should be safe, companies shouldn't be able to take advantage of people. They should be held to a standard of offering a truthful product.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation should not be allowed. Therefore I am against DOMA and DADT.

Well, I would have to say that buses are the first step. People need to be able to get to work and shop.

Thanks Joshua!

Ann Arbourite here, been wanting to get a "face-to-face" (so to speak) with either a current Congressperson for MI, or even a current state senator, for some time.

No bullshit: when it comes to hardball questions, are you willing to straight up tell us what is on your mind? Will you avoid bullshit buzzwords like "homeland security" and "job creators"?

For example:

• What do you think of Snyder and his "emergency financial managers"? Or the second bridge to Canada?

• Michigan roads SUCK, and are not getting salted/plowed enough. I hear this is due to lack of funds. Which falls under the budgeting issues, at some point, of State congress. What are you doing/have you done to help fix our roads? And on a grander scale, what are your plans for Michigan's economy?

• I like that you're against SOPA. Will you continue to protect the Internet, regardless of the bill and how it is presented? Look at H.R. 1981 - "Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011". It's bull, it's the EXACT SAME/arguably worse than SOPA/PIPA, but will pass unless people like YOU oppose it. No one will though (or at least, that's our fear) because of it's name. I'd much rather see another Ron Wyden than another Al Franken...can you give us a reason to be proud of Michigan, like how Oregon has Wyden, or how Wisconsin HAD Russ Feingold?

• What can you give US in terms of reasons to trust you? How transparent are you willing to be? Are you as sick of corporations overruling the desires of your constituents as we are? Will you turn down these corporate bribes? Put lobbyists in their place? Push your fellow Congresspeople into serving We The People, and not We The Corporations?

  Are you in favor of term limits? Monetary caps? More open information on how Senators and Representatives are able to afford that second, third, or fourth house? How far are you willing to go? Will you attempt to ensure that money is spent here more, and overseas less? Less tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy, to help fund an American economy and infrastructure that badly needs it? Being from MI, you should know ALL about that.

• What's your opinion on Citizen's United, NDAA 2011/2012, and the Patriot Act?

Thanks for your time. As a VERY politically aware person (if you couldn't tell), I am also painfully aware that, if you answer to my liking, I cannot personally vote for you -- Ann Arbor is not 14th District. BUT I sure as shit will contribute to your campaign, financially AND with information for my friends and family who CAN vote for you.

Give me reason to, please. We need good people in Congress -- there's a current deficit of ethics there.

Sure, I'm always glad to answer your questions and I'm happy to leave out the bull.

For example:

I think the emergency financial managers are dangerous and are a harmful powergrab from the state. They can get rid of elected officials and terminate contracts with civil service? No, that's not what the people of those communities elected to have and I think it is an encroachment on the local communities.

I've been an advocate of the bridge since it was proposed. I'm disappointed that it is taking so long to get passed. Matty Moroun has been delaying this project far too long and it is appalling to see how many he's bought off. Hopefully the judge's message of throwing him in jail the other day will send a message that progress is happening and we won't stand for his heel dragging.

The roads are awful. I'm sure that driving down M-14 around Ann Arbor, you are more than aware of that. Thank fully they are working on that road, it is in dire need. I voted and fought for increased funding for our roads, on the transportation appropriation subcommittee, which would be used for road construction and repair.

I am against the SOPA legislation not because it is named SOPA but because of what it contains. I hope that Congress would not pull such a secretive and slimy move such as that, but if they did I would still have to vote against it. I obviously am not against the protection of children from pornography, but I am against SOPA.

I am not in favor of term limits. I think they have damaged Michigan as experience is not kept and by the time legislators start to learn the ropes, they're on their way out. It also gives power to the lobbyists who have more experience and can influence the system more than those in office. Voting is the greatest term limit. If people think they have overstayed their welcome, vote them out.

I think that Citizens United is an assault on our democratic system and that it allows dangerous amounts of corporate money, unregulated and unreported into our campaign system. I will fight against this.

I am for accountability. Period. People should know their representatives record and what they're doing while on the job. I've recently sponsored legislation to created an easily accessible public record of voting history for the House and Senate in Michigan. The people deserve to know what is going on. I'm also working on legislation requiring that lobbyists report 100% of their expenditures so that we know what they're influencing up in Lansing. We need an open process.

I'm against the Patriot Act. Plain and simple. What are you referring to with the NDAA?

I hope I've given you some clear answers, if not, let me know and I'll make sure I get more in depth with you. If you ever want to talk with a state senator or a congressional candidate, you know where to find me. Email me any time at [email protected] or come to a coffee hour since you're so close.

Let me know what else you'd like to know. I'll leave the cliches behind.

Not in your District (Dingell's actually, that guy needs to go as well), however I wish you the best of luck. Both John and Monica are corrupt as fuck and need to be sent far away from here.

What are your thoughts on Kawame, the alleged party, and the Tamara Greene case?

It is still unclear as to what happened at that party, but I am concerned that there are still a lot of unanswered questions. The investigation should continue.

Are you a Republican?

Nope. I am a Democrat...always have been.

Hello, Mr. Anderson! I'm in the 15th district of MI, so I can't vote for you, but I'll be sure to tell my friends! Thanks for coming out against SOPA.

Absolutely cosmiclegend! Thanks for your support and for sharing my information with your friends. My website, Facebook, and Twitter are up above and I'd love to hear from you on there. Also, the district lines have changed this year so maybe you are in my district? You can check it out at http://www.senate.mi.gov/reapportionment/reapportionment.htm

Hopefully you are!

I just googled John Conyers and saw that his attendance record in Congress isn't so good...actually its pretty bad. What accounts for this..what are your thoughts on not showing up?

This one is easy. There is no reason why Congress people should be held to any other standard on attendance for their job.

The average working person has to show up to their job or they lose it, period. I have always taken my attendance for session in the Michigan legislature very seriously and I would continue that priority in Washington. At the end of the day, people choose you for elected office so that you can weigh in on important decisions on their behalf...because they can't show up on the Congressional floor everyday. You have a responsibility to show up to work and represent their interests.

Welcome Senator! Thanks for doing an IAMA. I have seen Michigan lately on some national news shows, mostly about the Emergency Financial Manager laws but also the new tax system that was put in place which is very troubling. Do you think there is an ideal or a one size fits all tax system that could be put into place in DC?

Also it looks like your opponent hasn’t had trouble making the news but for all the wrong reasons, it is always shock when an elected official abuses power. He might have been DC for a few to many terms.

Thanks Robert, I'm glad I am doing this. The Emergency Financial Manager laws are wrong for our state and are a blatant power grab from the executive. They can take over cities that they deem to be in financial need and proceed to fire elected officials and terminate contracts. That is very troubling indeed. Some of the cities in my community are at risk of this or have already been taken over.

With the new tax system, what are you referring to as there have been many changes based on taxes taking place here in Michigan and i want to make sure I'm commenting on the right one?

EDIT: typo

Well I was referring to the new bussiness tax, but also the new taxes on seniors. My mother and father live in Michigan, they have planned there whole lives for retirement but now all there plans are worth nothing. So kinda both I suppose, the business and senior tax, I understand sometimes you got to knock down the foundation to start over but that's pretty rough.

All of that kind of gets to the bigger question though, people for good or bad don't feel like they can trust their elected officals. It is the same thing that has your oppenet and so many other offficals in trouble, this quote is from a founder of Reddit and I think sums it up very well: " It’s just so frustrating because we look at Congress and we can’t see them do anything that’s important. They can’t solve the problems of unemployment, they can’t solve the problems of the deficit. Yet as soon as a lobbyist shows up with $94 million, Democrats and Republicans line up to co-sponsor it. Something is wrong.” Why do you think these SOPA co-sponsors thought it was ok to essentially talk from both sides of there mouth?

The tax shift in Michigan is one of the biggest that we've ever seen in the State's history. We need a fresh economic energy in this State, definitely, but this shift moved the burden off of large corporations and put it on our seniors. This is why I voted against it. We can attract new businesses to Michigan without selling out those who have worked to make it great.

I agree that this is so wrong to talk out of both sides of your mouth which is why I don't understand what the SOPA co-sponsors did at all. I don't know how you can stand for this legislation just because lobbyists said to. We need greater campaign finance reform for this very reason. It's been easy to pay lipservice to campaign finance reform but I have a track record of working at the state level on these issues. One of these that needs serious reform is the negative effects of Citizens United, the idea that corporations can spend unlimited amounts of money to influence our elections without disclosure is crazy and could seriously undermine our democracy.

Whoa, you sir deserve an upvote. More people like you need to run for office I am very impressed by this answer. Campaign finance reform is a must and I hope you come back to do an IAMA on the day you fight for it's passage in Congress.

That's a great idea Robert, I'd love to come back to talk about campaign finance reform with all of you! Thank you for your feedback.

Please keep in touch with me about campaign finance reform, I'd love to here from you and to have your support. www.glennandersonforcongress.com

What about the restriction on online poker sites placed on internet users in the US? http://www.fulltiltpoker.com/us/ I think it is a clear violation of internet freedom that individuals in the US cannot visit online poker sites.

I was not aware of a restriction on online poker sites in the US and do not know the specifics of this individual case. I'll have to check this out.

the stinkin' goverment does not want anyone competing against it in the gambling business. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unlawful_Internet_Gambling_Enforcement_Act_of_2006

Thanks Freemarket, I'll have to read up on this.

Could you instead run against Mike Rogers in District 8? That guy is brutal.

I agree that guy needs to go, but I don't live there so I can't help out.

How will SOPA and PIPA effect tech job creation in the state of Michigan? I'm a college student at U of M, and about to look for a job. I'm legitimately concerned the bill will stymie growth...

I think you are absolutely right that it poses a challenge to economic growth. With technology companies such as Google sprouting up from the internet, it is important that we don't put this burden on them which could limit job creation.

If SOPA is rewritten under the name of a new bill like "Stop Child Pornography Act" would you still vote against it and try to educate people that it's in fact a lie?

This kind of conflation is underhanded and it frustrates me greatly. It goes without saying that I am vehemently against child porn and I am against SOPA. I would do everything I could to inform the public about this.

A few things: Firstly, I grew up with Conyers as my congressman, but was never particularly active in politics, so mostly I know him from his short interview in Michael Moore's Fahrenheit 9/11 and now in co-sponsoring this bill. He did a good job in the short time in that movie making Congress look pretty incompetent, and this is many years ago.

Secondly, here you are saying that you are running against Congressman Conyers, who currently holds the seat in the 14th district, but on your website it says you are running in the 13th district, which is currently held by Hansen Clarke.

• Where and against whom are you running?

Thirdly, I am a soon to be graduating Engineer from U of M, and despite having a love for engineering, a feel a calling for public service due to the incompetence and ignorance of many currently in office, particularly as it relates to scientific issues. I guess this leads me to two additional questions:

• What kind of scientific background do you have?
• Do you have any suggestions for a young engineer who wants to move into politics?

This may sound ridiculous, because it is. Because of redistricting John Conyers has decided to run in the 13th, a seat he does not live in. Hansen Clarke has decided to run in the 14th, a seat he does not live in. I'm running in the 13th, where I do live.

I do not have any formal training in the science, but I like science. My son is an engineer actually.

There are lots of ways to get involved. Most folks start off volunteering with a campaign, but there are other ways to get involved. Send me an email at [email protected] on what kind of move you are talking about and I will get back to you personally.

I will vote for you. The Conyers family is terribly corrupt

Thanks for the Support MrFly!

Good luck to you. I like many of your positions. However, I live in Conyers district.............and you may have a tough fight. I'm just saying.

BTW his sponsorship of SOPA (and his support of RIAA) is just plain stupid.

Thanks Pilot! I know that this isn't going to be easy and could use your help. What would you like to see me do in the district?

In the D, against one of the longest incumbent Congressmen in the history of the country. Well, Detroit has made plans to start shrinking to better deliver services around the city. What do you think of this idea, and how would you go about dealing with the poverty many residents face?

That is up for the local officials to decide, so if they fell that they need to shrink in order to provide services to the people of Detroit, then it is up to them. We shouldn't take that power away from the city.

This is a multifaceted problem that requires a lot of help from a lot of different people. The job of the Congressman is to get up every morning and fight like heck to see economic growth and to build coalitions. What I want to do is provide an unprecedented level of constituent services to the community. I have a well earned reputation for being very responsive to my constituents and I want to do everything that I can to show them to available resources.

I'm from Michigan, and they cut a bunch of money from my kid's school. Then they cut taxes to businesses. Thoughts?

This is just plain wrong. I don't understand how the Governor can tote innovation and an economic future while depriving our schools, the source of this entrepreneurship, of needed resources. Schools are an investment in the future.

What are some of the things you plan to do if you do get elected ? As a Michigan resident, I am extremely interested in what you plan to do about jobs, especially tech jobs.

I plan on establishing a top-level constituent service program to help not just people but also businesses locate resources that are available to them and cut the red tape. At the state level, I've seen many examples where government and business have been able to partner to create local jobs. Regarding high tech jobs, state and federal incentives were responsible for A123 Battery Systems locating in my district. this company is part of the automotive supply chain of tomorrow and represents how we can reinvent Michigan's manufacturing base. We will aggressively pursue these sort of incentives.

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You're welcome, never having done this before I didn't know what I was getting into but it has been wonderful talking to you all.

John Conyers has been reelected many times and in his time in Congress has done some important things, but we need to be looking toward the future. I plan on winning by talking to enough voters about my ideas and my message. I'm confident if I'm able to get my message out to voters that people will make the right choice. Southeast Michigan needs innovation, something different. People are ready for something new.

And yes, I'm running against him in the primary. We're both Democrats.

Great to see a MI candidate against SOPA. Recently moved away to Boston for a better tech job (software engineering related), and more excitement. Curious if you have any plans to bring more tech jobs to MI. From what I remember the tech market was pretty substantial, but not growing fast. Any educational or job growth plans for tech in MI? I feel a lot of auto engineering related jobs could easily be translated into software which even in Boston is hard to hire for.

Also, what happened with the movie intensive plans? I had a lot of friends work in the film industry, and did so from unrelated fields (such as beauticians). Now they are all moving away because the incentives were cut. I felt that was a great way to translate job talent into another field as well as bring in more talent.

Thanks for your support, I think it was important to take a stance on this issue. I'm sorry to hear you left our state. My son (also an engineer) left the state for work in California, and I was sad to see him go. His having left, along with the stories of many young people that I hear from many parents, serve as an everyday reminder that, if Michigan is going to get better, we need to make it a better place for young people to find work. Period.

On the tech jobs front, see my previous post regarding A123 Systems - I think that tech jobs, especially those that support and reinvent Michigan's existing manufacturing industry represent and important and substantial part of the Michigan's future economy.

I supported the film incentives and thought that it would benefit Michigan two-fold, both from the economic investment that would result from companies filming in Michigan (films like X-Men, The Wizard of Oz, and The Ides of March) but also because it would increase publicity for the state in general. I have been consistent in saying that I felt we needed to give the film incentives more time to ensure that film companies new that they had a stable place to invest and do business. Others felt otherwise. There are still efforts underway to continue a modified film credit and I will be monitoring it closely to do what I can to ensure that we continue to attract the film industry to Michigan. What do you think?

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Thank you mala for your replies and questions. You are spot on with continuing education to further the tech industry. I know that Wayne State has been doing a lot with TechTown and trying to create training specifically for new industry jobs. You are absolutely right that people from the manufacturing industry have the necessary skills to fit right in to the new tech environment.

I think you said you were from around Michigan. Where did your dad work for Ford? I was mostly at the Wayne Assembly Plant.

Thanks for supporting me and forwarding my information to your friends! They can check out my website at www.glennandersonforcongress.com or they can email me directly at [email protected]

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The Big 3 is such a huge part of the community, you're right. That's awesome that you come from a Ford family, and all right around the area. I'm from Westland so you were right around my neck of the woods.

Also great to hear your mom was a Wayne State grad. They're doing great things for the city there and the state as a whole! I was just down there this past weekend talking with their President Allan Gilmour. Really exciting stuff going on!

American labor laws prohibit the working conditions in nations such as China/Thailand/Bangladesh/Philippines. What is your take on how the US could be competitive with the world in labor while maintaining the working/living conditions in our regulations and demanded from our workers?

Similarly how do you view the idea that in order to be competitive for job creation, the US government must collude with private business for capital formation and investment similar to the argument made by Former Governor Granholm.

First, I think it is important that we maintain our regulations on working conditions. It is wrong to have people put in danger at work.

We need to make sure everyone plays by the same rules, which is why we need to rework NAFTA. America has been a leader on making sure that our working conditions at home are safe, but we need to do a better job of convincing other countries that they need to do that too

foreign policy question here. What basic benchmarks do you think should exist for a country to get recognition as an independent nation from the US. For example why are Kosovo and the Republic of China recognized and North Cyprus and Palestine not. (as just a few examples)

I think that we should proceed on a case by case basis and I would have to hear arguments from experts on all sides before changing the way the decision is made. What do you think the criteria should be and should they be the same in every case?

What is your take on the new bills; ACTA and Protect Children from Pornographers Act?

I'm just hearing of these bills but it looks like Congress is trying to hide SOPA legislation in behind these existing bills. That's an underhanded and cowardly move by them.

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I'm running in the 13th district which unfortunately Ann Arbor is not in. Are you going to U of M? Thanks for the support!

SOPA is only one of myriad problems in the U.S. right now. What are your views on marijuana, health-care reform, finance industry, etc.?

The people of Michigan voted on Proposal 1 which allowed the use of medical marijuana in the state in 2008. The people have spoken and I'll stand with them. However, there were not sufficient guidelines in place to administer the program, something I would like to see happen. I believe in having everyone covered by affordable insurance, its just the fair thing to do. So I agree with the need for the health care reform and I'm glad that something was put into place, but some parts were a little troubling. That is why I voted in the Senate on a resolution stating that the vote should have been a vote for the people. Finally, the finance industry needs regulations, however, we should make sure that these necessary regulations don't put an undue burden on economic growth. I've fought for consumer protection measures in the State of Michigan, which you can check out more on my website as well as more issue positions at http://www.glennandersonforcongress.com/Issues

If the language from SOPA/PIPA enters into bill H.R.1981, will you vote against it even though it is called "Protecting Children From Internet Pornographers Act of 2011"?

I'm saying I would vote against PIPA/SOPA because they are harmful. Whether that language is titled SOPA or the Fly to the Moon Act, I will vote against it. It's not the name, it's what's in the bill. I hope to be in Congress to be able to make that vote.

Which of your accomplishments in office are you most proud of?

If elected, what would you do differently from Conyers?

I'm extremely proud of the level of constituent services that my office provides and I've always stayed in touch with the people I represent.

I'd like to add comprehensive anti-bullying legislation to my accomplishments, which I will continue to fight for. Unfortunately, the bill that was passed did not go far enough. Btw, if you agree that we should pass this legislation, sign my petition at www.itisneverok.com

I would like to bring a fresh perspective and new energy to this district. Mainly, we need real constituent services in our community which has been one of my greatest accomplishments while a State Senator. I feel that I can be responsive to the people in the district while still being present to vote for their best interests in DC.

Do you support Congressional term limits?

Voting is the most effective term limit. I agree that there are problems created by politicians who become complacent because they don't think that they have to be accountable to those that they represent. But I have seen first hand the damage of term limits on the state Government of Michigan. Term limits in Michigan have resulted in a system dominated by inexperienced lawmakers who spend the first half of their time in office learning what their job is about. By the time they become an expert in a couple of issues, or fully understand the Michigan budget it is time to leave.

This kind of brain drain is counter productive to good policy and gives lobbyists even more influence because they end up knowing more than new lawmakers.

But Congress is not supposed to be a career. There are people who are in office for 40 years. Lack of congressional term limits is why we have things like SOPA and PIPA voted on by people who don't understand the technology because they can't keep up with it

You have a point, but I still think the voice of the people is the best way to get the job done. John Dingell, the longest serving Congressman in the history of the United States, is still doing great things for Michigan. It would be a shame to send someone like that home.

It should always be up to the voters. It's incumbent upon the populace to be educated and knowledgeable on issues. A good democracy needs that to work, and, paradoxically, we have the Internet and all the information we could ever possibly need, right here at our fingertips.

Good luck, Glenn!

Absolutely CareBear! Thanks!

Sorry. I don't think I'm in Conyers district.

That's ok. I'd love to hear from you still and have your support. You can go to my website or email me directly at [email protected]

Do you know if Shauer is going to take on Walberg again?

I don't know for sure. I know a lot of people would love to see this happen and have been asking him to do so. Republicans have drawn him out of Walberg's district though. I've heard yes and no.

Hey, I wanted to know how corrupt is congress, from what you know. I feel like we cant put politicians in office if all they think about is themselves, we have to stop them from making profits from their power. Good luck!

I think that Congress has seen its fair share of corruption and that money has far too much influence. That is one of the things I am trying to do something about.

How long have you been shaping that stache?

Also what do you think of the congress members supporting SOPA? Do you think that they understand what it would entail if passed?

I don't know if they know what it entails but that seems to be the only explanation for how they could be sponsoring it. My opponent, Conyers, has admitted that Congresspeople don't read everything they vote on.

I understand that you're a big supporter of breast cancer research and awareness, and have proposed a novelty license plate in MI that would help raise awarness and money for the cause. I think its a great plan. What inspired you to come up with this idea, and what do you think are the chances it becomes law?

My mother was a breast cancer survivor so I wanted to create the novelty plate in order to raise money for the cause. The proceeds of the plates would go towards breast cancer and cervical cancer screening and awareness. The bill had 38 co-sponsors, which is all of the State Senate, so I would say it had a fair deal of support. I've also raised all of the startup costs on my own. It's being held up for partisan reasons though. I hope the Senators see some reason and finally move the bill.

Why did your bill not aim to do likewise for prostate cancer, which is not nearly as well funded despite being as grave a threat to men as breast cancer is to women?

Prostate cancer is an important issue as well and I would love to see advocacy for that as well. I aimed it towards breast cancer because it would be a Pink Ribbon plate and the proceeds would go to a well-known group in Michigan that dealt with only breast and cervical cancer. I don't want to downplay prostate cancer though.