At the end of October I profiled Jigar Ashwin Madia, a “Democrat” (or DFLer) who is running for Congress in the 3rd District of Minnesota. An important thing to note here is that, as I understand it, in order to compete in the general election as a DFLer in Minnesota, you have to first obtain an endorsement from the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) is a major political party in the US state of Minnesota. It was created on April 15, 1944 when the Minnesota Democratic Party and Farmer-Labor Party merged. Hubert Humphrey was instrumental in this merger. The party is affiliated with the national Democratic Party. The nickname “DFLers” is often used in Minnesota by both members and non-members of the party as an alternative to “Democrats”. [Link]
The Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party will base part of its decision (a long process) on which candidate has raised the most money by the end of the year, since money in the war chest is an indicator of general election viability (an unfortunate fact about politics in America today). Therefore, the month of December is critical to Madia’s campaign if he hopes to contend for this seat. One of Madia’s staff explained the process to me back in November:
“…the fundraising period that matters most ends December 31, 2007. That period matters most because the results from that time will be what voters know going into the endorsement process that begins on February 5, 2008. (Ashwin has agreed to abide by the results of the endorsement process, so if he does not receive the endorsement from the Democratic Party, the campaign is over.) The next round of fundraising numbers will not come out until April 15, 2008, and at that point, the endorsement process will be almost over.”
Asking for your effort as a volunteer or for a monetary contribution, just like asking for your vote, demands that a candidate explain his positions clearly and thoughtfully enough to satisfy you as a voter or donor. I asked Madia a few questions that I was curious to know the answer to (some of them just to warm him up for you all). I am counting on our smart readers to vet him some more with thoughtful questions. If you like what he has to say, consider supporting him. If not, this is still a chance for one-on-one participation in the political process. Here we go:
<
p>Abhi: Tell us a little about your experiences in Iraq. What are the top three things you learned over there that you feel helps make you a better candidate now that you are back in Minnesota?
<
p>Madia: While in Iraq, I worked with the military, the State Department, the Justice Department, the European Union, the United Nations, and Iraqi judicial officers to strengthen Iraq’s legal system and establish the rule of law. I learned that: 1) Iraq is a beautiful country with some of the most gorgeous sunrises I’ve ever seen; 2) the Iraqi people (at least those that I dealt with – primarily lawyers and judges) are brave and very kind; and 3) we, the Americans, need to do a better job of establishing unity of command of our military and State Department efforts, to ensure cohesion and maximize the effectiveness of our efforts. I believe these understandings make me a better candidate because they will give me the foundation to help reestablish Congressional oversight over the conduct of the war through probing questions and initiatives. I can draw upon my experiences to push the military and State Department when necessary about their planning and execution of long term strategy in Iraq.
<
p>Abhi: How did your family feel about you being deployed to Iraq? Did you join the military through a ROTC program that helped pay for college or by some other manner?
<
p>Madia: They didn’t like it. I think it’s natural for family members to worry, particularly my parents, who of course are from India and had no prior experience with the American military – let alone the Marine Corps – prior to me joining. Mom and Dad initially didn’t even like the idea of me getting in the Corps in the first place, because I think they had an idea in their head of what it was (brainwashing, hazing, etc.) that was based on certain media images but not necessarily reality. They came to love it, though – after I got through basic training and was stationed in Japan, they really came to appreciate it. I didn’t join through ROTC. At the end of college, I just decided I wanted to do it, so I went through a program that let me go through Officer Candidates School, then go through law school, and then go on active duty immediately afterwards and report to The Basic School.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: Your opponents will probably focus in on your relatively young age in their efforts to sell themselves as more experienced than you. How do you hope to convince the voters that you have enough experience and don’t need to start with a more local position?
<
p>Madia: A few ways. First, on the age question. When we make a decision to go to war, it’s young people that end up going. When we make the decision to bust our budget, it’s young people that will end up paying for it. And when we make the decision to trash our planet, it’s young people that will inherit the consequences. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to have someone under the age of 50 contributing to our national discussion on these policies. On the experience question, I say that experience is important, but there’s different kinds of experience. I may not have experience sitting in committee meetings, but I’ve got experience in Iraq, and with the military. When I talk about Iraq and the military, it’s not because I read about it in a book or saw it in a movie – I was there. I have experience advocating on behalf of unemployed people, immigrants, disabled children, battered women, and the LGBT community. In fact, I was one of the first marines to successfully defend a gay marine from “don’t ask, don’t tell.” I’ve traveled much of the world: India, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, and Iraq, and seen some of the effects our policies have on other nations. In short, I haven’t been sitting on my hands for 29 years – I’ve done a lot of living and have plenty of life experience to draw on. Finally, I’d point out that Dick Cheney has plenty of experience, but that obviously hasn’t made him a great vice president. There are other traits that matter: values, integrity, judgment, dependability, unselfishness, courage, and endurance. I’d like people to look at my life and my stances and judge for themselves whether I have these traits.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: Why are you running as a Democrat? Researching your background one wonders why a lifelong Republican (I’m assuming since you were a member of the College Republicans at the University of Minnesota) would decide to run as a Democrat. Do your ideals now align better with the Democrats and is this primarily because of your experience in Iraq or is it because of a host of issues?
<
p>Madia: It’s true that I considered myself a moderate Republican in college, but I wasn’t a member of the College Republicans. When I ran for student-body president, I ran with a liberal Democrat as my running mate, and my supporters (and ultimate governing coalition) were a motley crew comprised of moderate Dems, moderate Repubs, and a whole lot of independents. I stopped calling myself a Republican in late 2002, when the Iraq War resolution was stampeded through Congress – I didn’t understand why we couldn’t give the UN inspectors more time to find out if Iraq really had WMD and I didn’t like the political timing of the resolution (Nov 2002 – just in time for our domestic elections). I also was disgusted by what the RNC did to Max Cleland (triple amputee Vietnam War veteran), comparing him to Bin Laden in its ads. I didn’t want to be associate with them anymore, so I left, and haven’t looked back since.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: Your first name is Jigar but you go by Ashwin (for the purposes of your campaign I suppose). What does your family call you (feel free to include embarrassing nicknames)?
<
p>Madia: I’ve used my middle name for years, but my family and old friends still call me Jigar. Mom also calls me “Jiggie,” “Jiggie-baby,” and of course, “Beta.” Something tells me no election in the world could get her to stop. I wouldn’t want her to stop, anyway.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: What are the top two changes you’d like to bring to your district? I mean specific policy changes you’d like to implement, not just vague ideals.
<
p>Madia: First, I want to expand Minneapolis’s light rail system to the western suburbs in my district. There are many people in my district who live in the suburbs, but work downtown (and vice versa, as well). If I can get some federal funds to help quicken the expansion of the light rail – everybody wins: it’s better for the environment, it clears congestion on our local highways, it produces jobs to build and operate the new lines, and increases productivity for businesses as their employees will be coming in to work fresh and rested, not having just spent an hour honking their horn in bumper to bumper traffic. Second, I want to help create a fund that will assist some people in my district – particularly the northern part of my district – who have been deeply affected by the sub-prime loan crisis.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: Reading up on you I got the feeling that running for office isn’t something you just decided to do on a whim, or even mostly because of your experiences in Iraq. It seems (please correct me if I am wrong) as though you’ve been working toward this methodically for years. When you were in 5th grade, what did you say you wanted to be when you grew up?
<
p>Madia: When I was in 5th grade, I’m pretty sure I was telling people I wanted to be a basketball player. I used to shoot hoops for hours every day (it was the one sport that I was reasonably competent at, so naturally I should do it professionally, right?). As I got older, I always thought I’d be a doctor, I think. Not because I was particularly interested in medicine, but more just because that’s what I think I felt was sort of expected. I never really thought hard about it and just assumed that’s where I would end up. I was pre-med in college for a couple years, but – I discovered, or maybe was reminded – I’m terrible at science. Organic Chemistry handed me my rear end and I decided it was probably best for everyone if I found another career path. I majored in political science and decided to go to law school. I was always interested in politics, but never really thought of myself as a candidate. I thought I’d do a tour in the Corps and then come back home and maybe try to open up a small practice. It didn’t quite happen that way, but everything happens for a reason.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: In your opinion/experience do South Asian Americans contribute enough money to political campaigns? If not, then why not? Do you think they are just uninspired by candidates or are they uninterested in politics in general?
<
p>Madia: You know, I’ve heard that before but I haven’t experienced it personally. In fact, I’d say the opposite. South Asian Americans have been incredibly supportive and generous to my campaign and I’m very grateful for it. I’m a first time candidate who’s never run for anything before, yet they (and others) have given to me in amazing numbers, and I’m honored by it. Of course, I’d like more – both in terms of larger contributions and larger numbers of South Asian Americans believing in my campaign and contributing, but that’s more a function of just how expensive it is to run. So, if you’re reading this, and you believe in my campaign, please forward my website and your personal endorsement on to people you think might be supportive. Sorry to do that, guys, but I have to. I hate asking for money, but it’s just a necessity for this line of work. I’m a proud man and so is my dad. I could be unemployed and out on the street and I wouldn’t ask anyone for a dime, but since I decided to do this, I spend most of my day asking for money. Ultimately, I think we need to move toward public financing of campaigns to just take the money out of it.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: To the best of your knowledge are there any particular issues that South Asian American voters in your district care about more than the average voter? Are there any issues that you have a position on that you feel might inspire South Asian American voters from outside of your district to contribute to your campaign?
<
p>Madia: I think many care about the bureaucracy and inefficiency at the Dep’t of Homeland Security in processing citizenship applications. I’d like to explore the reasons for the bottleneck there and find out if there’s a way we can make it better, so that it still effectively processes and screens, but without the exceedingly long waiting periods. In terms of specific issues that might inspire South Asian Americans from outside my district to contribute, I don’t know. I think the issues that are the basis of my campaign – ending the Iraq War responsibly; balancing our budget; addressing global warming; making health care more affordable and accessible; renewing the federal commitment to education; and restoring and safeguarding our civil liberties – apply to all of us and I hope and believe that South Asian Americans will be motivated by them. Also, I think it’d be remarkable to have a South Asian American in Congress – currently, there are none in the House and none in the Senate. Bobby Jindal was the only one and he moved on to become Governor in Louisiana.
<
p>
<
p>Abhi: Based on your campaign so far, what one point of concrete advice can you give our readers who might want to run for a Congressional seat of their own someday?
<
p>Madia: If you want to run, run. No matter what, just do it. Do not listen to all of the bad odds that people will give you and the reasons to wait, etc. There will always be more reasons not to run than to run, e.g. you have a nice job, it will disrupt your life, you need more time, etc. Don’t listen to those reasons – just get in and pursue it with everything you’ve got. You can either wait your entire life for someone to tap you on the shoulder and say, “Now, it’s ok – it’s time, you should run now,” or you can get in, give it everything inside of you, talk from your heart, and say what you’ve got to say. Run if you have the desire to do it.
If any of you would like to get involved or contribute to Madia’s campaign, you can do so by visiting his website. But first, interview him with your own questions. Like I said, I was just getting him warmed up for you all.
Mr. Madia,
Should you win the seat, what House committee’s are of interest to you and why?
Would you be willing to be featured in Stephen Colbert’s “Better Know a District” segment if the offer was extended?
All the best.
Mr Madia,
What is your view on H1-B visas that most Indians use to immigrate to the US?
What is your view on the Indo-US nuclear agreement?
M. Nam
Mr. Madia,
Two questions:
You say that the Iraq war resolution was stampeded through Congress in 2002. If you believe this, why didn’t your party stop or slow down the resolution in the Senate? After all, the Democrats were in charge of the Senate after the Jeffords switch.
You have been quoted previously on this site as stating that the USA should not be running torture chambers. Do you believe that the USA currently runs torture chambers?
I think many care about the bureaucracy and inefficiency at the Dep’t of Homeland Security in processing citizenship applications. I’d like to explore the reasons for the bottleneck there and find out if there’s a way we can make it better, so that it still effectively processes and screens, but without the exceedingly long waiting periods.
I am very impressed that Madia is already aware of this issue.
Questions to follow.
Thank you all for your questions and thank you to Sepia Mutiny for hosting this – I’m very excited about it.
Let me get right to the questions.
No Von Mises:
I want to serve on the House Armed Services Committee because I think I have a good understanding of the military and how it works, and I want to help Congress give the military the tools it needs to accomplish whatever mission is put before it, but I also want to make sure that we’re putting the right missions before it.
My goodness, I’d love to be on Mr. Colbert’s show. I used to watch it – along with the Daily Show – at least a couple times a week if I could catch them.
MoorNam:
The comments I’ve gotten from many immigrants – Indians and others – is that the H1B visa process is too slow. I want to work with the Dep’t of Homeland Security to find out where the bottlenecks are and see if we can get better/faster/more efficient customer service, without comprising security and other concerns. I think India is a natural ally of the US, being the world’s largest democracy, a great market for US products, and fighting a terrorist problem of its own, and hence I support efforts by the two nations to work together cooperatively.
Venkat:
I don’t know why the Dems didn’t stop or slow down the Iraq War resolution – my guess is a lack of political courage. That’s one of my greatest disappointments, frankly, in the Democratic Party. One of the things I’ve been saying on the trail is that our party needs to show more courage in standing up for what we believe. Many Democrats later admitted that they hadn’t even read the Intelligence Estimate on Iraq prior to voting to authorize the war. That’s inexcusable from any Congressman – Republican, Democrat, or other.
I don’t whether the US currently runs torture chambers, because I don’t have access to all of the information the President does. I do know that our nation has been parsing words on the international stage regarding the meaning of torture, even calling into question the Geneva Convention’s definition as being “quaint.” I know that the administration has been very secretive about what methods it is employing during its interrogations, and issued a lengthy signing statement after signing Congress’s attempt to specifically define and outlaw torture. All of these facts that I do know for certain concern me very much and I want to be a voice in Congress to return to internationally accepted practices for interrogation, so that noone could ever even raise the question as to whether the US runs torture chambers, because the answer would be undoubtedly “no.”
Mr. Madia,
What is your religious background, and how (if at all) does it influence your values?
Mr Madia,
Thank you for your prompt response.
It’s not the H1B visa process that’s slow – it’s the Green Card processing that’s slow. It’s nice to know that your would like that to be expedited. I have another question in this regard: Would you like the H1B quota to be increased, decreased or remain the same?
You did not directly answer my second question: What is your opinion on the Indo-US nuclear deal? Would you like it to go through in it’s present form?
I have another question:
What is your opinion on outsourcing?
M. Nam
Mr. Madia,
Thank you for your responses to my questions. I have one follow up question.
What is your reaction to recent revelations that Speaker Pelosi and certain key Democrats were briefed on interrogation techniques including waterboarding in 2002? In your opinion, does this make Democrats complicit in the use of extreme interrogation techniques?
Mr Wadia,
What concrete measures do you support to eradicate the problem of poverty that America faces?
Do you support a woman’s right to choose?
Could you elaborate on your answer to the Indo-US nuclear agreement? Do you mean to say that you support it? How do you think it affects the current situation in South Asia?
Best of luck in your campaign!
Mr Madia,
Buster (who mis-spelt your name) asks: >>What concrete measures do you support to eradicate the problem of poverty that America faces?
Do you think America has a poverty problem?
M. Nam
All right – lots of questions re: the proposed Indo/US nuclear deal. Here’s what I like about it: 1) it’s a concrete attempt at cooperation between the US and India and hence helps form a closer international bond; and 2) it helps India as it forms a comprehensive energy strategy that does not rely solely on fossil fuels. Here are my concerns: 1) the Indian government has expressed doubts about the clause stating that the US will withdraw fuel and technology if India breaches its unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests – this clause is an important part of the agreement to me; 2) India wants complete freedom to process spent fuel in any way it chooses while the US has stated that the material it provides cannot be used for military purposes – it’s important to me that the material not be used for military purposes. Additionally, India has not signed the NPT, which it believes in its best security interest given that Pakistan has not signed it either.
Ultimately, where do I come down it? I don’t know – I’d like to read the entire thing word for word and also see if there is a way that we could get both India and Pakistan to sign the NPT. Also, it’s important to me that India agrees to the 2 clauses that I mentioned above that are currently in the agreement but the subject of heavy contention within the Indian government.
Regarding Venkat’s question regarding the fact that certain Dems were briefed on interrogation techniques, my loyalty is to principle, not party. If key Dems knew about what was happening and didn’t speak up or do anything to stop it, then I think they have a lot of explaining to do now when they express shock and outrage over the techniques.
Buster, I support a woman’s right to choose, but I think we need to do more to stop unwanted pregnancies in the first place, which means age-appropriate sexual education and greater access to contraception.
Yes, I think that poverty is a problem in America. In terms of how to deal with it, there are a number of things we can do. 25% of our homeless population consists of veterans. I think that’s a national embarrassment and disgrace. I think we should have permanent housing set up for veterans that includes staff trained to identify and help address PTSD and also solid job training programs. In fact, I think we should expand job-training/education type programs to cover broader communities, to help give people the tools they need to take care of themselves and help bring themselves out of poverty. Of course, these programs must include mental health treatment and child-care facilities. I think the investment would be relatively low, and the reward potentially great.
Mr. Madia, Thank you for your response. Your candor is greatly appreciated. I have one final question.
You have stated your support of the Paygo Principle. The Congress recently failed to address the Alternative Minimum Tax that is slated to affect great numbers of middle class taxpayers. When enacted, the intent of the AMT was to prevent rich taxpayers from avoiding taxes and was not intended for the middle class. The AMT was not indexed when enacted. Thus, any revenue the AMT will generate is revenue that the government was not supposed to receive. As a principle, do you believe that the AMT revenue must be balanced with tax increases elsewhere?
What about the elephant in the room – when politicians promise Social Security, Medicare – it’s the young people that end up paying for it. As a person under 50, what’s your view on this?
M. Nam
Please limit yourself to one follow-up question.
Some of you are obviously very enthusiastic and we are grateful for that, but please be generous and allow others to participate. If you’ve asked more than two questions already, we respectfully request that you allow others to get to know the candidate.
Thank you.
Thanks for the great questions and interest so far.
Venkat, I do support finding either revenue increases or spending cuts to offset elimination of the AMT. I understand what you’re saying regarding its disproportionate impact on middle class families and I agree. However, right now we’re running $300B deficits and have a $9T deficit. If we’re not responsible now about how we go about budgeting – even when it means making hard choices – I’m worried that we will cripple future generations and make it very difficult for the US to maintain its leading place in the world economy.
MoorName, my view on Social Security is that we need to be fiscally responsible and good caretakers of the trust fund. I think that Congress needs to stop raiding the Social Security trust fund every year to make the budget deficit look like less than what it really is – I think we should save that money for when the baby boomers retire. Further, I think we need to look at raising the income level that’s subject to Social Security taxes, not because I’m for high taxes, but rather to ensure the solvency of the system.
Hello Mr. Madia I have nothing but respect for your pursuit of what you believe in and hope that you succeed. Having said that, what are your thoughts on outsourcing? What do you think should be done about it? (If there is anything at all that you think needs to be addressed)
I’ve heard reports of there ALREADY being homeless veterans who served in Iraq.
These individuals are members of OUR generation and however unpopular the war may be, they deserve our full support in recuperating, rehabilitating, and re-entering society. How do you think we can best serve these individuals, so that twenty years from now, we are certain that we did the most to help injured and traumatized soldiers?
Do you feel any particular pull/leaning between dealing with nitty-gritty issues like local public transportation and larger issues of say, foreign policy?
Thank you for making yourself available to us on this forum 🙂
Watch the ad. It does not, in any manner whatsoever, compare Cleland to Bin Laden.
Another question on immigration.
Do you think we should make it easier for international students who get their graduate degrees in the US to stay on and contribute to the society if they wish to do so?
Would you propose an increase in the 20,000 H1-B slots alloted to people who have completed master’s degree or higher from a school in the US.
Thanks for taking these questions and wishing good luck in your campaign.
Ashwin, I am glad that you consider public transportation such an important issue. We need guys like you in L.A.
My question : What is your take on the military’s dont-ask-don’t-tell policy?
Thanks Neale.
On outsourcing, I recognize that the global economy has had benefits for many people across the world, including India. At the same time, I think it’s important that we look at and address the effects that outsourcing has had on many communities across our country. There’s a great deal of fear and apprehension concerning outsourcing in the US, and we need to find a way to compete in the global economy moving forward. I think that our advantage will be in innovation – we must be the leaders in developing new technologies and new industries. A great example is the green economy – wind, solar, cellulose based biofuels, mass transit, fuel efficient vehicles, and carbon sequestration technology are just some examples of emerging industries that the US can lead on, and profit from.
Absolutely, I think we should make it easier for students who have completed their studies here to stay and contribute. To me, it doesn’t make any sense to spend so much in resources educating someone, and then as soon as they are ready to put their education to use, send them back to another country. We ought to reap some of the benefits of the education that we provide, if students are willing to stay.
On the Cleland ad, I guess I just don’t like the tone of ads like that. “Courage to lead?” Give me a break. The guy left half his body in Vietnam – courage is not something he lacks. Particularly compared to Saxby Chambliss.
I think we ought to end “don’t ask, don’t tell.” I actually had the experience of successfully defending a gay marine from DADT while I was a military lawyer. I convinced a Marine Corps jury – not really the most progressive group of people in the world – to keep him; I’m very proud of that case. The best part of the story is that he wasn’t harassed afterwards by his peers, like I was worried about. He told me, “Sir, nobody cares.” My boss told me it was a generational thing – our generation was raised very differently and just doesn’t care. Ultimately, I think that if someone is willing to wear the uniform and potentially die for this country, it ought not matter who they love.
Hello Mr. Madia, much respect to you for your achievements thus far and best of luck with the future. My question for you is simple, what are the languages you can speak?
Thanks Mr Madia for answering my question, I have a follow-up question.
If you are elected, would you propose legislation to make this happen.
Thanks again Yogi
Mr. Madia:
On your website you cite that doctors from Mayo have found that use of “alternative billing policies and expansion of preventative and primary health care” can lower health care costs by as much as 10 percent. This in turn, would make it affordable you say, to extend universal coverage.
Can you elaborate on exactly what kind of alternative billing policies and preventative practices we are talking about here?
Thanks!
Hi Ashwin, Obama or Hillary?
Hi Jigar: A question totally irelevant to your mission. One of the popular Gujarati Novelist of 60’s and 70’s was Chunilal Madia from Gujarat. Are you by any chance related to him? Not that it matters.
Good Luck in your pursuit.
Caution: A shameless plug: I write Gujarati Ghazals, and my “takhhloos” is “Dard E Jigar”.
Hi Mr. Madia,
I’m surpried no one’ asked this, and if you answered it already I apologize.
What is your position on withdrawal from Iraq? Do you support an a)immediate or near-term withdrawal, b)waiting until the political situation there has stabilized, however long it takes, c) somewhere in between, or d) something else entirely?
Speedy
Ashwin,
Thanks for patiently answering many questions here. I definitely like some of your responses and would be paying more attention to your career. Some questions, feel free to answer whichever you can, though it would be great if you can answer all of these since it would help us know you better.
What is your take on the Govt introducing market distorting policies like farm subsidies? And on the breakdown of the WTO talks so far?
While I was at the University of Minnesota in the early 2000s, tuition went up by a large percentage. I am not sure what has happened since, but what’s your take on the same?
Your take on the US stand in Bali?
And I do like bulbul’s question, which democrat for President? What about Ron Paul?
Hey guys – thanks for all the comments. I understand Gujarati all off the time, but I speak it best after I’ve been in India for a few weeks. I’m not related to Chunilal, but I am related to Khanti Madia, who is my dad’s brother and was an actor in India.
I favor a withdrawal from Iraq on a timescale that relates to what’s militarily possible and feasible. I think the withdrawal should begin shortly, but I don’t believe that it can take place in a day, a week, or a month – I think it will take some time. I also think we bear some responsibility to the Iraqis, given that we invaded the country, we toppled their government, and we didn’t have a plan. I don’t think we can wash our hands of the situation completely. I think we should focus more of our efforts on non-combat operations, such as economic development, mentoring local, provincial, and national leaders, and helping foster opportunities to build consensus and a true unity government in Iraq.
Obama or Hillary?! You know I can’t answer that . . . too many potential voters on all sides of it that I want to support me. I’ll say this: I saw a debate a few weeks ago and I was extremely proud of the Democratic field – I feel like we have 6 or 7 strong candidates, any one of which could be a good president. I’m not sure you can say that about the Republican field.
On health care, I support many of the ideas being presented by the presidential candidates in their plans. For cost reducing measures, there’s a proposal by the Mayo Clinic to incentive insurance companies to get patients preventive/primary care by making payment partially dependent on whether insureds get treatment. In addition to preventive care and electronic billing as cost-saving measures, we’ll need more. I start with the proposition that it someone is satisfied with their current plan, they ought to be allowed to keep it, free of gov’t interference. If someone is not satisfied, they ought to get the same options that members of Congress get. Employers and individuals combine to bear the cost, but individuals bear more responsibility for their health.
(1) As there is a good possibility of a Democrat winning the White House, what role do you see for the executive branch. For example, the current president is a big proponent of line item vetoes, he also has added more expansive signing statements (1100) to every bill than all other presidents combined and in effect completely changing the meaning of the bills, the current president believes that the president has inherent authority to take whatever action may be necessary to protect the country in time of war and used that as justification for the administration’s surveillance program, the current president does not believe that the executive should share any inner workings, documentations of policy meetings (eg. Cheney energy meetings) etc. Its very possible that the Republicans might win back one or more Houses in Congress or thin out Democrats majority in 2010. In light of the fact that we might need a strong executive then to implement the progressive agenda would you support (a) Even more expanded executive powers than the current era of Bush (b) Maintaining the current Bush level of executive powers (c) Rolling back some of the executive powers.
(2) Whats your view on the suspension of habeas corpus in limited circumstances? Do you support it? Should the situations where it is suspended be made even more limited? Should it be restored completely?
(3) Should the CIA be allowed to run secret prisons around the World?
Mr Madia,
Going by your responses so far, it would be safe to conclude that you make a good politician.
Your response to the Indo-US nuclear deal was: >>Ultimately, where do I come down it? I don’t know – I’d like to read the entire thing word for word…
You’re on the right track here. Just like the nuclear deal, and probably more so, all the issues affecting us (Social Security, Iraq, High cost of tution/healthcare etc etc) are very complicated and none of them have any simple answers. Any person who thinks he/she has a solution to this is clearly either lying or has an inflated ego.
I wish you well and best of luck. I need politicans who don’t pretend that they can solve existing problems – but work hard on not creating any new ones!
M. Nam
Ashwin – “Regarding Venkat’s question regarding the fact that certain Dems were briefed on interrogation techniques, my loyalty is to principle, not party.”
If your loyalty is to principle, not party, then why switch parties?
ps – i have nothing but respect for men [esp, indian-americans] like you who choose to serve their country. even though i am a republican, i sincerely hope that you get to serve in the next congress.
On executive power, I’m deeply concerned about the expansion of the executive branch over the past several years. I don’t believe, as this administration seems to, that the president has inherent authority to act as he pleases without any oversight during a time of war. I think Congress needs to do a better job of asserting its authority as a separate and coequal branch of government, meant to exercise oversight over the Executive. Signing statements that purport to change the entire meaning of bills are unconstitutional, whether written by Republican or Democratic presidents.
I do not support the suspension of habeas corpus – we are a nation of laws. Nor do I believe that the US should run secret prisons in third world nations not subject to the scrutiny and standards of our own nation.
I think our country missed a great opportunity in Bali to actually do something and lead on global warming. We just don’t have the time to continue playing these games. Hopefully, we can do better in the next administration.
I’ve been impressed with Ron Paul’s candidacy – I think he’s showing the nation that a large part of the Republican Party is also very uncomfortable with the Iraq War.
As for why I switched parties, I felt like the Republican Party forgot its principles. It used to favor balanced budgets and now it favors borrow and spend policies. It used to favor a restrained and responsible foreign policy – not so anymore. Same with civil liberties – it amazes me how a party so fervent about the 2nd Amendment can afford so little importance to the 4th.
BTW, thank you all for the kind words.
Word.
…Further, I think we need to look at raising the income level that’s subject to Social Security taxes, not because I’m for high taxes, but rather to ensure the solvency of the system….
Taxation for an H1B holder (from Wiki, italicized below): …since an H-1B visa is only valid for 6 years and Social Security benefit eligibility typically requires 10 years of work, most H-1B visa holders will not be able to make use of the Social Security benefits that they are contributing to…. In some cases, H-1B workers pay higher taxes than a U.S. citizen because they are not entitled to certain deductions (eg. head of household deduction amongst many others). Some H-1B workers are not eligible to receive any Social Security or Medicare benefits unless they are able to adjust status to that of permanent resident. However, if their country of citizenship has a tax agreement with the United States, they are able to collect the Social Security they’ve earned even if they don’t gain permanent residency there. Such agreements are negotiated between the United States and other countries, typically those which have comparable standards of living and public retirement systems
My concern is this: Folks on an H1B cant vote and can do nothing if someone chooses to raise social security taxes. And if they have to leave the country after their visa expires (6 years), they will never see that money again. Do you think this is fair?
On executive power, I’m deeply concerned about the expansion of the executive branch over the past several years. I don’t believe, as this administration seems to, that the president has inherent authority to act as he pleases without any oversight during a time of war. I think Congress needs to do a better job of asserting its authority as a separate and coequal branch of government, meant to exercise oversight over the Executive. Signing statements that purport to change the entire meaning of bills are unconstitutional, whether written by Republican or Democratic presidents.
I do not support the suspension of habeas corpus – we are a nation of laws. Nor do I believe that the US should run secret prisons in third world nations not subject to the scrutiny and standards of our own nation.
Thank you for the answers. I am glad you do not believe that an imperialist executive is acceptable even if its for advancing the progressive agenda. Also I fully support your unequivocal stance on secret prisons and habeas corpus. I wish you the best of luck and will definitely make a contribution to your campaign!
If you are elected, what specific actions would you take to address the very stark economic and social disparities which exist in Hennepin county?
What’s your experience working with the TC desi communities?
When you speak about expanding healthcare, do you mean expanding access to private health insurance, or do you mean government sponsored universal coverage? Also, on your site you speak about alternative billing practices, and expansion of preventative and primary healthcare… can you give further details on what you mean?
What’s your take on essential medicines and intellectual property rights?
What would you do to put MN on the national and international map?
When will you be coming to the U of MN campus to talk to students?
What will you do to help the Gophers who have now become the laughing stock of BIGTEN conference in football?
Folks, please be courteous and limit the number of questions you ask– or be gracious if all of yours aren’t answered.
Watevz, seven questions seems a bit unfair, would you consider choosing those which mean the most to you?
Tell me about it, I have stopped following the bigten because it’s so depressing to see the Gophers suck so bad.
Sorry- got excited. A candidate who I might vote for and an open forum to pick his mind… Hope 4 is ok.
If you are elected, what specific actions would you take to address the very stark economic and social disparities which exist in Hennepin county?
What’s your experience working with the TC desi communities?
When you speak about expanding healthcare, do you mean expanding access to private health insurance, or do you mean government sponsored universal coverage?
What’s your take on essential medicines and intellectual property rights?
Watevz, thank you for being so understanding! 🙂
With rising health-care costs, increased competition for American industry from overseas and expanding number of retiring baby-boomer generation, from a purely market-economic prespective why does it make more sense for employers to bear the cost of insurance ? Just as more taxes for the ultra-rich seems reasonable why not govt. probably take care of the health-insurance of the people below the poverty line and leave the rest to take care of their insurance themselves instead of depending on their employers. Why be socialistic only wrt to health insurance when America considers itself to be world’s leading capitalist ? Aren’t we pampering the middle-class ?
Since when did Minnesota of all places play host to rising Indo-American politicians and us NewYawkers have yet to see people simply running? Fo’reals.
Priya, are you asking general questions for the sure-to-continue-past-Q+A discussion or do you mean for the candidate to answer? If so, could you choose a question from your three?
Ok, the first one – With rising health-care costs, increased competition for American industry from overseas and expanding number of retiring baby-boomer generation, from a purely market-economic prespective why does it make more sense for employers to bear the cost of insurance ?
Hi Mr. Madia,
I really hope I’m not coming into this conversation too late — time zones will mess a girl up, every time. I just have two questions (I had three, but I don’t want to hog time):
You articulated the necessity of balancing spending against revenues in a way that does not compromise current federal programs. How do you propose resolving this, while ensuring an adequate withdrawal, when so much of our deficit is fueled by our presence in Iraq?
You mentioned your concern with environmental sustainability. Do you feel that nuclear energy should play a strong role in our transition away from fossil fuel dependency, or are there other key factors that should impact both our energy production and consumption?
[Intern, please let me know if those are too long; I’m more than happy to limit in a more appropriate manner]
ashwin, thanks for the thoughtful responses. i can’t imagine too many candidates who would handle this many questions so thoroughly. i was prepared for one-sentence soundbites!
one more question. like camille, i’m prob late on this, but, what is your position on the “employee free choice act” legislation? and your thoughts on labor unions generally?
All: thank you for the great questions and comments – apologies on my delay in responding – I had a night full of events. I’ll try to answer a bunch:
I’m a proud supporter of workers’ right to organize anytime and anywhere – I support the EFCA.
Camille, I think that in order to balance the budget, we should: 1) decrease expenditures by reducing our presence in Iraq; 2) increase revenues by letting the Bush tax cuts expire for the wealthiest Americans; and 3) increase government efficiency by conducting an audit of all governmental agencies to ensure every dime of taxpayer money is being spent effectively.
Watevz: my experience with TC Desi community has been mostly through social interaction at various events, such as parties, Diwali events, etc. I’d love to come speak at the U of MN – can you help me arrange something?
Al_Chutiya: Thank you for your contribution! I promise I’ll make you proud throughout my campaign, and during my time in DC.
Thanks for your response, Mr. Madia, and good luck with your campaign!