Welcome, Senator Jeanne Shaheen!

Question from earlier post: (4.00 / 1)

I'll repost these to have them all in one place.

From Douglas E. Lindner:

I'd love to hear what's being done to ensure the whole country isn't held hostage to Texas' new radical textbook standards.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:12:04 PM CDT

Thanks for your question, Douglas (4.00 / 3)

The decision last week by the Texas Board of Education to approve a conservative-leaning social studies curriculum is troubling.  In Texas, unlike New Hampshire, the state decides the curriculum and purchases the same books for the entire state.  In New Hampshire, this decision is made by school districts at the local level.  I am confident that in our state, the decision about what our students learn will be made on the basis of what is the best for our students, not political ideology.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:45:13 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

two cents from an academic side... (0.00 / 0)

Douglas,
I'm also not sure how much of an importance textbooks have on education at this point, since many teachers are integrating web-based publications (magazines, etc) into their curriculums. The textbook is almost a dinosaur.

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by: AnneT @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:50:23 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you, Senator, for keeping an eye on this. (4.00 / 2)

AnneT,

the reason I'm concerned is that a standardized curriculum and textbook requirement for that many schools and with that much purchasing power has the potential to spill over and influence curricula in other places and textbooks shipping to multiple states.

I don't like the idea of living in an American society where, for one, kids are taught about The Heritage Foundation but not about Thomas Jefferson's influence on political philosophy. Jefferson!  Do you want America to be full of people who were brought up learning about Newt Gingrich but not about the profound implications of the Declaration of Independence?

Our national identity is at stake here.

--
"Act as if ye have faith and faith shall be given to you." -Aaron Sorkin

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by: Douglas E. Lindner @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 15:55:33 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From GreyMike (4.00 / 1)

Question:

what ideas (and hope) does she have for getting the post-SCOTUS campaign finance genie back in the bottle?

How do we make sure voices and issues are not overwhelmed by the mediated tsunami of corporate messaging that's about to take place?

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:13:09 PM CDT

Thanks, GreyMike (4.00 / 6)

I was very alarmed by the Citizens United decision. As Justice Stevens said at the end of his dissent, "[w]hile American democracy is imperfect, few outside the majority of this Court would have thought its flaws included a dearth of corporate money in politics." Certainly I didn't see a dearth of corporate money in 2008. Senator Schumer is taking the lead in the Senate on crafting legislation to respond to this decision. While I haven't seen the text yet, I'm told it will include provisions such as requiring a CEO to appear on camera in all corporate-sponsored campaign ads to state that he or she "approves this message;"prohibiting political expenditures by federal government contractors; and imposing new political-expenditure reporting requirements for all registered federal lobbyists. I would hope to cosponsor that legislation when it is introduced in the next week or so. I am also a cosponsor of legislation to create a system of public financing that is based on a candidate's success as small-donor fundraising. So I think we need to pass legislation like these two bills and I also think voters need to get more involved, both in making financial contributions to candidates they support and in grassroots campaigning. I started in campaigns as a field organizer. I feel very strongly about the importance of volunteer activity in campaigns.    

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:49:17 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From The Grand Panjandrum: (4.00 / 1)

Question:

While the insult to VP Biden (re: settlement announcement during his visit) is obvious, it appears even the Pentagon is concerned about Israel working at cross-purposes to American security interests in the Middle East. Do you think it's time that the US start really pushing back against Israeli intransigence?  What steps can the Senate take to ensure that this intransigence is met with an appropriate response? What do you believe an appropriate response is in light of the Netanyahu government's unwillingness to work toward a negotiated settlement with the Palestinians?

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:14:53 PM CDT

As part of my work on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee... (4.00 / 4)

I have closely followed the events in this region and the ongoing peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.  Several weeks ago, I took part in a Committee hearing with some of our foremost experts on this region, and we discussed the most appropriate path forward in finding a stable, secure and lasting solution for Israelis and for Palestinians.  Middle East peace is critical for U.S. national security interests, and a resolution to this festering conflict could have positive implications for U.S. interests around the globe.

With respect to Vice President Biden's recent trip to the region, I am concerned that the Israeli settlement announcement and the ensuing violent unrest in response could undermine the possibility of resuming peace negotiations between the two sides.  We need to get the peace process back on track, and I believe it is critical that the U.S. makes it clear that provocative actions on either side can only stall the pursuit of a two-state solution.

I strongly support this Administration's commitment to find a negotiated two-state solution in the Middle East, and I hope leadership from both sides will demonstrate calm restraint and take this opportunity to renew serious negotiations that promote the interests of the Israeli and Palestinian people.      

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:54:01 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From bswainbank (4.00 / 1)

Question:

If a progressive and civic-minded citizen wants to get a message to you, what is best way to do it? Do you pay more attention to phone calls? Email? Paper letters? Are longer and more detailed messages more likely to have an impact? Or is it better to be short and to the point?

Do you read political blogs written by you constituents?

Health care reform has been very polarizing. But isn't that surprising that Republicans oppose real health care reform. Once you pass comprehensive reform (which you will, right?) do you see an opportunity for more bipartisanship? Will the parties be able to work together on issues like immigration? Financial reform? Deficit reduction? Or do you see more of the same?

You and Senator Gregg obviously disagree on many issues. Do you ever work together as an NH coalition?

What's the Democratic battle cry for 2010? What's the best way to get a you Democratic colleague in the Senate from NH this year?

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:15:57 PM CDT

To answer a few of your questions (4.00 / 1)

(I'll come back and answer more if I have time during this webcast):

Whether you send a paper letter, email me, or call my office, you'll get a response.  I receive thousands of letters, emails, and phone calls daily, and my staff and I are committed to reviewing each of them and providing you with the information you request.  It is an honor to represent the people of New Hampshire every day and I will always do my very best to represent your interests and maintain a dialogue with you.  

To address your question on bipartisanship - the obstruction we have seen by Republicans during this Congress has been outrageous to say the least.  They held up an extension and expansion of benefits for unemployed Americans for a month to score political points, and then voted unanimously to support the bill.  They held up a bill to promote tourism to the Unites States to overseas travels - something that will have a very positive impact on New Hampshire's strong tourism industry.  When we finally voted on the bill it passed with strong bipartisan support.  

My experience as Governor showed me how important it is to work together - things don't get done unless you are willing to negotiate.  I'm proud that I've been able to work with a number of my Republican colleagues on important issues, including with Sen. Susan Collins on a bill to keep Medicare beneficiaries healthy and out of the hospital, and with Sen. David Vitter on a bill that would get affordable generic drugs to the market faster.  I hope to see an increased willingness to work together in the future, but it is clear there are some Senators who feel it is there job to simply stand in the way and say "no" to everything.  

Senator Gregg and I have worked together on a number of issues as well.  For example, as my first legislative act in the Senate, Senator Gregg and I partnered to introduce the Veterans Health Equality Act requiring that each state have access to a full-service hospital or equivalent care.  I also was a strong supporter of the Gregg sponsored Fiscal Task Force, which is also supported by the Obama administration.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:02:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From AboutTime (4.00 / 1)

Question:

Dear Senator, is it accetpable in your view for the new consumer protection agency to be part of the fed. And if not what are you going to do to change what is moving forward from Dodd's commitee

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:16:58 PM CDT

The Consumer Financial Protection Agency (4.00 / 4)

I think protecting consumers from deceptive lending practices, especially those of nonbank lenders who have not been subject to any federal regulation, is a necessary part of financial regulatory reform, and I have real concerns about housing the Consumer Financial Protection Agency at the Federal Reserve. The Fed plays a vital role in our economy by establishing monetary policy and regulating our largest banks, and housing the CFPA there creates a tension among those different responsibilities. Also, part of the Fed's strength has been the perception that its decisions on monetary policy have been insulated from politics. I fear that will be undermined if we give the Fed additional responsibilities. I also have to tell you that I do think we need to be careful about not over-regulating small community banks - they didn't cause this problem. This problem was caused by reckless trading on Wall Street and by predatory nonbank lenders.  The legislation Sen. Dodd released on Monday is a good first step that includes reform of our regulatory system to prevent financial institutions from becoming "too big to fail"  and threatening our entire financial system and being bailed out by taxpayers, restrict the reckless trading in derivatives, address credit rating agency conflicts of interest and other significant reforms. The bill will be amended, I'm sure, before it leaves the Senate Banking Committee and again when it comes to the floor.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:05:09 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From Equal Justice (0.00 / 0)

Question:

I have a health savings account and CHOOSE to have only an inexpensive, high deductible, catastrophic insurance policy! I pay as I go from my health account for my basic needs. I WANT to keep this insurance only. Will I be able to under the new bill, as PROMISED by the president or will I be subject to MANDATORY coverage requirements? Can I take him at his word that if I have insurance, and I LIKE it, I can keep it?

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:17:39 PM CDT

From jprski (0.00 / 0)

Question:

Please explain as specifically as possible why you and your fellow members of the US Senate REFUSE to investigate the previous Administration for various illegal activities they have now openly admitted to on national TV.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:18:37 PM CDT

From Dartmouth Dem (4.00 / 1)

Question:

Thank you for extraordinary service, and for taking the time visit us at Blue Hampshire.

My question: Given the ongoing debate on financial services legislation in the Senate, what do you believe are the necessary reform components for preventing future corruption, mismanagement, and excessive risk-taking by Wall Street?

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:19:31 PM CDT

We need to prevent the dynamic of financial institutions becoming "too big to fail." (4.00 / 3)

We need to restrict proprietary trading and reckless trading of derivatives; stop credit rating agency conflicts of interest; empower more effective shareholder governance of big financial institutions; and align compensation with long-term performance, not short-term risk taking.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:57:54 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

From Mike Hoefer (4.00 / 1)

Question:

Thank you for taking time to visit with us on Blue Hampshire today.

As a former Governor of NH you understand first hand the incredible funding pressures our schools are under.

Some relief would be had if the Federal Government full lived up to their portion of the funding these services. Doing so would mean real relief at the local level here in NH.

What can be done to push this forward in DC?

Again,
Thanks for you time here and your service in the Senate.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:20:20 PM CDT

When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was originally passed, (4.00 / 4)

Congress recognized that it will cost school districts more to ensure children with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education, and promised it would cover 40 percent of the extra costs. However, Congress has generally funded it at a 17-18 percent level.  I am very much aware of the stress this puts on state and local education budgets and believe Congress should live up to its promises.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:11:57 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Will get started soon (4.00 / 1)

Hello.  This is Colleen Murray in Senator Shaheen's office.  All Senators are currently required to be on the Senate floor.  We expect the current proceedings to wrap up shortly and we will get started promptly at that time.  We are sorry for the delay and will keep the Senator online with you all as long as possible.  Thank you very much for your patience.  

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:21:01 PM CDT

From Jack Mitchell (0.00 / 0)

Question:

As a member of the Foreign Relations Committee: It is clear that Middle East peace is centered on the relationship between the Palestinians and the Israelis, I'd like you discuss another conflict of concern, between India and Pakistan, as it relates to our ongoing war in Afghanistan.

The ability for the Pakastani military to fully engage AQ & Taliban forces along the tribal territories bordering Afghanistan, is directly related to the level of tensions in the Jammu/Kashmir region.

The State Department is currently sending high level envoys to India & Pakistan to push for progress on many fronts. All are interconnected and vital.

Please brief us on your understanding of this matter and offer some thoughts you may be planning on bringing to this vital Senate committee?

Thank you for your service to NH and our nation.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:21:20 PM CDT

In the Senate Foreign Relations committee this year... (4.00 / 2)

we have held a number of hearings on this exact issue.  In addition, I had the opportunity to raise the importance of positive relations between India and Pakistan directly with Pakistani government officials last year when I visited Lahore and Islamabad.  

As I'm sure you know, this is a highly complex and interconnected region.  Pakistan and India obviously have a history of tension and fighting.  There is little doubt that progress on talks between India and Pakistan can have significant benefits for our efforts in Afghanistan and beyond.  I was encouraged to see that direct, high level talks between India and Pakistan occurred in February 2010. This was the first high level effort since the Mumbai incident in 2008.  I hope leaders in both countries will take this opportunity to engage in further discussions and confidence building measures.  Leaders in India and Pakistan need to understand that they - along with the U.S. - share a common threat of militant extremism.      

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:07:25 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Small Business (4.00 / 1)

Senator Shaheen -

The current recession has hit small businesses hard.  In addition to addressing out-of-control health care costs, what other steps should be taken to help small businesses to thrive again?

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by: Dartmouth Dem @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:24:02 PM CDT

Hi Dartmouth Dem! (4.00 / 3)

There are a number of things, including increasing access to affordable capital and helping small businesses export their goods and services. I spoke on the floor about exporting this morning. Less than one percent of small businesses export, yet 95 percent of the world's customers live in other countries. We passed a bill out of the Senate Small Business Committee that would strengthen the SBA's export services and lending programs, and I believe it is urgent that this bill get to the floor and be passed.  

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:56:07 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you, Senator Shaheen (4.00 / 2)

You are doing a truly outstanding job in the Senate.  The people of New Hampshire -- and America -- are fortunate to have a leader who is so committed to common sense reform.

Thank you.
 

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by: Dartmouth Dem @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:02:08 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Communicating your messages (0.00 / 0)

Good afternoon Senator Shaheen. I just wanted to say that the messages that both parties have been trying to communicate have gotten completely lost in rancor and rhetoric.

The public will always support something they see as a solution, but both the PROBLEM and the SOLUTION need to be presented in the most fundamental terms. We, the people, would like open communication and an explanation of the logic (and, more importantly, the science supporting that logic) so we can understand how you and other politicians draw your conclusions... and the reason you have taken whichever stand you are taking.

If you need an example, I would recommend two:
The Back of the Napkin program:
http://www.slideshare.net/danr...

or NHPR's Socrates Exchange.

Also, NHPR has started doing a Community-sourced discussion, where they have people fill out a form describing their expertise, and then ping them when news stories come up to see what we think they should make sure they cover in the news story and any leads/sources we might have for them so they get a well-rounded story. It's called the NHPR Public Insight Network, and I would love to see you implement something like that.

Thank you for still being a school teacher at heart. You are one of the few politicians who is always willing to explain how you came to a conclusion, and even though there are times when I may disagree with you, I appreciate that you always take the time to learn about all sides of a subject before you form an opinion, and that you're ready to revise that opinion as new information is presented.

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by: AnneT @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:40:49 PM CDT

Welcome and thank you for participating! (4.00 / 3)

Thanks for joining me today and for always providing a strong voice in the progressive community. And thank you for your patience today.  The schedule in the Senate can be quite unpredictable!

We are working to support an agenda that I know we all stand behind-ensuring our economic recovery, creating jobs, reforming our broken health care system, investing in a clean energy economy, helping small businesses to grow and thrive, and leading the nation toward a balanced budget. All of these pieces are important for the long term prosperity of our nation and the middle class, and I'm optimistic we can accomplish them all.  

We're working on some of these issues right now. Today in the Senate, we are focused on a jobs bill that will help businesses retain and create jobs while making important investments in the nation's infrastructure. Next week, we plan to get back to health care reform so that we can finally start to control health care costs and improve care for millions of Americans.

I look forward to spending the next half hour hearing from each of you.  I'll answer as many questions as possible, but if I don't get to your question please submit a question by visiting my website (www.shaheen.senate.gov) and I'll make sure you get a response.

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 13:42:22 PM CDT

Thank You! (4.00 / 6)

Thank you to everyone who joined this webcast today or sent questions in advance.  If your question wasn't answered - and I'm very sorry I wasn't able to get to all of them - please feel free to call my offices in New Hampshire or Washington, or visit my website at www.shaheen.senate.gov to resubmit your question.  I look forward to hearing from you soon and Happy St. Patrick's Day!  

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by: Jeanne Shaheen @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:13:42 PM CDT

Thank you, Senator, (4.00 / 4)

for your time and your answers.

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by: Laura Clawson @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 14:15:53 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

Thank you Senator Shaheen, (0.00 / 0)

for coming to Blue Hampshire.  I was at work while this was happening, but it is clear from your thoughtful responses to such a variety of questions that it was a very productive event.

Thank you for all you have been doing, and have done, for New Hampshire.

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by: Dean Barker @ Wed Mar 17, 2010 at 18:45:16 PM CDT

[ Parent ]