RSSChats & Other Live Events

Hello and welcome to this internet chat. I'm really pleased to be able to communicate directly with readers of the Arizona Daily Star.

I look forward to your questions and a good exchange of ideas.

Regarding your question about contraception coverage, it is surprising that this issue comes up almost fifty years after women were first able to have access to contraception under their health plans.

Women should have the ability to make health care decisions for themselves and not be told by government or by employers how to make these most personal decisions.

Border Security is one of the most important issues we face here in the Southwest. For the last five years, I've been deeply involved in how to deal with the enormous public safety problem that has been created by the violent drug cartels which have made our communities the major corridor for their illegal activities.

I have met with ranchers, businesspeople, and residents who live along our border with Mexico. From them, I have learned what it is like to live daily with illegal traffic across their lands which puts their families in danger. I have also met with law enforcement officials and border patrol agents to get their advice on what needs to be done to take control of our border.

The use of checkpoints on major highways is one important tool that must be in place to help us get control of the border. It is not the only one, however. We need boots on the ground at the border. We need technology that can detect illegal traffic. We need to increase surveillance through the use of drones. We need to continue the presence of our National Guard on the border in support of the Border Patrol. We need to make sure that all law enforcement agencies share intelligence in real time. We need better communications systems between law enforcement agencies. And we need to improve cell phone reliability in rural areas. These are some of the initiatives that I have worked on as Congresswoman Giffords' district director.

Border Security was, and still is, a major concern of mine, and I will continue to fight for the resources that we need to get the job done.

To our readers: We have a number of questions in queue. If you've already submitted a question, there is no need to submit it a second time.

Kurt, thanks for asking.

My campaign for CD8 is only three weeks old today. I do not consider myself a politician, and never thought that I would be running for office. I have made the decision to run for CD8, but I have not yet decided if I will run for office in CD2.

I have been focused on building a campaign team, opening a campaign office and collecting enough signatures to get on the ballot for CD8. I am very proud of the progress we have made so far in submitting over 7,000 signatures. I have been encouraged by the bipartisan support I have received, and many people have asked me to run for CD2.

That decision will come in due course.

I'm running for Congress because I want to go to Washington to be the voice for Southern Arizona, and use my experience to solve problems for people here. I believe the people of this district are tired of the bickering, divisiveness and gridlock that has been evident in the recent past. I will go to Congress to focus on problems that we can solve by bringing people and finding common ground. I know that there are issues on which we can find this common ground. I also intend to fight for increased border security funding and smart use of the funds that have already been appropriated. I will work to find additional ways we can support veterans and active duty military. I also intend to run my campaign in a civil and respectful manner so that we can show that robust debate on issues is possible without vitriol and demonizing.

Dear Johartz:

You have posed an important question about the role the United States should take when the people of a country rise up against a totalitarian ruler. The action we took in Libya to bring down Qaddafi was appropriate in that situation. We helped the people overthrow a dictator without the direct involvement of US troops on the ground.

Each country where an uprising occurs presents its own unique circumstances. The action we have taken thus far against the Syrian government includes sanctions and close coordination with other Arab countries and our allies in Europe. I do not support direct US military involvement in Syria. Anytime we commit our troops to war, the Congress must be consulted and give its approval before such action is taken.

Thanks for asking.

Americans want action to simplify the tax code and to make sure that we close loopholes that allow corporate jets and other such luxuries to tax deductible. Any changes in the tax code should not increase taxes on working people and the middle class.

The so-called Fair tax would adversely impact millions of Americans by creating a national sales tax on everything that is purchased: food, gas, rent, medicine, clothing, etc. We certainly don't need to increase the tax burden on the lion's share of Americans, and that is what the fair tax would do. The Fair tax has been analyzed by many economists, including one conservative economist, Bruce Bartlett, who has pointed out that this tax scheme would push more of the tax burden to middle class families and reduce taxes on the wealthiest. It would also increase our deficit!

Thanks to Ron Barber, CD 8 Democratic candidate, for participating in today's chat. The Star also appreciates the participation by you, the readers.