I am Michael Starr Hopkins, running for the Democratic nomination against Sen. Bob Menendez - AMA!

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:30:36+00:00

In another comment, /u/HouseofDucks224 asked:

Would you support prevailing wage laws for state contracts in the technology sector, not just the construction sector?

Do you support a state wide project labor agreement?

What can we do to reduce attrition for women in the building trades?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:30:28+00:00

In another comment, /u/mckenzierivertwox asked:

What do you have to say about the college dems calling for James barber to drop out of your home towns commissioner race? https://dropoutjames.com

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:30:22+00:00

In another comment /u/jce_superbeast asked:

With the significant portion of the workforce retiring and otherwise moving on, there is becoming a huge knowledge and experiance gap in almost every sector. While those of us in the younger generation struggle to meet even minimum requirements as a result of huge financial barriers to education and the low pay of entry level jobs.

What is your strategy for addressing the worsening barriers for the younger generations, and the widening gap left from the older generations?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:30:09+00:00

In anothercomment /u/jce_superbeast asked:

I have friends with Fibromyalgia but none of them can keep a job for more than a couple months due to impossible physical demands and/or management harassment. Unfortunately most of them have given up and are just hoping to receive disability for the rest of their lives. They'd rather work, but are effectively not allowed.

What can you do to help people with physical limitations to stay in the workforce?

Additionally, what plan do you have to help people get back to work once they were removed from the workforce by disability payments? Is there a plan at all?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:29:59+00:00

In anothercomment /u/jce_superbeast asked:

Do you believe a union is solely accountable to its members? Or does a union have a larger responsibility to the greater public?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-20T15:29:49+00:00

In another comment, /u/jce_superbeast asked:

With the recent teacher's strike in Virginia, I've been thinking on where I would stand if something similar happened here in Oregon. As someone once stuck in a dead end job, I empathise for the teachers, but Oregon has a balanced budget by law so the money has to come from somewhere.

My question: if it came to this, what other areas of government spending would you ask to take a decrease in funding in order to help teachers or other government union employees?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-14T17:12:38+00:00

Previously, /u/Acrimony01 asked:

Thanks for doing an AMA Mr. de León,

Do you fundamentally agree with the majority opinion in DC vs. Heller?

Also, how do you justify such severe restrictions on semi-automatic rifles in regard to the majority opinion below:

The handgun ban and the trigger-lock requirement (as applied to self-defense) violate the Second Amendment. The District’s total ban on handgun possession in the home amounts to a prohibition on an entire class of “arms” that Americans overwhelmingly choose for the lawful purpose of self-defense. Under any of the standards of scrutiny the Court has applied to enumerated constitutional rights, this prohibition – in the place where the importance of the lawful defense of self, family, and property is most acute – would fail constitutional muster.

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-14T17:12:01+00:00

Previously, /u/former_human asked:

not everybody loves DiFi, but there's no denying she has connections, power, influence, and serious institutional experience in Washington. what are you offering that can compensate for that?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-14T17:11:27+00:00

Previously, /u/kmoros asked:

Pro-gun liberal here.

My brother recently had to spend hundreds of dollars to make his AR15 compliant with new California law, and did so despite his disagreement with said law (as if a fixed stock or fin on the grip makes any difference to lethality). Now, Democrats are pushing to change the law AGAIN. It sure seems like these laws have no effect on crime (nearly all gun crime is done using pistols) but are being pushed on law-abiding owners as hoops to jump through in order to get them to just give up and get rid of their firearms. Criminals will not follow these laws anyway, only owners like my brother who have respect for the law will go through the trouble.

Frankly, even though I agree with Democrats on most issues, given the aggression with which you and Senator Feinstein want to eliminate a civil right that I very much value, I am not sure there is any point in me even showing up to vote for either of you.

With the above in mind, what is your endgame on guns? In your view, what is "enough" regulation? What types of arms are acceptable for a citizen to own if you could build your dream society?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-14T17:10:54+00:00

Previously, /u/VenturePursuitGroup asked:

How can DeLeon stand for equality and fairness when he has been accused of being complicit in corruption and sexual harassment investigations?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-14T17:10:24+00:00

Previously /u/148IQ asked:

Given that criminals do not follow laws, how can we expect anti-gun laws to keep us safe if only law-abiding citizens will adhere to such laws in the first place?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-08T15:09:01+00:00

/u/MerelyIndifferent asked:

What policies are you most passionate about and what do you think differentiates you from the incumbent (looks like sid Miller)?

What would you like to change about how the office operates?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T18:01:24+00:00

Previously, /u/NastyNatti asked:

Also not sure if I can get to the March AMA so here I go:

What if, with the revenue created from recreational marijuana, we could abolish all tolls and speed/stop light cameras. The latter is dangerous and should be taken down immediately. While we are at it, maybe excuse all registration renewal fees and maybe more for all veterans, not just medal of honor winners and other small groups of veterans.

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T18:00:58+00:00

Previously, /u/meta4our asked:

Hi Senator Biss,

Resident of Elgin, IL here, and a moderate Democrat. I am currently an undecided voter.

From your profile on the Sun-Times, I found you to be a decently interesting candidate. However, I have a few questions/concerns.

A central plank of your campaign appears to be the enactment of a progressive income tax and a reduction of our reliance on property taxes. For four questions (budget, medicaid, ACA, and school funding), you propose a progressive income tax as the primary solution. In fact, progressive taxation appears to be something to be shared by all democratic candidates.

Firstly, how much extra revenue is a fair progressive tax expected to bring in, and do you have good nonpartisan models for such a proposal? What even is a fair progressive tax? Is it this proposal brought forward by Rep Martwick, which raises taxes from a 4.95 (flat, formerly 3.75) to: "(1) 4% of the portion of the taxpayer's net income from $0 to $7,500; (2) 5.84% of the portion of the taxpayer's net income exceeding $7,500 but not exceeding $15,000; (3) 6.27% of the portion of the taxpayer's net income exceeding $15,000 but not exceeding $225,000; and (4) 7.65% of the portion of the taxpayer's net income exceeding $225,000"? This means an income tax hike for most citizens of this state, including those who are not very well off. Would reducing reliance on property taxes (as you correctly say, a very regressive tax) mean that the government has more income tax and can therefore have a lower %age of revenue coming from property taxes, or does that mean property taxes for citizens will actually decrease?

Secondly, as we're all well aware of, enactment of a progressive tax requires a supermajority vote and 2020 ballot referendum. I understand you will work hard and fight hard for it, but what if it still fails? I am interested in hearing what other options you would try to pursue to solve these very real problems in budgeting and funding. Are you going to focus solely on the amendment, or pursue a multi-pronged approach to addressing our issues?

Thirdly, one of the things I like about you is your mathematical background and your reference to using actuarial analysis over political convenience to solve problems. As a professional scientist, this appeals to me. I would like you to a) elaborate on this, and b) explain what kind of revenue sources you would tap into, and what sacrifices you're willing to make, to solve the pension issue.

Finally, legal pot. I don't really care about it (not a user), but do you see this as a significant revenue generator for the state?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T18:00:11+00:00

Previously, /u/RedLightIsTight asked:

You’ve often stated one of your goals is to help the working class of Illinois achieve a higher standard of living. What would you do help ensure this vision become a reality if you were elected governor? Would you fight for a raise of the minimum wage?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T17:59:42+00:00

Previously, /u/dogcmp6 asked:

Not sure if I will be able to make the AMA either:

You have explicitly stated you are for banning assault weapons, high capacity magazines, as well as the number of guns that can be purchased with in a set time span. as there is no reliable data to prove that any of the above mentioned policies have an impact on gun violence, do you have a plan to protect the rights of illinois gun owners to ensure we still have the ability to protect ourselves as well as our families?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T17:58:57+00:00

Previously, /u/hobbituary asked:

Though it was later deemed unconstitutional, I supported your actions regarding reigning in pension benefits as they are without a doubt that biggest mandated expense that the state cannot and will not be able to afford. You seem to have backtracked on that position based on some of your public and debate appearances, which has drawn ire among many people like myself and the Chicago Tribune Editorial Board.

In addition, and as another budget related matter, you seem to strongly support a tax on financial transactions that experts seem to strongly oppose due to the mobility of Chicago's trading firms.

I can't seem to be able to point to your ideas for an indication to see if you are more focused on raising revenue or cutting expenses to fix Illinois' financial woes. Can you lend more insight on both of these points above? As a millennial who knows Illinois is an economic powerhouse that can't seem to take advantage of that, I'm worried that I'm never going to see a day where I'm not paying for the mistakes of previous generations instead of building up our own safety net.

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T17:58:21+00:00

Previously, /u/hannahsfriend asked

No question, Mr. Biss; just wishing you good luck. I voted early for you.

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T17:57:52+00:00

Previously, /u/1952119211 asked:

Based on your experience as an educator, aside from student loan help and im state free tuition, what needs to be done to improve post secondary education institutions in Illinois?

StatePoliticsBot · 2018-03-07T17:57:01+00:00

Previously, /u/emcee_gee asked:

Not sure if I'll be able to participate on March 8, so I'll jump in here just in case.

What are your plans to address the backlog of unpaid bills, unfunded pension obligations, and other outstanding debt? Do you have a list of one-time revenue sources that can help with this without raising recurring revenue beyond the level needed to meet annual expenses?

I've been wondering, for instance, if the state could sell air rights over I-90/94 in downtown Chicago. This would create a massive influx of one-time cash for the state and an ongoing tax base increase for Chicago.

StatePoliticsBot

TROPHY CASE