Talk to Sen. Evan Bayh

Tue Oct 31, 12:11 AM ET

We have received hundreds of questions for the latest guest on Talk to Power, Sen. Evan Bayh (news, bio, voting record). The Indiana Democrat continues to field your questions. He will be responding to some of the most interesting posts on Monday, Nov. 6.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and to Sen. Bayh for participating.

Sen. Evan Bayh

Questions from Yahoo! readers have ranged across a variety of issues, with many focusing on the looming midterm elections, and others looking ahead to the presidential election in 2008.

As always, the war in

Iraq was at the top of many readers' minds. For Sen. Bayh, who initially backed
President Bush on Iraq but later said he was convinced that the administration had mishandled the war, readers pressed for details on what Democrats would do differently.

Below are some of the highlights of users' posts.

* * * * * 

On Iraq

"What, indeed, is the Democratic plan for the war in Iraq and why are we not shouting this plan from the rooftops?"

"Please articulate your specific positive plan in Iraq without attacking the opposition."

"How do Democrats send a clear message to voters that they demand a different plan in Iraq when many like yourself voted to invade Iraq and have supported the Bush administration's handling of Iraq in the past?"

"Whether or not the USA should have gone into or currently be in Iraq is irrelevant — we are there. The question today is would the USA be better off staying in Iraq or leaving? Which is the better course to stopping terrorist attacks in the USA? Which is the better course to keep the oil flowing, which in turn keeps the world economy running more smoothly? With a history covering thousands of years of war in that part of the world, do you think that there is truly any chance of there ever being a stable, demorcratic goverment in Iraq? I do not and I only think that the USA should stay if it benefits the war against terrorism and/or assists the world economy in a positive way. "

"What is your plan for Iraq? I hear a bunch of talk about how Bush is not gettting it done but I never hear how to get it done?"

On the Kerry flap

"Do you support or condemn Senator Kerry's ridiculous insult to the many thousands of educated military members? Furthermore, please explain why he is not being forced to resign after making this supremely ignorant and mean spirited comment?"

On outsourcing

"Indiana has lost a tremendous number of jobs to Mexico, China, and other low wage countries. What can you do to stop this unfair exporting of jobs and increase the number of decent paying jobs in Indiana. It is increasingly more difficult to adequately raise a family on the lower wage jobs that are replacing the good manufacturing jobs we have lost."

On alternative fuels

"How can alternative fuels compete with the extensive oil lobby? Will politicians eventually realize that alternative fuels are a necessity not just a political leverage tool that gets lip service when gas prices rise and ignored when they fall?"

"Dear Senator Bayh, I'd like to know when our government will institute more aggressive mandates directed at automobile manufacturers with regards to dramatically increasing the production of hydrid or alternative energy cars."

On medical care 

"I am a resident of the State of Indiana and mother of 3 children. We recently moved and have no medical insurance due to the waiting period at my new position. Do you have a plan for making medical insurance available to people like me... to reduce medical cost so when someone has a period of time without insurance they don't have to worry about not being able to seek medical care?"

On voting and elections

"What exactly will be done about the voting machines? This is a serious issue, more so than in 2000 and 2004, how will US citizens be ensured the right to have our votes counted?"

"There have been so many allegations in every state of voter fraud, elections being stolen, electronic machines miscounting votes either by accident or deliberately... What can be done to guarantee fair and honest elections in this country?"  

"What do you feel are the important issues a candidate running for the presidency in the 2008 elections will need to address?"

On the record 

"If you had the ability to go back in time and change three votes that you have cast as a United States Senator, which three would you change and why?"  

* * * *

We welcome further comments. Please keep your posts succinct and civil and be sure to tell us a little bit about yourself. Check back for Sen. Bayh's responses on Monday, Nov. 6.

Next: Sen. Sam Brownback responds
Previous: Rep. Tom Davis responds

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Comments

Join the discussion. Here you'll see the comments in the order they were posted.

1
My comments and question concern the rights of millions of Americans under their group health and disability plans which are currently preempted by ERISA. I am an attorney specializing in insurance cases. Very few lawyers and judges would disagree that ERISA preemption of group benefit plans has become a national tragedy of immense proportions that has resulted in untold suffering by plan participants and their families. I have personally been involved in and am aware of dozens of cases in which individual lives have been lost as a result of denied medical care or disability benefits. In each of these cases, the surviving family members have absolutely no legal remedies or recourse. In its various ERISA decisions, even the Supreme Court has asked repeatedly that Congress take action to legislatively address the problem of the lack of remedies available to ERISA plan participants. My question is this: will the new Democratic leadership finally take steps to address this issue which deeply and directly affects millions of our citizens?
Posted by rgbphx on Mon, Oct 30, 2006 7:30 PM ET
2
How do Democrats send a clear message to voters that they demand a different plan in Iraq when many like yourself voted to invade Iraq and have supported the Bush administration's handling of Iraq in the past?
Posted by potts3683 on Mon, Oct 30, 2006 7:32 PM ET
3
Senator Bayh, You are a Democrat popularly serving an overwhelmingly Republican state. Will you please go so far as to state what you believe may be the 5 biggest reasons you have been able to serve your state's and your party's interests at the same time. -Kevin Michael Harnett, Administrative Assistant, Loyola University Chicago School of Law and small website promotion business owner
Posted by kevgood_2000 on Mon, Oct 30, 2006 7:37 PM ET
4
Dear Senator Bayh, I am a Special Educator and autism supporter from Illinois. I have several questions. First, is anything being discussed to improve education in general and special education specifically (training, facilities, pay, curriculum)? Next, is anything realistic being discussed to help teachers and school districts comply with NCLB? Finally, what are your feelings regarding the autism issue, and the effects (mentally, emotionally, financially) it has on families? Thanks!
Posted by babybrowneyes1152002 on Mon, Oct 30, 2006 7:40 PM ET
5
I'm a college student from new england and I'm concerned about entitlement reform. My main problem with the Democratic platform is that they refuse any form of social security privatization for young people. I simply don't understand why Democrats are against any form of Personal Retirement Accounts even though the current system is unsustainable for future genererations unless we significantly higher taxes.
Posted by alqjones on Mon, Oct 30, 2006 7:43 PM ET