Spring Break
McCaskill opens up for questions
Kelley Kates
Issue date: 4/13/09 Section: News
|
The "kitchen table" discussion actually turned in to a gymnasium discussion at Metropolitan Community College - Blue River. The original location was the Independence Chamber of Commerce which houses approximately 100 people. But the large number of RSVPs urged the decision to change the location.
Attending patrons filled out a card with their names, contact information and a question. Once all the questions were collected into a basket, McCaskill began randomly picking questions and calling on the authors to stand and ask the questions aloud.
Most of the questions focused on jobs, stimulus dollars and the economy in general. The first question of the evening addressed the housing crisis and banking. McCaskill seemed to answer with ease.
She said the government is trying to design programs for people who are not underwater yet.
"Some homes will be lost, but for people who are at or above the water, the program is there," she said.
The audience member replied that he does not have this problem, but he is tired of bailing people out.
McCaskill said that a bail out is not technically a "bail out."
She said the question we need to ask is how we got here and how this mess occurred.
McCaskill said the answer begins with the senators in office 20 years ago and their proposal to unhook investment banks from regulation.
"I'm a believer in a free market and capitalism," McCaskill said.
However, it's also important for government not to go so far in regulating these banks it stifles business," she said.
Other questions ranged from healthcare to not-for-profit organizations drying up. All questions involved the state of the economy in some form or another.
On healthcare concerns, McCaskill said, "We do provide health care for everyone in America - we just do it the most expensive way."
The two things the government plans to do for health insurance are cut costs and improve access.
"I'm going to vote on things that will anger some people," she said. "But that's okay."
A question from an audience member concerned the drop in funds for not-for-profits and what can be done about it. McCaskill suggested looking to outside sources.
"America is great about giving," she said.
Be the first to comment on this story