Billy Joel (2015)

While I support the decriminalization of marijuana, I do believe that we have a responsibility to use all the tools in our toolbox to prevent the proliferation of dangerous drugs. The bill you mentioned authorized continued funding in these areas.

Love it, although it reminds me of my day job. Game of Thrones on the other hand, also reminds me of my day job

Yes, get in touch with my office.

Tell him to bring a book in and I'll sign it happily!

I am one of the strongest and active fighters for a clean tech economy, and alternatives to fossil fuels. I am the founder of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) in the House.

In my own region we have seen stronger and more frequent weather extremes; our military acknowledges that climate change is an ongoing national security threat, and a truly bold conversion to clean technologies can ignite our economy and create sustainable jobs with growing paychecks for the next generation.

It troubles me that many of my colleagues, when faced with such a profound threat to their children and our future say 'let's just roll the dice.'

If I'm missing for more than 3 days, please call Vice President Cheney

Just saw Frank Caliendo there last Saturday night. Hilarious! Nobody does a better Bill Clinton or John Madden.

A middle class that has been squeezed by unfair policies in Washington. I fight every day against policies that reward the well connected and the special interests at the expense of middle class and working families.

People's paychecks are stretched too thin, but subsidies to big oil companies are lavished too widely.

I'm opposed, 2 years keeps us closer to the people we represent. 4 years insulates us, 6 years makes us senators, and who would want to do that?

I sat in meetings with President Bush and VP Cheney and listened to the most absurd dialogue. I believed it would make a great book, though completely implausible. That's why I decided to work it into a parody based on government snooping on innocent Americans. Ironically, when I began writing the book I, like most Americans, was unaware of the NSA surveillance program. In this case, the truth became stranger than fiction.

Since I was a child I've had three dreams. One, serving in the Congress. Two, writing a novel. Three, playing outfield for the Mets. Since I sucked at baseball, I focused on one and two, which converge in my book.

Like Morris Feldstein, in my book, I prefer an everything bagel with swiss and to really mix it up, an occasional schmear with lox.

I can't be partisan about bagel places, I just make sure I visit them all. I'm bagel bipartisan.

Read, read, read, and read. In that order. Everything I need to know about politics I learned from reading books and articles.

The Supreme Court's decision in Citizens United was the most corrupting influence in our political system.

Writing is a fantastic release from the absurdity that I witness every day in Washington DC. Rather than agonizing and internalizing, I shared it all in my novel

My favorite political works of political fiction: To Kill a Mockingbird. Favorite film: There are so many! Like Morris Feldstein, anything on Turner Classic Movies that's not colorized.

I'm in discussions with Rob Reiner about adapting my book to television, and told him one of my favorite movies is This Is Spinal Tap. Who would have every thought I would be trading dialogue with Rob Reiner.

Also in Hollywood I've been working with Andrew Lenchewski, creator of the wonderful TV series Royal Pains, which is filmed on Long Island.

Let's use the first day of this session as an example. I helped lead House Democrats in offering two bills. One would stop CEOs from deducting million dollar bonuses from taxes unless their employees were paid fairly. The other would penalize companies for shipping jobs overseas, and use those funds to rebuild America's infrastruture. Sorry to say every Republican in the House voted against both bills.

Policy goals: climate change and clean technologies, middle class paycheck growth, reducing college debt, and rebuilding infrastructure.

I enjoy Carl Hiaasen, Christopher Moore, Christopher Buckley. and my own constituent Nelson DeMille. I am also a veracious reader of nonfiction, particularly history.

I'm forwarding your suggestion directly to Rob Reiner.

I've always believed we have term limits: my contract with the people is either terminated or renewed every 2 years. I do believe that campaign finance and redistricting reform are two essential steps in unstacking the deck.

The Affordable Care Act.

I had a town meeting in my district that included lots of anger, screaming, and opposition. I believed it was the right thing to do then, and I still believe it was the right thing despite its unpopularity. And it has become far more popular in the intervening years, and over time will be remembered the same way we remember Medicare and Social Security.

Likely, a two tiered system of college students and graduates whose educations became affordable and future college students simply priced out of an education. I believe reducing college costs requires two areas of focus: incentivizing colleges and universities to lower their overhead, and allowing every student with debt the ability to refinance. If Congress could bail out the big banks, why wouldn't we offer debt relief to middle class college students?

By the way, in my book you'll note that Morris's daughter Caryn could only rise to his defense because of her excellent education at NYU.

I totally agree that Capitol Hill is overpopulated with lobbyists. The first bill I'm introducing in the new Congress would require that Members of Congress who leave and make million dollar salaries as lobbyists forfeit their congressional pensions. I also believe that the Supreme Court made a grievous error in the Citizens United case by allowing secretive SuperPACs to stack the deck against the middle class.

To this day I believe politics is the most effective way to change what you don't like. My best life advice is to pursue what the universe tells you to pursue, so long as it doesn't violate state and federal law.

See pages 1-289 of The Global War on Morris, it's all in there.

There are quite a few people who have already expressed interest in running. Tim Bishop is one of my best friends, and I spoke with him just a few days ago.

That's exactly why I'm fighting for a tax code that rewards you and not special interests. We're about to vote on a budget here that will give the richest a massive tax cut and shift the burden to people like you. I also believe high cost of living areas like Long Island deserve lower tax rates in our tax code. Finally, I have two words that should dissuade you from moving away: pizza and bagels. Morris would agree.

I love it. It's diverse, and always interesting. The district extends from the Whitestone Bridge to the Nissequogue River, and although each community has district local concerns, most of my constituents agree that there is a middle class squeeze that Washington must address.

By the way- I enjoyed writing about Long Island's unique cultural characteristics in the Global War on Morris.

I founded the Center Aisle Caucus which brought together 25 Republicans and 25 Democrats on key issues. I work closely with many Republicans including Rep. Tom Cole, Rep. Richard Hanna, and specifically on NY issues with Rep. Peter King, and others.

I think Members of Congress should pursue any policy that interests them, and makes a difference to their constituents. One issue I've been involved in that doesn't get headlines is moving elections to weekends in order to boost turnout.

Youuuu tawkin' about me?

I think 2016 will be a much more favorable year for Dems than 2014. I believe that compromise and consensus is essential, but sadly the Tea Party movement in 2010 made compromise a bad word. Moderate Republicans who sought common ground lost their seats to far more polarizing figures from the right. We need to learn how to find middle ground where we can.

Karl Rove, like him or not, had a profound impact on our political system.

A successful politician does more listening and less talking, and also has an ability to think outside of the box. People are interested in creative solutions, not stale talking points.

Yes, although one person's pork is Morris Feldstein's pastrami.