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Latest Answers http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/latest/%2A/%2A/%2A/NY a view of answers sorted by date en Well I would think that as long as you are on a public sidewalk that you can do that, just as if someone was striking and they march around with a sign and keep moving. There are certain rules that you can’t just sit in front and block the doorway. But if you are moving and not obstructing anything in that regards. And you have a sign in front of you, as long as you are moving that is freedom of speech and I would think he has a right to do that.” Reporter: You think there might be a better way to get his money back? Meeks: Yeah, if the employer owes him money take him to court. It seems that $610, I’d take him to small claims court and have it adjudicated, and if the judge sees it his way, get his money back. Reporter: And it’s New York, so why not judge Judy? Meeks: Well he can do that to (laughter) http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/well-i-would-think-long-you-are-public-sidewalk-you-can-do-%2C-just-if-someone-was-striking-an Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:25:17 -0500 Matt Laslo 1665 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Inequitable conduct is seldom proved but almost always alleged. Right now in litigation it costs a fortune to prove you didn’t do something wrong when applying for your patent or in the use of your patent. That’s an example where the cost of litigation is simply rising. The other major issue that we’re seeing is the question of apportionment. If there are a thousand patents making up a product, what part is the infringement of one patent supposed to play? And its very important because if you have the Intel microprocessor inside a Pentium product, you have so many different patents, that if one person says you violated one small feature should they get the whole computer or the whole computer industry. Obviously they shouldn’t but the balancing has not been legislated in a way that’s predictable. We need to do that. We sent a bill out of the House based on an agreement with the Senate and the Senate hasn’t picked it up because they haven’t been able to deal with the two remaining issues, apportionment and inequitable conduct. Amazingly, in between, the obviosness standard was changed by the courts, something we were trying to change in legislation. So as we’re not acting, the court is repeatedly coming up, taking cases that are changing the law based on Supreme Court decisions. I’m not objecting to that. It’s only because we failed to act. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3Binequitable-conduct-seldom-proved-almost-always-alleged.-right-now-litigation-it-co Thu, 19 Jun 2008 14:53:46 -0500 Todd Zwillich 1384 at http://askyourlawmaker.org The discussion about whether we hit peak oil I think drives some of the discussion about whether or how quickly we move away from oil as the major use of our energy. It’s kind of like global warming was a few years ago. People talk about peak oil, but there’s no evidence that we’ve hit peak oil, some people think it’s right now. So it’s part of their discussions. I think we’re going to hit peak oil soon and I’d rather have our plan in place to move away from fossil fuels to energize our economy and transportation, as opposed to waiting until you hit peak oil and then all the sudden your back’s against the wall. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/discussion-about-whether-we-hit-peak-oil-i-think-drives-some-discussion-about-whether-or-how Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:13:08 -0500 Todd Zwillich 1249 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Xie: If you were not in politics, what career would you want to pursue? Tiberi: I would want to be a teacher. Xie: Teaching what? Tiberi: Well, let me back up. When I was growing up, I wanted to be a professional baseball player. I love professional sports. I love professional baseball, and that was a lifelong dream obviously, but the talent in my body didn’t quite match the talent in my brain, so I’m here. But if I have to leave here, I’ve always, since I’ve been in government in politics, I have the option to talk with kids in classrooms. I really enjoy that experience and interaction talking to kids. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bi%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bb%2526gt%3Bxie%3A%2526lt%3B/b%2526gt%3B-if-you-were-not-politics%2C-what-career-would-you-wa Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:20:31 -0500 Yanmei Xie 1233 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Xie: If you were not in politics, what job would you prefer to have and why? Davis: Practicing law. I think it’s interesting work, particularly if you can get in the court room. There’s a chance to do some good for your client. There’s a chance sometimes to do some good for the broader community. So if I were not doing this, I would go back to what I did before—practicing law. Xie: Which area did you practice in? Davis: Actually I’ve been doing a little bit of all full boxes, because I’ve done plaintiffs work, civil defense work, prosecution and criminal defense. If I have to do it again, probably some combination of plaintiffs work and civil defense. Xie: So far do you regret that you left law to come to Congress? Davis: No, I don’t think anyone here regrets what we are doing or we would not run or we would retire, but I think the public sector is a very different place than the private sector. An opportunity to be consequential across the board on a range of issues—you rarely get that chance in the private sector. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bi%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bb%2526gt%3Bxie%3A%2526lt%3B/b%2526gt%3B-if-you-were-not-politics%2C-what-job-would-you-prefe Fri, 18 Apr 2008 11:15:37 -0500 Yanmei Xie 1231 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Xie: What would you do if you were not in politics? DeFazio: Well, I would, I would have a job that would not require transcontinental airplane flights thirty to thirty five times a year, which means something close by in the Pacific Northwest, in a nice place to live, and I think I might want to teach, because that’s another way to change the world. You can change it by passing laws and policies and fighting, you know, the good fight here, or you can help bring up the next generation of leaders and get them to take on the fight for you. Xie: What field would you want to teach? DeFazio: I would never want to lose sight of political science, government, but you know, teaching people about transportation would be interesting, too. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bi%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bb%2526gt%3Bxie%3A%2526lt%3B/b%2526gt%3B-what-would-you-do-if-you-were-not-politics%3F%2526lt%3B/p%2526 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:35:02 -0500 Yanmei Xie 1239 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Xie: If you were not in politics, what job would you want to have and why? LaTourette: I probably would like to teach law. I’ve practiced law. I’ve enforced law, and now I make law. I’d like to impart some of that knowledge to young folks who are thinking about becoming lawyers. Xie: What kind of satisfaction can you get from that? LaTourette: I think a lot. I think having quality people in the legal profession who know the rules and who respect the profession and who want it to be a good profession and a good way to make a living is important. If I can add to that, I’d love to do it. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/%2526lt%3Bp%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bi%2526gt%3B%2526lt%3Bb%2526gt%3Bxie%3A%2526lt%3B/b%2526gt%3B-if-you-were-not-politics%2C-what-job-would-you-want- Wed, 16 Apr 2008 11:31:12 -0500 Yanmei Xie 1237 at http://askyourlawmaker.org Nutrition education we already do within health classes. When my kids were in kindergarten or 1st Grade, and how many grains and how many dairies, so nutrition education, yes. One of the other questions to be asked is, is it the federal government’s role to tell schools what they should be doing within the choices that are available within a school. We need to keep in mind that within the past 40 some-odd years, we’ve been doing that within the school lunch program. We have set the standards within school lunches and we say there are standards that need to be met. What we haven’t really done is updated those standards. It’s not just what is available within the school lunch program. It’s also what is available for sale through other programs. http://askyourlawmaker.org/answers/nutrition-education-we-already-do-within-health-classes.-when-my-kids-were-kindergarten-or-1 Wed, 19 Mar 2008 15:09:27 -0500 1180 at http://askyourlawmaker.org