Recent Questions http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/latest/270/%2A/%2A/%2A a view of questions order by date en Paulson's sketchy notes so far say that besides actual distressed loans, the Treasury may buy CDO's. "Cash CDO's" are directly collateralized by real assets, but 3rd party credit default swaps are just a kind of betting for "fatcats". Can you guarantee we won't become the "Casino of Last Resort" on the taxpayers' dime? http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/paulson%2526%2523039%3Bs-sketchy-notes-so-far-say-besides-actual-distressed-loans%2C-treasury-may-buy- <p>Third party CDS's are bets between two "counterparties" that some other party will or won't default on a debt. They have been described as similar to "insurance", but they are more like under-the-counter options. The holder of the contract does not have to have ANY connection to the debt described in the swap. <span class='read-more'><a href="http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/paulson%2526%2523039%3Bs-sketchy-notes-so-far-say-besides-actual-distressed-loans%2C-treasury-may-buy-">&nbsp;read&nbsp;more&nbsp;&raquo;</a></span></p> http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/paulson%2526%2523039%3Bs-sketchy-notes-so-far-say-besides-actual-distressed-loans%2C-treasury-may-buy-#comments Bailout economy Paulson Taxpayer Economy Money &amp; Politics Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:52:02 -0500 1686 at http://askyourlawmaker.org If I go into a coma and am put on life support, with no living immediate family and no one with medical directive authority, who decides if I live or die? http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/if-i-go-coma-and-am-put-life-support%2C-no-living-immediate-family-and-no-one-medical-direct <p>There was a homeless guy who ended up in the ER. He went into a coma and was put on life support. With no family, the state ended up liable for the cost of the life support. State laws did not allow for anyone to pull the plug, so to speak. I'm facing a similar dilemma. I have what is considered a rare disease, Actinomycosis, complicated by additional systemic infections that have resulted in a slow bleeding of my gastrointestinal tract. <span class='read-more'><a href="http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/if-i-go-coma-and-am-put-life-support%2C-no-living-immediate-family-and-no-one-medical-direct">&nbsp;read&nbsp;more&nbsp;&raquo;</a></span></p> http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/if-i-go-coma-and-am-put-life-support%2C-no-living-immediate-family-and-no-one-medical-direct#comments Conundrum Human Nature Legislation Repercussions State of Health Care Civil Liberties Economy Ethics Homeland Security Regulation Wed, 03 Sep 2008 12:59:23 -0500 doctorblue 1617 at http://askyourlawmaker.org HHS is redefining abortion as any method which prevents or deters contraception as well as aborting a fetus. Considering the financial implication on social services, medical ramifications including STD’s, and population growth, what is your stand on this? http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/hhs-redefining-abortion-any-method-which-prevents-or-deters-contraception-well-aborting--0 <p>Redefining abortion as any method of preventing conception as well as aborting a fetus has huge national ramifications. It helps to define sex as ONLY for procreation while takes no responsibility for the increased health costs and social service costs it will cause. It is a step to impose a strick moral defination on sex.</p> http://askyourlawmaker.org/questions/hhs-redefining-abortion-any-method-which-prevents-or-deters-contraception-well-aborting--0#comments birth control health &amp; human services social services working poor Civil Liberties Economy Education Ethics Health Taxes Wed, 06 Aug 2008 10:04:07 -0500 Dreama 1528 at http://askyourlawmaker.org