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| December 7, 2020 |
In these critical times, and as I complete the current Congress and prepare for the next two-year Congress starting in January, it is more important than ever that we stay in touch wherever and however we can. To that end: Replay of My November 30th Tele-Talk Story I am deeply grateful to the over 10,000 of you who participated in my latest Tele-Talk Story last Monday evening. I hope I was able to update you on my efforts in Congress on COVID-19 and other issues, and I learned a great deal from your questions and comments both during and after my Talk Story. If you were not able to listen in or would like to listen again, here is a video replay. I welcome your further questions and comments at ed.case@mail.house.gov. Results of My Recent Anonymous Online Survey In my last Congressional E-Newsletter, I included an anonymous online survey to further understand your views on a number of critical issues. I am deeply grateful to all of you who not only answered but took so much time to provide invaluable additional comments, all of which I read carefully. Here is what you told me: 1. What is your view of our country’s current direction? Wrong direction 69% Right direction 25% No view 6% 2. What is your view of the overall results of the 2020 elections? Somewhat good 39% Very good 30% Very bad 16% Somewhat bad 11% No view 4% 3. Which one of the following best reflects your view on partisan differences in our country? Major problem; parties must work better together 80% Major problem; other party wrong most of the time 19% 4. How has the COVID-19 crisis impacted you and your family? Moderately 43% Some 33% Severely 19% Not at all 5% 5. If COVID-19 has impacted you and your family, what are the impacts? (Select all that apply.) Personal 60% Money/finances 45% Job 42% 6. Do you believe that further federal emergency assistance to address COVID-19 (in additional to already-directed CARES Act funding) is needed? Yes 84% No 10% No view 6%
7. If you believe further COVID-19 federal emergency assistance is needed, what type? (Select all that apply.) Small business/non-profit assistance 72% Food/nutrition assistance 70% Direct stimulus payment 69% Housing loan/rent assistance 68% Health care provider assistance 67% Enhanced unemployment benefits 67% State and local government assistance 57% Social services assistance 47% Student loan relief 42% Tax relief 40% Other 10% 8. If you don’t believe further COVID-19 emergency assistance is needed, why not? (Select all that apply.) Reopening economy will address real needs 68% Concerned about impacts on federal budget 66% Enough participation by federal 42% Other 14% 9. Leaving COVID-19 aside, what are your top concerns and priorities for our country? (Select no more than three.) Economy/jobs 44% Environment including climate change 39% Health care availability/cost 31% Civil rights/justice 29% Partisan division/gridlock 23% Federal budget/deficits/debt 17% Social Security/Medicare 16% Education 16% National security/defense 15% Income inequality 13% Relations with world 7% Infrastructure 7% Public safety 6% Other 5% 10. Before and especially during COVID-19, our federal finances have soared to record levels of annual deficits and total debt. Which of the following best reflects your views? (Select all that apply.) Necessary during COVID-19; must address after 69% Repeal recent tax cuts 38% Establish expert nonpartisan commission 29% Reduce defense spending 28% Must address now 21% Reduce non-defense spending 18% Raise taxes 17% Other 13% No need to address; deficits and debt ok 4% 11. Especially given our Hawaii’s central location in and special relationship to the Indo-Pacific, what is our country top issue in our region? Climate change 33% China 20% Trade and development 20% Public health 9% North Korea 7% Other 8% Human rights 4% 12. What is your view of our military’s presence and participation in Hawai’i? Very favorable 49% Somewhat favorable 21% Neutral 15% Somewhat unfavorable 10% Very unfavorable 5% 13. Will you please grade my performance so far as Hawaii’s U.S. Representative? A 46% B 32% C 14% D 5% F 3% 14. What is your general political philosophy? Moderate 33% Lean liberal 22% Strong liberal 18% Lean conservative 12% Prefer not to answer 8% Although it is difficult to reply to each of your comments, here are some general thoughts on your survey responses: a. This survey was not a scientific sample and so the results depend more on who received and replied to it. Still, in my view the results not only highlighted the great diversity across my Congressional district but also general mainstream views. b. Yet, there were several issues on which a great majority, regardless of other differences, agreed. These included: (1) our country is going in the wrong direction; (2) partisan politics is a major problem and the parties must work better together; (3) COVID-19 has impacted virtually all of us negatively in some way and further federal emergency assistance to our various needs is urgent; (4) our deteriorating federal budget is a great concern but we must take care of COVID-19 first; (5) we have many critical issues facing us in addition to COVID-19; and (6) we remain supportive of our military in Hawai’i. c. Although most are satisfied with the 2020 election results, many are not. This is true of other questions as well where many have often very strong views different from the majority. As we seek to bridge these deep differences and relearn how to truly work together toward common purposes, I believe we must start by trying our best to truly listen to and understand differing views and seeing whether and where we can adjust our own to include others’. d. I deeply appreciate the mostly positive grade of my performance thus far as your U.S. Representative as well as your constructive criticism, much of which urged me to keep you more informed of my activities in Congress. I hope I’ve learned by now that “past performance is no guarantee of future success," and I will do everything I can in this coming Congress to improve your grade. As always, I welcome your questions and input and stand ready to assist you and yours however I can. Please visit my website at https://case.house.gov, email me at ed.case@mail.house.gov, or call my Honolulu office at (808) 650-6688 anytime. Best wishes and be well!
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