LoBiondo answers students

When Clearview Regional High School teacher Jenna Scott informed her students that U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R., N.J.) was coming to their Advanced Placement government and politics class, she told them to do their research and ask about something more than his life.

They did, questioning the congressman on Monday on a variety of issues, including the plight of Atlantic City, the implications of the Patriot Act, and the future of the Guantanamo Bay detention camp for terror suspects.

When it was over, Scott said she and her students appreciated "his complete honesty." The event made politics and the work of government accessible to her students, dispelling the notion that young people cannot have an impact on issues, she said.

LoBiondo, for his part, wished he would be invited to more schools in his district.

Scott, who teaches U.S. history as well as Advanced Placement government and politics, said she was pleasantly surprised by her students' performance.

She said she had offered them simple instructions: Research LoBiondo and ask questions about specific issues.

Senior Carly Ragozzino, 17, said she went onto LoBiondo's website to read about what bills he was sponsoring and cosponsoring. When she saw he was involved in gambling issues in Atlantic City, she wanted to know more.

LoBiondo became animated as he called the financial difficulties of Atlantic City a "devastating situation." Plans are in the works to turn the Shore resort away from its heavy reliance on gaming because of competition in the surrounding area, LoBiondo said.

He said the problem is that turning Atlantic City around will not be fast, and it won't be easy.

Junior Michael Avallone, a member of LoBiondo's Youth Advisory Committee, asked about the standoff between President Obama and Congress on the president's desire to shut down Guantanamo.

The question provoked an especially passionate response from LoBiondo. Obama ran under a promise to shut the detention camp, but without Congress' approval, he cannot shut it down, LoBiondo said.

So Obama has taken to releasing detainees, which LoBiondo said has caused growing anger in Congress.

"The president made a campaign promise, and the only way to deliver is to keep releasing detainees until it's at a point where it's empty," LoBiondo said.

As for his own district, LoBiondo said he reads every opinion that comes into his Mays Landing and Washington offices. He said while some people call him with angry complaints, many are thoughtful and offer him new vantage points for looking at legislation.

"It's always people before party," LoBiondo said.

Ragozzino, who aspires to be a senator, said she appreciated LoBiondo's candor in answering questions.

"His honest answers allowed us to be more engaged with him," Ragozzino said.

Scott said she hoped events such as this would teach her students the importance of being engaged in politics.

She said for young people, politics often seems like something that doesn't concern them or that they can't have an impact on. She said having a member of Congress directly in front of them showed that government and politics are not out of reach - a message emphasized also by LoBiondo.

He said growing up on a small farm in South Jersey, he had not anticipated going into politics.

"I was afraid people would laugh at me, afraid of losing, afraid of the unknown," LoBiondo said. "If you want something in life, you've got to go for it."