Marino has strong opinions on issues

— Rep. Tom Marino has strong opinions on a wide variety of issues.

On Monday of this week, Marino, a first-term Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, sat down for an in-depth interview with this newspaper.

Here are some of the highlights of that discussion.

Medicare

It was recently announced that Wayne Memorial Hospital is losing funding because a key Medicare provision has not yet been passed by Congress. If it is not passed, the hospital could lose $1.7 million by next spring.

Marino has pledged support for the measure.

He believes the measure will be passed by the Congress.

But Marino also has strong opinions about the subject of Medicare itself.

He says the program "has not been managed" well and said it will be bankrupt by 2024.

"In 11 years, we're going to have a problem if we don't address this issue now," said Marino.

Marino said the problem with Medicare can be summed up easily: "Health care is too expensive. We have the best in the world but it is too expensive."

He believes everyone involved, from average people to insurance company officials, need to get involved in finding a solution.

He also believes the program needs to be preserved.

"We need to put a lock box on Medicare and Social Security. (We need to) make sure any funds that are there, and the funds that need to be there, are there for their specific purpose."

Voucher program?

In a related matter, Marino was asked if he agrees with what many call a voucher program being proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, who is the Republican candidate for vice-president.

"It is not a voucher program. That is another divisive wedge the Democrats try to put between people who have money and people who are not millionaires," said Marino

"The Ryan plan had a great deal of thought into it. We put together what we still feel is a good plan."

He did say the proposal will not impact people under the age of 55, however, for those who are under 55, he said they will "see a change."

He added: "It's not a voucher, its a choice."

Education

Marino, who has a degree in education, has very strong feelings about this subject.

He was asked if the federal government can do anything to take the tax burden off of the local taxpayers.

"Yes," said Marino. "One of my degrees is in secondary education. I am so pro-education because I think education is the key to success in this country."

Marino said he thinks the Department of Education needs to be restructured. Marino said it was founded with "good intentions" but has run its course.

He thinks a lot of the funds could be sent to the local districts to help offset property taxes.

Marino is also a strong advocate for teachers — but not those who are not performing.

"I sympathize with teachers. Believe me, I did some teaching, and the teachers today have to be social workers, mom and dad, psychiatrists, disciplinarians and then teaching is at the bottom of the list," he said.

"They are putting up with some real tough kids, who just make it really disruptive and if we had the funds to go directly to handling those issues ... it would help."

He said good teachers deserve good salaries.

"I will gladly pay a teacher six figures if I know I have the best, and my kids are getting the best education. But the deadbeats have to go. And just because you have tenure, your teaching competency doesn't matter? That's ridiculous."

Marino thinks looking at business models is a better way to go when it comes to teachers.

"When I was in industry, we trained people. If they couldn't handle it, we tried to re-train," he said.

And if it doesn't work, "you're out the door and somebody else is going to come in."

Marino also thinks schools are top-heavy and that needs to be addressed.

"Why do we need a superintendent, with an assistant superintendent, a principal with an assistant principal with an assistant principal, I just, I don't get it," said Marino.

"When I was in industry, I was a production guy. And, you know who I was responsible for?Supervising production, maintenance, engineering which was part of maintenance, sanitation, shipping and receiving.

"It's just, I wasn't in charge of just the production line. And I was in charge of all their supervisors and ultimately I was in charge of all 500 people in that plant."

He said just like the government in Washington, school districts are going to have to learn to "do more with less."

Said Marino: "Look at the Fortune 500 companies. When they have bad years, what to they start doing? They start thinning out the administration levels, the offices, the executives and re-administering jobs. It's not rocket science guys."

Good decisions?

Marino was also asked if he could give any examples of where the Obama Administration has had success or successes.

"I'm trying here," said Marino after a long pause.

"I think one of the smart things that they did, and it concerned part of Obamacare, is both chambers of congress and the president signed into law immediately eliminating the 1099 tax on small business, which was just a burden on them for reporting purposes."

After another pause, he said, "You're really taxing me" regarding the question about Obama.

He was then asked if he thought the killing of Osama bin Laden was a success.

"Yes. I think it was a bold decision, it was a good decision, it was the right decision, but, if it had been a failure, I mean, he would've been tacked to the wall," said Marino

"But I do want to add this. Getting bin Laden was, was a 10 year event. A lot of information was garnered by the agencies, the CIA, the FBI, while Bush was in office and it was just passed on and the timing was right. So, I do give him credit for saying 'Yes, we're going to get this guy,' but, I think at the same time we have to bear in mind that this intelligence that was gathered was gathered over the years."

Marino was also asked whether he thought the auto industry bailout was a success.

"I don't want the federal government, or any form of government, picking winners and losers. I am of the position that the market ... makes those decisions."

Does he think it was a wrong decision?

"I would not have supported that."