We can no more condone the wastefulness of self-serving company executives than we can the sacrifice of the lives of our citizens in a senseless war.

We have to find a way that every Coloradan can participate in our economic growth and feel that all the changes that are occurring are working to their benefit rather than their detriment.

I derive a lot of the values that I try to bring into the public sphere from my private faith.

Big food companies have their priorities, which include selling cheap, unhealthy foods at high profits.

My constituents include CU Buffs, ski bums, techies, artists, suburban soccer moms, and proud, hard-working Colorado families.

Agribusinesses should never dictate the quality of school meals.

For me, blogging is just like talking.

Senators, representatives too often, we hear from our base, don't talk to the other side, don't with work with them.

A free and open Internet is essential to our democracy, economy, and modern way of life.

Our students are the best investment we can make for our country and our future economic prosperity. It's in our best interest to ensure they're receiving the best education possible and maximizing their potential.

What I care most about is representing my constituents. If that ruffles a few feathers along the way, so be it.

To be effective in Congress, you must focus. With so many issues and debates occurring at any given time, it is easy to spread yourself too thin and lose sight of your goal.

In the business world, if you're not looking ahead, you're missing something.

It's insulting when somebody who is not a member of our community feels like they have a great understanding of what it's like to grow up gay in this country.

When the money dries up, the sites die off. That's the way to go after piracy.

Someone who is wrongfully accused needs to do their best to put it behind them and move on.

Improving our nation's education system has long been the cornerstone of my policy agenda.

I believe that in order to sustain a governing majority, the Democratic Party has got to learn that it can govern without raising taxes.

One of my main legislative efforts in education is to help expand and replicate successful charter schools. Charter schools are public schools with site-based governance.

We need to prove to American voters, particularly independent voters who gave us this opportunity to lead, that this is not your grandfather's tax-and-spend Democratic Party.

Sometimes you hear that many politicians vote for a bill in various forms before they vote against it, or vice versa. The conflict, negotiation, and eventual compromise involved in this process form the essence of the democratic process.

I've started several small businesses myself and know that it is tough out there for the little guy in the global economy. I came to the conclusion that, oftentimes, the best thing the government can do for small business is to stay out of the way.

My district is centered around the progressive college town of Boulder, Colorado, and the high-tech U.S. 36 corridor. It goes from the well-established suburbs of northwest Denver in Adams County to the beautiful mountain towns of Vail and Breckenridge and the majestic Western Slope of the Rocky Mountains.

If becoming a member of Congress is like going to college, then crafting legislation is our homework.

I am a Democrat. But first and foremost, I am a Coloradan and an American who wants government to function and solve the challenges we face as a country, then make way for people to pursue their dreams without interference.

I oppose piracy and want to see intellectual property protected because that is what fosters and rewards innovation. But SOPA won't accomplish a meaningful reduction in piracy and causes massive collateral damage to the Internet ecosystem.

Throughout history, we have only moved forward when society has distinguished between traditional values and valueless traditions.

It's critical to show that we can meet our commitment to students with disabilities without raising taxes and without increasing the deficit. In the past, there's been strong support for full funding and I'm still hearing that from many of my colleagues.

Congress seems to thrive on breaking promises and passing unfunded mandates down to local government. It's really just a matter of priorities.

Gay marriage won't be more of an issue 25 years from now than interracial marriage is today.

Lady Gaga is one of the most amazingly talented musicians to bring her gifts to humanity in a long time.

But parents and schools have their priorities; making sure our kids eat right because research shows a clear connection between nutrition and student performance in school.

Pizza certainly has its place in school meals, but equating it with broccoli, carrots and celery seriously undermines this nation's efforts to support children's health and their ability to learn because of better school nutrition.

If my son had a baseless accusation made against him at a university, and it was making his life there miserable, I would suggest he transfer or take courses online.

It can be a living hell to go through endless campus investigations. I've seen this go down, and there really is no winning once the accusation is made, even if the process provides formal vindication.

I have a horrible sense of direction.

I don't particularly care what people think of me as long as I know what I'm doing is right.

In general, I think it's an advantage politically to keep people guessing.

You have 435 people in the United States House of Representatives trying to get along.

With the policymaking process, you have an idea, and you try to sell other stakeholders on the idea. That's not much different than in business, where you're trying to find capital to make your idea a reality.

I want to make a difference.

I am from Colorado. I know Colorado inside and out.

Too many public and private entities simply don't take advantage of tools already at their disposal to protect themselves from hackers. No amount of information sharing will help solve that problem.

The federal government has an exceptionally poor record of behaving responsibly with Americans' personal information when entrusted with it.

I try to treat my orientation the same way I would if I was straight, which is to talk about it when it's relevant.

Before running for Congress, I was an innovator and entrepreneur who founded several high-tech businesses that created hundreds of jobs and schools that found ways to serve those children that traditional schools couldn't.

I have taken my outside-the-box, innovative, and sometimes unorthodox approach to Congress.

I am committed to leveling the playing field and expanding opportunity to all.

Just like my onscreen character Twinkle, I'm extremely scared of rats.

Over the years, I have realized that you have to feel good about your flaws or else the world will make you feel worse.