Tough day for Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke at his Senate confirmation hearing for a second term.

I am not in any way advocating unfair treatment of the elderly who have worked all their lives and certainly deserve our support and help.

The Fed has been very much engaged in trying to improve credit access for small businesses.

I would ask the Congress to consider retaining the 1978 exemption, which is a very wise exemption.

The Federal Reserve remains committed to its mission to help restore prosperity and to stimulate job creation while preserving price stability.

Do you believe the current labor policies of your agency adequately protects the rights and interests of TSA workers?

How can unionization and collective bargaining enhance security at our airports?

Well, do you think an outside agency or group is needed at this point to help establish work requirements?

I was disappointed to hear this morning that you had decided to agree to a collective bargaining agreement with the TSA Screeners, overturning a policy which has kept the traveling public safe for close to 7 years.

It's easier for us, as a Congress, to start a new agency than to try to get another one to change.

But, I can't understand letting Afghanistan go back into the abyss again. That's my dilemma.

It is sad. It would have been sad to have lost in Iraq. It would have been devastating.

This is the last best chance America has to get it right in Afghanistan.

So in the next 18 months, to roll them back we're going to put combat power in that we've never had, right?

One of the reasons they've been able to seize power and influence is they can provide services the Afghan Government is unable to provide.

I believe it would be a 9 or 10, not just because I believe al Qaeda would move back in, but also because I believe regional instability as it would spill over into Pakistan and other areas would be absolutely negative to our interests.

I believe that it is.

As America looks in on us, there is growing concern about the reach of government, the debt, the spending, the takeovers.