Congress needs to carefully examine programs to ensure that we are sustaining those that are effective and cutting those that are not.

And how many--number-wise, what--how many cases are denied, then appealed nationwide, roughly, per year?

The Federal Reserve's inherent independence and the 14-year terms of Governors make it the least accountable agency in our Government.

I believe that the Senate needs to take a much more active role in ensuring that our financial regulators have the proper leadership.

Although I do not share many of the policy preferences of these nominees, I am inclined to give greater deference to the President in his choice for his own personal economic advisers.

Do you believe that it is appropriate for the Council of Economic Advisers to create highly speculative statistics that perhaps are designed solely to support an Administration's political agenda, be it this one or a Republican, whatever?

Would you agree, though, that basic economic policy should not be based on speculation, should be based on hard numbers?

The number one economic problem facing this country?

The Federal Reserve's independence brings with it the obligation to be accountable and transparent.

the public, the American taxpayer, deserves to have clear measures by which it can easily evaluate Fed policy

Over the past year, the total amount of public debt outstanding increased by about $1.7 trillion under the financial spending policy of the Administration.

I think the long-term unsustainability of our debt is a significant problem because it threatens higher interest rates, less confidence, and it could have impact on the current recovery.