Bill Clinton: “Well, I haven't reviewed the bill, Paul, but I certainly think that we shouldn't have unfunded mandates. I spoke out…”

“Well, I haven't reviewed the bill, Paul, but I certainly think that we shouldn't have unfunded mandates. I spoke out against them as a Governor. I told the mayors that I would be opposed to adding to your burdens. I don't believe in that. And I'll review the bill and see whether or not we should support the bill, too. But I have told our administration clearly that I don't want us up there on the Hill supporting bills to load up a bunch of new burdens on the mayors and the Governors when they're broke, when we're not increasing funding to the States and the cities as we should. And I've sent a very clear signal on it. And I will review the legislation. I also want to thank you and Bill Althaus and many other Republican mayors for supporting the jobs stimulus program. And let me say that I think after we pass this budget we'll be able, together, in a very bipartisan fashion, to try to make the argument that was made there again, which is that there is a difference between investment and consumption spending, and that while the Federal Government may be spending too much on regulation, on the programs of the past, and on uncontrolled health care costs, we are actually not anywhere nearly where we need to be in targeted investments that create jobs and opportunities not only in the public sector but in the private sector. And the mayors were very, very helpful in that regard. I'll never forget what you did. And I don't want you to think that the battle that you waged more ferociously than any other single group in the United States--you did more to try to help that package--and I don't want you to think that the battle you waged was for nothing, because the battle you waged was about an idea that we're still going to have to fight to get back into our national consciousness. Not all Federal spending is the same. Not all taxes are the same. We have to learn to make very rigorous distinctions if we want to grow this economy. And so I do want to thank you for that. And I will review the Kempthorne legislation. Thank you. Mayor Althaus. Mr. President, I don't know that we've ever been called ferocious before, but we appreciate it. [Laughter]”