Bill Clinton: “I rise to talk about hard-working Americans, their needs in our current economy, and the kind of obligations we owe to…”

“I rise to talk about hard-working Americans, their needs in our current economy, and the kind of obligations we owe to one another. I have the greatest respect for the ranking member on the Finance Committee. Senator Grassley is an extraordinarily effective advocate and Senator on behalf not only of the people from Iowa he represents but on behalf of Americans. Of course, we have a difference of opinion about what is the best thing to do to get the economy going, to start creating jobs, to put people back to work, and to make sure that the economic prospects are bright for our young people. That is an honest disagreement, but there could be no disagreement that we do, unfortunately, at this moment have what is called a jobless recovery. That is half right. I think the jobless part is right. I think the recovery part is a bit of a stretch. Unfortunately, many hard-working Americans, from New York City to Des Moines to San Francisco, have been unemployed through no fault of their own but through the downturn in the economy, through the economic impacts of the disastrous and horrible terrorist attacks we suffered. I think we owe something to these hard-working Americans. Every other Congress, every other administration, has recognized that obligation.”