Barbara Boxer: “The people at home are agitated, I say to my friend, because they expect to see this respect go both ways between the…”

“The people at home are agitated, I say to my friend, because they expect to see this respect go both ways between the parties and even, frankly, within the parties. We have Republicans who are asking questions and others who are not. We have Democrats who are ready to vote today for the Bush resolution and others, such as myself, who frankly could not because I believe it is a blank check. I thank my friend for his engagement in this colloquy. Let me conclude in this way: I have thought to myself, why is this happening? I believe there is a political decision that has been made to keep this country focused on the foreign policy questions and not focused on the everyday kitchen table issues, the domestic issues that need to be addressed. I am going to go to some charts very quickly. We have seen long-term unemployment more than doubling since this administration came in. We have seen the worst performance of the stock market since Hoover. That means pensions are going down the tubes, as well as 401(k)s, and people's hopes and dreams for their retirement. We have seen an average rate change in the real gross domestic product, which is the worst in generations. It is the worst of all Presidents from Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, the first George Bush, and President Clinton. It is the worst growth rate. That is what we have seen.…”