Political Quotes

“Mr. Tonko, thank you so very much. I just was taking one little piece, and I want to then turn to Mr. McDermott. The proposal that was announced today, the Republican-Obama tax cut proposal, would send $70 billion a year to the wealthiest billionaires and millionaires in America. What could that $70 billion be used for? Now, a teacher, let's just say a teacher gets $50,000 a year. If you took $50 billion of the $75 billion, you could hire a million teachers in the classroom beginning January 1, 2011. A million teachers. Choices are being made here. Do you want $70 billion to go to the wealthiest people in America, the top 2 percent, or would you like to use that $70 billion to build schools? Let's take $20 billion of the 70 billion, we will build schools, we will improve the classrooms, we will bring technology to the classrooms, and use the remaining $50 billion to hire a million teachers in our classrooms. Now, there's an investment that will last. That's the kind of thing we can do. Now, that's just an option. Mr. McDermott, could you please join us here and share with us your perspectives on this? Mr. McDERMOTT. Well, thank you. Mr. Speaker, I am grateful that Representative Garamendi is talking tonight on this issue because it's one that we're going to argue over the next couple of weeks. And people ought to understand or have an opportunity to understand what really is going on.…”