Tom Carper

So as I think you suggested, Senator Carper, it kind of hits that Goldilocks sweet spot.

Clearly, we face a dangerous fiscal situation and deficits and debt are rising as far as we can see.

The Fiscal Commission...provided us with a roadmap out of this morass.

We are running a deficit this year of about $1.5 trillion. We need to look at almost every corner of our budget

Thank you for bringing your previous role as Mayor of a large city and a leader of the Nation's Mayors to these issues.

We are like Moses standing on the mountain top looking at the promised land.

That level of debt was not sustainable then and it is not sustainable today.

I think that drawing up that legislation is more complicated and I think it is politically more challenging.

The solution is a multi-year, comprehensive fiscal plan that tackles all areas of the budget.

I describe that as like giving the President a bazooka under his desk.

Some people say, well, we have cut as much as we can, and we cannot find any more savings. I just do not buy that.

We are suggesting that we really do not look all that closely at every Federal program to see if we getting the best result for the money we are putting into it.

I always like to say that everything I do I know I can do better.

It is really not that complicated.

I don't think there is any responsible debate about that point.

We are taking a huge bet on what happens to our species and to our planet.

You can go to the scientific community, and they are appalled that we haven't taken action more readily, because the scientific record is so compelling.

Rhode Island has 10 percent asthma.

These cuts mean that our drinking water has a far greater chance of contamination.

What has happened is that the tight leash, the muzzle that the Bush administration improperly put on the EPA for years has been released.

It is actually quite dangerous for the health of our communities.

The biggest thing that we have in Rhode Island is the Dunkin' Donuts Center, it seats 14,500 people.

It threatens, just that program, 5,000 jobs, just that program.

If you look at the cost benefit ratio of the Clean Air Act, it is $30 of benefits for every dollar invested.

That is a pretty big chatter strip to go driving across and pretend that everything is going to be just OK.