Chuck Grassley: “obviously we need to be very bold in our response to the flagging economy. It is our obligation to the folks who sent us…”

“obviously we need to be very bold in our response to the flagging economy. It is our obligation to the folks who sent us here. We need to respond. Both sides agree on that need, as do the centrists led by Senators Breaux and Snowe. The question is a difference of the size of the tax cut. I say be bold. We want American businesses, small and large, to grow. We want every American who wants a job to be able to get a job. We don't want to take any chances. I understand the concerns of my friends from the centrist coalition. They are worried about long-term deficits. I am as well. I am more worried, though, about the spending side of the ledger. Senators Breaux and Snowe have a long history of trying to secure bipartisan consensus. We need more than $350 billion in tax relief to do the job the right way. Don't get me wrong. If $350 billion is the number, that is the number that, as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, I will work with. The Finance Committee will develop the best package we can. My point is, the Finance Committee can do more growth incentives with a number above $350 billion. There is a war going on. When those men and women come home from the battlefield, we want a growing economy so that those folks will have jobs.”