Political Quotes

“Mr. Chairman, my amendment would create a simple CBO- sponsored Web site where taxpayers could learn how much they would be contributing to major Federal spending programs under consideration by Congress. Similarly, it would allow taxpayers to learn how much their taxes would increase or decrease under any major tax legislation being considered by this Congress. The fact is, we don't do a good enough job communicating with our constituents. There's too much misinformation out there, and good information isn't accessible enough to Americans without connections to Washington. Try digging through a government Web site, and you'll see the difficulty. My staff gets calls all the time from constituents who are having trouble finding good information about our budget and our Tax Code. My amendment would take a significant and necessary step towards increasing transparency and accountability. If Congress wants to pass a major new spending program, the tax and the costs to the taxpayer should be made transparent. If the Congress wants to pass a tax increase, the costs to the taxpayer should be transparent. And if Congress wants to pass a tax cut, taxpayers should know exactly how they or someone in their tax bracket would benefit. Transparency is the best way to hold lawmakers in Washington accountable, and it's the best way to rein in out-of-control deficits. Our constituents have a right to this information, and we shouldn't skimp when it comes to transparency.…”