Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to strongly agree with Chairman Levin that what we have heard in many of these hearings regarding Goldman Sachs' activity and others is extremely disturbing-- outrageous--and I don't support that activity in any way, shape, or form. I think I have a lot of credibility saying that, because back in the fall of 2008, I didn't support huge taxpayer bailouts to Goldman Sachs and the other megafirms. I opposed those taxpayer bailouts. I thought it was wrong and counterproductive and moving us in the wrong direction. But I have to disagree with the distinguished chairman that the present version of the Dodd bill fixes these key issues. I don't think it does. So I encourage us to have a true bipartisan bill that can come to the floor to address the problems that exist. I have three major sets of concerns about the Dodd bill in its present form. The first is very fundamental. It goes exactly to what I was talking about, having opposed all the bailouts. The Dodd bill expands too big to fail. It doesn't end it. The Dodd bill ensures future bailouts; it does not stop bailouts. That is a big problem to me and I believe to American taxpayers. It is not just me saying this. It is many educated folks. Take Time magazine, not exactly an arch-conservative publication.…”