Barney Frank: “in previous election years we have heard about an October surprise. We did not have an October surprise this year. We…”

“in previous election years we have heard about an October surprise. We did not have an October surprise this year. We are getting a November surprise. Now, it is not a surprise to those of us who serve in this body. It is an unpleasant surprise to the American people, particularly those people who think that as a collective society we have some responsibilities to each other, because this is an appropriations bill that fails to fund adequately those programs that are essential to improving the quality of our lives to the extent that they must be done together. People on the other side are fond of saying it is the people's money, not the government's money. Of course it is the people's money. But civilized and sensible people understand that we have two sets of needs for our money. Some of our needs, our desires are best met by money that we have individually and as families. But in our society particularly there are essential needs for our well-being that can only be met if we pool our money. Now, on the one level people understand that they know that homeland security cannot be advanced by a tax cut. But neither can environmental cleanup, neither can transportation, neither can our ability to extend some compassion to people in need. The majority understand that. They understand that the American people understand that.”