Political Quotes

“I'm fascinated by this argument, for the people that are viewing it, largely because this is not an argument about new spending; this is an argument about paying for past spending. So when Bill Clinton said ado, said goodbye to the American people on January 19, 2001--this is fact, not opinion--America was staring at a $5.6 trillion surplus. On January 20, George Bush took the oath of office, and when he left 8 years later, we were looking at a $10.6 trillion deficit. Let's recount those years: Two wars, $2.3 trillion worth of tax cuts, and a prescription D benefit that was unfunded. And all of the money they applied to those arguments--and I am very pleased by the fact I voted against those tax cuts, spoke against them, and voted against the war in Iraq. But all of the money that I've just referenced was borrowed money by the Republican Party. They borrowed all of the money for it--fact, not opinion. And now the bill has come due, and they're on the floor talking about fiscal rectitude. Now, here's what I think is important: The gentleman from Florida opened this debate, my friend, Mr. Mack, by talking about our money and how that money is utilized. Well, guess what? The veterans hospitals, 35,000 men and women wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, is he saying that that's not our money that ought to pay for those hospitals? {time} 1340 Joe Stiglitz has estimated that the cost of disability for the war in Iraq will be between $500 billion and $900 billion.…”