John Sarbanes: “The Senator has spoken in a very articulate way about fiscal responsibility. My own understanding is, looking back at…”

“The Senator has spoken in a very articulate way about fiscal responsibility. My own understanding is, looking back at history, when we have gone to war, as the President took us to war in Iraq, we have usually raised taxes to help cover the cost of the war or at least cover part of the cost of the war in an effort to be fiscally responsible. In this administration, we went to war and, if I am not mistaken, at the same time the administration was pushing for tax cuts. So we were again being hit doubly. The cost of the war was being imposed on the budget affecting our deficit and debt situation, and at the same time they were seeking tax cuts--in other words, diminishing revenues--which also affected negatively our deficit and debt situation, and that is contrary to fiscal responsibility and contrary to what has happened in previous war engagements; is that not correct?”