I think the lesson to me of the last few years is it is politically very hard to do grand bargains, but if we keep chipping away incrementally, we can make progress, first, to stabilize the debt and then to put it on a downward path.

I concluded that it was an immaculate conception, because it does not seem to have any parentage.

the passage of the budget agreement was miraculous because it did show that we could, in fact, do things.

If two-thirds of the American economy is driven by consumer spending and the income is going to the top 1 percent...

we have not done a thing about the debt itself.

We are actually liberating people to follow the American principle of self-determination and creativity and innovation.

I would urge you to think about that, because it is one thing to owe $17 trillion, the question is what do you owe it for and what part of that is legitimate capital, which future generations should help pay for because they are going to…

I think interest rates are a ticking time bomb, and if they return to 5 or 6 percent, we would be paying over $1 trillion a year in interest.

we will never get out of this hole, and I think we are facing a time bomb of interest rates.

I certainly appreciate your testimony and would commend to you three gentlemen to think about is there some mechanics whereby we can not only reduce the deficit but also make a credible reduction of the debt itself.

The one I sponsor talks about regulating campaign contributions. It does not talk about banning books or movies.

That is not what America is all about.

I believe that regardless of the SENTRI Act we are always looking to improve our processes and improve the assistance that we provide our military and overseas citizen voters.

we had a situation in a Maine election recently where we had very early voting.

Well, we have to do something. I mean, the alarm bells are ringing.

I appreciate your testimony, and I appreciate your sponsorship and strong support of this legislation.

The EAC has the opportunity to be able to provide important resources for State and local election officials.

I would not disagree that there are not issues in that regard, but it seems to me it is a balancing case.

I think we are insulting the Byzantines, frankly, by likening this to their conduct.

If somebody contributes to my campaign, if it is 100 bucks, I have got to list their name, address, phone number, occupation.

But the only tool they have left us is disclosure.

Well, it seems to me that the integrity, the last word you used, is so important, because all it would take would be one disaster that would undermine confidence nationally.

I mean, that is what is really going on here. It is a reverse on the whole idea of money laundering.

So, in the states that have those systems, a young member of the military who had not registered at all when they left the country could register in Virginia or in Wisconsin from abroad and then go through the voting process; is that…

Let us allow those who want to contribute and engage in our political system to give money where they want as long as they follow the law.