Amy Klobuchar: “the administration did not anticipate the cost for our troops. The war has already cost over $490 billion, $1.5 trillion…”

“the administration did not anticipate the cost for our troops. The war has already cost over $490 billion, $1.5 trillion when you factor in all costs, $12 billion a month. They did not anticipate what was going on with this economy. They did not respond the way they were supposed to to the mortgage crisis. They did not anticipate. They listened to their friends in the special interest groups, and look where we are now. Look where we are now. Two weeks ago we passed a short-term stimulus package that will help change the economic direction of this country by putting money in the hands of American families, including our seniors and our veterans. This action was a start. But today we must begin focusing on the long-term policies to spur economic growth long after the rebate checks are spent. We have to get this economy on the right track, and it means making a reckoning for that money that is spent in Iraq, to start bringing home some of our combat troops, to start being more responsible about this budget. Today we announced our next step, which is to look at this mortgage crisis, really the crisis that I say fundamentally puts us where we are right now. Mr. President, 8.8 million families across the United States are underwater. They owe more to lenders than they have equity in their home, giving them limited or no options for refinancing.”