Ted Stevens: “I would hope that you would help us find a way to implement this by the end of this year.”

We indicated that this was the perfect place to do it.

The need for a stronger Coast Guard presence, including icebreakers and forward operating bases to assert our national interest in the opening Arctic waters deal with the search and rescue and other responsibilities of increased maritime…

They are not numbers. They were people, living, breathing, caring, loving people. And they're not anymore. And there is no rational explanation as to why not.

Elections have become more about the quantity of cash and less about the quality of ideas.