On the recordMay 8, 2012
It cannot be depending on the allocation. We've got to fight for the allocation. We've got to fight for what we want. I want us all to listen on both sides of the aisle. What is dragging down the economy at this section, at this point, when you look at it objectively, if you try to look at it objectively, is that we have lost between 600,000 and 700,000 public sector jobs. So we are adding private sector jobs, even though we only added 116,000 last year, and we've got to do a little bit better than that so we can catch up for people that are coming into the market, and defend and go after those people who want to drop out and become phantoms and then they don't exist at all on the numbers. That doesn't help us either. But we've got to stop this trend down to the bottom. We're losing teachers, police officers, and firefighters at an unprecedented rate. And if you think that's going to solve our problems, nationally or locally, I don't think that that's the route to go. I urge a ``yes'' vote on the amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.
