Political Quotes

“We've heard the economic reports, over 10 million Americans out of work, 7.2 percent unemployment. Some say that unemployment could go to 10 percent. We could be looking at 12 million Americans out of work. The productive capacity of this Nation is not being used. It's withering. We have to put America back to work. Our program actually is pretty simple. Jobs, jobs, jobs. Put people back to work with good paying jobs. How do you do that? You go back to that old time religion of FDR reflected in the New Deal. He rebuilt America. There's over $1.6 trillion in infrastructure needs that are unmet, that can't be met by local or State governments. The stimulus package that we hear discussion about does want to do something about addressing infrastructure. That's significant. We should support that. But we also have to look at our experience, and we don't want to be TARPed again in this Congress; because this Congress voted for a $350 billion bailout of banks. I didn't vote for it, but the House and the Senate voted for it. And it resulted in the banks using the money, not to help people stay in their homes, but in using the money to buy other banks, take over other banks. They hoarded the money. There is a credit freeze. We cannot--we must take notice of that. I know Chairman Frank, Barney Frank, is going to do that with the next tranche of TARP money, try to make sure money goes to keeping people in their homes. That's a positive step in the right direction.”