Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I will start by thanking Senator Hatch. He and I are cochairs of the Pensions Committee. We had a commitment, and we had a good meeting in his office last week. We had a good discussion and hearing in our joint committee; we have four Republicans and four Democrats from each House solving what looks to some to be an intractable pension problem. But if you are one of 16,000 Ohio Teamsters, mine workers, iron workers, carpenters, bakers, and others, it is your life because you put--what this town doesn't always understand on collective bargaining is you give up money today at the bargaining table so you will have a pension later in life; you will have economic security. In part because of Wall Street shenanigans and other things, these pensions are in jeopardy. They could face up to 60 percent in pension cuts. We also know that a whole lot of businesses, at least 210 in my State alone, could face layoffs or, worse, bankruptcy. Many of them are family-owned transportation and manufacturing and construction companies. They could face very, very dire economic times if Congress doesn't fix that, let alone what is going to happen to the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. I thank Senator Hatch for that. Mr. President, I am a little curious, though, when I hear him and others talk about the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau as if it is this awful, out-of-control Federal agency.…”