On the recordJanuary 23, 2013
We continue to talk past one another. The issue isn't passing a budget or not passing a budget. The issue is whether or not we're going to take fundamental steps to reform the way that we spend money around here. The Republican budget of my good friend, Mr. Ryan, that they've passed on a couple of occasions would have required 9 trillion dollars in additional debt ceiling increase and wouldn't be balanced for two decades. Let's stop playing games with the form, and let's sit down and work on the things we agree upon. I think the American public would support us if we took out tens of billions of dollars of unnecessary spending for redundant nuclear weapons; to reform the scandal that is the crop insurance program that incents people to plant land that they shouldn't plant and drives up losses. Let's accelerate health care reform like we're doing in Oregon that would save over a trillion dollars if it were applied nationally. Let's get down and do it. Act, don't debate.
