Political Quotes

“across the Nation, millions of Americans are struggling to make ends meet as our economy has slowed dramatically. In December, I spoke on this floor about how President Bush has presided over a period of divided prosperity in the United States, where a privileged few have done remarkably well but the rest of us have been trying to get by. For most working people, the trademark of the Bush administration and their economy is wage stagnation. Indeed, in my home State, real median wages have not increased since 2000. Rhode Islanders are coping not only with flat wages but increasing prices in critical commodities they must consume. Energy, education, and health care have all gone up. In January, in Rhode Island, gas was $3.11 cents a gallon; heating oil costs in the Northeast are projected to be at least $2,000 this year, which is about a $400 increase from last year. These price increases would be difficult to manage even in good times, but again paychecks for most working families have not kept up. In fact, they have been flat. With prices accelerating, wages flat, and a huge gap in the capacity of middle-income working Americans to keep up and try to get ahead, the subprime crisis is real. This housing crisis is having huge and devastating effects.”