Jim DeMint

It appears that this is maybe one of the few things we could do at this point that could actually put some pressure on them.

We in a sense rewarded bad behavior, hoping we'd create good behavior, and we got worse behavior than we had before.

It does send a message to them and the world and I think highlights what we know has been going on; continues to go on.

It does appear that one of our best sources of leverage at this point is to put that pressure back on them.

The point is, is they never cease their terrorist activities.

Will we respond or will we make the same mistakes again?

But this is a political bankruptcy and the government has been a part of picking winners and losers.

That's what political decisionmaking does. Because that's not an economic decision.

If we wanted to look at who to blame as far as how we ended up with two great companies in bankruptcy, we certainly have to look at management, maybe we look at the government policies, high levels of taxation at Federal and State levels…

That's political decisionmaking there because this is a dealer who is selling a whole lot of cars and investing a whole lot of money.

I think it is starting to hit all of us in the face what government-managed economies feel like.

We were told we had to vote for this TARP bill or the whole world economic system would collapse the next day.

To me this is not a mission creep. This is a stampede of any traditional understanding of constitutional boundaries.

I think we are absolutely convinced and have indicated as much to the DOT and the Administration, that if we can find a way to have an additional $6 billion to $7 billion investment over the next few years, we can jumpstart this process…

It seems that we're in rare agreement here as a committee and everyone who has been in front of us that we need to move ahead with NextGen as quickly as we can.

Hopefully it will be bipartisan, not to serve our goals, but to serve those folks who trust us every day for their safety.

We must not let the current peace cause us to let down our defenses.

No one questions the crucial role NATO has played in creating this peace and prosperity.

In the long run, what are the countries who are most likely to have similar interests with us that we can build coalitions with and work closely with in the future?

Our concern--our fear--was not that Europe was too strong, but that Europe was too weak.

The greatest underlying and overlaying fear of most European leaders, is the United States will forget about them.

We are a superpower with global responsibilities, and we tend to, over time... implement our commitments.

The lack of unity and strategic focus could erode the alliance's willingness to defend the shared values that created NATO.

I think it is prudent, important, and imperative that the alliance think through on how to deal with that threat.

I am especially concerned by the role Russia is playing inside the Alliance.