Tom Rice

Manufacturing is not dead. It is not going away. It is just different.

The state of manufacturing is strong. Even though we are down on job count, the manufactured products generated by this country are as great as they have ever been.

We have got to do some basic rethinking of this process, or I am afraid we have--we are going to hold back this country's future.

Nobody can beat us, but we can sure beat ourselves.

I think we are the best Nation on earth, we have more capacity than anyone on earth.

This is just one more example of government inserting itself into business, trying to make decisions for business 'one size fits all,' and hamstringing our businesses and making us less competitive.

If we could ever get our tax policy, if we could get past this health care debate, if we could take the blinders off, get rid of the uncertainty, and put into effect a competitive tax rate, get these regulations off our business, I think…

And those coverages, do you think they are free? They cost money. And you are going to pay for them.

The federal government is now going to choose that for you. They are going to dictate the kind of coverages that you have to buy.

We are giving billions in tax credits to individuals who are not authorized to work in our country.

I have not seen anything in the president's budget that creates a smaller, more accountable, more efficient government.

The president has this attack on oil and gas companies which already pay the highest effective tax rate in the country at 41 percent versus what most companies pay at 26 percent.

How is she going to better off and able to hire more employees, and pay them a better wage, and invest in new locations when the president is proposing to raise taxes on her?

We have spent $19 trillion, but we have got more people in poverty than ever before under our current economic policies.

I do not think that is the right way to look at debt.

So when listeners hear you say 'balance,' they need to think tax increase, because that is what we are talking about.

When I say 'balance,' I mean the revenue should be equal to the expenses, or expenses should be less.

The government ought to be more accountable. It ought to be more effective. It ought to be efficient.

How does it help them to produce more products at a lower cost?

So how do higher taxes generate this economic opportunity?

I believe we are our own worst enemy. I think with overregulation and the cost and the delay that results that we prevent ourselves from being competitive.

OK. All right. You say current receipts on the Highway Trust Fund cover about 60 percent of current funding levels.

I think we have to invest in our infrastructure because American competitiveness, American business, middle-class jobs, and our entire economy are at stake.

I believe that highway funding is incredibly critical infrastructure. Funding is incredibly critical.

I agree with the comments that Mr. DeFazio had earlier that we are being left behind in the world.