Political Quotes

“If the statement was national standards, let me just say that the standards in the Governors' proposal are basically standards that will be carried out by every State. That is part of the assumption. If it is just national standards, we are OK. My feeling was at a national level it took us to best decide how to take care of people in Tennessee or in Washington State or in Alabama or Mississippi. That is a fundamental difference, I believe. I think the more we can do at the State level and at the local level, the better. That is where accountability will rest. I argue strongly that this body, Washington Government, Washington, DC, is not the body that can best cover children or protect children or prevent people from hurting children. I argue it is the people closest to home, that it is the Governors, it is the local governments that can best watch after our children. That is a fundamental difference. Third, on the Chafee-Breaux, Breaux-Chafee proposal, we have not had that presented yet. I do not know what the dollar figures will be. There are some assumptions that it might be that reform is delayed a year. I have heard that mentioned in these particular proposals. I cannot comment. I do not know the fact that they spend more makes it a better program. I argue that increasing at 6 percent a year based on what we have seen in at least one State, in Tennessee, we can accomplish all of our goals without this radical increase in taxation, more taxation and more spending.”