Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I appreciate the efforts of those who have worked on this financial responsibility bill. I wish to say, however, that I do not believe they have reached a successful conclusion, one that is principled and lawful in describing and mandating how a company that cannot pay the bills should be dissolved. Throughout America, hundreds of thousands of businesses every day that are unable to pay their bills seek protection, as they often call it, in bankruptcy. All the claims against the company are stayed. A bankruptcy judge, skilled in these matters, in an open, public hearing, with witnesses under oath, determines whether the company has a realistic chance to survive and help structure the bankruptcy reorganization so it can survive, or it determines that the company is unable to survive, that it is unlikely they could pay off their creditors and most likely would only add to the debt, and they close the company down. This is and has been the law in America since virtually the founding of the Republic. It is something that is principled, well settled as to how it occurs. This legislation is the exact opposite, in a sense, it institutionalizes the TARP process. Only now, they will not have to come to Congress, as they did this last time, over how to dissolve some big company.…”