David Obey: “what now? We have since Labor Day focused almost exclusively on Iraq, Iraq, and then Iraq. And then Iraq. We have now…”

“what now? We have since Labor Day focused almost exclusively on Iraq, Iraq, and then Iraq. And then Iraq. We have now finally finished that business. And the average American family is sitting home and they are saying, ``You know, I wonder when those guys and gals are going to get around to doing the stuff that deals with our family security. I wonder when they are going to get around to dealing with unemployment. I wonder when they are going to get around to dealing with the fact that people are losing their shirts in their 401(k)'s, their now 101(k)'s.'' And they are asking, ``I wonder when they are going to get around to protecting the integrity of our pension plans from corporate marauders. And I wonder when they are going to get around to dealing with the fact that a lot of Americans have lost their health insurance in the last year.'' I do not understand this institution's reaction. I know virtually every Member of this House, some a lot more than others. And I know that when I talk to each and every one of you that you are, individually, people of good will who want to solve the country's problems. But when you get together, the collective result of that individual talent and concern is disastrous. Because instead of producing a determination to attack problems, what apparently is produced is a determination to avoid them.”