The Candidaters on the Ailing Economy

[Deja Q]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/04/eveningnews/main3788210.shtml

Clinton: Well, I've been talking about what we need to do with the economy now for my entire campaign. You know, about a year ago, I said we had to start dealing with this mortgage crisis or we were going to really see the deterioration that unfortunately has happened in the economy.

I would still like to see us have a moratorium on home foreclosures. Let's help people stay in their homes. We need to freeze these interest rates. Otherwise, we're going to lose millions of more people out of their homes.

And I think it's very important that we start generating new jobs. This administration hasn't done a very good job of that. That's why I want to put money into green collar jobs and start putting people to work weatherizing homes and installing solar panels.

You know, there's a lot that I would do starting day one. And I think that, you know, the lessons I learned from the first Clinton administration about how to be a good steward of the economy, I will bring with me into the White House as we look towards the future, so we get this economy working for everybody again.

Romney: We didn't raise taxes. We rebuilt our economy. And it … continues to come out of … the deep trough it was in. So I believe my record of actually turning things around is quite distinctly different from that of Sen. McCain. He's been, you know, he's been in the Senate for the last 25 years. You gotta have a record, I think, to show that you're able … to actually manage an economy.

Obama: Well, a couple of reasons. No. 1, I think we've been ahead of the curve. I'll just give you an example on the economic stimulus package that has been needed, you know? The agreement that's been negotiated by President Bush in Congress largely follows the contours of something we put up very early, which says let's get tax rebates into the pockets of Americans quickly.

Let's extend unemployment insurance so that the jobless that are more likely to be long-term unemployed at twice the rate of the previous recession that they're getting some relief. I've shown I think the judgment to anticipate some of the problems that we've had.

More importantly, I've spent 20 years, Katie, trying to make sure that our economy is prospering from the bottom up and not just the top down. And so my economic program that includes tax cuts for the middle class, $1,000 per family to offset the payroll tax, relief for seniors who don't make a lot of money so they don't have to pay income tax, providing additional tax breaks for homeowners on their interest rates.

All those things are designed to strengthen the purchasing power of the middle class, strengthen the economy. And if you combine it with my plan to improve education and to have a sensible energy policy that invests in clean energy - like solar and wind and biodiesel - I think that's the package that will move us forward in the right direction.

[madrchsod]

1. well when is the the senate going to do anything about it?

maybe they can start with their presidents 3 trillion dollar budget and his de-funding of all the social programs in this country to pay for his death fetish