March 2006

“The fact that we are here today to debate raising America ’s debt limit is a sign of leadership failure.... It is a sign that the U.S. Government can't pay its own bills. It is a sign that we now depend on ongoing financial assistance from foreign countries to finance our Government’s reckless fiscal policies. … Leadership means that ‘the buck stops here’ Instead, Washington is shifting the burden of bad choices today onto the backs of our children and grandchildren. America has a debt and a failure of leadership. Americans deserve better. I therefore intend to oppose the effort to increase America ’s debt limit.”

-Sen. Barack Obama,D-Ill.