[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 7285]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE OUT OF TOUCH ON THE ECONOMY

  (Ms. SUTTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, Senator John McCain admitted months ago that 
he wasn't an expert on the economy. And that certainly explained his 
comments earlier this month when he declared, ``You can make the 
argument that there's been great progress economically'' over the last 
7 years. Great economic progress?
  Clearly, Senator McCain has not been talking with the middle class 
families across America who overwhelmingly believe they are worse off 
today than they were when President Bush took office in January of 
2001. And there is a good reason they're feeling that way. Since 
January of 2001, health care premiums have increased by more than 
$5,000 per year for the average middle class family, while college 
costs for their children have shot up $2,500 a year for a public 
university.
  Middle class families are finding it increasingly difficult to find 
the money for these skyrocketing costs, considering the average median 
income has actually fallen by more than $900 over the last 7 years. And 
Senator McCain calls this economic progress?
  Mr. Speaker, the American middle class cannot afford another 4 years 
of failed Republican leadership in the White House.

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