Over the past few years special interests have had a larger and larger say over who gets what in America, and the voices of average citizens are being shut out.

The 55% of American households that make less than $40,000 will get a tax break of only $7 while the households that make more than $1 million will receive an average tax break of $32,000.

I don't want to remember 2005 as a year that the government heaped unnecessary burdens upon American families. Stealing from the poor and middle class and giving to the rich, while increasing the deficit, is hardly responsible.

Over the past few years special interests have had a larger and larger say over who gets what in America, and the voices of average citizens are being shut out.

We need a tougher enforcement program and, most importantly, we need to fix the badly broken ethics system.

It is never too late to regain our credibility around the world.

The poorest residents of the gulf coast were most affected by the devastating hurricanes, and the poorest Americans have shouldered a disproportionate share of the burden in Iraq.