The New York Times 2010s: on Budget & Economy

Jeff Apodaca: State reserves can prime pump for new jobs

Ron Estes: We returned $65 million to Kansans to help grow the economy

Estes said, "Four years ago when we had the clean sweep bus tour we elected Republicans all up and down the ballot statewide and federal. In those four years we've returned over $65 million to Kansans so they can help grow the economy in Kansas." He said the governor and legislature worked to improve the pension system in the state.

He said, "I'm a CPA. I have 32 years of directly relevant insurance experience for this job," he began. "If you want somebody who understands business and how to bring good business practices to this incredibly important insurance department. I'm your man."

Chris McDaniel: Era of big spending is over; age of appropriations must end

Chris McDaniel has sought to seize on the new antispending fervor, casting Cochran--who has delivered billions of dollars in federal spending projects to his impoverished state--as an avatar of a bygone political culture. "The national debt is the greatest moral crisis of this generation," McDaniel said. "So, let's go forth from this place making it perfectly clear that the era of big spending is over. The age of appropriations must end."

After Cochran announced his re-election bid Friday, the Club for Growth, who have endorsed McDaniel, put out a statement that criticized the senator for his support of earmarked spending projects, for bailing out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and for raising the federal debt limit.

Jill Stein: Top 1% are rolling in dough; the rest are in crisis

A. We are in crisis and people are losing their jobs and their homes and their health care and affordable higher education and civil liberties. You name it, they are losing it. We have got a 1 percent that's rolling in dough as much as ever and the political establishment is not fixing it. The establishment got us into this mess, in both parties. And that's clear as day.

Tracy Potter: $700B stimulus spending ok; something needed to be done

Potter said not all the stimulus money was wisely spent, but something needed to be done. He said Hoeven also believes there were positive impacts because the governor has "cut ribbons'' for stimulus projects all across North Dakota.

"I go to state events when there's state investment,'' Hoeven responded.