2015 State of the Union address: on Budget & Economy

We believed that sensible regulations could prevent another crisis, shield families from ruin, and encourage fair competition. Today, we have new tools to stop taxpayer-funded bailouts, and a new consumer watchdog to protect us from predatory lending and abusive credit card practices.

Jill Stein: We are in state of emergency; not state of recovery

Six million jobs have been created but even more people are still out of work--8 million--who are not counted by the unemployment figures that are designed to essentially cover up unemployment. If part-time employees and discouraged workers, etc., were counted, the unemployemnt rate would be 12% to 13%, not 5.6%.

76% of the jobs that have been created since 2009 are have been part-time or temporary jobs, that pay about half as much as full-time. They're better than no job at all, but they lock people into poverty.

95% of the economic gain went to top 1%. The 1% now have 50% of the world's wealth. We are in a state of emergency; we are not in a state of recovery.

Joni Ernst: Sting of economy was felt over the last 6 years

Our parents may not have had much, but they worked hard for what they did have. These days though, many families feel like they're working harder and harder, with less and less to show for it.

We see our neighbors agonize over stagnant wages and lost jobs. We see the hurt caused by canceled healthcare plans and higher monthly insurance bills. We see too many moms and dads put their own dreams on hold while growing more fearful about the kind of future they'll be able to leave to their children.

Americans have been hurting. That's why the new Republican majority you elected started by reforming Congress to make it function again. And now, we're working hard to pass the kind of serious job-creation ideas you deserve.

Rand Paul: We borrow $1M per minute; mandate a balanced budget

I fear that this enormous burden of debt threatens our currency. I fear that another 2008-style panic is possible, and I fear that this degree of debt is an imminent threat to our national security.

You cannot project power from bankruptcy court. It does not make us appear stronger when we borrow money from China and send it to countries that burn our flag.