"I never would have believed as a candidate for the U.S. Senate that the U.S. government could buy GM without a hearing, with no vote, yes or no. There are billions and billions of dollars at stake here"

This quote by Mike Johanns is describing the U.S. federal government's choice to buy General Motors (GM) without any public hearings or votes. Johanns is expressing his shock that such a big purchase could be made with no public input. He is also highlighting the magnitude of the purchase, noting that billions of dollars are at stake. This quote highlights the value of public input in significant choices, and recommends that the U.S. federal government ought to have enabled more public input before making such a large purchase. It also acts as a suggestion of the power of the federal government and the capacity for massive purchases to be made without public input.