Staten Island Congressman Michael Grimm appeared on Squawk Box on CNBC this morning and got into an interesting exchange with Connecticut Congressman Jim Himes over the economic crisis.

“Nobody  is suggesting that this is an economic nightmare associated with over-regulation other than the Republican Party,” Himes told Grimm, saying that instead, ” We’ve got an an aggregate demand problem and a consumer confidence problem.”

“Have you spoken to the small business out there,” responded Grimm. “Have you spoken to those that create the jobs. They are going to tell you that they are completely over-regulated. If you just look at what the EPA has been doing, the Clean Water Act, if we don’t dial some of that back we are never going to be able complete globally. That’s what this comes down to. There are people leaving the United States, companies leaving the United States because this is not a friendly business environment. This country is no longer the land of opportunity.”

It is doubtful that Rep. Grimm will be receiving the endorsement of the League of Conservation Voters anytime soon.

Grimm was also less than sanguine about the hopes of the new super-committee that has been tasked with curbing the nation’s debt crisis, saying that he expected one appointee, Sen. John Kerry to be “very party driven.”

His own pick for the committee? Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, author of the controversial “Ryan Budget.”

One final interesting item of note here for political junkies: Tonight Grimm is hosting a fundraiser for Bob Turner, the Republican nominee to replace Anthony Weiner. Turner’s opponent, David Weprin, has hired Elizabeth Kerr as his campaign spokesman, who took leave from her gig working for Himes.

Take a look:

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