Political Quotes

“I have been on this floor three times before pressing the Members of this institution to let this debate out of Washington. Ratification is my ultimate goal, but more important in my mind is the great public debate that will take place around this country during the process of ratification. The balanced budget debate must be expanded beyond the Washington betway and with passage in Congress the debate will begin in earnest. For as the states consider ratification, our country will begin a full and frank public debate on the role of government--Federal, State and local--and the cost of fulfilling that role. If the politicians who designed past efforts to bring the budget into balance had engaged the public in that process then I doubt we would have dug--or been allowed to dig--such a huge deficit hole. Mr. Chairman, the balanced budget amendment incorporates into our fundamental law the principle that the Federal Government cannot spend more money that it takes in, except under special circumstances.”