Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Neugebauer) for his service and that of his spouse and family, for they made my welcome to Congress so agreeable and so appropriate, and I have enjoyed my service with Mr. Neugebauer on the House Financial Services Committee. You know, when I am home, one of the most frequent questions I get is to describe the major changes that I have seen in Washington since my previous work on Capitol Hill and in the executive branch. And yes, now it has been more than 24 years since I served in the administration of George H. W. Bush from 1989-1993, 24 years and three two-term Presidents--two Democrats, one Republican. Anyone familiar with life inside the beltway would certainly see that the city's traffic has become unbearable, and the number of places to eat has really been improved in those 24 years. But tonight I don't want to talk about the enrichment of life along The National Mall with new monuments to FDR and MLK and new visionary sites, such as the Native American Museum and now our African American Museum. Instead, it is not urbanization or nightlife that has happened that I noticed, that I talk about when I see my constituents, but it is really the changes I see in public policy as I wander back like Rip Van Winkle 20 years later to our Nation's Capital. The politics and productivity of the city are more stymied and less successful than in my experience in the executive branch, led by George H. W.…”