Political Quotes

“Thomas Jefferson said, ``The great object of my fear is the Federal Judiciary. That body, step by step, holding what it gains, is engulfing insidiously the special governments into the jaws of that which feeds them.'' And today, Mr. Speaker, the object of my fear is an unrestrained judiciary, a judiciary too quick to abandon the ideals of our forefathers and the tenets of our Constitution, a judiciary swelling with unchecked authority. The heart of a republic rests on its judiciary, Mr. Speaker, and the confirmation of Miguel Estrada is vital to this Republic. He is a brilliant attorney who has repeatedly upheld and has been upheld repeatedly and will continue to be upheld. He also upholds the virtues of this Nation's sacred Constitution. Arriving from Honduras at age 18, speaking no English, this man has become the personification of the American dream. And I urge the President to stand strong in his support of Miguel Estrada and to stand strong in his support of making sure that we maintain a judiciary in this country that reads the law for what it is. For if our judiciary continues on the path that it is, Mr. Speaker, I think perhaps the rest of us can go home. I just call upon the President to be encouraged and to recognize that there are Americans that are very grateful to him for the courage that he shows and for the clarity that he shows in his appointments. Mr. Speaker, I hope that this appointment and this confirmation can go forward unfettered.”