Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I rise to speak in support of the nomination of Elena Kagan to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court. Having served on the Senate Judiciary Committee now for 17 years, I have seen the impact that new Justices have on the Court, and I strongly believe these votes are among the most important we cast in this Chamber. There is no question that the confirmation process has become heated in recent years. Outside interest groups and the 24-hour news cycle have placed far too much emphasis on sound bites, half truths, and hyperbole. But none of this should obscure the fact that these are, in fact, important votes because the stakes are high. A Supreme Court Justice, once confirmed, will serve a life appointment on a Court that is truly foundational to our democratic system. For over 200 years, our independent judiciary has served as a model to the world. We have watched as other countries have struggled with courts that have become beholden to political pressures or fallen subject to corruption. I think of Pakistan, where in 2007 President Musharraf proclaimed a state of emergency and used it to suspend the country's constitution and remove justices from the supreme court; or Mexico, where corruption is so bad that in 2008 President Calderon called for a fundamental redesign of the entire judicial system. In the United States we have guarded our judiciary, and it has served us well.…”