Political Quotes

“I think anybody who has listened to this debate, if they're at all objective, will be completely puzzled by the arguments of the minority. They say this bill won't do anything. But then they say there are tax increases to pay for it that are permanent. That's worse than a lame argument. It's completely without merit and is vacuous. The bill is scored for small business in terms of the exclusion from capital gains tax over 10 years at almost $2 billion. That's nothing. It provides relief from penalties. Over $175 million to small business. That's nothing. It provides an increased deduction for startup expenditures that provides over half a billion dollars, as scored. That's nothing. Now what's nothing are your arguments. And so you come here, I think, afraid to vote ``yes'' because it will blur your political message. You say you agree with these provisions, but then you're going to vote ``no.'' You just don't apparently want to be caught being bipartisan. It's going to blur a political message. I don't understand your argument that the tax provisions are permanent. You don't argue these aren't loopholes. They're loopholes. And you criticize us for closing a loophole permanently, and then you say it's for spending, but you don't really challenge the validity of the spending.”