Political Quotes

“it is with a great sense of sadness that I rise today to pay tribute to a man who epitomized personal and political courage and a fervent commitment to public service--Senator Paul Tsongas. Paul and I both came to Congress in 1974, as part of the so-called Watergate class and we were together in the Senate from 1981 to 1984. In all that time, while we didn't always see eye to eye on every issue, our deep friendship and appreciation for each other never diminished. Throughout his entire life, Paul Tsongas built on the strong belief in public service that he learned while a Peace Corps volunteer in Ethiopia and country director in the West Indies. Whether it was in his hometown of Lowell, MA, where he served as a city councilor; or as a one-term Senator, who pushed through what President Carter called the most important conservation legislation of the century, the Alaska Lands Act of 1980; or even as a Presidential candidate and later cochairman of the Concord Coalition, preaching the gospel of a balanced budget, Paul Tsongas always had the best interests of his fellow citizens in mind. In all the time I knew him, Paul Tsongas never wavered from the firmly held beliefs and principles that guided his public and private life. What is more, Paul was never afraid to speak his mind or voice an opinion, no matter how controversial or unpopular.”