Political Quotes

“Reclaiming my time from the gentleman, Mr. Speaker, perhaps we are not going to be able to come together on solving civil service issues today. Perhaps we are not. Perhaps we are just going to have to bring this bill to the floor without the kind of collegial debate that I would have hoped for. We will just have a vote on it, and we will see where the vote lies, but it doesn't have to be that way, Mr. Speaker. It doesn't have to be that way. I tell my constituents at town hall meetings all the time that what has disappointed me the most in this Chamber has been the focus that folks put on those things that divide us instead of on those things that unite us. If folks treat me shabbily on the little issues, Mr. Speaker, how do I gain the trust with them to work with them on the difficult issues? If folks go around the process on the little issues, how do we gain the trust with one another to work together on the big issues? We have got to get the little things right. It provides a framework for success that we will use to conquer the big issues, too. I have unlimited faith and expectations for this body, Mr. Speaker, but let's get this little thing right today. Let's build that trust. I reserve the balance of my time.”