Political Quotes

“Mr. President, today, the Senate starts debate on expiring tax and health provisions, for people outside Washington. Around here, those tax provisions are generally referred to with the word ``extenders.'' But before I discuss the bill before us, I would like to make a couple points on the process, before I get into the substance of the substitute before the Senate. What I find surprising is, we are taking up a package that, similar to last week's exercise, absolutely belongs to the Senate Democratic leadership; that is to say, we are not taking up a bipartisan package that I put together with my friend, Finance Committee Chairman Baucus. To be sure, some of the structure reflects the agreement I have with Senator Baucus, but this package is almost three times the size of the package we agreed upon. Virtually all the additional cost is due to proposals I would not have agreed to in representing the people of Iowa or the Republican conference. I was under the impression the Senate Democratic leadership was genuine in its desire to work on a bipartisan basis, but clearly I was mistaken. Although the Senate Democratic leadership was highly involved in the development of that original bipartisan bill, they arbitrarily decided to replace it with a bill that skews toward their liberal wing. So my first comment to my colleagues, also to the media and to the entire Nation, is: Don't let this package be mislabeled as the Baucus- Grassley package.…”