Political Quotes

“we are facing major changes in how the Senate operates and even minor changes can have big consequences. Since the Senator even from the smallest State represents hundreds of thousands of Americans, any change to how senators are able to represent their constituents' views is of great importance. We have heard plenty of talk from the other side of the aisle about how the Senate's current dysfunction simply boils down to Republican abuse of the filibuster. If you are a partisan Democrat and inclined to think the worst of Republicans, then that explanation may hold water for you. On the other hand, those who are more fair minded will find themselves wondering if there isn't more to the story. A fair analysis of what is wrong with the Senate must look at the situation from both sides. From the Republican point of view, the main gripe with how the Senate has been operating recently is the inability of the minority party to offer amendments and receive a fair hearing for our ideas. The Senate rules provide that any Senator may offer an amendment regardless of party affiliation. The longstanding tradition of the Senate is that members of the minority party have an opportunity to offer amendments for a vote by the Senate, even if those votes don't fit the agenda of the leadership of the majority party. Of course, if those amendments don't receive a majority of votes in the Senate, they cannot be passed.…”