Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the privilege to address you here on the floor, and I appreciate the dialogue that came from my colleagues the previous hour discussing this health care issue that has so consumed this Nation. And we are here now on the eve of the 6-hour meeting that is scheduled at Blair House that the President has invited both Democrats and Republican leadership to join. And Mr. Speaker, I came to the floor to talk about this issue and help to put it in a perspective so that as the American people watch what's going to happen tomorrow, they understand it in perhaps a better perspective than they might otherwise. Now, I would lay it out this way. I think there are two points, Mr. Speaker, that need to be addressed by Democrats. And these are significant points of vulnerability where there has been a persistent criticism from the public. They have made the point that of all of the agonizing national debate that's taken place on health care, that the Democrats have first of all shut Republicans out. They shut Republican out of the room, shut them out of the negotiations, shut them out of the office. And the second thing is, the Democrats haven't had transparency. They've been cooking up these health care deals in secret. And as this thing unfolded, some time in early September was the last time that I am aware of that a Republican senator or a House Member was sitting in a room talking with Democrat leadership about how to come about this health care policy.…”