Political Quotes

“As a cosponsor of H.R. 2303, sponsored by the gentleman from Arizona (Mr. Hayworth), I am happy to offer this amendment, which is the first step in reforming the United Nations. In the run-up to the war with Iraq, France was able to hold U.S. policy hostage by virtue of its status as a permanent member of the Security Council and the veto power that goes with it, but France was not alone. The other permanent Security Council Members, China, Russia, United Kingdom, of course, also the United States, they all have a veto power; and they regularly obstruct our foreign policy goals and vote the opposite of the United States. According to the State Department's voting practices in the United Nations of 2002, on votes important to U.S. interests, France and the U.K. voted with us just 50 percent of the time, Russia 22 percent of the time and China, 20 percent. Even though the U.S. has no more power on the Security Council than any of the other four permanent members, it pays the lion's share of the United Nations' budget. The United States pays $341 million a year, or 22 percent of the overall budget. China pays just $24 million, even though it has the world's second largest economy. Russia pays a paltry $19 million, which is less than Canada, Holland, Australia, or Switzerland.”