Political Quotes

“Madam President, I thank my colleague from New York and colleague from Missouri for putting in context where we are today. But let's take one step back and look at what is the issue. The issue is basic: Will the payroll tax cut that currently helps 160 million Americans continue after January 1? That is the underlying question. After all of the back and forth and politics, we believe it should. The President believes it should. Economists tell us that is the way to help us out of a recession and create more jobs. We have come up with a way to pay for it so it will not add to the deficit. Our proposal: a surtax on the wealthiest Americans, not on the first million dollars in income each year but on their second million dollars in income, a surtax. We ask across America: Do you think that is fair to ask that sacrifice? Overwhelmingly, not just Democrats, Independents, Republicans, tea party Republicans believe that is fair. But, unfortunately, many on the Republican side are indentured political servants to a Washington lobbyist named Grover Norquist. They have signed an oath that they believe supersedes any other oath, to the Constitution or to the people they represent, that they will never, ever vote for a tax increase for the wealthy--not one penny. Not one penny. So they wanted to stop the extension of this payroll tax cut for working families. They came up with a bill in the House of Representatives. The bill in the House of Representatives passed last night.…”