Political Quotes

“I am glad we are having this conversation. I think it shows that there is some room for dialogue and, I hope, for progress to be made on this issue. I think it is unfortunate some of these statements made earlier today by the President suggesting that those who did not share his point of view on this issue were somehow not as sensitive to the threat of terrorism. I can assure the President and all listening to this debate there is sensitivity to that threat of terrorism on both sides of the aisle by people who were on both sides of that cloture vote on the PATRIOT Act. What is at issue are some fundamental questions about our constitutional rights, our freedoms, and liberties in America. Each of us, when we assume the responsibility of Senator, swears to uphold the Constitution. There are so many important elements within that Constitution, but one might argue that the Bill of Rights is the most important because it is a guarantee of our individual rights and freedoms. So when we initially enacted the PATRIOT Act in the fear that was gripping this country after 9/11, there was a concern that perhaps we had gone too far; perhaps we had given the Government more authority over our privacy, more authority over our freedom, than was necessary. In the bipartisan wisdom of those who wrote the act, we promised that 4 years afterwards we would revisit it and see if, in fact, it needed to be changed in any respect. That is what this debate is all about.…”