Political Quotes

“Mr. President, we are now in the countdown phase as to whether this government of the United States of America--the most prosperous Nation in the world--is going to shut down, turn out the lights, close its doors, and walk away. That could happen tomorrow night at midnight. If it does, it is an unmitigated disaster. There is no winner. No political party can claim they come out ahead in this exercise. It makes us all look bad--deservedly so. So this morning I called into a local radio station in downstate Illinois, and the host said: You ought to hear the phone calls, Senator. I said: I can guess what they are saying. What is wrong with those people in Washington that they can't sit down and reach an agreement? They are supposed to be our leaders. They are supposed to work out our problems. They are not supposed to throw up their hands and throw a tantrum. That is, frankly, what will happen if we close down this government. Now, I think there are ways for us to reach an agreement. There are certain issues on which we all agree. Let me tell you what they are. Our deficit and debt are serious national problems. They threaten our future, and they leave a legacy to our children and grandchildren we cannot defend. In order to reduce our deficit and our debt, we need to change in Washington. We need to cut spending, we need to be honest about it, and we need to tell the American people, whom we represent, what it means.…”