Political Quotes

“First, let me say this. I do respect the Senator from Louisiana. We have been cosponsors on important legislation. I hope we will be again. We see eye-to-eye on many things but not on this bill. A billion dollars? The Federal Government spends $1,500 billion every year. Is the integrity of our voting system worth $1 billion? Do you know what it has cost us to reach this point in our history where our democracy is reliable and respected around the world? It has cost more than money. It has cost the lives of men and women who went to war to fight for that, to make sure that we had the last word when it came to the future of our democracy. A billion dollars is an overwhelming number; right? Divide it by 50, and understand what is at stake here. What is at stake here is whether we care enough to invest money in our election process--not with Federal mandates. We say to the States: You decide how to spend it. You have the authority over the State election procedure and the color of the curtain on your booth. If you want to mandate that by State law, be my guest. But what it comes down to--and I have to disagree with my friend from Louisiana--is that the money we have sent to the States already has all been obligated, and it is going through the purchasing and procurement policies of each of the States. It isn't as if they can't figure out what to do with it. Upgrading our voting machines to make sure that they reflect technology today makes a difference.…”