Political Quotes

“Thank you. I see Senator Coburn is on the floor. I assume he is the first speaker on the Republican side. I wish to thank the Senator from Minnesota for his comments on our budget situation. For the many who have gathered here and are watching this at home and listening to this debate, this is a historic weekend where we have an opportunity--in fact, a challenge--to come forward and craft a bipartisan solution which is good for this country and avoids-- avoids--the disaster that would happen Tuesday night if we fail to extend our debt ceiling. The United States of America has never failed to extend its debt, not once. In the last 72 years, since we enacted this law, we have had requests from Presidents on both sides of the aisle to extend the debt ceiling 89 times--55 times by Republicans, 34 times by Democrats. The President who holds the record for extending a debt ceiling--is President Ronald Reagan, 18 times in 8 years, tripling the national debt. Not once, not one time, did he face what we are facing here, a threat from the other side of the aisle that if we do not give in to their requests, we will default on our national debt. That would be a catastrophe. It is one thing to call a bluff. It is another to call a bluff with someone else's chips, because the victims--if we default on this debt--will not be Members of Congress. The victims will be families and businesses all across the United States.…”