Political Quotes

“I do want to say in reference to his concerns about the process that it is true this is a constitutional amendment, and we did not have hearings on it this year. However, in the past we have had hearings after hearings after hearings. This is essentially quite a simple matter. It does not require a lot of testimony, although we could probably have heard from academicians from here to San Francisco and back. We know what the issue is. We know what the policy problems are, and so it was an effort to get this up on this most symbolic of days, the day when tax returns are to be filed. I do not think anybody who will vote on this issue is in doubt as to what the issue is all about and will be lacking information because we did not have hearings. I will concede that hearings are appropriate. If we hadn't had so many hearings in the past on this essentially uncomplicated matter, why we would have held hearings. I think everyone understands the issue and so we are trying to get on with it by bringing it to this floor today.”