Political Quotes

“Illinois is an exporting State, whether it be manufactured goods from Deere and Caterpillar or high-tech goods from Motorola. Of course, I represent a strong agricultural district, and no one can argue with the importance of agriculture to central and southern Illinois. It is the bulwark in keeping our small communities alive and vibrant. Rural America has fallen on tough times for the simple reason we produce more than we can consume. It comes down to this basic equation: we produce much more than we as a Nation can consume. So the prices, at times, in my time here in Congress, we have had prices at Depression-era lows for some products. You cannot operate family farms on that return. There is no return. It is a negative return. So what occurs is the government, because we understand the importance of the agriculture section and understand the importance of the small family farms, is we end up coming in with some emergency aid. My producers, they really do not want the help. What they want to do is to sell their product. That is why this bill is so important, because we have missed out on 125-some-odd trade agreements, because this President and the past President did not have Trade Promotion Authority.”