Political Quotes

“I thank the distinguished Senator from Montana. I hope I can do my brief remarks in 6 minutes. It is tax day, I say to the Senator. I hope your taxes are filed. Madam President, as my colleagues and the American people are undoubtedly well aware, today is tax day. Across the country, hundreds of millions of people are filing their returns, paying what they owe or calculating the refunds they will receive. Now, even in the best of times, paying taxes is not something most Americans look forward to. In fact, in the wise words of George Washington, ``no taxes can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant.'' But even Washington and the other Founding Fathers recognized that taxation is a necessity--and that paying taxes is every American's patriotic duty. When they are levied--not by some tyrannical monarch across the ocean, but by a representative government--taxes are ``the price we pay for a civilized society,'' in the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes. It is the only way a modern government can function. We are each asked to contribute a percentage of our income, and in return we expect our government to provide certain essential benefits: A strong, highly-capable national defense. Adequate roads, bridges, and other infrastructure. Quality schools. Emergency responders, so there is someone to answer the phone when you call 911.…”