Political Quotes

“I am pleased that the Blue Dog discharge petition had something to do with us getting to this point, and I am pleased we are now beginning to discuss campaign finance reform. I think the debate boils down to a couple of things: Will we ban soft money? And will we make sure that everybody in America, and in all elections, know where all money involved in campaigns comes from? I believe the soft money sets the agenda for Congress, and I think that is wrong. I believe when people participate in the election process by independent expenditures and other expenditures, it is important that everybody in the country involved knows where that money comes from. There is no justification for people participating in the election process with money and nobody knows who the source is or what they represent. I am not the first Kentuckian to speak on this. In fact, the person who held my seat 150 years ago, Henry Clay, said, "Government is a trust, and the officers of the government are trustees." By contrast, some of my Kentucky colleagues and other nonreformers believe they are trustees of the soft money system.”