Political Quotes

“as the distinguished Senator from Illinois said, this election was supposed to be about change. Yet his speech is eerily reminiscent. It is exactly the same speech that was given on behalf of giving the Bush Administration a blank check a few months ago. It seems to me absolutely nothing has changed. A few months ago, we were told we are in a crisis, you need to act, you can't wait. You need to act immediately, and you need to give us unfettered discretion. The times demand that. Trust us. Well, several months later, we have seen the result of that open checkbook, that unfettered discretion, that broad-based trust without any parameters, without any meaningful protection in writing. There has been mistake after mistake and embarrassment after embarrassment and a complete lack of accountability in the TARP. Yet here we are again today debating the second half of this huge $700 billion program. Even though we supposedly conducted a historic election based on the theme of change, it is exactly the same speech: We are in a crisis; we can't wait; we need to rush to judgment; give us an open checkbook; give us unfettered discretion; and trust us. Well, there is an old expression: Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me. The American people are not going to be fooled twice. The question is, Is the Senate going to be fooled twice? An open checkbook, unfettered discretion, and 'trust us' simply isn't good enough.”