Political Quotes

“Mr. President, it looks like this week is coming to an end in terms of legislative efforts--or the lack thereof--in the House and in the Senate. I want everyone to know what this week was. It seemed like the week of disruption. We had a filibuster in the U.S. Senate, and we had a sit-in--an unprecedented sit-in--in the House of Representatives. What was that all about? It wasn't only over the substance--it goes to the struggle to find the best way for gun control, which really we want to be violence control. And what did we filibuster about? Yes, we wanted to take up the no-fly, no-buy issue, which says that if you are on a terrorist list, you shouldn't be able to buy a gun, and to extend background checks to Internet sales and gun shows, but it was also about the right to vote. The filibuster was to get a vote. We didn't say how people would vote. We knew that would be a subject of debate, further amendment, further amendment, and then a vote. Votes are called yes or no. But the filibuster was about getting the opportunity to offer the amendments, to even be able to vote at all. Let's go over to the House of Representatives. What did they sit in about? This was not just a spontaneous spout or pout. One of the most distinguished Americans, the Congressman from Georgia, John Lewis, led a sit-in. He led a sit-in, once again, about getting a vote.…”