Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I come to the floor today both volcanic and flabbergasted. I am volcanic that this bill is not fully paid for and that we are using permanent solutions to solve temporary problems. And, I am flabbergasted that Republicans are more willing to protect billionaires than keep our economy rolling and provide a safety net for those going through tough times. We are asked to make an impossible choice. I want to continue the payroll tax holiday. I want to continue unemployment insurance. And I want to stop a pay cut to doctors that care for the injured and infirm. But I will be darned if I agree to pay for it by cutting payments to hospitals that serve the poor and by asking civil servants to take it on the chin when billionaires do not have to contribute a dime. Republicans say they want to cut spending. They say they are serious about reducing the deficit. But the only thing they are serious about is protecting the pampered and prosperous. I will give you an example. Continuing the payroll tax holiday costs about $100 billion. I want to pay for it by cutting tax breaks for billionaires, tax breaks for oil companies, and tax breaks for big agriculture. But Republicans do not want to pay for it at all. The so-called party of fiscal discipline wants to add $100 billion to the deficit before asking billionaires to pay more. Some people might call that hypocrisy. I call it a sham. This bill would block a 27% pay cut to doctors that care for the injured and infirm.…”