Political Quotes

“Mr. Chair, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding. The gentleman is right. There are examples of these systems across the country. Actually, Maryland has, now, two jurisdictions that have embraced public financing. You are worried about the moderates being wiped out. In fact, what is happening is the moderates are fleeing the political town square because they feel like their vote doesn't matter and their engagement doesn't matter because they support people who then go to places where laws are made, and those folks are getting taken hostage by the big money and the special interests. So the smart moderate voter out there says: What is the point? I am going to opt out of the political system. And when they vacate the political town square, then the extremes run in and they fill the vacuum. So, actually, if you want to bring moderates back in, if you want to bring citizens across the political spectrum back into our system, create something that makes them feel empowered. That is what this small donor matching system is all about. Then you will get these people who have run up into the hills and have said: My democracy doesn't respect me anymore. By the way, these are the ballasts in the ship of state, those kind of folks, engaged citizens who feel like the democracy should work for them.…”