Political Quotes

“I rise today to speak on an issue. I spoke about this on the floor, but the issue, once again, came to a head last week with another continuing resolution, another effort to sort of just kick this can down the road, and our inability, as a Senate, unfortunately, to spend the time necessary to pass appropriations bills. Now, whether you want it to be minibuses or individual appropriations bills, my cup of tea is to have individual appropriations bills. But the fact of the matter is, I have been in the Senate now for almost 13 months--a year and a month--and we have spent exactly 8 hours--8 hours--that whole time dealing with appropriations bills. The facts are damning. We have an overall debt of $34 trillion. Before you blink an eye, it will be $40 trillion. This Senate, which is supposed to be the most deliberative body in the world--a unique place where 100 people come together, with unlimited debate--to debate the important issues of our time. But nothing could be more important about setting our priorities than what our annual budget is--how we spend, literally, trillions of tax dollars. And for me, my perspective on this is that I know how hard people work back home. I know many other Senators do. My dad worked 7 days a week on the midnight shift. There are a lot of people out there who work hard, and money is taken out of their paycheck every single week-- or every other week or every month--and sent here.…”