Political Quotes

“I think Senator LeMieux and I agree on this point. We owe a debt of gratitude to our colleagues, our two physicians, for making it clear on national television over the course of 7rac{1}{2} ext{ hours last week that Republicans have positive ideas, ideas that will work and, frankly, ideas the American people believe in. I am astonished that after we had such a clear demonstration of ideas not only that are popular, but ideas that need to be given a chance to work, the whole thrust of that 7rac{1}{2} ext{-hour discussion has been cast aside, and we are back at this proposal of passing the flawed bill with all of the mistakes that people on the other side of the aisle agree we have made and signing it into law before we do anything else. I have some comments I want to make about what Senator Coburn called 'shenanigans,' the reconciliation process. Let me say this: 'Never intended for this purpose.' 'An outrage.' 'A nonstarter.' 'I will not accept it.' 'Ill advised.' 'A real mistake.' 'Not appropriate.' 'Undesirable.' Those are all comments of Democratic Members of the Senate about the concept of cramming this bill through and this procedure I have described and coming back with reconciliation. It is not simply a Republican objection. It is an objection where we have our Democratic colleagues on record. I hope they will recall their words.”