Political Quotes

“Madam President, I agree with the Senator from New Hampshire on some of what she said with respect to facing up to our deficit and debt. This debt does present a clear threat to our country, and it must be confronted. I agree with her entirely on the question of the importance of that and the priority of it. I disagree entirely with respect to this amendment that is before us. I came to the Senate floor to address this balanced budget amendment because I believe it would be a profound mistake for this country. In fact, I believe if this amendment were in force today we would be in a depression. I believe adopting this amendment would have and could have disastrous consequences for the economy and for the future strength of this Nation. I would like nothing more than to have a balanced budget. I believe in balanced budgets. I believe this debt represents a clear threat to the country. But I do not believe a constitutional amendment is the way to achieve it. I believe the way to achieve it is for us to make the decisions to balance the budget, to cut the spending, to raise the revenue, to actually balance the budget--not leave it to a constitutional amendment or to unelected judges or to the States but to make those decisions here and now. I have been part of the fiscal commission where 11 of 18 of us agreed to a plan to get our debt under control. I have also been a part of four Democrats and four Republicans who have produced a plan that would get us back on track.…”