Political Quotes

“I am sure my colleagues are familiar with the old adage: Be careful what you wish for; you just might get it. For 2 years my Republican colleagues have said they wish for a return to regular order. They asked for amendments, and they got amendments. They asked for consideration of bills out of committees, and they have gotten that. They asked and then asked again for the Senate to pass a budget resolution, even though we already had a budget law signed by President Obama. Well, they got what they wished; the dog finally caught the car. But it turns out Republicans were more interested in demagogy by calling for regular order than actually operating under regular order. Although the Senate passed a budget resolution under regular order after scores of amendments, scores of votes, the Republicans now refuse to allow us to go to conference with our colleagues in the House of Representatives. This is a new concept. For centuries we have had regular order where if the House passes a bill and the Senate passes a bill, if they are different, we sit down, talk and work out the differences. Not with this tea party-driven House and Senate. No, they talk about regular order, they talk a good game, but when it comes to regular order they don't want it. They shy away from it. They say: No, we don't want regular order. We don't want something that has been done in this country for centuries. Why are they so afraid? Why are the Republicans so afraid?…”