Charles Rangel: “A lot of strange things are happening on the Republican watch as the Committee on Ways and Means loses all of its…”

“A lot of strange things are happening on the Republican watch as the Committee on Ways and Means loses all of its jurisdiction. I was just about to blame the Republican leadership; and, lo and behold, it is the Senate that is responsible. Every time I get ready to be critical of the Republican leadership for bypassing the House rules, by creating rules to pass legislation, I hear my distinguished and talented and intellectual chairman say, ``This is not unprecedented. This is just the first time it is happening because what is unprecedented is what the other body is doing. Shame on the other body.'' Let me tell you this. We are the keepers of the tradition of the House, and these rules are being violated each and every day. Who would think at a time of war when our Nation is still in recession, where we are trying to bring our wounds together, where we recognize that, sure, we lost 5 or $6 trillion in the surplus, it was not the Republicans' fault, it was because the economy let us down. But now that we are asked to increase the debt ceiling, we are no longer Republicans and Democrats, we are Americans, and we are going to say, yes, let's do it. Why? Because Republicans are trustworthy? Of course we cannot say that. Because we come together when the full faith and credit of the United States is at stake. When that flag goes up, then we have no choice except to increase the debt ceiling.”