Political Quotes

“Madam Vice President, what kind of democracy shall endure here in the United States long after our times in this Chamber come to an end? Shall American democracy in the 21st century be called a true heir to our Framers' vision--a nation where the people choose their own leaders, forge their own destiny, and add to the great legacies of those who expanded the franchise before us or shall we see American democracy backslide in our time, grow feeble in the jaws of its adversaries, and ultimately succumb to the cancer of voter suppression? The answer, in a large sense, could depend on how we move forward this evening. As we have clearly laid out in over the past 2 days, the laws passed in legislatures throughout the country do nothing less than to discourage and prevent certain kinds of Americans--Black and Brown Americans, young Americans, elderly Americans, low-income Americans-- from participating in the democratic process. My colleagues, my colleagues, we can begin to put a stop to these attacks tonight by voting to proceed to the final passage of the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act. These are good bills; these are effective bills; and they should be passed by this Chamber as soon as possible. And if cloture is not invoked, we must change the rules of the Senate so we can pass these bills into law. As we cast our votes, I urge every one of us, Democrat and Republican, not to discount our place in history.…”