Political Quotes

“first, before I get to my main issue of taxes, I just heard the majority leader talk about taking away the blue slip. We hear the other side professing they want to work in a bipartisan way, but every step they take takes away bipartisanship. Reconciliation takes away bipartisanship. Getting rid of the blue ship takes away bipartisanship. Unfortunately, the majority leader has taken many steps this year to remove any hint of bipartisanship--most notably, reconciliation on this major tax bill. This is the first time we are doing tax reform in 36 years, but then, it was done in a bipartisan way. The product lasted, and people, in retrospect, were proud of it. Because this bill is being done in such a partisan and narrow way and the idea--I even heard my friend from Utah say this: Join us. You don't put together a bill in the dark of night with just Republicans and then say: Come join us. That is not how tax reform was done in 1986. That is not how major, bipartisan efforts in this body have ever been done. It is a group from both parties sitting down and coming up with a plan. And to offer amendments and then to have them all defeated or ruled out of order and then say that is regular order? Who are we kidding? Who are we kidding? This has been a very partisan bill. That is why it is not a great product. That is why the other side is rushing it through. This is not a proud day for this Chamber, and history will show that. History will show that.…”