Political Quotes

“I rise, reluctantly, in support of this supplemental appropriations bill. I do so not because the President has called us to this task, but in spite of that fact. I do so not because of my sympathy for the people of Baghdad, although I am sympathetic, but because failure is not an option. The Middle East was, before the war, it remains today, and it will be tomorrow, a region of critical importance to our Nation. We have close allies who depend on America for their freedom; we have vital economic interests; we have ongoing challenges from regimes like Iran and Syria that continue to sponsor terrorism and pursue weapons of mass destruction. We can not walk away. I rise in support of this massive $87 billion expenditure not because it is the final step in securing Iraq, but with the knowledge that it is in fact just the one more step on a long and hard road this Congress agreed to embark upon in October of last year. If anyone here thinks we just have to swallow this one bitter pill, they are sadly deluded. Mr. Chairman, there should be no mistake: over the next few years, Iraq is going to cost this Nation billions upon billions of dollars. And because of the majority's tax-cutting fanaticism, these billions are going to come in the form of debt--to be paid by our children and our children's children. And this, because the majority party has squandered our surplus by their tax pay off to their wealthiest contributors.”