Political Quotes

“Mr. President, I stand here a bit incredulous about the comments of Senator Durbin, the assistant majority leader, about the oil industry and Republican opposition to simply making them pay for potential problems they cause. I say I am incredulous, but as I think a little longer, I realize that is par for the course. I have only been in the Senate 3\1/2\ years. I have seen the Republicans side with the insurance companies on health care reform. I have seen them side with the drug companies on Medicare issues. I have seen them side with big Wall Street banks on Wall Street reform. Now they side with the oil industry, with BP, with Exxon and these companies that have had--literally, BP's profits were over $1 billion, several billion, multibillion-dollar profits per quarter. And my friends on the other side of the aisle--I don't know if it is the campaign contributions, social connections, what it is with the oil industry--it is always the oil industry first, taxpayers second, and the consuming public third with them. I don't get that. COBRA Subsidy Payments I wish to talk about an amendment Senator Casey is offering and of which I am a primary cosponsor dealing with COBRA, the health insurance issue. When this recession started and unemployment began to spike, most of us in Congress acted to help those in clear need with the stimulus package and with the extension of unemployment insurance. Remember, it is insurance; it is not welfare.…”