Political Quotes

“Madam President, the sudden passing and tragic death of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Scalia leaves us with a vacancy to fill on our country's highest Court, but it shouldn't lead us to a yearlong political standoff. Article II, section 2, of the Constitution is clear: The President shall nominate a Supreme Court Justice with the advice and consent of the Senate. It doesn't say ``may.'' It doesn't say ``maybe.'' It isn't followed by a clause which says that Senators don't have to do their jobs in an election year. It doesn't say anything about that. And that is the tradition of our country, that Senators--we run for office willingly, enthusiastically. We work hard to get here. We take an oath of office. Every couple of weeks, we get a paycheck. And some are saying we simply shouldn't do our job and move forward with this nomination. Complete refusal to consider any nominee from this President is outrageous. It is indefensible, and it is unprecedented in spite of what some of my colleagues would like to say. Don't take my word for it. Senator Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Judiciary Committee, said as recently as 2008 that ``the reality is that the Senate has never stopped confirming judicial nominees during the last few months of a President's term.'' The country didn't elect Barack Obama--whether you voted for him or against him--for a 3-year term or three-fifths of a term; the country elected him for a 4-year term.…”