Political Quotes

“Madam President, today is a historic day, in some sense. Five years ago today, President Bush signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement, on August 2, 2005. A month earlier--I was a Member of the House of Representatives then--the majority leader, Tom DeLay, a Republican from Texas, held the 15-minute typical vote--a rollcall vote in the House of Representatives is normally held open for 15, 20 minutes, at the most--he held the 15- minute vote open for more than an hour while last-minute deals were made. The U.S. Trade Representative was camped just off the House floor. He was a former Member of Congress. According to news reports, after this hour delay, arms were ``twisted into a thousand pieces.'' Republicans who were opposed or undecided were courted during hurried meetings in Capitol hallways, on the House floor, and at the White House. Republican leaders told rank-and-file, reluctant Republicans, who really did not want to vote for this deal, that now is time to ask, that deals could be cut. Members took advantage of the opportunity by requesting such things as fundraising appearances by the Vice President and the restoration of money the White House had tried to cut from agricultural programs. That is how they passed it.…”