Political Quotes

“This is a very poignant moment. Speaker Paul Ryan announces his retirement the same week that the Republicans bring to the floor the so-called balanced budget amendment, which signals a surrender, that Republicans admit they can't budget responsibly. After the largest transfer of wealth in our Nation's history with a tax bill that was so flawed they couldn't even risk having a hearing on it, they literally were writing the bill while we were in work session in a desperate scramble for votes and special-interest support. Ryan leaves as his legacy--a guy who, on the Budget Committee, railed against deficits and deficit spending, slashing social spending--he leaves as his legacy trillion dollar deficits for as far as the eye can see, year after year. They come forward with a balanced budget amendment. Wait a minute. If my friends wanted to balance the budget, they could do it. They control the White House, they control the Senate, they control the House. If they wanted to, there is nothing stopping them. But, instead, they came forward with an omnibus bill that explodes spending further and adds to the deficit. The balanced budget amendment would freeze into the Constitution a requirement that somebody else, 8 years from now, balance the budget. It is a classic bait-and-switch situation. What a legacy for Paul Ryan and the Republicans. They have made a shambles out of the Tax Code, they have made a mockery of tax fairness.…”