Political Quotes

“I reflected a bit on what I had learned from Oregonians during the campaign that sent me here. Though I had not slept a whole lot for many days, I had no problem piecing together what the election was all about: Oregonians, regardless of who they voted for, are hungry for real solutions. In many ways, ideological purity--looking at Government through a set of partisan blinders--is far less important to the people of my State than making the Government work. The message from our electorate was blunt: Put aside the partisan differences, shed the political armor, and find common ground. I am by nature an optimist, and I believe that there are plenty of reasons to see that the water glass of democracy is more than half full. Both political parties now understand how important it is to downsize the Federal Government. Both parties recognize that our Nation needs real welfare reform. Soon the Senate will deal with a bipartisan health insurance reform bill. These are all areas where Democrats and Republicans can come together and find consensus.”