Political Quotes

“I rise in strong support as a proud cosponsor of this amendment, and I am proud to submit for the Record a letter from the great governor of my great State, Tom Ridge, who like so many other governors across this country endorses this amendment. I find it ironic that some of my Democratic colleagues find this amendment such a grave assault on the principle of majority rule, yet this very amendment will not succeed unless it garners a supermajority in this House. Now, I have heard no opposition to the constitutional requirement for a supermajority to amend the Constitution, nor have I heard any objection to the supermajorities required by our Constitution to ratify a treaty or convict on articles of impeachment. It is clear to me the opponents of this amendment do not oppose all supermajority requirements. Rather, they simply oppose those which get in their way. And of what does this amendment get in the way? It gets in the way of future easy tax increases. This amendment merely says it will require a broader consensus of this Congress before we take even more money from the American workers than we take already. There are many issues on which we require more than a simple majority, we require a broader consensus than just 50 percent plus one, and taking still more of the fruits of American labor should also require a broader consensus of Congress. I urge my colleagues to stand up for the American taxpayers and support this amendment.”