Political Quotes

On the recordMay 13, 2026
President Trump is demanding $1 billion of taxpayer money for his ballroom, while Americans struggle to put food on the table. He wants to spend millions more to build an arch as a monument to himself, while parents can't afford childcare for their children. He is spending millions on a no-bid contract to repaint the reflecting pool, while small businesses are closing down because of the high costs of energy caused by his unnecessary Iran war. This is all taxpayer money we are talking about, by the way, and the Rhode Islanders whom I speak to don't understand why our colleagues in Congress are putting more energy into trying to use their taxpayer money to lavish the President with gifts and monuments instead of making healthcare more affordable for the American people, along with housing, food, and childcare. We need to get our priorities straight as a Congress and as a country.
Said by
Seth Magaziner
Democratic · Rhode Island

Editor's note · Context

Addressing the misuse of taxpayer money during a speech on the House floor.

Share

More from Seth Magaziner

Jun 30, 2026

“Too many working Rhode Islanders and Americans across the country have been tricked into paying monthly subscriptions they didn’t knowingly agree to, and that companies make nearly impossible to cancel,”

takano.house.gov
Sep 17, 2025

It was just announced this week that health insurance costs in Rhode Island are going to go up by as much as 22 percent next year, costing working people thousands of dollars more per year to pay for their health insurance. This is money…

govinfo.gov
Jun 30, 2026

Because Trump is who he is and only cares about himself and wants to be constantly feeding his own ego, he put together this shitty event that no one is at.

huffpost.com
Jul 22, 2026

It’s a terrible bill. It doesn’t ban stock trading in Congress or anywhere else.

rollcall.com

Other voices in this conversation