I am here for the 141st time to urge my colleagues to wake up, in this case more specifically to the political influence, particularly the dark money, that perpetuates the climate blockade in Congress. In 1831, Alexis de Tocqueville traveled to the United States to write his famous ``Democracy in America.'' De Touqueville described our American style of government as ``quite exceptional.'' He wrote about it with affection and with fascination. He may have been the first American exceptionalist. As the son and grandson of Foreign Service officers, I can personally attest to the importance of America as a paragon of government across the globe, as an aspirational model of self-governance, and as a country that others count on that comes to help, not to loot or conquer. The roots of our American exceptionalism are found in the three simple words that introduce our Constitution: ``We the People.'' The notion that the government belongs to the people seems unremarkable now, but in its day, it was literally revolutionary. Today, this proposition is under threat from few very well-heeled special interests and their shadowy front groups, all powered up by the Supreme Court's disastrous 5-to-4 Citizens United decision.…
On the recordJune 21, 2016
Share
More from Sheldon Whitehouse
Jul 7, 2026
The allegations against Graham Platner in the Politico story are extremely serious and I am withdrawing my support.
Jun 29, 2026
Over the longer term, accelerating our transition to clean energy will lower energy costs, insulate consumers from these kinds of price spikes, and reduce America’s dependence on foreign despots and greedy fossil fuel companies.
Aug 4, 2026
The fight against climate change will not succeed without carbon removal. Our bill would invest in promising carbon removal technologies and help put the planet on a pathway to climate safety.
Aug 9, 2026
I think it's super important that we win that seat so that we can put an end to the wild cost increases and rampant corruption that the Senate right now is indulging.





