Political Quotes

“I thank very much the gentleman from Florida for talking about facts, because sometimes facts get in the way of a good story. Head Start is a good idea, but when you look at the facts you described, you have to wonder if the program is working as efficiently as the taxpayers deserve for it to work. It is obvious that you care about education, that you have made it your life's work, but you also care about the national debt, the $5 trillion debt, and the role that money plays in education and the debt have to be examined. I would suggest to you that the education problems in this country are not all about money. They go a lot deeper than that. They are about the breakdown of the home, they are about relying on someone else from far away to solve all your problems, just like a lot of problems exist in America today, and we, the people, are responsible. You can blame Congress, it is a fashionable thing to do, and we do deserve to be blamed for allowing this Nation to get so far in debt. We should be allowed to talk openly about improving the educational climate in America and balancing the budget without having people throw rocks at you, because you heard the gentleman from Florida, Mr. Mica, speak. I hope you are convinced, I know I am, that he is sincere about providing a quality education, but he has a responsibility to manage the taxpayers' money wisely and to provide that quality education.”