Political Quotes

“Mr. President, in 1986 the people of South Dakota elected me to serve them in the 100th Session of the Congress in the House of Representatives. In 1996 they gave me the honor and privilege of being their junior Senator. When I ran for the House in 1986, I told the people of South Dakota that neither party has all the answers, and that both parties have good ideas, as well as men and women of good will. My job, as I understood it, would be to work in a bipartisan manner, listening to all parties and reaching a good fit--also known as a compromise. That is what I still believe. However, in each year of my 28 years of service this has become more difficult to achieve. Each party, rather than working cooperatively for the American people, is more and more focused on winning the next election. Today, days after the 2014 election, you can walk into the call center for either party and find Members dialing for dollars for 2016. Tonight there will be fundraisers across DC where Members will discuss policy not with their constituents but with organizations that contribute to their campaigns. We have lost our way. My thoughts are not original. My colleague and dear friend from South Dakota, Senator Tom Daschle, in his farewell called for finding common ground that ``will not be found on the far right or on the far left. That is not where most Americans live.…”