John Cornyn: “when I came to Washington about 5 years ago, a colleague of mine said: Welcome to Washington, DC. It is about 8 square…”

“when I came to Washington about 5 years ago, a colleague of mine said: Welcome to Washington, DC. It is about 8 square miles of logic-free environment, where perception is reality. I always chuckled when he would say that, and I have repeated it myself a few times to audiences back home in Texas because I think it, unfortunately, has a grain of truth to it. One reason I think people chuckle at that, and maybe groan a little bit inside when Washington is described that way, is because we send out such contradictory messages at the same time. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Republican leader, Mr. Boehner, and the President of the United States have come together and said: We have come up with a bipartisan package to stimulate our economy; to make sure, if it is possible, that we avoid a recession that puts many Americans out of work and hurts them in an economic and personal way. That was a very welcome message that I heard and the public heard, and I think it was a hopeful one.”