Political Quotes

“Americans realize that the welfare system is working neither for the taxpayer nor for those it is designed to help. But the question is not whether to change the system but how to change it. The question is, will we provide the means to escape welfare or will we simply be plain mean to poor people? Like most every other problem that this Gingrich Congress has faced, the best way to solve the problem is with a bipartisan approach. I have not found any party or, for that matter, any individual who has got a perfect answer to this challenge. Unfortunately, like strengthening Medicare, like trying to get a balanced budget, like trying to avert these costly Gingrich Government shutdowns, when some of us have said, let us work together and find a common moderate approach, others have replied, it is Newt's way or no way. That is where we are this morning. Do we pursue a bipartisan approach such as that advanced by Governor Castle and by the gentleman from Tennessee, Mr. Tanner, and try to place the emphasis not on targeting poor kids but targeting what is wrong in this system, or do we take an extreme approach that is more designed to address the political welfare needs of those who have failed again and again in this Congress rather than repairing the real welfare reform system? I believe we have got an approach that will work, imperfectly, to get us out of the welfare problems we have today. Let us get about adopting it in a bipartisan way.”