Political Quotes

“I think some of our colleagues at this special time of the year need to get a smile on their face and feel a little better about things. And, really, we need to give credit where credit is due. The House Republican leadership here got in the Christmas spirit ahead of a lot of other folks. Indeed, almost from the moment that they were sworn in last January. There are some Christmas sales underway, some pre-Christmas clearances underway by some stores I see here in town, but our Republican colleagues here in the House got into the business of giveaways long before any of these stores: giving away public lands to be mined on for practically nothing; rolling back health and safety rules; and tax breaks, lots of tax breaks, one after another for every special interest that lined up with a limousine at the Capitol. It is the season of red and green. Well, red ink has been in favor here in the House all year long. This surplus is being used up by Republican borrowing to finance more corporate tax breaks. And green, well, that is the long green of special interest campaign contributions. And we have seen a lot of that this year too. Even the Wall Street Journal this week labeled what is going on tonight as 'a feeding frenzy among corporate tax lobbyists.' Not to worry, though. They say there is enough for everyone. Well, not quite. Yes, Virginia, there may be a Santa Claus, but this year we are having a Republican Christmas.”