Political Quotes

“I have made it clear that I oppose the confirmation of Jack Lew to the most serious Cabinet position of Secretary of the Treasury. The President's Cabinet nominees should be given substantial deference; that is not in doubt. But our Constitution makes clear that appointments to high government office may only be made by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Certainly, the Senate is not a rubberstamp or a potted plant. I believe a decent respect for the seriousness of this occasion, for my colleagues and for their opinions, for the President and for the nominee, requires, in this case, that I set forth my objections to the appointment. They are serious, and I believe what I say is important; important for the institution of the Senate and important for our country. I have not had a personal relationship or extended meetings with Mr. Lew. My objections arise primarily and first from his performance as Director of the Office of Management and Budget. It is, in many ways, a key position in our government. That is the office through which the President controls all the departments and Agencies of our government which he is required to supervise. Normally and necessarily, the OMB Director is the single office that drives efficiency and demands accountability on behalf of the President and the American people throughout our great bureaucracy.…”