Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, we are not the judiciary. We are the people's voice. We are the United States Congress. The issue of whether a court has ruled any of this unconstitutional is the prerogative of that court, but we have the prerogative to address the issues dealing with the people's voice. And so I am disturbed that this comes to the floor, first, as a suspension, which was defeated by the people's voice, and then now through some unique trickery to come with a closed rule so that the people's voice is shut down. This Constitution deserve more. The Founding Fathers were wise enough to establish three branches of government. This House is called the people's House and, therefore, we have the right to have a voice. That voice was already expressed by Members on both sides of the aisles, Republicans and Democrats, who voted this down because of the lack of opportunity to engage on behalf of the people. What more needs to be said? Now, let me say this about the Constitution and about this process. First of all, we have been in some very difficult times, and we understand the crisis of terrorism and the aftermath of 9/11; but let us be reminded that in those early stages when we developed this Constitution, those men who were on this floor had to be concerned about the oppressiveness of the state that owned and dominated this country before it was.…”