Political Quotes

“I thank my friend and note that a number of Senators have raised this objection and we have focused on one thing and one thing only, which is whether the Senate can raise the debt ceiling with just 50 votes or instead whether the Senate can do so with 60 votes. That is the issue. We are perfectly prepared to go to conference on the budget, right now, today. That is a red herring. That is not what this procedural fight is about. Every time this motion has been asked by the majority, the minority has risen to protect the rights of the minority because ordinarily to raise the debt ceiling it would take 60 votes, and if it takes 60 votes, what that means is that the 54 Democrats are not able to do so on a straight party-line vote, freezing out Republicans. Right now the Democrats have stated they believe the debt ceiling should be raised with no preconditions, no negotiations, no structural changes to our out-of-control spending that is bankrupting our country. What the minority Senators have said is that, at a minimum, if we are going to raise the debt ceiling it should be subject to a 60-vote threshold so that we have a conversation about fixing the deep fiscal and economic challenges in this country. It is indeed the majority that--I will give credit for candor--does not wish to say no, we will take the debt ceiling off the table.…”