Orrin Hatch: “in a few hours, this body will vote. This is a solemn responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. At Gettysburg…”

“in a few hours, this body will vote. This is a solemn responsibility, one not to be taken lightly. At Gettysburg, Abraham Lincoln reminded Americans that those who died on that battlefield fought for government of the people, by the people, and for the people. We are only here because the people, our constituents, sent us here. And every time we vote, we represent them. We represent their aspirations. We represent the dreams of growing families and entrepreneurs. We represent the interests of taxpayers. Of course, not all votes are created equal. Some are more important than others. And in my view, the votes that we are taking today are transcendent. They are quite literally about the future of this country. Are we going to be a country with a constitutionally limited government; are we going to be a country that limits the burden of taxation on individuals and families and businesses; or are we going to become Europe? Are we going to move toward a full-blown cradle-to-grave nanny government with the majority of Americans on the public dole and a small group of individuals bankrolling an ever expanding leviathan state? In short, are we going to remain America--a beacon of freedom to the world or do we aspire to become a second European Union with high taxes, high spending, and measly economic growth? Again, I remind you that we represent the aspirations of our constituents. I represent the people of Utah.”