Political Quotes

“I rise to address the majority leader's announced intention to introduce legislation that would repeal the 4.3-cents-a-gallon tax on gasoline that this body passed as part of the 1993 budget bill. I have a very high personal and professional regard for our majority leader and I am certainly not unmindful of the political season that is upon us. Repealing a tax--any tax--and particularly a tax consumers are reminded of every time they fill up their cars at the pump, is unarguably attractive as a matter of raw politics, but it is terrible as a matter of public policy. Just when we are beginning to make sustained progress on bringing down the deficit, just when we are within reach of actually balancing the budget in 7 years and making a serious and principled commitment to real fiscal responsibility, we blink. We cannot take the political heat. On something this important to our Nation and our children's future, if we take the heat we ought to take President Truman's advice and get out of the kitchen. We talk about a market economy, but we won't let the market work.”