Political Quotes

“think back again to last night's State of the Union address. The President said all it takes is for us to cast the votes and for me to sign the bill to balance the budget. Many of us who cast those tough votes to cut programs, to bring the deficits down, have faced in the short term the wrath of our constituents but in the long term a realization that we have done the right thing for the country. I am proud that I have voted for budgets that have now, 4 years in a row, brought down the deficits, something that has not happened certainly in the last 15 years or so. We have had a President who has had the courage to give us four budgets in a row that bring down the deficits. They have meant tough votes. Some Members who voted to bring down the deficit have probably lost elections because of those tough votes. How much better they have been to themselves, to their children and their children's children because they resisted the temptation, as Senators and Representatives have for over 200 years, to amend our Constitution unnecessarily. So let us not proceed to a view of short-run popularity but with a vision of our responsibilities to our constituents and the Nation in accordance with our cherished Constitution. Mr. President, first and foremost I am going to cast votes on this floor to protect that Constitution, popular or otherwise. I take my oath of office seriously. I appreciate the privilege the people of Vermont have given me to represent them in this body.”