Political Quotes

“late last night this body voted on the fourth short-term continuing resolution for fiscal year 2018. That means we are already into this by 3 or 4 months. I voted for the continuing resolution last night because I refuse to support a government shutdown in any way, shape, or form, but it doesn't mean I believe this should be the way this Congress works. To my good friend from Alaska and all of the good people here, I consider everyone in this body my friend. To the blame game, I got here in November 2010. The Democrats were the majority at that time, and I wondered why we weren't voting. I didn't understand the process. As I started learning the process, I kept wondering, why aren't we voting? There were filibusters and cloture and we couldn't get things done. I am not here to say who is at fault. I know when you are in the majority, you are in a leadership position, and you are supposed to lead. We expect leadership to lead. Leadership has to make sacrifices sometime to find a pathway forward. Both sides are guilty of not doing that as well as it should be done. We are in a government shutdown. It should never happen. Three hundred million people shouldn't be penalized for the dysfunction of this body. As Democrats and Republicans, I would hope we would be Americans first. I don't think of my Democratic Party before I think of what is good for the country or what is good for the State of West Virginia. I have my Democratic principles I believe in.…”