Remarks by Congressman Mike Ross, Blue Dog Co-Chair
September 14, 2011
As prepared for delivery
Today, during a press conference with members of the fiscally conservative Democratic Blue Dog Coalition, Representative Mike Ross (D-AR) issued the following remarks.
"The Blue Dogs have districts all across the country, but we continue to hear one consistent message from our constituents: Quit putting party before country and get to work to do what's in the best interest of the people.
"In all my years in public service, I have never seen the public discourse so hostile. And I blame Congress for that. Members of the House have become so backed into their respective corners – so blindly intolerant of one another – it has made having even a simple conversation across the aisle nearly impossible. This extreme partisanship is not what the American people expect out of their elected officials, and it has got to come to an end.
"The national debt is the single biggest threat to our economic and national security. Those of you who know the Blue Dogs know that we have been talking about this for over 15 years.
"It is time for members on both sides of the aisle to stop playing lip service to "bipartisanship," and get to work to come up with a compromise that puts us on a path to a better future.
"The Blue Dogs have districts all across the country, but we continue to hear one consistent message from our constituents: Quit putting party before country and get to work to do what's in the best interest of the people.
"In all my years in public service, I have never seen the public discourse so hostile. And I blame Congress for that. Members of the House have become so backed into their respective corners – so blindly intolerant of one another – it has made having even a simple conversation across the aisle nearly impossible. This extreme partisanship is not what the American people expect out of their elected officials, and it has got to come to an end.
"The national debt is the single biggest threat to our economic and national security. Those of you who know the Blue Dogs know that we have been talking about this for over 15 years.
"It is time for members on both sides of the aisle to stop playing lip service to "bipartisanship," and get to work to come up with a compromise that puts us on a path to a better future.
"As Blue Dogs, our goal is to encourage the members of the Super Committee to take their eyes off the 2012 elections long enough to do what is in the best interest of the country, and we urge all Members of Congress to do the same."
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