United States Congress

“The House is composed of very good men, not shining, but honest and reasonably well-informed, and in time they will be found to improve, and not to be much inferior in eloquence, science, and dignity, to the British Commons. They are patriotic enough, and I believe there are more stupid (as well as more shining) people in the latter, in proportion.”

“He votes as a Southern man, and votes sectionally; I am also a Southern man, but vote nationally on national questions.”

“I never know what South Carolina thinks of a measure. I never consult her. I act to the best of my judgment, and according to my conscience. If she approves, well and good. If she does not, or wishes any one to take my place, I am ready to vacate. We are even.”

“Congress seems drugged and inert most of the time. Even when the problems it ignores build up to crises and erupt in strikes, riots, and demonstrations, it has not moved. Its idea of meeting a problem is to hold hearings or, in extreme cases, to appoint a commission.”

“There is a tradition that, on his return from France, Jefferson called Washington to account at the breakfast-table for having agreed to a second chamber. "Why," asked Washington, "did you pour that coffee into your saucer?" "To cool it," quoth Jefferson. "Even so," said Washington, "we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it."”

“I am now here in Congress... I am at liberty to vote as my conscience and judgment dictates to be right, without the yoke of any party on me, or the driver at my heels, with his whip in hand, commanding me to ge-wo-haw, just at his pleasure. Look at my arms, you will find no party hand-cuff on them!”

“Too often critics seem more intent on seeking new ways to alter Congress than to truly learn how it functions. They might well profit from the advice of Thomas Huxley, who said a century ago: "Sit down before facts as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion — or you shall learn nothing."”

“I know well the coequal role of the Congress in our constitutional process. I love the House of Representatives. I revere the traditions of the Senate despite my too-short internship in that great body. As President, within the limits of basic principles, my motto toward the Congress is communication, conciliation, compromise, and cooperation.”

“Congress is, after all, not a body of laymen unfamiliar with the commonplaces of our law. This legislation was the formulation of the two Judiciary Committees, all of whom are lawyers, and the Congress is predominately a lawyers' body.”

“Multivariate analysis indicates that economic elites and organized groups representing business interests have substantial independent impacts on U.S. government policy, while average citizens and mass-based interest groups have little or no independent influence. The results provide substantial support for theories of Economic-Elite Domination and for theories of Biased Pluralism, but not for theories of Majoritarian Electoral Democracy or Majoritarian Pluralism.”

“Two generations ago, Gladstone called the Senate of the United States "that remarkable body, the most remarkable of all the inventions of modern politics".”

“Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens—and then everybody disagrees.”

“Congress is so strange. A man gets up to speak and says nothing. Nobody listens. And when he sits down, everybody disagrees.”

“Average Americans have little or no influence over the making of U.S. government policy. ... Wealthy Americans wield a lot of influence. By investing money in politics, they can turn economic power into political power.”

“I take the view that equality is equality … and that I am a member of Congress as good as anybody else. As long as it is within the law, it's not wrong... If the law is wrong, change the law.I do not do any more than any other member of the Congress, but by the Grace of God, I'll not do less!”

“Papers say: "Congress is deadlocked and can't act." I think that is the greatest blessing that could befall this country.”

“I could study all my life and not think up half the amount of funny things they can think of in one Session of Congress.”

“This country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of a hammer.”

“Ancient Rome declined because it had a Senate; now what's going to happen to us with both a Senate and a House?”

“The rest of the people know the condition of the country, for they live in it, but Congress has no idea what is going on in America, so the President has to tell 'em.”

“And kid Congress and the Senate, don't scold 'em. They are just children thats never grown up. They don't like to be corrected in company. Don't send messages to 'em, send candy.”

“I have come to the conclusion that one useless man is called a disgrace, that two are called a law firm, and that three or more become a congress.”

“To my mind Judas Iscariot was nothing but a low, mean, premature Congressman.”

“A jay hasn’t got any more principle than a Congressman. A jay will lie, a jay will steal, a jay will deceive, a jay will betray; and four times out of five, a jay will go back on his solemnest promise.”

“It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress.”

“I think I can say, and say with pride, that we have legislatures that bring higher prices than any in the world.”

“Suppose you were a member of Congress. And suppose you were an idiot. But I repeat myself.”

“We have been taught to regard a representative of the people as a sentinel on the watch-tower of liberty.”

“All I've done since I've been in Washington has been to sit around and try to look wise, and that's what any man has to do who isn't willing to barter his convictions for political expediency. ... No man who wants to be intellectually honest has any business in Congress.”

“Congress in session is Congress on public exhibition, whilst Congress in its committee-rooms is Congress at work.”

“Since pro means the opposite of con, can you give me an illustration? Progress and Congress.”

“During the American Revolution, George Washington used to call out for "beef, beef, beef," but the Continental Congress called out for "pork, pork, pork."”

“One of the standing jokes of Congress is that the new Congressman always spends the first week wondering how he got there and the rest of the time wondering how the other members got there.”