Steve Chabot Quotes

American politics shows again and again that the best explanation is an accusation.

“The American people... are tired of the politics of personal destruction

If bitter party name-calling turns people off then smear politics just destroys all credibility in the aims of politicians, the role of political parties and the political process itself.

Everybody in this race is against Obama, okay? So saying you're against Obama, against Obamacare, all the rest, it's all fine, well and good, except it doesn't move you forward.

The two parties are still more polarized than ever before and the rise of partisan media is an important reason for it.

This race has degenerated into an onslaught of negative and personal attacks, not worthy of the American people and not worthy of this critical time in our nation’s history.

In my opinion, the polarization of our politics has mostly been brought about by the massive infusion of money—mostly spent on negative advertising that create divisions among the population that watches television and the two parties.

It strikes me that presidential campaigns can often bring out the worst as well as the best in us.

It's a sad indication of where Washington has come, where policy differences almost necessarily become questions of integrity. I came to Washington in the late '70s, and people had the ability in the past to have intense policy differences but didn't feel the need to question the other person's character.

All people are born alike - except Republicans and Democrats.

As a matter of fact I don't like politics. I really don't. I think it's so jaded now and everybody has to follow the party line.

Republicans have said much worse things about me than any Democrat ever has.

People are fed up with the politics where candidates just rip each other apart and then the voters lose in the end because no one really knows what anybody stands for.

What passes for real debate in Washington often seems more like an echo chamber, with politicians talking at politicians.

The name 'Republican' in some ways has been hijacked by obstructionists.

The truth of the matter is the tone is toxic here in Washington, and we have been exporting it around the country.

It's a sad commentary on where politics is today. If someone disagrees with you, you're either Attila the Hun or a leftist liberal.

The Democratic Party is getting very angry, and that came through clearly in this election.

I mean, the country is deeply divided. There is 35 percent of the people who are Tea Partiers or more in some of those states. So it's probably going to be a difficult year, but there's nothing that I think anyone can do about it.

Conservatives and companies condoned Rush Limbaugh's politics of personal destruction when it came to smearing elected officials. 'Fair game,' they said, even when crass and crude. That's just the way it is.

Negative politics have always been around.

Democrats never agree on anything, that's why they're Democrats. If they agreed with each other, they would be Republicans.

Incumbents are safe, but party majorities are not. This fosters symbolic votes, message politics and little serious legislating in Congress.

I see it all the time in politics. If a candidate gets caught in a lie, he quickly tries to change the subject by throwing more mud at his opponent. The mud keeps flying until some of the slanderous material sticks.

Democratic politicians, liberal activists and liberal news outlets routinely deploy incendiary rhetoric and wicked accusations to marginalize Republicans.