Michael Scheuer Quotes

The politics of partisanship and the resulting inaction and excuses have paralyzed decision-making, primarily at the federal level, and the big issues of the day are not being addressed, leaving our future in jeopardy.

Congress is good at two things: Doing nothing and over-reacting.

Americans from all walks of life have voiced their deep frustration with Washington's seeming inability to get anything constructive done. For decades, they have watched politicians talk a good game while failing to deliver.

I went to Washington several times at the request of different parties to talk about education reform. I used to always say I felt like I needed to take a shower after I left, because it was so partisan that I just really hated it.

While I have worked hard to bring folks to the middle to craft common-sense solutions to the many problems that confront our nation, Washington is mired in gridlock, gamesmanship and constant partisan bickering.

Many times, the Senate talks of things and never gets anything through.

If career politicians had the solutions, we wouldn't be in the mess that we are.

Wherever you turn, there is always something wrong with the politicians. They have everything they need to save the world, and they don't save it.

The Democrats in particular are do-nothing guys.

It has been the great fault of our politicians that they have all wanted to do something.

I cannot allow state government to continue to be consumed by this game of political 'gotcha.'

We as Republicans have taken the easy way out a lot of times.

Believe it or not, there are members of Congress who actually want to govern and get stuff done. Unfortunately, there are others whose agendas and strategies serve to advance their own interests and expand their donor base.

We can't allow ourselves to descend down the rabbit hole of unbridled partisanship for partisan sake.

Did you ever wonder who when our problems are getting larger and larger, out politicians are getting smaller and smaller?

We're frightened by the interest groups. We act like silly nincompoops. We can't make cuts that cause some sting. We can not even do a thing.

Everyone in Washington knows what needs to be done. They just don’t do it because there’s always someone else they can blame.

There's a can't-do attitude in this town [Washington DC] that I haven't seen anywhere else ... It's like running through a field of marshmallows in terms of getting anything done.

Washington has become a place where good ideas come to die.

The Republican Party was threatening to close down the government and hassling President Obama about his birth certificate when he is trying to get Osama bin Laden.

We need less bipartisanship in Congress.

Talking heads will chatter, argue, and rant on TV and in the houses of Congress but that's all they will do. Weeks and months will go by in which the crowning achievement of Congress may be little more than perhaps passing a bill to declare National Eat Your Spinach Week (sponsored, of course, by the Spinach Growers of America).

In our political system it’s easier to block action than to act.

Sometimes we're tone-deaf in Washington, and we listen only to ourselves. We do not hear the cry of people who want answers, want action, want protection, and have some darn good ideas as to how to provide it if only we would listen.

The Republican Party stinks because all of the Republicans have accomplished nothing, and they talk about all of these issues and do nothing about it for a whole lifetime.