Sheldon Whitehouse Quotes

Politics is broken.

The Citizens United decision dramatically intensified the political gridlock in our country.

Whether you are on the Right or the Left, everyone can agree that there are a lot of outside influences in American politics that are not good for the system. There's just too much money.

The American political system is so porous, it's so open, it's so frustrating for those who are trying to make policy.

For all the manufactured 'Republican versus Democrat' drama that dominates today's cable news and political rhetoric, the most striking feature of our present-day democracy is not partisan divide - it's a corrupt system that protects incumbents from the consequences that real democracy brings.

Our electoral process has created perverse incentives that have warped our democracy and empowered special interests and a vocal minority.

America's political system has evolved over the last 50 years in ways that have enhanced the power of business lobbies.

I believe both parties are sending the wrong kind of people to Washington, D.C.

Voters definitely believe Washington is corrupt - but most think it's bipartisan.

There is nothing wrong with our country, there is something wrong with our politics…

Talking to Republicans who aren't leaders - that's not very difficult both on anti-trust and on campaign finance reform. I think it's a lot more complicated when you talk to highly funded leaders - that's the innate, deeply problematic part of our politics.

A lot of what is preventing us from getting things done on the federal level is that there is too much influence from special interests over members of Congress.

I think our politicians are bought by the highest bidder and that until we clean up our election system, then we cannot make progress on any of the issues. That's what drives me - we must restore our democracy.

Here in Maine, we know that the system of special interests influencing elections runs contrary to our democratic values.

Republicans support opening the floodgates to special interest money and suppressing the right to vote. It's just plain wrong.

What has become clear to many Americans is that the electoral system is bankrupt. As the political process becomes more privatized, outsourced, and overrun with money from corporations and billionaires, a wounded republic is on its death bed, gasping for life.

Now that our media companies and it appears are policies are traded for cash, what is there to check the continuing consolidation of power and diminishing of democracy?

Until we totally change the way we elect our leaders, until we remove private money from public campaigns, lying will be the de facto method of governance in this country.

The democratic process is supposed to be one person one vote, but it turns out that money is talking louder than the votes.

Everywhere I go - from Main Street to Wall Street - people ask, 'What's happened to our political system? Why can't Washington folks work together?'

Billionaires like the Koch brothers, casino mogul Sheldon Adelson, and political puppet master Karl Rove should not be able to buy our elections. Secret money should not be able to drown out the voices of the American people and sell our Democracy to the highest bidder.

The people of this country, not special interest big money, should be the source of all political power.

We've got a thousand lobbyists in thousand dollar suits giving you a thousand reasons we can't change.

Our democratic system was put in place before we had democratic ideals. The system now provides a playground for special interests, and its democratic structure makes reforms difficult.

The American House of Representatives today is a complete travesty upon representative government, upon popular government, and upon government by the majority.