Quote(s) of the Week (March 16, 1997)

On Solid Foundations...

"The religious right tends [to be built] very much from the bottom up – from school boards and city councils – and not from the top down, and that is where it is most damaging and the scariest."

--Jill Lesser, People for the American Way’s former policy director, lamenting the fact that the liberal movement does not have a grass-roots foundation. National Journal, December 7, 1996. From Focus on the Family’s Citizen magazine for February 17, 1997. Page 8.

On Accepting Responsibility...

"As part of our conservative efforts against judicial activism, we are going after judges. Congress has given up its responsibility in [overseeing] judges and their performances on the bench, and we intend to revive that and go after them in a big way."

--House Majority Whip Tom Delay, concerning the impeachment of activist federal judges. Washington Times for March 12, 1997. Front page.

On Grounds for Impeachment...

"The cumulative effect of such a series of systemic abuses of the political process… points precisely toward theories of impeachment law invoked by this committee nearly 25 years ago in the matter of President Nixon. Those same theories were then, as they must be now, based on clear historical precedent, considered explicitly by our Founding Fathers, that alone among remedies to correct abuses of power or improper conduct by high public officials, stands impeachment."

--Rep. Bob Barr, Georgia Republican and chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, concerning impeachment inquiries against President Clinton and Vice President Gore. Washington Times for March 14, 1997. Front page.