Unless we free ourselves from a dependence on these fossil fuels... we are condemning future generations to global catastrophe

After a century of striving, after a year of debate, after a historic vote, health care reform is no longer an unmet promise. It is the law of the land.

When our interests and values are at stake, we have a responsibility to act.

In order to make the tough decisions we have to know what our values are and who we're fighting for and our priorities and if we are spending $300 billion on tax cuts for people who don't need them and weren't even asking for them, and we are leaving out health care which is crushing on people all across the country, then I think we have made a bad decision and I want to make sure we're not shortchanging our long term priorities.

In Africa, you often see that the difference between a village where everybody eats and a village where people starve is government. One has a functioning government, and the other does not. Which is why it bothers me when I hear people say that government is the enemy. They don't understand its fundamental role.

It's important to recognize that you can't have 100 percent security and also then have 100 percent privacy and zero inconvenience.

I don't have much patience for anyone who denies that this challenge is real.