“We are, some say, the saucer that cools the coffee" ......

[a kennedy]

Senator Reid regarding the difference between the House and Senate on the long-overdue omnibus spending bill. I thought that was the most accurate statement of the difference between the houses that I've ever heard.......


.........“I know that it’s very difficult for people to understand the Senate sometimes,” Reid said on the floor Friday, as if alluding to the stormy meeting in Pelosi’s office. “For those of us who have served in this body for an extended period of time, it’s even difficult sometimes for us.”

“The House, they run every two years…their ears are in tune with the constituency like no one else,” Reid said. “We are, some say, the saucer that cools the coffee and sometimes we cool it for a long period of time. But that’s the rules…an individual senator has tremendous power. This isn’t anything new. This is the way it’s always been.”

read whole article here: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19691.html

[radfringe]

1. This is the way it’s always been.......

sometimes sacred cows make the best hamburgers

just because it's always been doesn't mean it has to continue to "always be"

In case you didn't notice - we voted for change

[nuxvomica]

2. Originally attributed to Washington

http://wiki.monticello.org/mediawiki/index.php/Senatorial_Saucer

"Why," said Washington, "did you just now pour that coffee into your saucer before drinking it?"
"To cool it," said Jefferson; "my throat is not made of brass."
"Even so," said Washington, "we pour our legislation into the Senatorial saucer to cool it."

But according to the article, it's apocryphal.