Top 10 (More) Quotes of 2009

The end of a year brings with it lots of recap lists-celebrity gaffes, biggest news stories, deaths of memorable individuals-but after reading a Top 20 Quotes of 2009, I noticed there were a lot out. Maybe you were left out of some this, too. Don't let this year fly away without taking note of some of these telling utterances.

1. And guess what this liberal will be all about; this liberal will be all about socializing-uh, um...would be about taking over...and the government running all of you companies.

Maxine Waters, U.S. Congresswoman D-CA

Her response to John Hoefmeister, President of Shell Oil Company, who was urging Congress to allow for more drilling and an opportunity to increase supplies, and how that will affect prices for consumers, and she sort of slipped and let the Hugo Chavez cat out of the bag.

2. I'm saying, for myself and my family, our comfort level is we will comply with the Constitution Article I Section II.... We will give the number of people in our home, and that's where we're going to draw the line.

Michelle Bachman, U.S. Congresswoman R-MN

A statement made in context to the unconstitutionality of the "long form" census that is given to approximately 1 in 6 households during the "decennial enumeration" that takes place, as stated in the constitution, every ten years. Justification for the long form has been said to include needed data for formula figures that is used for hundreds of federal programs. Bachman's statement is significant, given that she made it prior to the great ACORN Prostitution/ Tax Evasion revelation. ACORN was previously slated to play a role in the collection of Census data.

3. I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.

Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States

Sotomayor made this remark in context to the idea that as a woman, and as a Latino, and perhaps as a formerly impoverished person, she would be able to not only come to the same conclusion as her white, male, and perhaps rich counterparts, but would come to a better conclusion. This statement, which was brought up during the Senate hearing of her confirmation, branded her as sexist and racist by some.

4. Maybe you're better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.

President Barack Obama

It was this statement that brought the reality home to a lot of Americans and political pundits who then realized the absolute power the government might have over us-and our parents and grandparents-when handing our health care over to them. And it was possibly this quote, that offered up the concept of "death panels," and "rationed" health services more clearly.

5. I will correct something. It's not $100 million, it's $300 million, and I'm proud of it and will keep fighting for it.

Mary Landrieu, Senator D-LA

Having played hard to get, Landrieu flaunted the bribe that bought her vote, which has been named the "Louisiana Purchase" and stands, among others, as the epitome of crooked, pork-filled politics, or a simple method for "compromise" and "how stuff gets done," depending on your side of the aisle.

6. My vote is not for sale. Period.

Ben Nelson, Senator D-NE

Just when the American people think a Senator stands on principle and not on price tags, they find that foundation to be rather shaky, because all it took to get this Senator to change his mind were some closed-door meetings and promises of full-funded expansion of Medicaid in his state-and only his state.

7. (JL) I Wonder If I Could Ask Unanimous Consent For Just An Additional Moment.

(AF) In My Capacity As Senator From Minnesota, I Object.

(JL) Really? OK. Don't Take It Personally.

Joe Lieberman, Senator I-CT and Al Franken, Senator D-MN

Al Franken, a newly minted Senator denied Lieberman an additional moment to conclude, rudely breaking a several hundred year tradition of courtesy in an attempt to rush through with health care debate, wildly wielding his gavel. Sen. John McCain, (R-AZ) used a portion of his time on the floor to express his distaste at the uncivil treatment of one another, "I think it's wrong."

8. I've just completed Mike's Nature trick of adding in the real temps to each series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981 onwards) and from 1961 for Keith's to hide the decline.

Phil Jones, UK Climate Scientist who stepped down from his job as chief of a prestigious British Research Center.

This statement was extracted from one of several emails between him and other prominent researchers, which were stolen, showing fraud. The news came just prior to the Copenhagen Climate summit, changing the dimension and authenticity of the issues.

9. (AG)...That polar bears really aren't endangered...well, the polar bears didn't get that word...so, uh.

(PM)Well, the number of polar bears have increased

(AG)You don't think they're endangered, do you?

(PM)The number of polar bears have increased.

(AG)Do you think they're endangered?

(PM)The number of polar bears have increased.

Al Gore, Environmental Activist and author of An Inconvenient Truth and Phelim McAleer, Environmental Journalist and author of Not Evil Just Wrong, at The Meeting of Society for Environmental Journalists in Madison, WI.

This back-and-forth took place when Gore agreed to take questions from journalists, something he hadn't done in four years. McAleer's microphone was soon after turned off, putting an abrupt end to Gore's debate; a debate which he constantly asserts "is over."

10. The system worked

Janet Napolitano, Secretary of Homeland Security

An emphatic statement made in an interview with CNN in response to the foiling of a plot to explode a plane in air over US Homeland by a radical Islamicist on Christmas Day. Napolitano, who since taking the Homeland Security post, has changed the name of "terrorism" to "man-caused disaster," took credit for the individual heroic acts of random Dutchmen on the flight. Napolitano later back-tracked with the statement, "the system failed."