Turns out Sen. Everett Dirksen never said “a billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”
(Great research. Who knew there was a Dirksen Center?)
Senator Dirksen did serve in the US Army’s 19th Balloon Corps and propose the marigold as the “national floral emblem.” And, like nearly everyone, he won a Grammy.
Tip o’ the cap to Who2’s own Mike Duffy.