Barbara Lee: “It's really no secret that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a massive deficit that, if left to Republicans…”

“It's really no secret that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have created a massive deficit that, if left to Republicans, will burden our children and grandchildren with the debt that Republicans created. The wars have cost over $1 trillion. And it's mind-boggling to hear that the minority leader wants senior citizens to pay for these wars. He wants to increase the Social Security retirement age to 70 for people who have at least 20 years until retirement, and wants actually to tie the cost of retirement to the Consumer Price Index--what an idea, boy, I tell you--instead of the wage inflation index. And he wants it only for those who need them. Several years ago, the Republicans, let me remind you, they wanted to privatize Social Security. Democrats said, ``no.'' Can you imagine what would have happened to seniors had their retirements been given to Wall Street given Wall Street's greed and given their irresponsibility? Their lives would be shattered. So Democrats will say ``no'' to Republican ideas to slash Social Security to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.”