Mike Levin: “No. Let us talk about this resolution. The gentleman used the time to talk about something that is not relevant to this…”

“No. Let us talk about this resolution. The gentleman used the time to talk about something that is not relevant to this resolution, and I thought that I would just put it in some perspective. Let me talk about this resolution, if I might. The resolution before the House has very little to do with strengthening Social Security, which is indeed necessary, and it has very much to do with providing political distance to some Member of the majority party. Does anyone seriously believe that it is a coincidence, a coincidence, that this resolution is being brought to the House floor on the very same day that the President's hand-picked Social Security Commission unanimously adopted its recommendations? The recommendations of the Commission should come as a surprise to no one. From the day the President appointed a one-sided commission, I do not, for a moment, challenge the views in terms of the integrity of their point of view, but it was very one-sided and the outcome was predetermined. Indeed, the President's spokesman, Ari Fleischer, said it very clearly very early on in quotes, "The Commission will, of course, be comprised of people who share the President's view that private retirement accounts are the way to save Social Security." This is the spokesperson of the President of the United States. It is now apparent from the Commission's recommendations that privatization would result in cuts in Social Security benefits.”