Mike Thompson: “I am sorry that my friend from Arkansas thinks that this is such a partisan debate. This is my second day in the midst…”

“I am sorry that my friend from Arkansas thinks that this is such a partisan debate. This is my second day in the midst of this debate, and until a few minutes ago I had not known it was. If my colleague had been following closely, he would have heard a discussion by several Members of this body, some of whom are new to the body, some of whom have been here for a while, who are greatly concerned about the future of their country and are struggling for means and methods to do something about it. He would have heard that the bipartisan commission, which my friend from Arkansas is a member of, reported that in 2030 to bring the deficit down to its currents level, either all Federal taxes would have to be increased by 85 percent or all Federal spending programs would have to be cut in half. That by 2012, mandatory spending and interest and entitlements will exceed all Federal revenues, leaving no money for the Federal Government to spend on programs like education, law enforcement, research and development, national defense, health research and all the other programs he mentioned. By 2030, entitlement spending alone is expected to exceed all Federal revenue. That is what this debate is about. I find it unfortunate that certain Members who choose this particular occasion to exhibit courage to stand against the overwhelming will of the people will not address the true nature of this debate and what is happening to this country. It is equated with slavery.”