Pete Stark: “Mr. Speaker, this is a perfect example of the triumph of ideology over American pragmatism. The Republicans say they are…”

“Mr. Speaker, this is a perfect example of the triumph of ideology over American pragmatism. The Republicans say they are going to save the fund. First they take $86 billion out by a tax break. Then they take another $280 billion out by the cuts they are going to make. Then their solution is to pick a solution that does not work. There was a study done by the Research Triangle Institute which says it spends 17 rac{1}{2} percent more for select than it does in the system we have today, which means they are going to spend it down quicker. The real result of their efforts is to get rid of Medicare. They want to break the system 17 percent faster by putting people into select. That is not a solution. It simply makes the problem worse. Everyone should understand it and vote 'no.'”