Pete Stark: “the other side of the aisle today will present this bill for debate to assure the public that this Congress is working…”

“the other side of the aisle today will present this bill for debate to assure the public that this Congress is working in the spirit of our limited floor schedule on long-term policies such as saving Social Security for our children. I rather suspect that the children they talk about preserving Social Security for are being used as a shield in this debate because of a frontal assault that Republicans have been using on so many will not work. It is a good idea to have a dialogue. I think we should start opening the dialogue with the majority leader's remarks, and I quote the majority leader's remarks, in saying that Social Security 'should be phased out. Eventually we will be able to phase the government programs out and phase private programs in.' The Speaker's think tank, the Progressive and Freedom Foundation, that preserves I do not know what for all Americans, says, 'There is an even more important moral question raised by the government's role as chief provider in old age. It sends an un-American message that it is not your responsibility to take care of yourself.' Basically, the Speaker is suggesting that Social Security is un-American. That is a good place to start this dialogue. It is time for the public, quotes the Speaker's think tank, to take back from government responsibility for their futures, including their retirements.”