Political Quotes

“I just say to my friend from Georgia, who really is my friend, that this isn't about demagoguery, sir. And what I would say, Madam Chair, the issue before us is: What got our country into a financial pickle? The Republicans want to pick on Medicare, but Americans know. I had a Government in the Grocery this weekend, and an older gentleman came up to me. He said, Why is there such a focus on Medicare, something that has been working for 50 years? It's helping seniors have healthier, longer lives. What's the big deal? He said that 10 years ago this country was running a surplus, running a surplus, revenues exceeded expenses. Under Bill Clinton, revenues were exceeding expenses. But then there was a decision under the Bush administration to cut taxes. Okay. If revenues are exceeding expenses, then maybe that's okay. That cost us $1 trillion over the next 10 years. Then came the decision to prosecute two wars. He said to me that two wars cost us about $1 trillion, too, didn't it, Mr. Congressman? I said, Yeah. He said, Okay. Medicare 10 years ago was fine, revenues exceed expenses. Now we've got tax cuts for millionaires and billionaires, $1 trillion dollars; two wars, $1 trillion; and then there was this big crash on Wall Street where we lost revenues and we had bigger expenses. That was a couple trillion dollars, wasn't it, sir? I said, Yeah, that's about right. And he said, So why--that turned our budget upside down. So now why are we focusing on Medicare?…”