Joe Scarborough: “this Congress faces two challenges in the next 100 days and in the rest of this session. We have got to get our…”

“this Congress faces two challenges in the next 100 days and in the rest of this session. We have got to get our financial house in order. We have got to finally balance the budget, do it for the first time since 1969. The second thing we are going to have to do is finally get Medicare costs under control. A report by President Clinton's own task force shows that Medicare goes bankrupt by the year 2002. We have got to do both of these things at the same time, and it is going to call for heavy lifting, and it is going to call for bipartisan support. I ask the Democrats today to come forward with a plan that not only saves Medicare but also balances the budget by the year 2002. If they are not willing to take part in the process, I ask that they step back and let the Republican Party do it, along with other conservative Democrats who are just as concerned about this very important issue. We have no choice. We must take care of Medicare and we must balance the budget by the year 2002, or it is the senior citizens who will suffer in the end.”