Political Quotes

“this week, we commemorate the 50th anniversary of Medicare and Medicaid, programs that have made such a difference in the lives of so many. Upon signing these programs into law 50 years ago, then-President Lyndon Johnson reminded us of a shared tradition within our great Nation--one that ``calls upon us never to be indifferent toward despair . . . commands us never to turn away from helplessness . . . directs us never to ignore or to spurn those who suffer untended in a land that is bursting with abundance.'' That deep-seated tradition--to lend a hand to our neighbors and friends and to honor our mothers and fathers--is what guided Congress and country to do the right thing so many years ago. With the stroke of his pen, President Johnson, and all those who fought before and alongside him, made sure that there would be care for the sick and serenity for the fearful. I know just how important Medicare and Medicaid are for the people who rely upon them. In the 1960s, I was a young social worker in Baltimore for ``Operation REASON'' (Responding to the Elderly's Abilities & Sickness Otherwise Neglected). Our goal was to help Maryland seniors get the health care they needed. You have to remember, in those days, when you retired, you usually lost your health insurance, which meant that many seniors also lost access to their doctors and health care. More than half of America's seniors had no health insurance.…”