Political Quotes

“people are angry and they are anxious. They are worried their middle class way of life is slipping by. During the last several months as I listened to people they had very clear messages. First, ensure the solvency and stability of Medicare and, they said, no Medicare rationing. Second, they said to get the government's fiscal house in order. They said to be as frugal as they have to be in their own homes. I absolutely agree the government has to get its fiscal house in order. And I am unrelenting in making sure that Medicare is there when people need it, and is there in the way their doctor says they need to have it. I fear this commission is a back door to rationing Medicare. I pledged during health care reform, and I pledge now, I will not ration Medicare. I agree that Congress needs a gut check on spending, but we don't need a gutless vote. I worry that this commission will be a fast track process to ration Medicare run by a group with limited accountability selected by the very same politicians who were incapable of making the tough decisions. I will not vote for a commission to ration Medicare. Social Security is not the real cause of the debt crisis. It has never added to the debt. It can be fixed through regular order with small tweaks that don't cut benefits.”