Mark Dayton: “I recall, for myself, the excitement I felt back then of the opportunities we had because the surpluses projected for…”

“I recall, for myself, the excitement I felt back then of the opportunities we had because the surpluses projected for the next decade, at that time, were $5.4 trillion. I wonder if the Senator recalls, as I can, the anticipation of all the good things we could do on behalf of the people of Minnesota, Florida, and the rest of the country. In my campaign, I made a promise of prescription drug coverage for every senior in Minnesota and sent busloads of seniors at the time up to Canada where they could get prescription drugs for half or less than half the cost of those same drugs in the United States. I recall saying back then the solution was not to bus every senior from Minnesota to Canada... but the solution was to provide the kind of coverage here from our Government that the Canadian Government provides. I wonder if the Senator from Florida recalls other instances of the kinds of hopes and dreams we shared back then as a freshmen group of Senators as to what we could do for this country, and if you can think, as I can, back to the days when we were talking about surpluses for 10 years rather than deficits.”