Byron Dorgan: “we are embarking on a debate with respect to the subject of Social Security. Last evening, the President gave a State of…”

“we are embarking on a debate with respect to the subject of Social Security. Last evening, the President gave a State of the Union Address and today is traveling around the country to talk about a very important issue, Social Security. In many ways the issue is about values. There has been a great deal of discussion about values in this country, especially as it applies to political debates. I think the debate about the Social Security system is a debate about values. Some months ago, a friend of mine died in a small community in North Dakota. I sent some flowers and called. He was a man in his eighties. He lived a great life. He was a wonderful person. I got a note from his wife. Here is what she said about her husband. She said: Oscar always helped his neighbors and he always looked out for those who did not have it so good. That is all she said. But what a wonderful description of someone's value system and of someone's life: He always helped his neighbors and always looked out for those who did not have it so good. In many ways that prompted the origin of the Social Security program.”