Jon S. Corzine: “we could get into a debate about whether making tax cuts that have not occurred yet permanent is a tax hike. I think…”

“we could get into a debate about whether making tax cuts that have not occurred yet permanent is a tax hike. I think that is not what we are talking about tonight. Are there ways this can be financed? At least this Senator made some specific suggestions about where one could look for funding that would cover this gap, and I think there are a number of ways of looking at it. They require tough choices. Is providing $900 monthly income to seniors more important than eliminating the estate tax, providing a dividend exclusion to a very narrow sector of our society, or is it better to provide $900, $11,000 a year on average, to the American people, providing also for 2 million kids who lost their parents, dealing with the disabled in this country? It is hard for me to understand these tradeoffs, but at least I believe that that is an argument the American people would find winning. I also believe Social Security has been a promise to the American people--again, that if you live by the rules, you pay your taxes, if you show up and work, if you are committed to a lifetime of work, you will have a dignified retirement.”