Political Quotes

“Mr. President, Americans have been very clear about where they stand on the Republicans' budget proposal: They reject it soundly, and for many reasons. But the most glaring reason is the effort to change Medicare as we know it. No wonder. It ends a successful program that has saved seniors from illness and poverty for over four decades-- millions of them. Their so-called budget is nothing more than an ideological plan to shift the burden to seniors, who can least afford it, in an effort to put the insurance companies between senior patients and their doctors. With all due respect to the ranking member of the Budget Committee here in the Senate, pointing the finger at Democrats, as he has done, will not erase the fact they plan to end the Medicare Program as we know it and like it. Democrats, Republicans, and Independents feel the same way, and no amount of political distortions or distractions will change that. Only when Republicans agree to take cuts to Medicare off the table can we have a serious discussion about how we can move forward in our battle to decrease the deficit. Republicans claim only sacrifices from seniors will balance the budget. We disagree. Yet they protect tax breaks for millionaires and billionaires. They protect the billions of dollars in taxpayer-funded handouts to oil companies making record profits. The Republican plan will put insurance company bureaucrats between seniors and their doctors.…”