Political Quotes

“last year, I offered a balanced budget amendment which excluded Social Security from the budget. When this body again considered a balanced budget amendment 4 or 5 weeks ago I offered an amendment that excluded Social Security. After it was defeated, I worked with others to ensure the Social Security trust funds would not be looted to reduce the deficit. Of course, we know the result of the vote yesterday. But, Mr. President, I feel no jubilation. I do not feel a sense of victory as a result of having my amendment being one of the principal--if not the principal--reason the balanced budget amendment failed. But, in fact, the day after the vote, I feel a sense of hope, perhaps even anticipation, that the debate that has taken place in this body over the past several weeks has established at least two things in my mind. No. 1 is that the accumulating debt this country has is serious. No. 2, the American people recognize the seriousness of that debt, but they do not want to balance the budget using Social Security trust fund moneys.”