Charles Rangel: “Shame, Mr. Chairman, to think that politics would be brought into this debate. Why, I am just shocked and overwhelmed…”

“Shame, Mr. Chairman, to think that politics would be brought into this debate. Why, I am just shocked and overwhelmed that the majority would even mention politics in the dialogue on such a sensitive subject. Mr. Speaker, there is no question that we could not even begin to deal with the question of Social Security unless it is done in a bipartisan way, no more than we can deal with the question of our complex income tax system unless it is done in a bipartisan way. The problem that we are facing is that the Republicans are operating like a parliamentary body and we do not talk to each other and discuss how we can resolve some of these very sensitive issues. Let us take this dialogue that we are talking about today. Members of the minority only asked the question that before we do anything, can we say that our first commitment with the surplus is to use it to make the Social Security solvent? Why, that is as bipartisan as it can get. All of America wants to make certain that before we explore different ways in order to assure people pensions, that at least this system is solvent.”