On the recordDecember 8, 2010
I stand here simply amazed at what happened in the Senate, although I probably shouldn't be. I stand here amazed because in these economic times, senior citizens from Gallipolis to Ashtabula, to Middletown, to Toledo, in my State, and from the Iron Range to Rochester, MN, the State of the Presiding Officer, and all across this country, who didn't get a cost-of-living adjustment this year; who are victims of inflation--medical inflation especially--and the inflation rate is not very high in our society, so they didn't get a cost-of-living adjustment, even though their cost of living has gone up--every single Republican in this institution--every single Republican--voted no on a $250 one-time check to go to senior citizens. It would have meant the equivalent of about 1 rac{1}{2} ext{ percent or less than that cost-of-living adjustment. If they are so interested in balancing the budget that they do not want to do that, maybe that is one argument--although not a very good one in these economic times--but when, in the same week, they sign a letter saying we are not going to do anything--every single Republican signed a letter saying we are not going to do anything in the Senate-- we are not voting yes on anything until we get the tax cut for millionaires and billionaires, that is pretty outrageous.
