Political Quotes

“President Bush, in his State of the Union a year ago, said, ``Medicare is the binding commitment of a caring society.'' He then promised a prescription drug/Medicare reform bill. The gentleman from California (Mr. Thomas), the Republican chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means, one of the authors of the bill with the Bush administration, said, ``to those who say this bill would end Medicare as we know it, our answer is we certainly hope so.'' I wish President Bush tonight would explain what happened to the Medicare bill that he signed in December. I wish he would explain that this legislation will mean $139 billion, that is with a ``B,'' $139 billion additional profits for the drug industry. I wish he would explain tonight to the American people why this Medicare privatization bill means $14 billion in extra payouts to the HMOs and to the insurance companies. And I wish he would explain to the American people why he let in to write this bill the drug industry and the insurance industry, which sat down with the administration, with Republican leadership and actually wrote the Medicare prescription drug privatization bill. We need answers tonight, Mr. Speaker.”