Political Quotes

“I wish to take a few minutes in my capacity as ranking Democrat on the Committee on Finance to talk about the upcoming 80th anniversary of a great moment in our country's history-- the creation of the Social Security Program on August 14, 1935. I am very pleased to be joined by all of my colleagues on this side of the aisle in the introduction of a resolution demonstrating how much we appreciate this historic anniversary. Thanks in large part to Social Security, old age in America is no longer synonymous with hardship. American workers have the great comfort of knowing that if the worst happens, Social Security will be there for them and their families. I remember how essential Social Security was to many of the older people I worked with when I was director of the Oregon Gray Panthers. However, eight short decades ago, seniors often lived in poverty and hard-working Americans had no guarantee of economic security. Our country was in the throes of the Great Depression. Unemployment topped 20 percent. You had bread lines for blocks, and the homeless population was growing. There was no social safety net, no lifeline that offered some measure of dignity. If a person lost their job, became disabled, suffered the loss of a family member, they were on their own. There was nowhere to turn. Life was difficult for many Americans but none more so than the poor, the elderly, or the disabled.…”