Mike Conaway: “I, too, am concerned about Social Security. Probably the single heaviest lift, as that phrase is used in these Chambers…”

“I, too, am concerned about Social Security. Probably the single heaviest lift, as that phrase is used in these Chambers, that we have ahead of us. It will look like a walk in the park when we begin to consider Medicaid and Medicare and overall health care spending and costs in this Chamber. So we need to get it done now. As we address the issue of Social Security we have got more options today than we will as each year passes. If we do not act, if we continue to keep our heads in the sand, which if you think about the posture that you are in with your head in the sand it is not particularly flattering. If we continue that posture, we have add a $600 billion increase to the unfunded liabilities that are Social Security for each year that we fail to act, for each year that we do not consider those 23-years-old as they enter the workforce. Our oldest son is 32 years old, and he will be retiring about the point in time where benefits look like they are going to cut under current conditions, about 27 percent. And that is not something I am particularly excited about. I am also not excited about the opportunity of taking our six wonderful grandchildren, of which we are very proud, I am not particularly interested in taking those six down to my local banker, convincing him to draw up a major huge loan packet, in which I will get the proceeds and I will make those six little critters sign on that note and they have to pay it off.…”