Political Quotes

“let me begin by referring to the front page of today's Washington Post. The headline is ``Obama: Social Security on table. Cuts offered in debt talks.'' Mr. President, I hope very much that headline is wrong because, in fact, Social Security, which is perhaps the most successful Federal program in the history of our country, has not contributed one penny to our deficit or our national debt. The idea of lumping Social Security and cuts in Social Security into a discussion about our deficit and our national debt is absolutely wrong and unfair to the tens of millions of seniors and people with disabilities who benefit from that program. As you know and as the American people know, Social Security is independently funded through the payroll tax. Every worker and every employer contributes into that fund. Social Security, today, has a $2.6 trillion surplus that is projected, in fact, to grow to over $4 trillion by 2023. We, of course, need a vigorous debate about how we deal with the deficit crisis and our national debt, but Social Security, independently funded, with a $2.6 trillion surplus, having not contributed one nickel to the national debt, should not be part of that debate.…”