Kent Conrad Social Quotations

The American people say, 'Don't touch Social Security, don't touch Medicare, don't cut defense.' That's 84 percent of the federal budget.

I believe they have an affirmative obligation to come up with spending cuts or new revenue to prevent us from raiding the Medicare and Social Security trust funds,

My own view is that we ought to protect the Social Security and Medicare trust funds, then, with what is left, have significant tax cuts.

This nation is about to be hit with a tidal wave of new retirees. In just six years, the baby boomers will begin to retire. The demands on Social Security and Medicare will be dramatically increased, ... This is no time to divert Social Security and Medicare funds to other purposes.

The Congressional Budget Office tells us by 2052, Social Security could meet only 78 percent of its obligations. Medicare is in even worse shape. The shortfall in Medicare is eight times the deficit in Social Security. But the president has no plan to deal with that. The truth is, we need to confront all these challenges sooner rather than later.

By using Social Security trust fund dollars to pay for tax cuts and other government spending, the administration significantly understates the true fiscal imbalance of the country.

I believe President Bush's campaign promises are unraveling, ... He claimed we could afford his massive tax cut, a major defense buildup, more money for education, while paying down the debt and protecting Social Security and Medicare. He was wrong.

Certainly Social Security needs to be reformed.