Rep. Doggett on the House Republicans’ Debt Reduction Plan

My neighbors in Texas are saying work together to resolve this crisis without jeopardizing Medicare and Social Security. Adopt a balanced approach that balances the budget by closing some tax loopholes at the same time that we make spending cuts. But agreeing has not been possible so far when so many of our House colleagues pride themselves in being disagreeable. Instead of protecting the full faith and credit of these United States in the same manner as our Republican colleagues voted to do seven times for President George W. Bush, today's bill represents little more than a ransom note from who are using this critical issue to hold our country hostage.

As their price for assuring our national creditworthiness, they demand that we jeopardize the security for the very young with educational opportunities, and for the old with social security and Medicare. Their ransom demands do not share the sacrifice—but they sure do spread the pain: to the young, to the old, to those who are trying to climb up the economic ladder, or just not slide backwards. They talk about tightening the belt—the only belt they're really tightening is right around the neck of their hostages.

Now is the time to stand firm for families and affirm that America will always pay our bills by rejecting this bill and by moving forward with more reasonable legislation.

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