[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 136 (Friday, October 2, 1998)]
[House]
[Page H9282]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DEMOCRATS NOT USING HONEST ARGUMENTS REGARDING SOCIAL SECURITY TRUST 
                                  FUND

  (Mr. BALLENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BALLENGER. Mr. Speaker, I often have discussions, serious 
discussions, with Democrats who have a point of view that I do not 
agree with. It is always a healthy thing to have an honest debate with 
another person, for there are usually two sides to every story and 
every issue. But it is also frustrating to debate someone who is not 
using honest arguments.
  The other side has charged repeatedly that the tax cut package 
promoted by the Ways and Means chairman, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Archer), is a raid on the Social Security Trust Fund.
  If my colleagues believe that, look at this chart. The absurdity of 
the allegation becomes quite obvious. If the raid is so, then how can 
$9.6 trillion in spending over 5 years not be a threat to Social 
Security, while this little $80 billion right here in tax cuts are not 
a threat?
  Then, to add insult to injury, the Democrats did not put one dime 
aside for Social Security during the 40 years they were in control. And 
now Republicans are putting aside $1.4 trillion for Social Security and 
we get blamed for attacking Social Security.
  Mr. Speaker, this is what liberalism has become.

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