Congressman Tom Lantos on the State of the Union speech

Concerning healthcare

"Health Savings Accounts, a focal point of tonight’s speech, is brought to you by the same people who created the confusing, special-interest driven Medicare prescription drug bill and promoted the privatization of Social Security.  Association Health Plans and Health Saving Accounts will do nothing to reduce soaring health care costs or the number of uninsured Americans.  In fact, the proposed health savings accounts will benefit only those who already have enough income to set aside and who can afford higher deductibles.  We need real reform  to allow the federal government to negotiate lower prices, and we need health care plans that provide more affordable health care for all Americans."

On economics

 "The president’s economic policy is heaping mountains of debt on our children and grandchildren.  It is also making us more beholden to foreign debtors, which threatens our national economic  security.  We must reduce the national debt and reverse the tax cuts for the rich.  While the Administration provides tax breaks for the wealthy, hard-working Americans are feeling a middle-class squeeze.  The Administration has allowed the deficit to spiral out of control., and has the worst record of job creation since the Great Depression.  As a result of reckless spending, every American’s share of the national debt is now more than $27,000."