2007 Des Moines Register Republican debate: on Social Security

Fred Thompson: Reform entitlements now so our grandkids don’t have to

The thing about it is that we can do it now without hurting those programs--actually strengthening those programs so that our kids and grandkids have [what they need]. I don’t think we as American people are so selfish that we’re going to put this off the table, kick the can down the road and let everybody else solve that problem, you know, when our grandkids get to be working age. That’s not America; that’s not what makes us strong.

And specifically, as far as Medicare is concerned, we need to tell people that are in Warren Buffett’s category we’re not going to take care of all your Medicare in the future; we can’t afford it.