Time & Perspective Quote by Judy Biggert

Bipartisan is doing a lot of work here: it’s less a lofty call to unity than a pressure valve for a politically radioactive problem. Biggert’s line acknowledges the unglamorous math of Social Security while also signaling an escape hatch from blame. By insisting reform “needs to be bipartisan,” she’s not just describing a preference; she’s setting the conditions under which any change can be made survivable. In Washington, “meaningful reform” often translates to choices voters hate in isolation: benefit trims, eligibility tweaks, tax increases, or some mix that can’t be sold as a single party’s project.

The phrasing is tellingly cautious. “We are going to have to reach that…at some time” is the language of inevitability without a timetable, a way to admit urgency while deferring specificity. It frames the central obstacle as process (partisan conflict) rather than substance (who pays, who loses, who wins). That’s strategic: if the public hears “reform,” they hear “cuts,” and politicians hear attack ads. So the sentence offers reassurance that no one will be singled out as the villain.

Context matters: Biggert, a Republican who served in a House era defined by entitlement fights and fiscal brinkmanship, is staking out the responsible-adult posture. The subtext is an invitation to cover: if both parties sign the bill, both parties share the heat, and the reform can be called “meaningful” instead of merely “painful.”