Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

What Republicans want to see in Obama's second term

Details

  • Description

    Sen. Roy Blunt weighs in on president's agenda

  • Duration 10:17
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Editor's Picks

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

Joining me to discuss the president's agenda for the next four years is a key Republicans senator Roy Blunt.

Vice chair of the Republican conference and senator welcome back to Fox News on that could be what -- you just heard David -- lay out the president's goals and approach for the next four years how do you think his new combat madness.

Is going to work.

-- seems like.

It's a lot like the old -- additional member -- the president said during the campaign that you can't solve problems from inside Washington.

There's only one kind that can actually lead in Washington and a way that can can find a solution to big problems and that's the president and I'm I was surprised this week to see him.

A transition his campaign committee into an all on go mean.

Campaign style effort to have an impact on the Washington debate because it doesn't seem to me that the last of the first term would be that that worked out very well when.

They are our problems are big but they're not necessarily all that complicated everybody.

Has a pretty good sense of what has to happen and I'd like to see the president take advantage of the second term.

And divided government a good time to solve big big problems but to make -- the White House argument senator that you congressional Republicans have done everything you can down.

To block his agent.

I just I think the good the greater historic argument would be that he has really done much to advance a specific agenda he speaks in general.

Terms he likes the exactly border approach a whole lot better than the legislative approach and you really.

I can't get all that -- with executive orders you've got to get you've got to legislate and you've got to legislate realistically you've got to realize you don't control the entire congress it takes.

Three Kennedys to get a bill passed into law.

And you've got to come up with something.

That -- Democrat house they were Democrat.

Senate a Republican House and the White House -- at the end of the day before.

Are you just continue to kind of patch things together in ways that don't come up with real solution you talk about this -- transitioning.

His campaign machine to an advocacy group.

What about the idea that -- -- outside game he's gonna reach out to voters go over your ads.

And put pressure on him.

I just I don't think there's any reason to believe from looking at the last four years at that produces much of -- result it might produce a stale laid it might get the president reelected.

But he's not running for a third term.

So we need to forget about.

Let the politics of this I think and and look at what we can do to move the economy forward look at what we can do -- Helped create private sector jobs look at what the federal government can do.

It in the international -- to protect Americans.

At home and abroad and and I think that takes a cooperative leadership effort.

With the congress -- the president seen at least I think a couple of times.

And and members of the house and senate seen this movie on Lincoln in the recent movie on Lincoln the less than that movie I think was.

For one hard things get done they get done because a president.

Decided he was gonna do what was necessary to get them done in that -- got -- realistically look.

At the world do you live in in the Washington you've been given by the American voters to work with -- well let's talk about some of the specific items that are going to be on your agenda.

What do you think of the new house Republican plan.

To pass a short term extension of the debt limit till April.

And in the meantime incest.

That the senate pass a budget or all of you lose your -- Well I I think all of us losing our -- if we don't pass a budget is the right thing to do I'm for cutting spending so just passing a budget.

Isn't quite enough but at least it's a step in the right direction if you want your credit counselors and I can't pay my bills.

Your credit counselor wouldn't say well that's deceased people just extend your credit limit your credit -- would say what are you gonna do to try to pay your bills in the future.

And a budget is a big step toward doing that one of the frustrations -- -- of the last three years -- man.

And no budget per year not a single appropriations bill on the senate floor and now another tool comes -- the debt ceiling was so we don't use that tool either.

Apparently we don't use any tool it takes to.

-- get our credit situation where it needs to be -- passing a budget.

Would be a big moment and I'd like to see us do that well.

Let's talk about a couple of the tools that you could conceivably use.

And that raises the question when should Republicans make their stand on spending cuts some people are assigning.

Do it on March 1 when the automatic sequestration cuts -- billion dollars for this next it would.

Would would kicking and and that you use that as an opportunity to demand big spending cuts others would say march 27 when you run out of money.

And the government would shut down.

Is there a point there that you see when you think congressional Republicans house and senate -- site right here is what we're gonna demand serious -- Well I think all three -- points and two you mentioned and then later either right now at the end of February or we -- -- the end of April.

The debt ceiling itself they all become moments to talk about spending sequestration.

Is we we need to stop the spending we need to reduce spending.

But it be better if we could figure out how to do that that targeted way resident -- the board way.

The worst way to make spending cuts to disable we -- out we can't decide how to cut and he thinks we're gonna cut everything just a little bit.

That's not the right thing to do and hopefully we cannot find a better solutions sequestration in the armed services committee and other places.

Let's talk.

About another item on the agenda you have an -- rating from the National Rifle Association and this week you accused the president.

Trying to are wanting to try to take away our constitutional right when it comes to the right to bear arms mr.

Obama says.

That he is protecting other rights take -- look.

That most fundamental set of rights to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness fundamental rights that.

There were denied to college students at Virginia attacked.

And high school students a column by an elementary school students in new -- those rights are at stake.

Were responsible.

Question.

Can you support.

A measure that would limit the size of these high capacity clips that hold thirty rounds -- -- hundred rounds can you support a universal background.

It lets see what they come up with in terms of the specific proposals.

Certainly at Newtown.

You know what an incredible tragedy for every family involved for that community I've got to.

Second grade -- I've got grandchildren about that age it was was a terrible thing -- those spam which frankly will never recover from.

But let's talk about changes that would've done something about that.

Sold for I don't I don't see that you know Connecticut's the hardest -- one of the hardest places in the country to get a weapon but this young man had weapons but what else -- this young man it.

He had the middle -- problems any head history of problems with security officials as all of the cases the president mentioned.

Did have but how -- we share that information better a list do things will make a difference here rather than than take one more opportunity to go -- -- old agenda.

We had.

Bans on things for a decade that didn't seem to make any difference at all.

But during that same decade.

Our our willingness -- share information about middle of problems our willingness to share information between security officials and police officials.

All declined.

Let me ask -- about this question of sharing information polls indicate.

90% of Americans 90% of Americans and agree that the sun's gonna come up tomorrow.

90% of Americans agree with the idea of universal background checks if you have this concern about who's buying the gun and it wouldn't of help.

Because -- the momma bought the -- a new town.

But what's wrong with the idea of the screen to find out whether or not someone trying to buy a gun under any circumstances.

Hasn't criminal record as a mental.

I think we ought to talk about and the one thing I don't think you wanna prevent -- two guys who live next or from each other side and they wanna trade shotguns -- on -- while they're talking about going hunting next week but let's look at that NC we -- Had proposals before that I voted for in the congress that didn't get a majority that would have tried to deal with some of the loop holes I think.

A gun owners are generally for that but you've got to have a proposal but works that doesn't.

Create the the problem people not able to.

To have due to the of firearms as they'd like to have you know the Second Amendment is there it is part of the constitution and you can't just decide.

He -- avoid the constitution.

Because you've come up was some reason that the constitution no longer works you have to come up with a real proposal presented to the congress.

And haven't done in a realistic way.

You know that the majority leader the Democrat majority leader of the senate says that he doesn't believe they'll be gun legislation on the senate floor so this is not a Republican vs Democrat thing this is -- what can reasonably -- be done.

And I think we this a moment we can do something about mental health about information sharing -- about.

Background checks and other things -- well but it has to be a plan that could possibly work for the present we'll get it done.

-- it's here's who we got about thirty seconds left and wanna ask you one last quick question your member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Is the opposition to the nomination of Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense is -- opposition beginning to -- Well you we saw at least one senator row last week make a statement senator Schumer but I -- -- a lot of people rally did join him and say it -- good enough for Schumer it's good enough for me I think a truck Eagles got some questions to answer.

One of those questions going to be out wise at that position you held in the past about -- Iranian sanctions about.

Our support for Israel no longer appear to be your positions.

I'm gonna meet with them of this week and then the committee I'm sure in those hearings I'll have some questions there as well and look forward to the chance to talk about what he would do he's gonna have a lot to say about our national defense for a long time.

As the secretary of defense at this time if he becomes secretary of defense senator -- thank you thanks so much for coming in always a pleasure to commodities with him.

Load More