Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Carney: What's good for the country is 'balance'

Details

  • Description

    WH press secretary on budget debate

  • Duration 7:08
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Executive Branch

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

-- happening now the president wrapping up three days of visits to Capitol Hill meeting with top Republican lawmakers and trying to reach a compromise in the nation's budget problems.

How optimistic she would be after the -- that we had who -- -- and white house Press Secretary.

Jay Carney -- where -- the presidency specifically.

And some common grounds to build upon.

Well -- as you know he met with Republicans and Democrats in both the house and the senate this week and that's building on a series of engagements he's had with lawmakers.

Including as you know that the dinner he had with a group of Republican senators last week.

And what he's looking for is a conversation with those members of the Republican Party in particular.

Who -- -- and returning to a big deal and didn't end too.

Accepting the premise -- -- we can find common ground here when we try to resolve our budget differences and put ourselves on.

You know a deficit reduction path by agreeing that we should pair cuts to our entitlements reforms are entitlements with.

Tax reform that also generates revenue you know the notion that if we're going to ask more of our seniors and middle class families.

That we ought to ask a little more from the while often well to do through tax reform since then there's -- -- ahead.

The -- -- a little bit about that because the president has said that he's open to changing the way.

That Social Security benefits.

That increase for -- -- -- security benefits are.

Are figured out are calculated he said that center opens that is part of a big deal.

But if the president feels so strongly that changing that would be great for our country as a whole.

Why not just do it why why use it as a -- George and I know that.

That's certainly the Republican line is that we should do what they want to do and what's hard for Democrats but not what's hard for Republicans and and that's not how balance works.

Why should we ask seniors to give.

But at allow the well off and well to do to keep special tax loopholes and exemptions and the tax code that achieved through largely through lobbyists work.

And not ask them to pay a little bit more but if it's credited -- and they get a day it is probably for the better for everybody -- why not consider it.

Look at what's good for the country is balance because of you don't have balance -- you have what we see in the Ryan budget's Tax Policy Center today.

Said that the tax cuts that go disproportionately to the wealthy and the Ryan budget.

Would cost five point seven trillion dollars guess who pays for that.

Middle class families there's no way to get revenue neutral tax reform.

To the tune of five point seven trillion dollars.

Without sticking it to the middle class to the tune of thousands of dollars a year so I felt like -- -- AM so yeah words.

Has anything will change really in the last week we started out talking about common ground.

And maybe turning a corner for -- -- bigger deal sending it can really help this nation.

I think -- get -- Friday from last Friday.

The conversations of continued his you know.

One of the reasons the president.

Past Lindsey Graham the senator from South Carolina to organize.

A group of senators for that dinner.

The other night was because many Republican senators have expressed interest in a bigger deal.

And some -- very explicitly said that they would agree to -- package of entitlement savings reforms.

With tax reform that generated revenues senator Graham -- -- so explicitly.

And and that what's it.

Encouraging about that is that's where the country -- -- the polls on this are unequivocal.

I mean.

Yet you know the only place where you can find disagreement about the need to move forward with balances.

Is up on Capitol Hill you know among some Republicans especially in the house okay because of the public thinks -- what we ought to do -- Me ask you a little bit about these White House tours.

The president gave an interview earlier this week and he said you know this isn't a White House decision as a Secret Service decision but I'm gonna ask -- paraphrasing president.

And asked to see if they could figure out a way to get school kids end.

I he also said though that this is a consequence.

I've sequestration so -- Or is -- the consequence -- sequester.

Well it is the consequence of -- I don't I'm surprised as to hear the suggestion this late date that if anything else the Secret Service like every agency in government.

Has to cut its budget significantly because of -- that's how the law was written.

And that's what everyone's doing -- defense and everywhere else across the government including the Department of Homeland Security in the US Secret Service.

The White House has really be open for the Easter egg roll -- families for right now as -- and I and I think they are families that are just you know break and our families out there -- want a black -- -- again if you get a little reporting you know that there Easter egg roll is open for a lot of military families AA.

-- it's paid for by the sale of those Sam you know those eggs that come out.

As well as from donations on the outside so it's a totally different -- Sunday.

You know these these are apples and oranges secondly.

The president did ask and and their conversations ongoing whether or not there's some.

Accommodation can be made for some -- to the to take place but the overall policy of canceling the -- Has to happen because the Secret Service doesn't have the personnel.

To staff that very labor intensive process.

If it staff those tourists.

It with a full return -- the -- they would have to.

Furlough Secret Service agents and cut their pay which is not a happy option.

Present member of -- not a military family appreciate the fact that military families are invited -- that that Easter egg roll final question for you here.

As -- headlines -- -- exclusive reporting that entire team here at Fox News at three diplomatic security agents were injured.

And that attack and lawmakers and journalists -- like access to some of these survivors.

Either these three or any others that are out there.

Is this White House preventing.

Those survivors from speaking publicly or asking them not to.

First of all I have no knowledge of this story secondly I'm sure that the White House is not preventing anyone from speaking.

We looked at what happening god he was a tragedy that resulted in the death of four Americans.

From the instant that it happened the president ordered -- reaction to be taken.

To ensure that -- -- were secure.

And it an investigation was launched -- that this kind of thing could never happen again.

And this president also make clear that those who are responsible.

For the deaths of four brave Americans in paying Ghazi would be held accountable and that investigation continues.

Our interest design what happened in -- Ghazi.

And and not on you know the political ramifications of this political debate that we've seen.

You know over the course of the last several months in the president's focused on that.

Is that president have an official position at all and helping lawmakers and congress get access to the survivors of the White House be right up front again -- I I I appreciate I I just don't even I'm not familiar with the story OK I should have been watching fox earlier.

I'm sure we can get more information on that way.

As a great today we always appreciate you want to make this a regular Friday -- broke and I am always happy always happy to be on -- -- thank you.

We don't -- -- -- better with more.

Load More