Jacob J. Lew: “It's not a good thing for Americans for there to be a lot of countries in the world that are failing or failed states.”

The American people deserve to have an IRS with the resources so that, when you pick up the phone and call the IRS, there is a person at the other end to answer it.

You find cases of tax avoidance, and we know when you find cases of tax avoidance, voluntary compliance goes up.

I don't think there is an urgent crisis. I don't think Americans should worry that their Social Security won't be there.

I have been trying to deal with it as a crisis that we need to deal with on a bipartisan basis.