Barack Obama: “Let me be clear: All new mandatory initiatives and all new tax cuts must be paid for.”

It is a decision about how do we face and embrace this finite amount of time we have on the planet.

And I will fight for that, even if I don’t always think it’s going to win.

I think when we act on that basis, it doesn't always work out, but over time things do get better.

When we choose, when we make that decision, I do believe – and there is evidence for this – that the world gets incrementally better, and that is a worthy goal and it’s worth fighting for.