On the recordDecember 2, 2011
I thank the gentleman for his comment, and I agree with it. Some progress is progress, however you describe it. Let me clarify, because I want to make sure in terms of coming together and reaching some progress; you mentioned the--I'm not sure that every Republican agreed to it, maybe the gentleman knows, but there was--Mr. Toomey put a proposal on the table which offered $300 billion in additional revenues. Of course, that was offset by an $800 billion increase next year in tax cuts or a net reduction of $500 billion in revenues for next year, excuse me, for January 2013. Let me ask the gentleman, in reaching that, the gentleman mentioned entitlements. I agreed with him on entitlements, but the gentleman then said he's not for any increased revenues. All three of the bipartisan commissions, the two commissions and the Gang of Six, all three have said that revenues must be part of that picture. That's taxes--a fancy word for taxes. Does the gentleman agree with that, because that certainly was the basis for bipartisanship in all of three of those fora? I yield to my friend.
