"Until then, I think it would be very difficult to explain a plan to middle-class Americans that asks them to sacrifice but gives the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations a pass."
"I believe we need to focus on what is best for the middle class by ensuring that any tax reform effort helps more Americans share in and contribute to our economic strength and helps reduce our defici..."
"I would like each of your opinion on whether widening income inequality hurts economic growth."
"I think the mixture usually does not work because one of the forces that are at play is--"
"I think the Tax Code is a way that protects our citizens from the downsides of that."
"Debt reduction can be achieved by cutting spending or by raising taxes or by adopting a mix of spending cuts and tax increases."
"I would welcome making the Tax Code fairer and simpler and having a more unified base, but certainly not if the revenues is meant to go to pay for more spending."
"the idea of tripling the standard deduction"
"we ought to make some changes, and that will be beneficial to our country and to, I think, a more rationale set of priorities."
"we are putting off limits $30,000. Essentially we are putting $3,000, somewhere in that vicinity, of permanent tax relief into the pockets of the middle-class person."
"It is one of the many reasons I believe the House budget is wrong for our country and our economy."
"I have long believed that the case for austerity during times of economic weakness has been fundamentally flawed."