I think that for the next short period of time, our No. 1 priority is Congress needs to do its work and extend the payroll tax cut.
In the budget, the president will call for a five-year freeze on discretionary spending other than for national security. This will reduce the deficit by more than $400 billion over the next decade and bring this category of spending to the lowest share of our economy since Dwight Eisenhower was president.
I think it's very important not to confuse the importance of dealing with Social Security in the long term with these short-term deficit reduction challenges. They're different issues.
Historically, the responsibility for voting on the debt limit has gone to the party in the majority.
Raising the debt limit on some levels is a ministerial act. It doesn't involve any new spending.
If you look at the cost of providing health insurance, it actually doesn't cost more to provide a plan with contraceptive coverage than it does without.
