mandate. it's everybody's mandate. >> i want to set two things next to each other. on the one hand, we had a letter in the washington post to the president and to the congress from sort of the group that had supported the president, big labor and others and they made it very clear. the 2012 elections are over. the american people have spoken. we've voted for the middle class, putting people back to work and not job killing budget cuts and not attacking social security and medicare and medicate. this is what they're saying. on the other hand, we have boehner who won a majority in the house of representatives. here's what he said thursday to diane sawyer about raising taxes. >> is it on the table to talk about it? >> i made clear -- >> the wealthier americans pitch in here. >> raising tax rates is unacceptable. frankdly, it couldn't even pass the house. putting increased revenues on the table but through reforming our tax code. and i would do that if the president were serious about solving our spending problem and