Important and difficult policy decisions the president made early on. Josh, plunging oil prices and raising gas prices for infrastructure. In the past, you said is on the table. Is it on the table . We have put forward our very specific or postal for how we believe we can make the investment needed in infrastructure in this company. That is typically what the gas tax revenue is dedicated to. Closingbelieve loopholes and using the revenue for closing the loopholes and infrastructure upgrades. Some have different ideas, including raising the gas tax. That is something we will take a look at, but is not something we have considered from here. Among those, chris mercy chris murphy planned to raise by . 12 per gallon over two years. Are you ruling a gas tax increase out for something specific on infrastructure . Loopholes and using the i do not have anything about the specific topic. As it relates to specific proposals, we will certainly consider proposals put forward bipartisan proposals like the ones you mentioned. We have been clear about what we think is the best way to get this done. That is to close in the well connection wellconnected corporations and use those to connect investments in infrastructure that everyone benefits from. I recognize there are other things out there and we will consider those as well. The gas tax is a permanent and ongoing way to fund the infrastructure there it you are talking about a one time only closing of loopholes. You think others is that heck have adjusted the gas tax and should be replaced by another mechanism . I am not saying that, though some have pointed out that the fact that we have, that our vehicles on the road are becoming more fuelefficient, which means theyre using less gas, which means there will likely be less tax, what we have said is we believe there is a very specific way to close the loophole that will generate a revenue, that will allow us to make some investments in infrastructure. That is not a permanent funding stream for infrastructure. It could be. We are talking about permanently closing the loopholes. That would be a change in the tax policy. It could be. I know, but if you envision it as something that funds infrastructure over time, i do not understand how that becomes a permanent infrastructure. Just abolishing the gas tax. Something could be gleaned from generating the task code and revenue and that is of strategy is that i recognize those ideas and will consider those ideas as we put them forward. We believe gas prices are trending downward and likely to rivers in the nottoodistant future and you do not want to mess with anything in the price market for taxes. We believe we have a better idea how to do that. By closing loopholes, we could actually invest in the kind that create jobs and stimulate growth and the modern infrastructure we could all benefit from. We are open to the other ideas others with forward. We believe our ideas better. Our idea is better. There are a lot of Energy Economist who said, this is a time for a different conversation, because the prices are down, and there is more room with in what people used to budget and the restructure needs have not been any better. They have become more pronounced, if anything. It is time for a fresh look. You are not inclined to give it a fresh look and im trying to figure out why. We remain open to giving it a look. This goes to show in some ways compromise. We do not believe the best way to find modernizing our infrastructure is to raise the gas tax. We are willing to consider those bozos. We believe the best way to do that is to close loopholes that only benefit the wealthy and wealthy reparations here at consider your comments earlier that the president may or may not have a meeting with congressional leaders, it sounds like he out of we will not come looking at the schedule. Is it fair to say that is a lesser priority than getting out of the road and displaying the president s energetic pursuit of his own agenda, and not treating the new Congressional Republican majority as a secondary item not as important as his own rhetorical flourishes for this week . I am more interested in substances policy ideas that will get the economy moving and benefit middleclass families. That is what we will be focused on in our conversations with democrats and republicans for leadership as issues in congress. The president mess met with congressional leaders a couple of times and i am confident he will do it again earlier this year. It is a different crew and a different power structure during the lameduck. I know it is the same participants. Right. Different levels of power. Even in the context of the meetings they had in lameduck everybody knew what would happen after the first year, right . Everyone knew the president was not just meeting with the Senate Minority leader. He was also meeting with the majority leader. I do not think that will change the kinds of conversations they will have this year. Certainly, there is no reason we cannot do both, what the president wants to do is make progress by debating and putting in place, where possible thomas substantive Economic Policy ideas. Some of those, he can do on his own, he will require cooperation with republicans in congress to get done. There was no were against isis or an ongoing airstrike and now there is. He those questions. To what degree will the president used the state of the union to give an assessment of what has been accomplished and what remains to be done, and how does the ongoing conflict influence the Defense Budget being put together, and the ongoing discretionary capital was has one more year to go . Again, this has not been written yet. He has been, but ultimately, he is not the author of it. He has been working on it. The final words on the page will be the ones on january 20. We are trying to figure out how much does the president feel it is necessary or worthwhile to assess what is not a an insignificant matter. Im just trying to make it clear we are still having those kinds of discussions about what is actually being included in their and to what extent. I am confident as a general matter that the president will use the opportunity of that National Address to talk about the threat we face from isil, and what United States continues to do by leading a broader National Coalition of more than 60 countries to degrade and ultimately destroy them. A multifront strategy that includes air strikes taking into border troops on the ground. It involves combating foreign fighters, foreign finance, david just david david cioohen to crisiss methods in the muslim world. I am confident you will hear the president talk about this a little bit at least. The second question about Defense Department budget. Increased funding how disappointed we were, that congress did not act on the kinds of budgetary reforms for civilian and military leadership the pentagon said were desperately needed. I would anticipate all of that maybe not discussed in that much detail in the state of the union, but a priority as we talked to congress about the fiscal year 16 budget. Several more detainees were repatriated from guantanamo and that will be something in the next three or four months, would you be willing to say this company tends to accelerate in the early part of 2013 to move as many detainees as our movable . I do not have a lot of insight to what the shortterm plans are and what sorts of grievances are contemplated and what troops are up for transfer in the short term. It continues to be an important priority in this administration to ultimately transform all of the detainees out of guantanamo. They are too dangerous. That is why we need congress to take action to remove obstacles preventing the president from doing something he believes is clearly in the national interest, closing guantanamo bay. Are there any other pet names he has . To paraphrase a local baseball player here in washington dc, that is a clown question. Using bravo in my own response. I am not able to get much more insight about the private medications between the president of the United States and the Prime Minister of the united kingdom. Reveal publicly, do you have any reason to doubt the Prime Ministers assertion . Less i do not. They have a special relationship. Theater. Given Mitch Mcconnells republican majority, i want to get a sense for me right now, does the president think the American People should be scared of a republican governing majority . Interesting question. I think the president has been pretty clear that there has been a stark difference of opinion about which policies are actually in the best interest of the country, what kind of policies will be in the best interests of the middleclass families. That is, after all, the president s priority. In the policies we have seen republicans make, they do not share that priority. That is a strong difference of opinion. But ultimately, we will have to sort of see whether or not members of congress choose to abide by the new Senate Majority leader. One example i can thinkthat is, after all, the of is the prospect of defaulting on debt for the first time in our nations history. It is a scary prospect. Hopefully, it will not come that come to that. We will have to see, i guess i will say it anyway. The president does believe there are areas where we can corroborate. Setting aside whether or not they are scary we believe there may be an opportunity for us to find areas of Common Ground where democrats and republicans can come together to open up overseas markets for american this is, or reform the tax code in a way that would make it more simple and more fair and close loopholes that only benefit the wealthy and wellconnected. There may be things we can do to cooperate and make progress for the American People. The Police Departments nationwide, some of which indicated the rankandfile people feel betrayed by the president , attorney general eric holder. Basically, the loss of families. Members of Police Departments right now what the president believes is that he is clearly in the best interests of People Living in communities that have legitimate concerns, and clearly, the best interests of Law Enforcement officers to have legitimate concerns to come together to strengthen the bonds of trust between Law Enforcement officers and communities, and that is a pursuit that is important and would benefit communities across the country and would certainly benefit Law Enforcement officers who do the hero ework everyday of getting up and putting on a blue uniform and putting their lives on the line to protect the community they work in. That is a calling the president believes is worthy of our honor and respect. If there are things we can do to make it safer for them to do that important work, while at the same time, inspiring Greater Trust in the communities they are sworn to serve and protect, that is a good thing and a laudable goal and it hopefully will have the effect of fighting crime in communities all across the country. We will hear some remarks given the latest that has been taking place over there. Recently the Police Commissioner called it very an appropriate of the officers turned their back to the mayor during the eulogy. Does the president agree . I have not spoken to the president about it. I do think the commissioner did have an important view that he expressed here this is a letter that he sent to Police Precincts all across the city of new york. He said it is not all officers and it is not disrespect directed at detective ramos, but all officers were painted by it. He stole the valor and the valor mentioned. That was not the intent, i know, but it was the result. Broadly speaking, does the white house think the action is inappropriate . What i will say is the part of the commissioners letter that resonates most strongly here at the white house, is that those who are attending those funerals are there to pay their respect for the service and sacrifice of the two officers being laid to rest. Certainly, the president has believes that their service and sacrifice is worthy of celebration and respect and should be afforded to all of the outward symbols of honor they have been given. That is what the vast majority of people who attended those funerals, including please officers, actually did. Very briefly, we learned a short time ago that two aspiring members were killed in an avalanche in austria. That information is coming to us. I do none of the president was aware or had any thoughts given the tragedy. I was not aware of that report. Olympic athletes to the white house, as they are preparing for competition and after they competed. Our thoughts and prayers of those apparently lost in this specific incident, these will make our country proud. And so, i am not aware. Another update of the holidays would be the recommendations to inform the secret service. Has the president actually been given some sort of report or briefing, and where is the white house specifically on the increase of speculation . Where specifically is the president and white house staff on that . That is a good question. I do not know whether or not the president has received a briefing, but we will follow up on you with you on this. I just want to get in on the record. We look into it and get back to you. Specifically working with congress on the meeting, not just the meeting itself, but why not meet with Republican Leaders this week, but you are getting the impression he was ready to work with Republican Leaders. No meeting this week, probably. Instead, he is going out on the road on his own, and visit on the holidays where he said im ready to veto a lot more stuff and there will be a lot more executive action, the actions are speaking better than the words that he will work with republicans are at with publicans. Talk about where the Common Ground is, i think it speaks to the priority the president places to the American People. The president is going to start the new year by announcing the president s actions and benefit middleclass families and it indicates that he is most focus on results, mostly focused on substantive policy ideas. He is moving forward on executive action in action. He has not been sworn in yet. Youre saying hes getting ready to do more executive action. He is and the president is determined to make more progress on his own. As the president has said many times, we cannot allow a disagreement over one thing to be a dealbreaker over all the others. I have no doubt there will be republicans who will be critical. It may be an area where an honest disagreement exists. What were mostly focused on with republicans is figuring out where is there Common Ground where do we agree, and the disagreements may be more plentiful, but that is all the more reason we should spend a lot of time looking for the area of Common Ground. The president will do that. He did it last year and will continue this year as well. Talking again as many times before, the president S Health Care law, i want to ask you specifically not about that about this new book here this is not a quick drive by, 19 months were spent interviewing a lot of people around here. He points out the good of getting millions more people insurance, but in in the book and his Early Television interviews him a he is indicating after studying it closely that it is a raw deal for taxpayers. A lot more people are getting insurance but the taxpayers are picking up the tab. The Health Care Costs are not coming down because of the law itself, despite what was promised . I will say couple of things about that. It is important for people to member the Affordable Care act substantially reduce the deficit, good for Economic Health and the Fiscal Health of the country, and also good for taxpayers. We have seen that the growth in healthcare costs has been lower than at any other time in recorded history almost 50 years since we have been measuring that statistic here it we have also seen the average premium for Employee Base healthcare coverage, people essentially not really covered by the formal care act they saw that their premiums only went up 3 , even though in previous years, it had gone up by double digits. One of the goals come as pointed out in the book, has been to limit the Health Care Costs and indicate the has been very important success associated with the Affordable Care act in doing exactly that and that is what we will continue to do. In addition to expanding coverage and getting more people with health care, in addition to placing the kinds of patient protections, everything from ensuring that men and women will get the kind of Preventative Health care maintenance, annual checkups and things, if they can be covered free of charge, cannot be turned away because of a preexisting condition, that is what the Affordable Care act has done. The conclusion from talking the president s own advisers that people in the west wing believe when the author press the president himself in the interview, he would not comment. Why would he not knock that down, why wouldnt he say . Because everybody artie knows that. It obviously plays a very Important Role here in the west wing in advising the president of United States. I think even she would tell you she is not the chief of staff. I