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Ran, had to do with you making a pledge about protecting, keeping sort of -- essentially making the case you're going to keep medicare and social security out of this fiscal argument. is that where you stand? could you support changes in medicare like raising the eligibility age, tougher aspects to means testing in order to get a larger deal? >> i support keeping medicare as it is. our seniors have earned that right. it's a system that works well for them. it is a balancing. we have some tough economic issues to look at and to figure out, and i'm looking for good ideas, chuck. but let me say t...

Understand that these tax cuts are going to go away at the end of the year if they don't get reasonable. once they go away, then we can come back in and pass tax cuts for the middle class and leave the very wealthy out of that equation. so, there is pressure here on both sides of the equation. we've got a real debt and deficit problem. we need to be serious about it, while we protect the middle class. i'm hopeful we can find some combination of an increase in rates for the wealthy, some limitation on deductions for the wealthy and some kind of means testing for medicare that would -- you know,...

Come back in and pass tax cuts for the middle class and leave the very wealthy out of that equation. so, there is pressure here on both sides of the equation. we've got a real debt and deficit problem. we need to be serious about it, while we protect the middle class. i'm hopeful we can find some combination of an increase in rates for the wealthy, some limitation on deductions for the wealthy and some kind of means testing for medicare that would -- you know, we don't need to be buying donald trump's prescription drugs, chris. we can do this -- >> for a number of reasons. >> for a number of r...

In some ways that the cpi is calculated, which almost every economist believes ought to be fixed which would save a lot of money? and also some changes in health care and perhaps delaying medicare for future generations? would you agree and more means testing of medicare? >> i am concerned very much concerned about medicare and the fact is, is that people on medicare, many in my district, they are already in dire straits and the question is, is whether we can address the issues of medicare by improving it. i believe very strongly that one of the things we can do is start negotiating these drug...

67% believe spending cuts and tax increases are necessary, only 29% think it should cut with spending cuts. that would seem to be -- >> they are going to be unhappy. the question is what they -- what they're going to get in return. is rising taxes on the wealthy enough to sort of deal with the wounds that will come from the nibbling away at certain parts of entitlements, whether it's on some kind of means testing, some kind of lower benefits that filters through the system. you know, the president -- you asked about leverage. he's in a unique position about getting votes, but he's also in a un...