because what simpson-bowles recognized was that there are about a trillion dollars a year in so-called tax expenditures. these are provisions in the tax code that provide for deductions and credits. some of them have good public policy purposes and should be kept. but some of them are simply there because a strong political lobby has succeeded in getting a special break for themselves at the expense of everybody else because when i get a break, it means everybody else pays more. and those should certainly be be on the table in terms of a long-term deficit reduction plan combined with looking at other things. and the unfortunate reality is, yes, paul ryan has budget. in fact, house democrats have a budget. but in the house republican budget, they don't give a single tax break for the purposes of deficit reduction. not one. not one. now, if you actually look at the last times we've balanced our budget in the united states, it was four years. 1998 -- 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001. what was revenue as a percent of gdp during that period of time? it was over 19 percent. it was over 19 percent. yes

proposal because what simpson-bowles recognizes there are $1 trillion a year in tax expenditures. these are provisions in the tax code that provides for deductions and credits. some of them have good public policy and should be kept but some of them are simply eater, strong political lobby getting a special break for themselves in response to everyone else because when they get a break it means everybody else pays more. those should be on the table in terms of long-term deficit reduction plan combined with looking at other things. the unfortunate reality is yes, paul ryan has a budget and house democrats have a budget but in the house republican budget they refuse to close one single tax break for the purpose of deficit reduction, not one. if you look at the last times we balance the budget in the united states it was four years. 1998, 2,000, 1990, 1999, 2000, 2001. what was revenue as a percentage of gdp? it was 19%. it was over 19%. it was 18% but the last time we actually balance the budget was 19% and if you look at current congressional budget office projections at the end of

and robin mentioned the simpson bowles framework. want to underscore the fact and urge all of you to take a look. it called for more revenue as part of its long-term deficit reduction plan. the president's budget before the congress today. i am glad they lot of our colleagues have embraced the framework and balance was sometimes leave out the fact that simpson bowles included additional revenue generated from tax reform. tax reform, but also a proposal that generated significant revenue. >> we talked about closing loopholes today. i believe tax reform is urgent, not just necessary. i say this because when you look at the democrats in the senate, what they mean when they say closed the polls has to do with the business tax cut and taking individual parts. our corporate tax code is so uncompetitive and inefficient that we're losing jobs and investment as we sit here. some of you saw medtronic of the weekend talking about doing two weeks ago and have already happened with other companies. simply stopped becoming a u.s. company because o

i mean, that simpson bowls thing. it never got done. when are they ever going to do something that works? >> i agree it is very complicated. there is a lot of special interests and a lot of people on the hill who are reluctant to take the step and questions the relief why it can't be tax cuts and the regulatory side we have to pay attention to. it would be great for tax cuts that we are advocating for but i want to see washington get out of the work place all together and stop changing the wage structure and stop expanding medical and family leave. all of this is burdensome on businesses small and large. so we have to have both sides of this. >> one of the biggest contra dictions in the world is the fact that john tandy lives in washington, d.c. is there any hope that democracy that republicans, democrats working together will get the job done at some point? >> i'm the mole inside this awful place. in terms of them getting something done color me skeptical because for congress to do this, if it to flatten taxes is for congress to give a

. >> and if ever calling for a simpson/bowles study, this is it. >> oh, i don't have a lot of time here. a lot of the soldiers and the veterans are killing themselves at the rate of 20 per day. we don't have time. >> and what do you do just throw the money -- >> well, you said shut down the v.a. >> well, you have to institut n institutionally change it. >> well, no, you said have a study and then shut it down. >> well, be clear not to give them big macs. >> i want more private health care and the ability to fire and i want accountability and less centralized. and you have 10,000 or 11,000 people centralized to make decisions for the different regions, but there are certain things to do quickly and certain things long run to make sure that the millions of veterans are treated the way they deserve to be treated. >> i like the idea of the executive order and i'm not a fan of them, but at least one that is helpful for the veteran. the president signed a executive o order to fire federal workers, so that is not a good idea. >> and two fox news alerts, and adam mentioned it -- >> well, by the

because simpson bowles recognized that there are about $1 trillion year in so-called tax expendituresprovisions that provide for deductions and credits. some of them have good public policy purposes and should be when they get a break, everybody else pays more. those should certainly be on the table in terms of a long-term deficit reduction plan, combined with looking at other things. and the unfortunate reality is, yes, paul ryan has a budget. but in the house republican budget, they refuse to close one single tax break for the purposes of deficit reduction. not one. not one. now, if you actually look at the last times we balanced our budget in the united states, it was four years. 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001. what was revenue as a percentage of gdp during that time? it was over 19%. over 19%. yes, as senator portman said, right now it is about 18% or do the last time we actually balanced our budget was 19%. and if you look at current congressional budget office projections, at the end of the current 10-year window, revenue as a percent of gdp will still be around 18%. not where it was th

the president had an opportunity when the simpson-bowles commission released its recommendations in late 2010 -- as you'll recall, this is a bipartisan commission the president himself appointed to help come up with a formula to deal with this -- with our fiscal problems. unfortunately, once they made their recommendation in december 2010, the president walked away from it and nothing came of it. even though we're facing in addition to $17 trillion in debt, we're facing more than $100 trillion in unfunded liabilities. and perhaps it's because those numbers are so big that we have a hard time getting our head around it, that people have become desensitized to the urgency of dealing with our debt and these unfunded liabilities. but the president has never once endorsed any sort of reform necessary to deal with this challenge or to prevent a future crisis. the fact of the matter is, somebody, someday -- probably these young men and women who are working here as pages and others their age -- they're going to have to be the ones to pay this back, because our generation will have failed them u

because simpson bowles recognized that there are about one-to-one dollars a year in so-called -- about1 trillion year in so-called tax expenditures, provisions that andide for deductions credits. some of them have good public policy purposes and should be capped, but some of them are sibley there because a strong political lobby has succeeded -- a strong political -- some of them are simply there because a strong political lobby has succeeded. when they get a break, everybody else pays more. those should certainly be on the table in terms of a long-term deficit reduction plan, combined .ith looking at other things and the unfortunate reality is, yes, paul ryan has a budget. but in the house republican oneet, they refuse to close single tax break for the purposes of deficit reduction. not one. not one. now, if you actually look at the last times we balanced our budget in the united states, it was four years. 1999, 2000, 2001. what was revenue as a percentage of gdp during that time? it was over 19%. over 19%. yes, as senator portman said, right now it is about 18% or do the last time we

you don't establish a bowls simpson commission and run away from it. [applause] going out on a limb here, i like to do something with campaign finance reform and i would like to change the term of office for these gentleman from two years to four year. if i could correct the record, if you don't mind. you said the only thing was gasoline tax, to john who wrote the letter, we did raise the beer tax. [laughter] >> let me close by saying, i want to affirm my strong strong, strong thanks to president bush forgiving me the privilege of letting me work for him and giving me the recipient of hearing go get it done. it was a great great privilege and i'm thrilled. want to thank the three members of the panel here today and gave us a glimpse into dealing the tough issues that he had to deal and george bush showed what real presidential leadership is all about. thank you very much. [applause] >> you're watching american history tv all weekend, every weekend on c-span 3. to join the conversation like us on facebook at c-span history. >> the idea between 2015-250

tell you and i don't want to mention names, but i asked the same question of the author of the bowles-simpson report which made the same recommendation. i got the same answer, we never thought of it. nobody ever brought it to our attention. the, i asked the question of key democrats on the house budget committee. same thing. nice people, sympathetic. my god, we didn't know it. one of them called in a staff person and said this guy ravitch says we never took into account that we may be imposing a big cost burden on states and cities, is that true? he said, yeah, we never discussed it. there is a fundamental disconnect between the federal budget process, the federal tax process that goes on here in washington, d.c. from what happens this state and hoping governments -- in state and local governments. and governors and mayors enjoy the lack of transparency, because it gives them a lot more flexibility. too many of them only care how you get through next election. -- through the next election. >> i'm going to see if there's anybody else first. yes. >> one of the things i was concerned about and h

bowl. the defendant orenthal james simpson not guilty of the crime of murder. >> o.j. >> murderer. >> 10 yearsfter the trial i sat down with simpson one-on-one in miami to hear his thoughts on the case. >> o.j., how is life? >> pretty good. my golf game is in good shape. i'm happy. >> when they say o.j. simpson, they think trial of the century. a huge population is mad out there about the verdict. you know that. >> yeah, yeah. i know the media -- i know that for sure. i realize now, it took me a long time to realize i couldn't understand why people so into my trial. why i'm on tv. people say i watched every minute of the trial. i have more people tape the whole thing. do you know how much tape that must have taken. they say if you need it, i got all the tape. >> do you hate the media? >> no, i don't. i think the media, at this point in america, what's going to hurt our -- our forefathers never foresaw cable tv. they never saw -- used to always do the quote from thomas jefferson one who doesn't listen to the media is better informed than one who does. the one who hasn't heard the lies and inacc

simpson inside. 5 million more watched that than the super bowl that year. many americans ordering pizza, settling in for a long night in front of the tv. two years later ford discontinued the bronco forever linked to that moment in time. >>> when we come back, how to know if your dog is being bullied or if he is, in fact, the bully. apparently there's a way to tell. and tea parties. i'll have more awkward conversations than i'm equipped for, because i'm raising two girls on my own. i'll worry about the economy more than a few times before they're grown. but it's for them, so i've found a way. who matters most to you says the most about you. at massmutual we're owned by our policyowners, and they matter most to us. ready to plan for your future? we'll help you get there. marge: you know, there's a more enjoyable way to get your fiber. try phillips fiber good gummies. they're delicious, and an excellent source of fiber to help support regularity. wife: mmmm husband: these are good! marge: the tasty side of fiber. from phillips. smoke? nah, i'm good. [ male an

bowl. >> we, the jury, in the the defendant orenthal james simpson not guilty of the crime of murder. >>.j. >> murderer. >> 10 years after the trial i sat down with simpson one-on-one in miami to hear his thoughts on the case. >> o.j., how is life? >> pretty good. my golf game is in good shape. i'm happy. >> when they say o.j. simpson, they think trial of the century. a huge population is mad out there about the verdict. you know that. >> yeah, yeah. i know the media -- i know that for sure. i realize now, it took me a long time to realize i couldn't understand why people so into my trial. why i'm on tv. people say i watched every minute of the trial. i have more people tape the whole thing. do you know how much tape that must have taken. they say if you need it, i got all the tape. >> do you hate the media? >> no, i don't. i think the media, at this point in america, what's going to hurt our -- our forefathers never foresaw cable tv. they never saw -- used to always do the quote from thomas jefferson one who doesn't listen to the media is better informed than one who does. the one who h

simpson, the mird at 20 years, defendant great job! okay! here you go. good catch! alright, now for the best part. ooh, let's get those in the bowl. good to waste, right? share what you love with who you love. kellogg's frosted flakes® they're g-r-r-reat!tm was killed june 28,2005 in afghanistan. my husband's death was the hardest thing i've ever faced. the special operations warrior foundation stepped in to help. now you can help, too. purchase new cherry 5-hour energy now through july thirty-first and a portion of each sale benefits special operations warrior foundation to help families of fallen heroes. i will always miss my dad, but thanks to special operations warrior foundation i will never feel alone. ♪ that corporate trial by fire when every slacker gets his due. and yet, there's someone around the office who hasn't had a performance review in a while. someone whose poor performance is slowing down the entire organization. i'm looking at you phone company dsl. check your speed. see how fast your internet can be. switch now and add voice and tv for $34.90. comcast business built for business. >> by the time his dream team o