in and then come back and say to the republicans, please help us, you know, get some order back into the budget. >> so republicans are a little weary of being set up. the president appoints six people and democratic and republican leaders in congress choose six lawmakers each. giving democrats the upper hand. no recommendations could be made without 14 of the 18 votes. ensuring at least some republicans would have to go along. senate republican leader mitch mcconnell said with trillions in new spending, the problem isn't taxing too little. that spending should be the main focus. bret? >> bret: alan simpson always has interesting sound bites, doesn't he? >> he does. he absolutely does. there is plenty more. >> bret: more of that in the panel. thank you. first time applications for jobless benefits rose 31,000 last week. following a drop of 41,000 the week before. wholesale prices shot up by 1.4% in january, double what was expected. stocks were up for the third straight day. the dow gained 83 and two