we keep spending more money than we have. if we continue to do that, we're going to make it difficult for our kids and grandkids, for future generations to enjoy this amazing thing we call america. >> answer my direct question. are you prepared to make a deal and let it go past thursday. >> you should be asking harry reid and barack obama this. >> if they were here, i would. i'm asking you. >> we are prepared to do what needs to be done to address the underlying problems in this country. >> but you won't raise the debt limit if it doesn't do that? >> we're not going to break the sequester caps. that's one thing where we save the american taxpayers some money. we think that's important achievement. unless we kind the mandatory changes, long-term changes in mandatory spending that put us on a path to balance and address the underlying problem. >> you can't keep raising the limit on a credit card if you're not going to address the problem long term.