>> david, sequestration was designed as a budget threat, not as a budget strategy. and i think all of us understand if it goes forward in less than three weeks it's going to have a dramatic negative impact on many agencies equally important on the economy. so we need to come together. what the president is proposing for the rest of this year at least is that we deal with the sequester the same we have the first two months, evenly split between revenue and cuts. i think that's a sensible approach. it's consistent with simpson-bowles, which many republicans say should be our standard, and it doesn't really impose a tax burden on middle income families. >> the president a year ago in his state of the union laid out kind of a battle line in terms of how he would deal with republicans. here's what he said. >> as long as i'm president, i will work with anyone in this chamber to build on this momentum. but i intend to fight obstruction with action, and i will oppose any effort to return to the very same policies that brought on this economic crisis