because i have a good job and make money. we can t expand the economy because banks are too frightened to loan and foreign investment is skiddish about coming in here. because they feel that the dollar may collapse at any time because we can t pay back the money we owe it s a greece situation an american machine holding it up. the fact is that every american bond sale there is a line to out the door to get to them. the dollar is not going to collapse. we are going to be fine. you made some points. you said some facts. 306 billion they spent in january of 2009. three years ago now it s 224 billion. if you did nothing else, if nobody was in the presidency, entitlement expenditure alone would increase that to 324. that s correct. iraq is out of the equation which brought it down. but, you are right. just the entitlement craziness would bump up the spending. and president obama has made no attempt, zero, to reform
entitlements. chris: but that is where the mone is. it may be a typical political question. but the money is in medicare and social security. we have the baby boomers coming and there will be a huge explosion of entitlement spending and you call it a political question when i ask you to name one single entitlement expenditure that you are going to cut. we ought to put every possible solution up on the table except we should be clear that we are not going cut benefits to those nearing retirement or those in retirement. but having said all of that, for years and years career politicians, frankly, of both parties said the only way to cut spending is to deal with entitlements, it is the
with all due respect, you re asking a typical political question. it may be a typical political question, ms. fiorina, but that s where the money is, the money is in medicare, the money is in social security, we ve got the baby boomers coming, there is going to be huge explosion of entitlement spending, and you call it a political question, when i ask you to name one single entitlement expenditure you re willing to cut. chris, i believe that to deal with entitlement reform, which we must deal with, we ought to put every possible solution up on the table, except we should be very clear that we are not going to cut benefits to those nearing retirement or those in retirement. martha: well, fiorina did not end up naming any specific entitlements she would cut. she is trailing slightly behind barbara boxer in the recent polls. bill: the 2010 mid terms have already started, it s calling a rolling election. early voting starts in florida. volks in nevada got going over the weekend, live i
question when i asked you to name one single entitlement expenditure you re willing to cut. chris, i believe that to deal with entitlement reform, which we must deal with, we ought to put every possible solution up on the table wow, that was a very interesting exchange and a fair question for sure. welcome back to morning joe. 43 past the hour. joining us now, cnbc an thor and author of you know i m write, michelle caruso-cabrera. welcome to the show. thanks for having me. a perfect way to touch off the conversation and talk about the book, your analogy, lesley stahl, of baem dealing with this economy like a doctor dealing with the burn victim. the person wakes up, he saved his life, but at what cost to the burns and what the person looks like, scarred for life. we have an e-mailer who is sadding onto that analogy. bill in florida say it is rest of the story is the doctor led the patient to believe he would look great after the
trillion dollars worth of waste is in the federal government budget, let us please get after that first, before we start talking about cutting entitlement. what politician. chris: that is where the money is and it may be a typical political question, but that is where the money is, it is in medicare and social security. we have got the baby boomers coming and there will be a huge explosion of entitlement spending and you call it a political question when i asked you to name one single entitlement expenditure you are willing to cut. chris, i believe that to deal with entitlement reform which we must deal with we ought to put every possible solution up on the table. except we should be very clear that we are not going to cut benefits to those nearing right. or those in retirement. but, having said all of that, for years and years, career politicians, frankly of both parties, have said oh, no, the only way to cut spending is to deal with entitlement, the political third rail and never