Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. And the william and flora hewlett foundation, helping people build immeasurably better lives. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and individuals. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Sreenivasan messages of peace marked christmas celebrations around the world today, from the u. S. To the u. K. To the vatican. Pope francis used his christmas remarks to call for a twostate solution in the Israeli Palestinian conflict. Speaking to a crowd of thousands, he also urged an end to confrontation on the korean peninsula, as well as in syria, iraq, yemen and elsewhere. translated today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of Development Continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, christmas invites
Facebook. Com cspan. If you are a medicare recipient, we want to know your experience with the program and your thoughts on possible changes. We will begin with House Speaker paul ryan, who has during his legislative career eyed entitlement reform as a way to tackle the nations debt. [video clip] when you talk about entitlement reform, one of the things youre talking about is obamacare. And then welfare as well. We have a welfare system trapping people in poverty, and paying people not to work. Thinking about trying to do any reforms with Social Security or medicare . President trump has not seemed interested in those things. He has not shown as much interest. We are working on entitlements he is supportive of. You cannot use budget reconciliation for Social Security. It is exempt from those rules. It is the healthcare entitlements that are the big drivers of our debt. That is where the problem lies fiscally. Host the speaker of the house thinking medicare is the problem with our natio
Camp david where you have the Top Republican leadership huddling with the president over what they want to get done this election year. We know Speaker Paul Ryan has long been an avid proponent of reforming these entitlement programs. Mitch mcconnell not quite so eager on that front. Clearly these two leaders have to get on the same page in terms of their agenda, but now they are definitely going into different directions. Host paul ryan sounds like he thinks its doable and Mitch Mcconnells response to the question was not so doable basically. They said in interviews last year at this time that we have to look at our entitlement programs. We have to look at the drivers of the spending and the deb t. This is not new for him but new in the context of this new Republican Congress and legislative agenda. Weve asked Mitch Mcconnell repeatedly about those comments following the speakers remarks and he said, look, issues like entitlement reform and welfare reform have to be bipartisan. First
Between capitol hill and this white house . Rettaw is james cap and Melissa Boteach. Thank you both for being here. Melissa, let me begin with you. How do you define entitlement . Aest i define entitlement as basic Living Standards whether its retirement or health care or nutrition that if you are eligible for it, youre guaranteed to receive it. I think thats important because it sets a floor of income security under americans such that when we face the ups and downs of life whether its unemployment or a medical emergency, etc. That there is basic Living Standards to support us. With things like retirement, thats an inevitability for all of us. Host the question is who should be eligible for . It . Guest my definition is similar to its a benefit conferred by federal law. If you meet the eligibility criteria, then the benefit is conferred on you through several programs. I think thats generally the issue that were now talking about. Entitlement spending associated with that eligibility
Mitch mcconnell not quite so eager on that front. To get on the same page in terms of their agenda, but now they are definitely going into different directions. Host paul ryan sounds like he thinks its doable and Mitch Mcconnells response to the question was not so doable basically. They said in interviews last year at this time that we have to look at our entitlement programs. We have to look at the drivers of the spending and the deb t. This is not new for him but new in the context of this new Republican Congress and legislative agenda. Weve asked Mitch Mcconnell repeatedly about those comments following the speakers remarks and he said, look, issues like entitlement reform and welfare reform have to be bipartisan. First of all, democrats its difficult to see if democrats will be in a bipartisan mood especially on those issues. We are talking about health care here. At his ear and press conference, Mitch Mcconnell was talking about look at Social Security reforms of the 1980s betwee