that we need a grand bargain, that s a whole other discussion whether we really do need a grand bargain. if we accept that idea, obama has actually put on paper proposals for entitlement reform. he put on paper in the run up to sequester this whole thing called cpi. it is a benefits reduction to social security. when you look back to 2011 with the whole debt sealing drama, they were talking about raising the medicare eligibility age. what is it that republicans are for him to say that he hasn t said yet or put on paper that he hasn t put on paper yet? those changes are not nearly as far as things that are included in the ryan budget. which will be unveiled tomorrow. that would include things that would change the way this medicare has dwelt folks 55 and un. are they looking for, i mean, if the bottom line for republicans is the privatization, basically the privatization, the voucherization of medicare,
if you see longer lines for tsa to get through an airport, if you don t see the dreadful consequences that the administration is talking about, they could be they could overplay their hands. one interesting thing to look at as the debate unfolds in the next week or month, is if the administration makes an arguen t about the small ball issue. this is small in the context of the broader debate when we don t deal with the bigger issues. we know the entitlement drive the debt and we know the president hasn t done much. he hasn t put out paper proposals about reforming medicare, medicaid, social security. you had debbie stabenow today rejecting changes to medicare. that will be the big question. can republicans turn and make it about the big issue to say the president isn t, can t cut $40 billion in domestic discretionary funding how can we count on him to deal with these big issues?