tip o neill saved social security, they increased social security with holding and they increased the retirement age from 65 to 67. many people expected political cal armageddon for ronald reagan. he went on to victory because he did the right thing. gregg: but it s reflected by what americans think. there is a gallup poll that finds that 70%. 70%, senator, americans want a solution that include spending cuts and revenue increases which is what president obama is advocating. are you telling me that americans are wrong about that? no. i think americans will strongly back the simpson-boles plan because they will see the lowering of tax rates from 39 to 28. they know to strengthen social security and medicare over the
crack, but we have democratic support on this. we should ally with those members that want to do it like the gang of six members who are hard line democrats and republicans but they back this concept. gregg: the problem is you are losing the american people. a poll you by a university finds that voters will blame your party, senator, republicans over president obama 48% to 34% if the debt ceiling is not raised. are you and your party losing the war of words and ideas? i think also most importantly policy is more important than politics. i will recall in 1983 when the real leader of the republican party ronald reagan and real leader of the democratic party tip o neill saved social security, they increased social security with holding and they increased the retirement age
innocent of all charges. no. a great guy. even republicans that worked with him and he beat up and they loved him. a great guy, dan was. not only a great guy personally but i think representative of a near in politics when things actually get done that help people. when there was no real deep differences between the two aisles, republican and democrats. when people could come together, despite their party s affiliation to get something done. he and reagan got together in 82, 83. absolutely. yeah. saved social security. he took a hell of a lot of heat for doing that. yeah, he made mistakes. yes, charlie ma made mistakes. we got to remember they helped a heck of a lot of people. he knew where he was there. he knew why he was in washington to get something done. he didn t lose touch where he came from. i think that s a problem a lot of people go to washington and all of a sudden they are part of the washington elite. merns after all this happened he grew back in the hous