In my conversations with the Republicans, I actually think the divide is not that wide. So what we just have to do is find a pathway where Republicans, in the House in particular, feel comfortable enough about the process that they can go ahead and meet us - this by the way, Jerry, i think is a good example of something that's been striking me about our politics for a while - when you go to other countries the political divisions are so much more stark and wider.
Here in America the difference between Democrats and Republicans - we're fighting inside the 40-yard line. Maybe you fooled most people on that in the last few months. I'd say "no", but- but...
I would distinguish between the rhetoric and the tactics versus the ideological differences. I mean in most countries you've got- people call me a socialist sometimes, but... no, you've got to meet real socialists. You'll have a sense of what a socialist is.
You know the- I mean i'm talking about lowering the corporate tax rate. My health care reform is based on the private marketplace. Uh.. stock market's looking pretty good last time i checked. Uh and you know, it is true that i'm concerned about, uh growing inequality in our system. But nobody questions, uh the efficacy of, uh market economies in terms of producing wealth and, and uh innovation uh and keeping us competitive.
On the flip side, you know most Republicans - even the Tea Party - one of my favorite signs during the campaign was, uh folks hoisting a sign, "Government: keep your hands off my Medicare!" Think about that. I mean the, uh, you know, ideologically, they did not like the idea of the federal government and yet they felt very protective about the basic social safety net that had been, uh structured.
So my simple point is this: if we can get beyond the tactical advantages that parties perceive in painting folks as extreme and, uh trying to keep an eye always on the next election, and for a while at least, just focus on governing, then that there is probably 70 percent overlap on a whole range of issues - a lot of Republicans want to get infrastructure done, just like I do. A lot of them believe in basic research just like I do. A lot of them want to reform entitlements to make sure that they're affordable for the next generation - so do I. A lot of them say they want to reform our tax system - so do I.
There are going to be differences on the details. And those details matter, and I'll fight very hard for them, but we shouldn't, uh think that somehow the reason we've got these problems is because, uh our policy differences are so great.