Lawrence Ari Fleischer

“ But let me remind you that sometimes when the American people wait for Congress to complete action on an item as big as a Medicare reform plan that includes prescription drugs, history shows the American people may be waiting for a longer period than they like. What's wrong with taking action in the interim to get seniors prescription drugs at a discount now? ”

“ Well, number one, there is no projection of on-budget deficits. The administration projects that there will be on-budget surpluses. And, frankly, if you take a look at it from a pure economic point of view, the only surplus that matters from an economic point of view in terms of growth is how much money comes into the government and how much is spent. And on that question, the federal government has the second largest surplus in history. Q Well, isn't that mostly for Social Security -- MR. FLEISCHER: Each dollar that comes in is measured against how much goes out. ”

“ And in fact, the administration and the President believes very strongly that it's a federal responsibility to protect seniors in nursing homes and to have a stringent inspection regime of nursing homes -- the so-called good and the bad -- to make certain that when families put seniors in nursing homes, those nursing homes are safe and reliable and protect our seniors. ”

“ Now we're in an era where there are surpluses. We have the second largest, as I've indicated. It's projected to be even larger next year and into the out-years as far as the eye can see. The economic changes, the slowdown has not changed that long-term outlook. To answer your technical question, under that law, any time there are two consecutive quarters of less than 1 percent growth, it affects such issues as sequesters, it affects such issues as the caps that are placed on spending. Q Reaction to this ruling on the discount cards and what the administration would do next? ”

“ Q Well, Ari, the text plan that did pass was originally touted as an insurance policy, itself. So what's wrong with another insurance policy like the capital gains tax cut? MR. FLEISCHER: Because the President is satisfied at this time that this insurance policy will work. Q So you're not worried that by supporting a capital gains tax cut that it would feed charges that the tax plan of the Bush administration is friendly to the wealthy and so forth? MR. FLEISCHER: No, and actually, the President is open-minded on the question of a capital gains tax cut. ”

“ Q Yet, he President appears to be closed-minded to the idea of spending any money from the Social Security surplus. Why would he do that if he believes in the stimulative effect of a tax cut if there are many economists who believe that you can stimulate the economy similarly with spending? ”

“ Proceed through legal options -- and, again, this is a stay, this is not a final determination by a court, and that's an important distinction. Two, the President also has proposed to the Congress that Congress get moving on a Medicare reform proposal that includes giving prescription drugs to seniors. Now, many presidents have said that to many Congresses in the past. Sometimes if everybody waits for Congress, it may not get done in a time to help our seniors, which is why the President is dedicated to a two-fold approach to helping seniors get prescription drugs. ”

“ Because that money was paid into Social Security by workers, and it was promised by the government to be held for Social Security, and the President thinks that promise should be kept, and his budgets keep the promise, he's dedicated to keeping the promise, and the promise will be kept unless Congress overspends. ”

“ It does not change the President's belief and the principle belief that America must be a nation that welcomes people, and that we need to welcome people, and that we need to welcome people in a manner that is legal, safe and humane. Q Ari, when the House Minority Leader came out after meeting with the President, he invited the President to either come forward with a new budget or with some new budget ideas, because he said the current budget basically does not accurately reflect current or future economic conditions. ”

“ Our lawyers -- I talked to them this morning, and White House lawyers are reviewing options. Q But why should the American people listen to a political argument based on a legal ruling if you're not speaking to the merits of the ruling? ”