Robert Gibbs

“ The economic team and the President believe that the path we are on is simply unsustainable; that to make the investments that this country has long ignored and are most needed, that we have to get serious about health care reform and energy independence and reforming the way our public schools teach our children.
But unless or until we get a hold of the deficit and the debt, we're going to have a hard time growing this economy for the long term. ”

“ On jobs, which is the big complaint up on Capitol Hill right now from Republicans, that this plan is a job killer, I mean, the $787 billion plan was all about jobs more than anything else, and now you've got a plan in place that -- how can you possibly tax people making over $250,000 something like $667 billion over the next 10 years and not have a downward effect on jobs? ”

“ The President believes that these priorities lay out his promises and institute tax fairness, where we are giving tax cuts to the people and the families that need it most in our country, and asking those that have for quite some time shared in the benefits of previous tax cuts to pay a little bit more. So I think the President and his team have struck the right balance, and it's a budget that I think Americans can be proud of, and that we hope Congress passes quickly. ”

“ There is no doubt that the President is going to ask Congress, as Chuck pointed out, ask Congress and himself to make changes and sacrifices that might -- he might not -- or might not be granted in ordinary times. ”

“ Only by driving down costs are we going to be able to fully understand and realize some larger health care reform that's eluded this country for many decades. The President said in the campaign that health care reform would be achieved through some additional spending, largely by rolling back tax cuts for the very wealthy, and coupled with some savings in the amount of money that we spend on health care. ”

“ The President believes that he's put forth a budget and a Reinvestment and Recovery Plan that will save and create 3.5 million jobs, get our economy back on track, make the necessary and needed investments for sustained long-term growth in things like health care, education and energy, and do so in a way that's most fair for the American people. ”

“ The President has charged to his national security team at the beginning of this administration and on the first full day, as I said yesterday, was to bring his national security team and military commanders in the region and on the ground together, to develop a solution and a policy recommendation on drawing down our forces in Iraq that's consistent with what he talked about in the campaign, and allows us to do so responsibly, gives more responsibility to the Iraqis to govern, for government and security, and does so in a way that protects our troops. ”

“ What you mentioned is there is likely to be -- and I think Peter talked about this -- there could be instances where higher electricity costs are passed on, which is why the budget that you talked about equates, or connects a Making Work Pay tax credit -- or I'm sorry, tax cut -- with revenue that's received through that cap and trade program. So that if higher electricity costs are passed on, that consumers have money to pay for it. Leftover money in a cap and trade system that isn't used for increased research and efficiency would also be passed on. ”

“ I think that's why the President has laid out such an important Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that, one, will put money back -- directly back into people's pockets; a plan that will address the foreclosure crisis and ensure that people that are playing by the rules can get some refinancing help from the government in order to ensure that they can stay in their homes. ”

“ I was interested in the language the President used this morning when he talked about the budget. He said, "There are times when you can afford to redecorate your house, and there are times when you need to focus on rebuilding its foundation." Quickly, is there any -- should there be any pause taken in those words? The Obamas have hired a decorator to redecorate the White House. Do you think that's appropriate?
GIBBS: Well, let's understand that each administration is afforded an appropriation from Congress to ensure that the family that moves in, the needs of that family can be met. ”

“ Robert, for those who are making more than $250,000, there's a limit on how much they can write off their taxes, itemize deductions for charitable contributions. In light of the fact that about a third of these of these charitable organizations are experiencing a dramatic decrease in contributions, how do you stop the bleeding there if you take away a major incentive for these wealthy Americans to give? ”

“ There will be changes to some of his priorities because we understand that in a time of economic crisis we can't and won't get everything that we want. But the President believes that this budget accurately reflects both his priorities and addresses the needs of this country at the singular moment that we stand in. ”

“ Again, the President believes strongly that as we were -- as we were putting into the budget costs going forward in Iraq, costs going forward in Afghanistan, costs going forward in terms of things like Medicare or AMT tax payments that, to be truly honest, the budget needed to have the idea that some additional money, as he talked about in his speech to Congress on Tuesday, might well be needed and should be accounted for. ”

“ Well, I think that's the plan that, as he talked about in the campaign, he thought was best to achieve the long-term goals of health care reform. I would expand, I guess, your question a little bit to include not just people that are in Congress, but stakeholders that include doctors, insurance companies, certainly businesses that are grappling with the rising costs of health care coverage, labor unions. ”

“ And that is we change the desired funding level that we do so through paying for it, just as each and every family does in this country. They had "pay as you go" for quite some time and the economy grew, jobs were created and the budget deficit shrank. ”

“ Are those costs not, in many cases, transferred to the consumers or the utility consumers?
GIBBS: Well, here's what we hope happens: Businesses become more efficient because -- building on Chip's question about job creation and the free enterprise system -- companies understand there's a value now to that. Therefore, money is used and garnered through this that increases research, develops greater efficiencies, and ultimately makes it more valuable for someone to reduce their pollution out-take than it does to pay for that pollution being emitted. When that happens, we create jobs ”

“ The formulation of the question is the Congressional Black Caucus wanted to meet with the President to help in the implementation, as he was talking about fixing the economy, helping create jobs. Hispanics -- I believe 9.6, 9.8 job losses; African Americans, 12.6 percent job losses. Why now is the President meeting with the CBC today, versus talking to them earlier and helping to formulate the stimulus, the bailout, as well as the budget? ”