This Week with George Stephanopoulos – March 10, 2013

Guests:
Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI)
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL)
Paul Krugman
George Will
Julianna Goldman
*********************************
Stephanopoulos: Senator Johnson how
was dinner with the President? 

Johnson: it was nice – we had a beet and

argula salad, pasta with vegetables, 

veal with mushrooms, and we also 

agreed to cut Medicare

Stephanopoulos: can you reach an angreement?

Johnson: yes were willing to work with the

President to get what we want

Stephanopoulos: will the GOP really raise taxes?

Will: no because Obama has said Republicans

are bad people and you don't undo those

hurt feelings just because of one admittedly delicious meal

Johnson: don't underestimate Barack –

he's one charming dude

Schultz: the problem is the tea party is

full of crazy people who won't 

ever make a deal

Krugman: indeed – the problem is that

one side wants to shred the social safety net

and privatize Social Security and the other

might event want to expand it

Goldman: if Obama hits beneficiaries on

Medicare and goes out and sells the Republican

agenda to give them cover you might possibly

get some Republicans to go along with that

Will: would Democrats ever consider

raising the Medicare age?

Schultz: we supported 1 trillion dollars

in spending cuts!

Krugman: oh by the way raising the

Medicare age is a terrible horrible idea

Johnson: Social Security is bankrupt!

Stephanopoulos: what about means-testing

in exchange for higher taxes?

Johnson: we already had a trillion dollars tax

increases and if you want jobs and more

revenue you just have to cut taxes

Schultz: there's no rush on Social Security –

and no I'm sorry but we're not done 

with tax increases

Krugman: let's have some facts

Johnson: I have some facts

Krugman: but your facts are false

Johnson: well they're my facts and I love them

Krugman: Social security has a dedicated

source of revenue unlike defense 

or corporate welfare

Johnson: there is no such thing as

the Social Security trust fund – it's a lie!

Krugman: well then it's part of the budget

and ergo there's no more problem 

with Social Security than with 

aircraft carriers or fighter jets

Johnson: [ head explodes ]

Stephanopoulos: damm that's icky

Karl: Paul Ryan wants to balance the

budget by getting rid of all spending

Audience: wow

Karl: and the Senate might even pass a budget

Audience: holy cow

Stephanopoulos: the economy is doing well

Goldman: battle lines are being drawn

Stephanopoulos: Nobody's right if 

everybody's wrong

Goldman: President Obama must be very

respectful and civil and not hurt

Paul Ryan's feelings

Stephanopoulos: America will run

out of money in the summer

Will: Republicans love the sequester

Krugman: wait until Americans experience 

air traffic delays

Johnson: American is bankrupt!

Krugman: half the deficit is due to the 

Bush Recession

Schultz: the sequester will cost us 

750,000 jobs – it's insane!

Audience: ooh

Schultz: but I would be willing to

support entitlement cuts

Goldman: the sequester is bad for everybody

Will: that's why I like it so much

Krugman: we should try to avoid

crushing the economy if possible

Johnson: at one point do we restrain

the evil government??

Will: I don't care what you say -

unemployment is actually getting higher

Stephanopoulos: mostly because we

cut government jobs like you wanted

Johnson: Obama did not recover from

the Bush Recession fast enough!

Schultz: we have 37 straight months

of jobs growth you moron

Johnson: Saint Reagan was a saint!

Schultz: there is a trust deficit between the

parties and we have to sit down and

talk with each other

Johnson: only when you admit that Obama

caused the recession in 2007

Stephanopoulos: thanks for coming everyone

****************************************