“If the President wants to help the middle class, he’ll accept the basic outline that Speaker Boehner proposed last week and convince his fellow Democrats to do the same. Ignore the reckless voices of those on the far left who are calling for fiscal calamity. Ignore the extremists who want to cover their eyes and do nothing to protect and strengthen entitlement programs for the future. And propose a plan that you know both sides can accept. That’s how we get out of this. That’s how we succeed. The scope of this challenge calls for presidential leadership. That’s what the American people should be able to expect, and that’s all that Republicans are calling for.”