President Obama explained during his press conference this afternoon that the American people supported his plan for deficit reduction in the fight with Congressional Republicans over the national debt limit.

If we want to have a conversation about lowering the deficit, lets have that,” Obama said adding that he has been talking about it for two years.

“We just had an entire campaign about it, and by the way, the American people agreed with me,” Obama added.

Obama reminded the press that he believed deficits should be reduced in a balanced way, but that it was important to “grow the economy” through more government spending.

“Despite that conversation and despite the election results the position that’s been taken on the part of some House Republicans is ‘No, we gotta do it our own way, and if we don’t we simply won’t pay America’s bills,’” Obama said. “That can’t be a position that is sustainable over time.”