Cantor: My speech will demonstrate why we are for the things we are for

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>>> let's bring in congressman eric cantor . later on today, eric will be delivering an address in the direction and message of the republican party . eric , what will we hear?

>> good morning. i think we learned a lot of lessons from the last election. what i will see us do and demonstrating why we are for the things we are for. joe, you talked about the need to manage down the debt and deficit. we've been for that and we will continue to demonstrate our commitment to fiscal discipline and want the president to join us. we also in all of this, i don't think completed a sentence, we're trying to do this to help people, trying to do it to help the moms and dads having a very difficult time right now. i get it. i'm a parent and get what working parents are going through and trying to address the needs of educatiing children and the needs of health care costs rising and implementation of the president's health care law and we will talk about trying to make life work again for so many millions of americans.

>> let me ask you this, one of the great frustrations, i was on the panel of any national conservative institute and people talking about not only the conservative movement but the republican party . one of the frustrations voiced by bill crystal and john pedoritz -- did i say it right? we complained about dodd -frank but really didn't have a strong alternative to dodd -frank. we complained about obama-care but unlike '93 we really didn't have a strong republican alternative to the democratic president's health care reform , this is coming from conservative leaders. is part of the mission and our responsibility having stronger more viable alternative tos the president's specific policy plans?

>> you know, i think, joe, honestly, it is more in that we've not explained why we take the positions that we do. i think that's one of the lessons we learned from this past election. we believe in self-reliance and faith in the person and accountability in government. these are tried and tested principles of conservatism i believe make life work for people. wave got to put these ideas forward with proposals so we can say, look, we're coming down on the side of the working people of this country and frankly those out of work and want a job. you mentioned dodd -frank. dodd -frank is chock full of regulations that won't help people but design ed -- but if you keep that in mind, there's a lot of good things we can do in getting rid of bad regulations or putting in place good policies to make life work for people.

>> i think one area you and i can agree, eric , a strong vibrant republican party is good for the country. where do you think the party has fallen short in the past two or three years?

>> it is trying to demonstrate why we're for the things we are for. yesterday, i went to an inner city school, a private school in the district of columbia . what i saw there was about 100 kids that benefit from the d.c. opportunity scholarship program because frankly it gave those kids and families and opportunity to be part of a school that offered a safe environment in which to learn. believe it or not, there are thousands, and more than that of kids in this city and many others that don't have that very basic opportunity. we've not explained the fact we're for this kind of development in our society so we can help people. i think where we have a lot of room to grow as party as conservatives to explain why we're for the kind of fiscal discipline we're for and what is the reality and how are we going to help people, because the continued direction this administration and washington is going in is not going to end up helping people and making life work . that's what i think we should be focused on and i'll talk about today.

>> congressman, mark halperin here, have you changed your view on issues like education or just trying to explain things differently now?

>> no. we've always believed as we know, funding of education comes largely from the states. there is 7-10% of education dollars that come from the federal government . perhaps, if we can demonstrate --

>> good morning, eric , harold ford , hope you're well, brother. two things, one, i love the idea about warning requiring units e ining universitying to guide and advise the students where the majors are most lucrative and profitable. i hope you stick by that. this morning, mika spoke about the administration's drone activities and question and use of drones. due and congress have any intention of following up with hearings? what's your personal opinion of it and how do you see this issue going forward.

>> i had a little trouble hearing the question. in the drones, what you said the memoir of the justice department .

>> on drones.

>> okay. certainly, you know, i think, harold, we are going to be active, in terms of the oversight function that we have in the house of representatives . i think all of us want to maintain our national security and do everything we can to work together to try and effect that mission. obviously, the president is commander in chief and he'll hopefully be listening to the commanders in theater and on the ground to do what is necessary not only to protect our troops there but affect our mission f.

>> thank you very much. sorry about the technical problems there. good to see you. good luck today.

>> thank you.

>>> coming up, perhaps the first sign of compromise on gun reform legislation. we will talk to two lawmakers to introduce a joint solution. elijah comings and scott rigell. keep it live here on " morning joe ."