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Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) says that Republicans are willing to compromise on a deal to reduce the deficit, but a "balanced approach" would include no increases in tax rates.

"A real solution includes both revenue increases and spending reductions," Price told CNN's Candy Crowley on Sunday, adding that higher taxes on the wealthiest Americans "don't solve the problem."

"We need to look at increasing revenue through pro-growth policies," the Georgia Republican explained.

"But not through tax hikes?" Crowley wondered.

"No," Price insisted. "Tax revenue, which means broadening the base, closing the loopholes, limiting the deductions, limiting the credits and making sure we identify the appropriate spending reductions so that we have, indeed, a balanced approach."

"But we're still at the place where everything gets hung up: No increases in tax rates," Crowley noted. "That is still the position of House Republicans, correct?"

"It doesn't solve the problem," Price replied. "We want a real solution, which means increasing tax revenue through pro-growth policies."

(h/t: Talking Points Memo)

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Conservative economist Ben Stein on Thursday seemed to know that he had wandered off message when he joked that the hosts of Fox & Friends might murder him for saying that it was not possible to balance the budget without raising taxes.

"I hate to say this on Fox -- and I hope I'll be allowed to leave here alive -- but I don't think there is anyway we can cut spending enough to make a meaningful difference," Stein told the three shocked co-hosts. "We going to have to raise taxes on very rich people, people with incomes of like say, 2, 3 million a year and up, and then slowly move it down."

"You do not think Washington just has a spending problem?" Steve Doocy wondered.

"I do not think they just have a spending problem," Stein explained. "I think they also have a too-low taxes problem. And while all due respect to Fox, whom I love like brothers and sisters, the taxes are too low."

The economist noted that even more revenue could have been brought in during President George W. Bush's presidency if taxes had not been cut.

"The evidence is that there is no connection between the level of taxation and the level of economic activity," he pointed out. "The biggest growth we've ever had in this country was roughly 1941 to roughly 1973, that was the best years we ever had and those were years of much, much higher taxes than we have now, during war time and during peace time. So, the economy can grow very fast, even with much higher taxes. And we're going to have to do something."

"Taxes were like 70, 80 percent!" Doocy exclaimed.

"I know," Stein agreed. "And yet, we were very prosperous, we were extremely prosperous. I mean, the highest rate was in the 90s during parts of the 50s and, yet, we were very prosperous."

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Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney's campaign was forced to quickly issue a clarification on Tuesday after their candidate admitted that President Barack Obama had not raised taxes during his first four years in office.

"I admit this, he has one thing he did not do in his first four years — he’s said he’s going to do in the next four years, which is to raise taxes," Romney told a crowd in Ohio as a visibly uncomfortable vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan looked on.

"Paul Ryan looked like someone just punched him in the stomach," PolitcusUSA's Jason Easley noted. "The really priceless moment is happening behind Romney, as Paul Ryan realizes what Romney said, and tries his very best to maintain his smile. Ryan’s face transformed into a pained expression, as Romney accidentally let loose with a bit of truth."

Within hours of the campaign event, Romney's team was walking back the former governor's statement.

"President Obama has raised taxes on millions of middle-class Americans during his first term in office," spokesperson Amanda Henneberg said in a statement to ABC News. "Governor Romney was clearly communicating about an additional tax increase President Obama is proposing on American small businesses that will jeopardize over 700,000 jobs. Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan will stop the President’s tax increases, create 12 million new jobs, and turn our economy around."

Earlier this year, a Washington Post fact check awarded the Romney campaign "Two Pinocchios" for claiming that the president "has already raised taxes on millions of Americans."

(h/t: Think Progress)