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Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nev., second from left, accompanied by, from left, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Ky., gestures as he speaks to reporters outside the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, following a meeting with President Barack Obama to discuss the economy and the deficit.
By Karoun Demirjian (contact) 
Friday, Nov. 16, 2012 | 10:45 a.m.
Sun coverage
President Barack Obama invited congressional leaders to the White House on Friday for the first of what is likely to be several lame-duck-session meetings to avert the fiscal cliff.
No deal was struck in the hour they spent behind closed doors. But the leaders emerged sounding the most authentic notes of agreement and compromise they have since the election.
“We have the cornerstones of being able to work something out,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said. “We’re both going to have to give up some of the things we know are a problem.”
House Speaker John Boehner said he “outlined a framework that deals with reforming our tax code and reforming our spending.” That framework, he said, includes space for revenues and is “consistent with the president’s call for a fair and balanced approach.”
Of course, that’s no guarantee that the fiscal cliff talks will go off without a hitch. A year and a half ago, when the congressional quartet started meeting with the president over the debt ceiling, they sounded equally optimistic.
That process got mired in partisan discord, dragged the country to the brink of defaulting on its debts and, though an agreement was reached, it left the parties so bitterly divided that they weren’t able to come to an agreement on a requisite second round of deficit reduction measures.
That’s partially why the country is facing the so-called fiscal cliff. Sequestration cuts, put into place when Congress couldn’t strike that second deficit deal, are set to go into effect on Jan. 1, just when tax rates are set to rise.
Reid attempted to quash concerns that the country should brace itself for a repeat of the standoffs from the summer of 2011.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve dealt with these issues,” Reid said. “There’s no more ‘we’re going to do it some other time.’ We’re going to do it now. This isn’t something we’re going to wait until the last day of December to get it done.”
The next session of Congress begins Jan. 3. That means the 112th Congress can work right up to that morning. But congressional sessions rarely go past Christmas.
Congress is not scheduled to consider legislation during Thanksgiving week. Leaders are set to meet with the president to discuss the fiscal cliff after they return from the holiday break.
These two need to work together and with the president to solve this problem. Boehner has to grow a pair and not pander to the Teabagger wing of his party.
Reid needs to grow a pair and PASS A BUDGET
The Country needs a Budget or it will be over the Cliff for America
The Rich will only pass those tax Increases on to the PEOPLE!
Well I finally have read a post by demforlife that I thoroughly agree with.
The Dem's are taxing me, kumbaya
The Dem's are taxing me, kumbaya
The Dem's are taxing me, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya
They're on a spending spree, kumbaya
They're on a spending spree, kumbaya
They're on a spending spree, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya
Obama's laughing Lord, kumbaya
Obama's laughing Lord, kumbaya
Obama's laughing Lord, kumbaya
Oh Lord, kumbaya
With apologies to Peter, Paul, and Mary...
Chuck 1:59 p.m.: That's why the middle class WILL PAY for it all. It's an arithmetic thing. There are not enough affluent people to carry us all. So, you and me get to pay for every dependent whiner who refuses to work but has time to make babies and more babies. And to pay for illegals who also have time to make babies, but not time to support them.
what obama, reid, pelosi want is the government to be the sole central provider in your life
individualism is GONE with democrats, as is the right to SEGREGATE yourself from indigents, thieves, drug addicts, illegals, welfare mothers, and section 8 rent scammers by virtue of the fact that YOU have to PAY for them with taxes or go to jail
THATS THE COMMUNIST DEMOCRAT WAY
heres the OFFICIAL quote from U.S. Judge Learned Hand that INFURIATES the democrat communist leftists including obama:
- Any one may so arrange his affairs that his taxes shall be as low as possible; he is not bound to choose that pattern which will best pay the Treasury; there is not even a patriotic duty to increase one's taxes. -
Judge Learned Hand, Helvering v. Gregory, 69 F.2d 809, 810-11 (2d Cir. 1934).
look it up, thats an official ruling
get off the koolaid communists!
Could not fix it in three years, but they feel certain they can do it in 12 days.... What drugs are these idiots on??