Fiscal Cliff Moving Closer
By: Tracie Potts, NBCNC
Updated: December 5, 2012
The White House has rejected what Republicans say is their best offer, and now it's looking more likely we may go over that cliff because negotiations here are at a standstill.
President Obama talks to the business roundtable today after telling Bloomberg he absolutely won't budge -- the wealthiest Americans must pay more. "We're not going to be able to get a deal without it," said The President.
He may be in a good position to wait it out. A new Washington Post-Pew poll found more than half of Americans will blame Republicans if we go over the fiscal cliff. "Republicans do not want to touch one hair on the head of one person making over 250K. That is the rub," said House Minority Leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
"They've gotta come with some specific revenue and they've refused to do that," said the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid, (D-NV).
Even other republicans are split on speaker John Boehner's plan to avoid tax hikes altogether, and admit negotiations are going nowhere. "There's nothing going on privately that's not going on publicly," said the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, (R-KY).
Republicans say the President needs to meet them halfway. "He has to be serious. He offered more spending and stimulus than offering any new cuts," declared Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R) California.
And they insist there's a good reason why people making over $250,000 should not pay more. "When you raise tax rates - you're impacting the small businesses that create the jobs in this country." Senator Jon Kyl/ (R) Arizona
The back and forth is unsettling for the nation's governors. Democrats and Republicans came to Washington Tuesday with one message -"You've got to get together and get this done." Governor Gary Herbert/ (R) Utah
Tracie Potts, NBC News.
President Obama talks to the business roundtable today after telling Bloomberg he absolutely won't budge -- the wealthiest Americans must pay more. "We're not going to be able to get a deal without it," said The President.
He may be in a good position to wait it out. A new Washington Post-Pew poll found more than half of Americans will blame Republicans if we go over the fiscal cliff. "Republicans do not want to touch one hair on the head of one person making over 250K. That is the rub," said House Minority Leader, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).
"They've gotta come with some specific revenue and they've refused to do that," said the Senate Majority Leader, Senator Harry Reid, (D-NV).
Even other republicans are split on speaker John Boehner's plan to avoid tax hikes altogether, and admit negotiations are going nowhere. "There's nothing going on privately that's not going on publicly," said the Senate Minority Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell, (R-KY).
Republicans say the President needs to meet them halfway. "He has to be serious. He offered more spending and stimulus than offering any new cuts," declared Rep. Kevin McCarthy, (R) California.
And they insist there's a good reason why people making over $250,000 should not pay more. "When you raise tax rates - you're impacting the small businesses that create the jobs in this country." Senator Jon Kyl/ (R) Arizona
The back and forth is unsettling for the nation's governors. Democrats and Republicans came to Washington Tuesday with one message -"You've got to get together and get this done." Governor Gary Herbert/ (R) Utah
Tracie Potts, NBC News.
