President Barack Obama on Friday called on Congress to pass a basic agreement on the fiscal cliff that would preserve middle class tax cuts, arguing that in a precarious economic situation, “now’s not the time for more self-inflicted wounds.”
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Obama said he is “still ready and willing” to get a comprehensive package done after a break for Christmas, but that would require the bipartisan cooperation that’s been lacking so far.
“The American people are a lot more sensible and a lot more thoughtful than their elected representatives are,” Obama said at the White House. “That’s a problem. There’s a mismatch right now.”
He said he spoke on Friday to House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).
The White House and Senate Democrats are weighing a scaled-down package to avert the fiscal cliff, recognizing that the chances of a reaching a grand bargain before the new year diminished greatly after Thursday’s House Republican revolt.
Obama’s $2.4 trillion proposal is still on the table — and it remains his preference. But administration officials said Friday that it would be difficult to pass unless Boehner decides to rejoin the talks. And he has given no indication that he will.
