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| Fiscal cliff talks take downward turn as Boehner presses for 'plan B' | Fiscal cliff talks take downward turn as Boehner presses for 'plan B' |
| (10 days later) | |
| Talks over a deal to avert the fiscal cliff appear to have collapsed into a war of words, with President Obama telling Republicans in Congress to "peel off the partisan war paint" and a spokesman for House speaker John Boehner calling the White House's posture "bizarre and irrational". | Talks over a deal to avert the fiscal cliff appear to have collapsed into a war of words, with President Obama telling Republicans in Congress to "peel off the partisan war paint" and a spokesman for House speaker John Boehner calling the White House's posture "bizarre and irrational". |
| Obama attempted to lay the blame for the lack of progress on the Republicans in the House of Representatives. "They keep on finding ways to say no, instead of finding ways to say yes," Obama told a news conference on Wednesday. | Obama attempted to lay the blame for the lack of progress on the Republicans in the House of Representatives. "They keep on finding ways to say no, instead of finding ways to say yes," Obama told a news conference on Wednesday. |
| But the president said he was still optimistic that he could reach an agreement with Boehner, the speaker of the House and the Republican leader in Congress, insisting that the two sides were not that far apart. | But the president said he was still optimistic that he could reach an agreement with Boehner, the speaker of the House and the Republican leader in Congress, insisting that the two sides were not that far apart. |
| "I'd like to get it done before Christmas. There's been a lot of posturing up on Capitol Hill instead of going ahead and getting stuff done, and we've been wasting a lot of time," Obama said. | "I'd like to get it done before Christmas. There's been a lot of posturing up on Capitol Hill instead of going ahead and getting stuff done, and we've been wasting a lot of time," Obama said. |
| Boehner himself issued a terse response, calling on the president to back the "plan B" legislation being prepared by House Republicans, designed to avert looming tax increases for households earning less than $1m. | Boehner himself issued a terse response, calling on the president to back the "plan B" legislation being prepared by House Republicans, designed to avert looming tax increases for households earning less than $1m. |
| "The president will have a decision to make. He can call on Senate and House Democrats to pass this bill. Or he could be responsible for the biggest tax increase in American history," Boehner said in a 51-second statement to the media, which ended abruptly when he left without answering questions. | "The president will have a decision to make. He can call on Senate and House Democrats to pass this bill. Or he could be responsible for the biggest tax increase in American history," Boehner said in a 51-second statement to the media, which ended abruptly when he left without answering questions. |
| The tense stand-off comes after optimistic signals earlier in the week that the two sides were close to an agreement over budget cuts and revenue. That ended on Monday evening when Boehner informed the administration that Republicans were readying their "plan B". | The tense stand-off comes after optimistic signals earlier in the week that the two sides were close to an agreement over budget cuts and revenue. That ended on Monday evening when Boehner informed the administration that Republicans were readying their "plan B". |
| The White House and the Democratic-controlled Senate majority bluntly rejected the Republican stopgap measure, with the White House claiming that the "plan B" gave away too much in tax cuts to the wealthy and pledged to veto the bill if it passed. | The White House and the Democratic-controlled Senate majority bluntly rejected the Republican stopgap measure, with the White House claiming that the "plan B" gave away too much in tax cuts to the wealthy and pledged to veto the bill if it passed. |
| There has been no official contact between Obama and Boehner since then, with time running out before the automatic tax hikes and budget cuts scheduled to come into effect at the start of the new year. | There has been no official contact between Obama and Boehner since then, with time running out before the automatic tax hikes and budget cuts scheduled to come into effect at the start of the new year. |
| Boehner's "plan B" has taken a further beating from conservatives and GOP members of Congress. Although the measure was backed by Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, two other influential conservative lobby groups – Heritage and the Club For Growth – condemned it for sanctioning a tax increase. | Boehner's "plan B" has taken a further beating from conservatives and GOP members of Congress. Although the measure was backed by Grover Norquist's Americans for Tax Reform, two other influential conservative lobby groups – Heritage and the Club For Growth – condemned it for sanctioning a tax increase. |
| "As leaders of broad-based American citizen groups, we call upon Republican House members to vote no on speaker Boehner's tax hike known as 'plan B'," read a letter from a coalition of conservative Republicans backed by the Club for Growth. | "As leaders of broad-based American citizen groups, we call upon Republican House members to vote no on speaker Boehner's tax hike known as 'plan B'," read a letter from a coalition of conservative Republicans backed by the Club for Growth. |
| The president was due to leave Washington on Friday and travel to Hawaii for Christmas with his family. But the White House says those plans have been put on hold, and that Obama will remain in he White House in an attempt to foster a deal. | The president was due to leave Washington on Friday and travel to Hawaii for Christmas with his family. But the White House says those plans have been put on hold, and that Obama will remain in he White House in an attempt to foster a deal. |
| In his press conference – held to announce a task force to tackle gun violence, headed by vice-president Joe Biden – Obama made a reference to the tragic events in Newtown a few days earlier, saying that the nation wanted to see politicians in Washington willing to compromise so that more pressing concerns could be dealt with. | In his press conference – held to announce a task force to tackle gun violence, headed by vice-president Joe Biden – Obama made a reference to the tragic events in Newtown a few days earlier, saying that the nation wanted to see politicians in Washington willing to compromise so that more pressing concerns could be dealt with. |
| "If you just pull back from the immediate, you know, political battles, if you kind of peel off the partisan war paint, then we should be able to get something done," he said. | "If you just pull back from the immediate, you know, political battles, if you kind of peel off the partisan war paint, then we should be able to get something done," he said. |
| Earlier in the day, White House communication director Dan Pfeiffer described the Republican back-up plan as unbalanced. | Earlier in the day, White House communication director Dan Pfeiffer described the Republican back-up plan as unbalanced. |
| "The congressional Republican 'plan B' legislation continues large tax cuts for the very wealthiest individuals – on average, millionaires would see a tax break of $50,000 – while eliminating tax cuts that 25 million students and families struggling to make ends meet depend on." | "The congressional Republican 'plan B' legislation continues large tax cuts for the very wealthiest individuals – on average, millionaires would see a tax break of $50,000 – while eliminating tax cuts that 25 million students and families struggling to make ends meet depend on." |
| Pfeiffer added: "This approach does not meet the test of balance, and the president would veto the legislation in the unlikely event of its passage." | Pfeiffer added: "This approach does not meet the test of balance, and the president would veto the legislation in the unlikely event of its passage." |
| In response, Boehner's spokesman Brendan Buck said: "The White House's opposition to a back-up plan to ensure taxes don't rise on American families is growing more bizarre and irrational by the day." | In response, Boehner's spokesman Brendan Buck said: "The White House's opposition to a back-up plan to ensure taxes don't rise on American families is growing more bizarre and irrational by the day." |
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