Obama, Boehner meet again over "fiscal cliff"

President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner met at the White House Monday, after a weekend of marked progress in negotiations over the so-called "fiscal cliff."

The meeting lasted about 45 minutes, according to Boehner's spokesman, Michael Steel. Both the speaker's office and the White House were mum on the specifics of the meeting. "The president and the speaker are meeting at the White House to continue their discussions about the fiscal cliff and balanced deficit reduction," Boehner spokesman Brendan Buck said. White House spokesman Jay Carney simply said today that "conversations continue."

Sources tell CBS News that Boehner on Friday offered to raise marginal income tax rates on households earning more than $1 million in adjusted gross income -- a significant step in talks over the "fiscal cliff."

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While that move brings Boehner much closer to Mr. Obama's demands, it's unclear whether Democrats would ever go along with Boehner's demand for dollar-for-dollar cuts to entitlement programs in exchange for increased tax revenue. CBS News' Major Garrett has more details of Boehner's latest proposal here.

Boehner and Mr. Obama are negotiating a comprehensive economic package to put in place to avoid the "fiscal cliff" -- a series of tax hikes and across-the-board budget cuts set to kick in next year. Both sides want to avert the "cliff," which would result in significant deficit reductions but would likely send the nation into another recession.

[nearl451]

Now if they both could just own up to the "cliff" being more effective than either of their plans, agree to announce that and take the leap together........we'd be in a much better position next year to make more substantive change.

[nearl451]

I'm tellin' ya, the cliff is notthat scary, nor that drastic.

Need to come up with another $600-700B on top of that just to balance the budget.....so go ahead. Take that brave step together.

[getcentered]

Remember America, Republicans started this by not raising the debt limit, just to make Obama look bad, even though a huge part of the debt is their doing.

See, Republicans take credit for everything but responsibility for nothing. They don't stand for anything and no one asks then to, especially their dimwitted voters.

I think Democrats would gladly own the raising of the taxes on the rich. Right back to Clinton era rates, and with out raising taxes on poor or middle class. It's a win, win. ...and closing some loopholes for the rich that let them dodge taxes and get tax breaks on their Private Jets.The fact of the matter is that raising taxes on the rich the Clifton levels does not hurt our economy one bit. Republicans have been spewing that lie for far to long.

The problem Republicans have is their feet are stuck in the pit of hypocritical mud. They talk a big game about reducing spending but they don't reduce any spending when they are in power. They crank it up! They talk about cutting programs that actually help people but wouldn't really make a dent on the deficit if they were cut.

What are Republicans really afraid of? I'll tell you. It's getting what THEY want. Reduced spending, but not the type they want to talk about. The fiscal cliff cuts defense spending by drastic amounts and that's what their really afraid of. The military industrial complex is their "social engineering program" that they won't cut because they are bankrolled by the industry. Republicans have no problem wasting trillions of tax dollars blowing up civilians in foreign countries that did not attack us, or give away the big pharma, but helping the poor or vets get good healthcare when they come home from unnecessary wars is spending too much.

Bankers and baller CEO's are the only people that Republicans really care about.