Boehner: ’There’s no progress to report’ on talks

December 7, 2012 at 10:27 a.m.

by COMPILED BY ARKANSASONLINE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS

WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker John Boehner said “there’s no progress to report” on talks with President Barack Obama to avert tax increases and spending cuts set to take effect in January.

The speaker, an Ohio Republican, said in Washington this has been a “wasted week” in the talks.

Boehner said his offer this week was an effort to “take a step towards the president to try to solve this. When is he going to take a step towards us?”

Boehner said the president needs to get serious, accusing the president of “slow-walking” the economy toward the edge of the fiscal cliff.

Boehner called White House aides’ comments that Obama was willing to go over the cliff “reckless talk.”

Obama and Boehner spoke privately Wednesday. The speaker called the phone call pleasant but unproductive.

photo

AP

FILE - This Nov. 29, 2012 file photo shows House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio speaking to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington. House Republicans negotiating with President Barack Obama on avoiding the so-called fiscal cliff are proposing to increase the eligibility age for Medicare and to lower cost-of-living hikes in Social Security benefits. Boehner said the GOP proposal is a "credible plan" for Obama and that he hopes the administration would "respond in a timely and responsible way." (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

Information for this article was contributed by Bloomberg News and The Associated Press.

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