美国有线新闻 CNN 2012-12-09

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We being tonight as we do everynight, "Keep Them Honest", looking for facts, not offering opinions or playing favorites. We're supporting Democrats³ or Republicans, you can find that on other cable channels. Our goal is just reporting, real reporting, trying to find the facts and the truth, calling out hypocrisy⁴. 

 

Tonight we are one day close to the "Fiscal Cliff", and not one iota⁵ closer to a deal to avoid it. Now on January 1th, four weeks from today, automatic tax hikes and spending cuts kick in with potentially serious consequences for virtually every taxpayer⁶ in America. And there's been zero progress on a deal, Zero.

 

"Keep Them Honest," though, the American people clearly want some sort of a compromise, poll show they want results. But the two sides are still far apart on the issue at the heart of the debate whether the wealthiest Americans should pay more taxes than they do right now.

 

Now the people you elected to get things done simply are not getting it done, not even close. But maybe, we should not be surprised. Because in a CNN/ORC poll, taken a few weeks ago, 67% said Washington officials would behave like spoiled children in "Fiscal Cliff" discussions. Only 28% said they'd behave like responsible adults.

 

With that in mind, here is what the key players, the grownups have said in just the past 24 hours. Listen.

 

"The math, it doesn't work."

 

"His proposal was so outlandish, I don't think we should go back to the table until he puts something there that we can work with."

 

"We are not going to twister ourselves into contortions⁷ to appease⁸ a vocal⁹ minority."

 

"What I'm not going to do is to agree to a plan in which we have some revenue that is vague."

 

"Republicans have proven to be, will to be held accountable, Democrats have not."

 

"So we look forward to working with the president when he decides to get serious."

 

"We're looking for solutions and it doesn't seem, at least from the president's proposal that he is at all serious about finding the solution."

 

"His last two budgets, so unserious."

 

"What is this man talking about? Mr.Speaker, what the heck are you talking about?"

So not only there is no sign of progress, there aren't even any formal negotiating session scheduled that we know of. Unless you think this is all public posturing¹⁰ while there are backroom deals being hammered out right now. Congressional aides say that is not simply not happening. In fact, even when president Obama and House Speaker John Boehner were in the same room together like they were last night at the White House holiday reception for Congress members. They didn't even speak, the president was asked about that today.

 

"Speaker Boehner was here at the White House last night for Christmas Party, the two of you didn't even speak. What's it going to take to get the two of you in a room to harsh this out?"

 

"Well, the speaker Boehner and I speak frequently, and I, you know, I think the issue right now..."

 

"So when, when will the two of you sit down in a room?"

 

"You know, I don't think that the issue right now has to do with sitting in a room."

 

As I mentioned, the American people want the people they elected to sit down together work it out. A new Gallup poll shows 62% want government leaders to compromise on the "Fiscal Cliff," just 25% said they should stick to their principles. So why is that this Congress and this White House can't seem to get together and compromise on a deal. Well, certainly it isn't the first time Republicans and Democrats haven't seen eye to eye on an important issue. But the players in this debate seem to be almost allergic¹¹ to budging¹² even a little bit. Republican Senator John McCain said that hasn't always been that way, and it's time for both sides to sit down together.

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