Obama: 'Ready and willing' to get fiscal cliff deal done

Associated Press

• FILED UNDER

US President Barack Obama speaks on the fiscal cliff on December 21, 2012 in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, DC. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

FRIDAY HEADLINES

Dreams Come True grants dream for 10-year-old battling Nephrotic Syndrome

Jacksonville Sheriff's Office homicide unit investigating man found dead in apartment

Suwannee County Christmas light display inspires town of McAlpin after rough year of flooding from Tropical Storm Debby

Suspected Clay Co. Walmart TV thief behind bars

Police say they will be unable to enforce loud music coming from vehicles

Wrong tree removed, but tree service won't replace it

Where will Tim Tebow land in 2013?

Report: Big Ten icon, former Olympian Suzy Favor Hamilton worked as escort in Las Vegas

Man arrested for stabbing snake 19 times

Tim Tebow breaks up with girlfriend Camilla Belle

JIM KUHNHENN
Associated Press
    
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama says he is "ready and willing" to get a big package done to deal with the "fiscal cliff" and said there's no reason not to protect middle-class Americans from tax increases.
    
Obama said he spoke Friday with House Speaker John Boehner and met with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. He said Congress should pass a plan to extend tax breaks for the middle class and extend unemployment benefits.
    
Obama said no one can get 100 percent of what they want and there are "real consequences" to how they deal with the across-the-board tax increases and steep spending cuts scheduled to kick in Jan. 1. Economists fear the combination could deliver a blow to the U.S. economy.

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

12/21/2012 5:46:21 PM (GMT -5:00)

First Coast News