And Over the Cliff we go!

Obama and Boehner meet again to avert fiscal cliff

1:18AM EST December 14. 2012 - WASHINGTON — President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner met privately Thursday after another day of back-and-forth over tax hikes, spending cuts and efforts to avoid the year-end "fiscal cliff."

Hours earlier, Boehner said that unless Obama makes further concessions on spending cuts, Washington will head over the cliff and into a series of tax hikes and massive budget reductions.

"The president wants to pretend spending isn't the problem. That's why we don't have an agreement," said Boehner, R-Ohio. "Unfortunately, the White House is so unserious about cutting spending that it appears willing to slow-walk our economy right up to -- and over -- the fiscal cliff."

Meanwhile, a group of Democrats sent Obama a letter warning him against accepting Republican proposals to reduce entitlement programs, including an increase in the Medicare eligibility age.

After their 50-minute meeting at the White House, aides to Obama and Boehner sent out similar statements saying they would not detail the discussions, but the "lines of communication remain open."

Just 18 days remain for Washington to take action before the George W. Bush-era tax cuts expire, and $1.2 trillion in spending cuts over 10 years are triggered. Several other laws are expiring that also affect millions of Americans, including a temporary payroll tax holiday and long-term unemployment benefits.