–House Minority Leader Pelosi Says Deal Needed To Avert Fiscal Cliff
By John Shaw
WASHINGTON (MNI) – House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi Thursday
blasted House Speaker John Boehner for offering a pessimistic assessment
about talks later this year to avert the fiscal cliff, saying his gloomy
comments are themselves hurting confidence in the economy.
At a briefing, Pelosi said policymakers must find a way to avert
the fiscal cliff.
“We must have an agreement,” Pelosi said. “The sooner we can do it,
the better. Let’s just get it done,” she said.
Pelosi said there is no reason to delay budget negotiations until
after the Nov. 6 elections.
“Every day brings us closer to the fiscal cliff,” she said.
Pelosi called Boehner’s comments Tuesday doubting that a deficit
deal can be achieved later this year as “really unfortunate.”
Pelosi said Democrats continue to support a “balanced” plan to
replace the scheduled across-the-board spending cuts that are set to
begin in January with a “mix of (spending) cuts and revenues.”
On another issue, Pelosi praised the “strong vote” by the FOMC to
commence another round of monetary stimulus.
Pelosi said the Fed clearly saw a need to “bolster the economy,”
and said that she hopes their policies have a “positive” effect.
Several Republican lawmakers have criticized the Fed’s new monetary
steps, saying the need for additional monetary stimulus is an
“indictment” of President Obama’s economic policies.
** MNI Washington Bureau: (202) 371-2121 **
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