Fiscal talks hit major setback as GOP appeals to Biden

[spanone]

Updated 3:10 p.m. — Senate Democrats said talks toward resolving the so-called fiscal cliff before the end-of-year deadline had hit a "major setback" on Sunday afternoon due to a standoff over proposed changes to Social Security.

Democrats said that Republicans, led by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Ky., are insisting that a deal to resolve the fiscal cliff include what is known as "chained CPI" -- a change in how Social Security benefits are calculated to increase over time.

Just before a self-imposed deadline at which Senate leaders were set to brief their respective caucuses about a prospective deal, negotiations toward a scaled-back agreement to avoid the onset of automatic tax hikes and spending cuts on Jan. 1 appeared on the verge of breakdown.

McConnell said that he had even reached out to Vice President Joe Biden, a former senator who's helped hammer out previous deals, in hopes of jump-starting the talks.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/30/16252559-fiscal-talks-hit-major-setback-as-gop-appeals-to-biden?lite

[Cobalt Violet]

1. Chained CPI would be the major set back.

Not going over the cliff.

[Fumesucker]

2. Go ahead and lick the third rail you morans

Embrace that fucker and give it deep tongue.

They'll have to get a vacuum to suck what's left of your party out of the rug and the place will reek of scorched hubris for a long time.

[southernyankeebelle]

3. I have come to the conclusion we are screwed either way. No matter how we vote they

are not looking out for our interest. I hate both sides. Neither are honest brokers for us. People in the lower pay scales will end up paying higher taxes. That isn't fair. If they touch medicare and social security I don't think I can bring myself to ever vote again. It won't matter because they don't listen to us. I'm so disappointed in our government and the president if he sells the citizens out.