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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 \cb2 BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN \f1\b0\fs24 \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 Amid \'93fiscal cliff\'94 negotiations, there\'92s talk on both sides of diving
\b off \b0 the cliff: That is, just letting the severe
spending cuts and tax hikes happen. \f1\fs24 \
\ \pard\pardeftab720
{\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://current.com/shows/full-court-press/videos/"}}{\fldrslt \f0\b\fs26 \cf3 CURRENT TV\'92S BILL PRESS}}
\f0\b\fs26 : \'93I hear more and more Democrats saying what the hell, just go off the cliff.\'94
\f1\b0\fs24 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 The thinking, at least among some Democrats, is that the cuts set to take
effect January 1st \'97 in addition to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts \'97 would
be better than an alternate deal in which Republicans force bigger cuts to entitlements.
As Arizona Democrat Representative Raul Grijalva tells CNBC...
\f1\fs24 \ \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 REP. RAUL GRIJALVA (D-AZ), {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.cnbc.com/id/49992024"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 VIA CNBC}}: \'93I think it would be bad ... for us to accept that Social Security
will be changed, that benefits will be reduced, that Medicare will be changed, benefits will
be reduced, that we'll throw Medicare under the bus.\'94
\f1\b0\fs24 \ \
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\f0\fs26 \cf0 That\'92s because amid negotiations, some Republicans have said they\'92d be willing
to increase tax revenue \'97 a key demand of the other side \'97 only if Democrats are
willing to talk about entitlement spending. But in a piece for the News & Observer, columnist
Rick Martinez notes, the tax hikes could raise some
\b $400 billion \b0 a year. And the spending cuts of the sequester
would see \b $100 billion
\b0 cut from spending. \f1\fs24 \
\f0\fs26 So when it comes to the deficit, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/11/27/2510042/be-bold-and-dive-off-the-cliff.html"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 Martinez writes}}... \b \'93\cf4 [Falling off the cliff] isn\'92t
ideal, but it\'92s the only way to inject fiscal discipline back into the federal government.
\'85 \fs24 It\'92s an opportunity to jump toward
economic sanity...\'94 \f1\b0 \cf0 \
\f0\fs26 But if that\'92s what a vocal minority is saying \'97 it\'92s a message that doesn\'92t
appear to be resonating with the White House. Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney
left no room for cliff divers. \f1\fs24 \
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\f0\b\fs26 \cf0 JAY CARNEY, {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1112/84295.html"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 VIA POLITICO}}: \'93We believe that the best answer for the economy is to reach that
compromise before the end of the year.\'94 \f1\b0\fs24 \
\ \pard\pardeftab720
\f0\fs26 \cf0 And consider this: the nonpartisan {\field{\*\fldinst{HYPERLINK "http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/08-22-2012-Update_to_Outlook.pdf"}}{\fldrslt
\cf3 Congressional Budget Office\'92s warning }}that the existing combination of cuts and
tax hikes could throw the economy back toward recession and raise the unemployment rate.
\f1\fs24 \ \
\f0\fs26 This week President Obama will hold public events aimed at pressuring lawmakers
to reach a deal.}