Obama says spending deal close, Boehner doesn't

Obama says spending deal close, Boehner doesn't : WASHINGTON – A bullish President Barack Obama said Friday that compromise is close with Republicans on $33 billion in budget cuts, and he warned that without a deal the ensuing government shutdown would "jeopardize our economic recovery" just as jobs are finally being created.

Despite his assessment, the negotiators reported little progress, Senate Democrats dropped a provision from the beginning of the week and the Republican Congress, the summit seemed less optimistic than the president, a breakthrough was imminent.

"There are no figures. There is no agreement on a series of" how much to cut, insisted that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, who is under pressure from the Tea Party supported the Conservatives do not give too much ground. However, he added, "I am not prepared to close the government."

Government funding expires next Friday at midnight, and without congressional action, a brownout will.

The events occurred today in a new context especially optimistic about the economy, still reeling from its worst recession since the Great Depression. U.S. Labor Department reported that businesses added 216,000 jobs last month and unemployment fell slightly to 8.8 percent.

Nearly six weeks after the House passed a bill of 61 billion dollars in cuts, was that the end was at hand in the first, which should be a series of political battles in size and scope of government .

"We will work over the weekend to reach a compromise," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-New. The requirement that the Republican Congress has already cut the cost of 10 billion dollars as part of a pair of temporary spending bill aimed at maintaining open government.

While still a bill in the short term is not excluded, "Obama said Boehner, Reid and others they prefer to complete the bill of six months to complete the fiscal year .

Already Republicans prospective opening of 2012, the budget next week, after weighing the private sector about the delay so they can focus their attention on the ongoing fighting.

Administration officials have actively participated in the negotiations on the spending bill, but the president has touched something that was identified, a fight on Friday.

"Since the encouraging news that we have to work today, it would be the height of irresponsibility to stop the momentum of our economy, because the same old Washington politics," he said.

"It can not be" my way or the highway policy, "the president said, looking over recent months to regain the support of independents who helped elect him in 20,008, but defected to the Republicans during the elections last fall.

"We know that a compromise is within reach. And we also know that if these budget negotiations break down, stop the fall of the government and bring our economic recovery. "

Shortly before Obama spoke, Democrats, Reed moved to a position on a key factor in the negotiations, respect for the environment, upset by the apparent concession in the past.

"Neither the White House or the Senate leadership will take all the corridors of the EPA," he said during a conference call with reporters.

Republicans in the House includes provisions of $ 61 billion package of spending cuts to block EPA regulations applicable in various industries.

Democratic officials announced earlier this week, some of which are included in the agreement, as part of the agreement, that the Republicans would agree to a general reduction is less than $ 61 billion.

In response to Reid, Kevin Smith, Representative Boehner, said: "If they take the pilots of the EPA on the table, certainly not" close "the case."

In fact, it appeared both sides agree on little except that they collected less than $ 33 billion cut from current spending limit.

The original House measure cut 61 billion dollars for national accounts, administration priorities, such as education and infrastructure.

Democratic senators and the White House has proposed adding a reduction in defense spending bill to try to reduce the burden on national programs. Boehner declined at a news conference to say that it is acceptable to him.

Speaker has taken an increasingly important role in recent weeks, numerous appearances before the television cameras, underlining that the Republicans want to cut costs, but not on the closure of the government.

At the same time, spent part of his time to accusations Democrats, but also to preserve its ability to compromise in terms of area needs.

In a press conference during the day, Congressman Paul Brown, R-Ga. He did not say anything below 61 billion U.S. dollars was an insult, and vowed to vote against it.

But a half-dozen or more other Republicans, most of them are the first words, refused to follow his example, giving to understand that they are willing to compromise.

Another first term Republican Rep. Tim Scott, RS.C., said: "The more you get to $ 61 billion, less likely, said he and other 86 freshmen Republicans in favor of the transaction.

But he, like others, refused to say what compromises he was ready to vote.