Obama Officials, Lawmakers Set For “Fiscal Cliff” Talks

Even as some signs of disagreement emerge among Republicans on taxes, an administration official says the White House is stepping up behind-the-scenes negotiations on how to avoid the "fiscal cliff."

The official says two of President Barack Obama's top negotiators on fiscal issues will meet separately tomorrow with leading lawmakers from both parties.

The sessions are seen as an important step in determining how the government will avoid a year-end package of tax increases and spending cuts that could throw the economy into recession.

The meetings will take place on Capitol Hill.

Obama said today he believes that members of both parties can reach a framework on a debt-cutting deal before Christmas.

Meanwhile, conservative Oklahoma Republican congressman Tom Cole says instead of risking a tax increase on everyone, it would be better to let tax increases for the top two percent of earners go up.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)