Fiscal Cliff Negotiations Begin

Let's make a deal

President Obama opened negotiations with congressional leaders Friday on ways to avert a looming "fiscal cliff" of huge spending cuts and tax hikes, saying that Americans want "action" from government leaders instead of political bickering.

"I think we're all aware that we have some urgent business to do," Obama said before beginning the talks. "We've got to make sure that taxes don't go up on middle-class families, that our economy remains strong, that we're creating jobs. And that's an agenda that Democrats and Republicans and independents, people all across the country share."