Republican Duffy says steer clear of cliff, an agreement must be reached

A deal can be reached between Democrats and Republicans before January. That from Wisconsin Republican Congressman Sean Duffy on the eve of the first post-election budget meeting Friday (11/16) between President Obama and House Speaker Boehner.

The post-election talk is much like the pre-election talk: The President wants to end the Bush-era tax cuts for families making more than $250,000 a year, while Republicans say no to tax increases.

As he finishes his first term as a member of the conservative Republican freshman class in the House, Duffy says a deal can be made with no tax increases. He says by closing corporate tax loopholes, new revenue can be raised to balance the budget, “The loopholes are the ones that are taken advantage of by the top earners in the country. If you eliminate the loopholes, you’re going to still save a lot of the small businesses and manufacturers in our community that are creating jobs, jobs for our families. I think you can find an agreement there.”

Duffy says an agreement in the lame duck session is necessary. He believes going over the so-called “fiscal cliff” will damage the economy, “Especially with tax increases. It can put our economy into a bit of a tailspin.”

Duffy says the key now is for neither side to take a hard stance without willing to budge, “If we have people who are going ‘It’s my way, like it or lump it’, that’s never a way to breed a deal.”

Duffy says he’s looking forward to seeing President Obama’s proposal so the negotiating can begin.