Business_Finance

Obama Fiscal Cliff_Reps.jpg

Marriott CEO Arne Sorenson leaves the White House after a meeting of business leaders with President Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

20121128-201138-pic-168158120.jpg

Rep. Paul Ryan, Wisconsin Republican, exits the room at the Capitol where he and other House GOP leaders met Wednesday to discuss the looming “fiscal cliff.” Amid changes of committee chairmanships, Mr. Ryan retains the Budget Committee gavel. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

CLIFF_20121128_158_11281207

While fellow (from left) Reps. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Lynn Jenkins and Eric Cantor look on, Speaker of the House John Boehner speaks to the media Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at the U.S. Capitol following a meeting with Republican House leadership. Speaker Boehner said he is "confident" that they will be able to reach agreement with the president to avoid the fiscal cliff, although he did say that he is opposed to raising taxes on the wealthy, which is part of the president's plan. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

CLIFF_20121128_145_11281207

Speaker of the House John Boehner enters a press conference to speak to the media Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at the U.S. Capitol following a conference meeting with House Republican leaders about the fiscal cliff. Speaker Boehner said he is "confident" that they will be able to reach agreement with the president to avoid the fiscal cliff, although he did say that he is opposed to raising taxes on the wealthy, which is part of the president's plan. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

CLIFF_20121128_091_11281205

Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) leaves a room at the U.S. Capitol where he and other Republican House leadership members met Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 to discuss the fiscal cliff. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

cliff_6675_20121128

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) leaves a meeting room in the U.S. Capitol where he and other Republican leadership members met Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 to discuss the fiscal cliff. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

cliff_6674_20121128

Speaker of the House John Boehner exits a meeting room to speak to the media Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at the U.S. Capitol. Speaker Boehner said he is "confident" that Republicans will be able to reach agreement with the president to avoid the fiscal cliff, although he did say that he is opposed to raising taxes on the wealthy, which is part of the president's plan. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

cliff_6673_20121128

Conference Chair Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, right, speaks to the media following a meeting of the Republican leadership about the fiscal cliff on Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 while Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Speaker John Boehner and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor look on. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

cliff_6672_20121128

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor speaks to the media Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at the U.S. Capitol following a conference meeting with fellow House Republican leaders about the fiscal cliff. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

cliff_6671_20121128

Speaker of the House John Boehner speaks to the media Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012 at the U.S. Capitol following a conference meeting with fellow Republican House leadership about the fiscal cliff. Speaker Boehner said he is "confident" that they will be able to reach agreement with the president to avoid the fiscal cliff, although he did say that he is opposed to raising taxes on the wealthy, which is part of the president's plan. (Barbara L. Salisbury/The Washington Times)

20121127-204655-pic-173022239.jpg

Homes on the Rockaway Peninsula in the Queens borough of New York were ravaged by Superstorm Sandy. Building inspectors trained in Fairfax were sent to New York in recent weeks to assess damage. (Associated Press)

Obama Fiscal Cliff_Star.jpg

FILE - In this Nov. 21, 2012, file photo, President Barack Obama speaks about the Thanksgiving holiday in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington. The White House said Tuesday, Nov. 27, that the president plans to make a public case this week for his strategy for dealing with the looming fiscal cliff, traveling to the Philadelphia suburbs Friday as he pressures Republicans to allow tax increases on the wealthy while extending tax cuts for families earning $250,000 or less. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)