After a Sunday meeting discussing the fiscal cliff, representatives for President Obama and Speaker John Boehner issued identical statements saying, " the lines of communication remain open."
But, today, it's back to square one. The president continues pressuring Republicans to give in on taxes and Boehner's office says they're still waiting for a response from the White House on the proposal the GOP put forth last week.
Appearing on Jansing & Co., The Washington Post's Dana Milbank warns, "The question is do you need an even larger crisis? Do you need the economy to free fall to make these guys to take some action? Unfortunately, given the past record, that can't be ruled out." Adding, " it is a man-made crisis, not like it's some meteors headed toward the earth."
USA Today's Jackie Kucinich sounded a bit more optimistic.
"I think we will start seeing the framework—either tax cuts for wealthiest individuals, things like that. We will start seeing these details emerge this week. We have to."
But the devil is in the details.
" We know what the contours of the agreement," says Millbank. "It could be done in a matter of hours once they get serious about it. "