Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/president-obama-discusses-efforts-to-avert-the-fiscal-cliff Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Story President Obama speaks to the press about his recent budget talks with top Congressional lawmakers, Vice President Biden and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The latest negotiations were last-ditch efforts to avert automatic spending cuts and tax rate increases which will go into effect should Congress fail to pass a budget solution.