Obama’s proposal included more new spending than cuts, said Boehner, of Ohio.

“They wanted to extend unemployment benefits,” he said. “They wanted a new stimulus program for infrastructure. They wanted to extend some other tax breaks. And all of this new stimulus spending would literally be more than the spending cuts that he was willing to put on the table.”

Considering Caps

Republicans may be willing to consider caps to income-tax deductions for the wealthy, among other solutions, Boehner said.

“You could cap deductions at a percent of income,” he said. “That would be one way to get there. You could eliminate certain deductions for the wealthiest in our country. You could do all of that.”

Among the proposals Obama floated last week was one giving the president the power to raise the nation’s debt limit. Currently, Congress must approve any increase.

Boehner dismissed that idea as “silliness.”

“Congress is never going to give up this power,”

Read more: http://www.newsmax.com/Headline/BNCOPY-BNSTAFF-BNTEAMS-BON/2012/12/02/id/466134#ixzz2DwCIFgVR