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Wicker Looks to Avoid 'Fiscal Cliff'

Posted: 2:59 PM Nov 18, 2012
Reporter: The Associated Press

Mississippi's junior senator says Republicans are willing to meet President Barack Obama's call for new revenue to stave off tax increases and deep cuts in government programs, but only if Democrats accept what he calls entitlement reform.

Sen. Roger Wicker tells The Commercial Appeal avoiding the "fiscal cliff" requires bipartisan give-and-take.

Some Democrats say there's no reason a victorious president who picked up seats in both House and Senate should take major cuts from programs like Social Security or Medicare when allowing Bush tax cuts on the wealthy to expire would significantly dent the deficit.

Wicker says that to reach spending goals, Congress must make cuts, "including in programs we like." He says the Senate's Democratic leaders don't seem willing to cut benefit programs.