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Boston Properties Chairman Mort Zuckerman and Former UBS Chairman Joe Grano on the factors impeding efforts to reach a deal to avoid the fiscal cliff.
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Was set to former UBS chairman Joe -- out.
And Boston properties CEO Mort Zuckerman more and I've started during break -- I'm not encouraged by the opening tell.
No neither was -- I was really dismayed when the president made his previous speech in which he described that he would not.
Except any bill that didn't increase taxes on the wealthy.
And of course earlier there.
General today yeah but he knew it was a fairly general but it will my view is -- don't have a press conference and John Boehner shouldn't have had a press conference with the president should have done with.
-- get John Boehner and a small group of congressmen.
Together and say hey what can we work out let's not go public with that -- all we're doing is playing politics everybody's gonna get locked into one position or another it's -- make -- much more difficult.
That's it would we can work -- and then announce it to the public.
That's something that we have agreed upon that's the way you do it instead you're going back to the same old kind of lousy politics they didn't produce what we needed to happen.
You know worries me about this show is that -- This hope for better angels.
-- Look I agree with -- one point and they should have put together a bipartisan group.
All -- doing is going to be put on the defensive by the self the self interest groups at their meeting with.
Doesn't make much sense really has made it very clear in this educate so to -- it very clear what they've done nothing for months they -- they've been on -- defense.
Foux at last commuters American heroes and I think that's why -- -- -- them first because it's and thank you they got -- reelected but can't -- give native digger.
Statement like used to doing something right away leaders.
Time's a wasting this is urgent now time for thinking political patronage time now to -- time's a -- Well he he didn't have to.
Sort of completely ignored -- political thank you okay.
But if -- started off and had a couple of meetings.
With that the -- the leaders have the Democrats in the house and the Republican -- in the house and indeed in the senate.
Do -- on a bipartisan basis the only way it's gonna get done in any kind of serious way.
Yeah -- -- what -- you think Republicans have given not.
Really on this notion that they couldn't cobble something together.
Well I don't know the answer to that if he thinks that he can proceed without in gaining the cooperation of the Republicans.
You know that in the Wall Street Journal paper you might be familiar with just a couple of days ago it right if the -- there there -- well I can understand that it probably that you get to -- late in the day if that's the case.
They -- Mitch McConnell was interviewed in that -- the very good interview.
And he pointed out that he had not had a meeting with the president in over a year and a half.
He also was the subject of her front page story in the New York Times when in the first eighteen months of the president's administration never had a meeting with.
And 011 on one meeting with a man and I K I met with that the house finance committee.
But for five months ago they too have not had meetings with the president but -- you have none of that personal rapport and trust that.
You can build up it makes it so much more difficult so it's mysterious to me how this man works in terms of trying to get -- Anybody I know what he's working on and might might Peter noted an end is that -- -- -- president you know I know won the election but people mistake.
You know a victory for a mandate.
Today it was just about assembling his friends and a man case but.
Leaving that aside I think that people interpret too much from.
And and that both sides have to you know.
Will -- here look.
If he's consistent with this pattern we're gonna have a problem -- he's not giving up on this tax -- -- without.
But what -- -- board is this notion that.
Is there flexibility there would -- be open to eliminating deductions are closing loopholes like and would that cover or.
As Chuck Schumer.
Had indicated.
Do both closed their loopholes.
Also raised their rate and other words double whammy of what's shocking for New York senator.
In the finance capital -- to be saying but he did.
-- his own bipartisan commission some symbols ignored.
And it's not perfect but it's a framework to begin.
If I were the Republican Party I would take the initiative.
And I would give him recommendations as to what would be a balanced approach for revenue increases as well as -- reductions in expenses and kind of take the initiative here because I don't think he's gonna reach -- little Democrats using the.
