Obama, Boehner meet

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WASHINGTON, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- With just a few weeks left to avoid the "fiscal cliff," House Speaker John Boehner stopped by the White House Sunday to meet privately with President Obama.

No solutions were announced afterward, with the offices of both men issuing terse, identical statements afterward: "The lines of communication remain open."

The New York Times reported that while details of the discussion between the Democratic president and Ohio Republican were nil, the mere revelation that they met indicated private talks are taking place despite GOP leaders' public denunciation of the lack of progress and Obama's resistance to setting spending reduction levels for entitlement programs in return for their support tax increases for top earners.

Obama's meeting with Boehner followed the president's meeting with congressional Democratic leaders on Friday.