Talks begin on debt ceiling

WASHINGTON, May 5 (UPI) -- Negotiations over the federal debt ceiling resumed Thursday in Washington, with Vice President Joe Biden joining congressional leaders from both parties.

Taxes are the big issue dividing the parties, The Hill reported. While most Republicans oppose any tax increases now or in the future, the Obama administration has proposed a deficit reduction plan combining tax increases and spending cuts.

"When it comes to increasing the debt limit and the need to have reductions in spending nothing is off the table except raising taxes," House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.

At the end of the day, politicians from both parties said everything was still open, Politico reported. But Republicans seem wary of introducing changes in Social Security and Medicare, recognizing that the changes proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the chairman of the Budget Committee, are not popular.

Boehner said the ball is now in the Democrats' court, that they have to produce a budget plan.