Obama says immediate action needed on fiscal cliff

WASHINGTON - President Barack Obama says "the hour for immediate action is here" on a deal to avert the fiscal cliff.

The president says he remains "modestly optimistic" that an agreement can be reached in Congress before a looming year-end deadline to avoid tax increases and spending cuts.

If Congress can't reach a deal, the president says Congress should allow a vote on a basic package that would preserve tax cuts for middle-class Americans while extending unemployment benefits for the long-term jobless and working toward a foundation for a broader deal.

The president says an hourlong meeting Friday with congressional leaders was "good and constructive."

Senate leaders say they hope to reach a compromise that could be presented to lawmakers by Sunday, little more than 24 hours before the deadline.

Fiscal cliff tax calculators:

http://www.taxpolicycenter.org/taxcalculator/index.cfm

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/special/business/tax-cut-scenarios