Republicans say Obama must 'step up' on deficit talks

Top Republicans on Friday said an increase in the US jobless rate underscored the need for President Barack Obama to get personally involved in talks to cut government spending to help stimulate economic growth.

"One look at the jobs report should show the White House it's time to get serious about cutting spending and dealing with our ailing economy," House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner said after US data showed jobs growth slowed sharply in May and the jobless rate rose to 9.1%.

Boehner said Obama needed to take a more active role in deficit-reduction talks if the president hopes for agreement between Republicans and Democrats by the end of June.

Tension between the two sides led Moody's credit ratings agency to warn on Thursday that it could consider cutting the United States' top-notch credit rating if there was not progress by mid-July on a deal to reduce the deficit and raise the USD 14.3 trillion US debt limit.

Obama is trying to win congressional approval to raise the borrowing authority before an August 2 deadline. But comments by Republican and Democratic lawmakers on Friday did not augur well for any quick deal as both sides blamed each other for the sagging economy.

Both sides have been careful, however, to try to keep their heated rhetoric from seeping into bipartisan talks led by Vice President Joe Biden, which are seen by many as the best hope for a deficit-reduction deal. Opinion polls show Americans are deeply worried about the size of the US deficit, which is expected to reach USD 1.4 trillion this year.

"I think there's a lot of progress that's been made in the Biden talks," Boehner said.

WANTED: HANDS-ON ACTION BY OBAMA

"He (Obama) could take a more active role. He's had this hands-off approach for the last several months while this conversation has raged on," Boehner said, sharpening his criticism of the president's handling of the issue.

"If we're going to meet the president's goal of trying to get this done by the end of June, then it's time for him to step up and take a more active role."

Obama is trying to win congressional approval to raise the US debt limit before an August 2 deadline. The White House has said Obama, who directed Biden to lead the talks, has been closely monitoring the negotiations.

Republicans say publicly and Democrats privately that the Biden talks are not moving fast enough and that negotiators need to meet more often to resolve thorny issues in the way of a deficit deal to calm financial markets.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said the Biden talks had produced movement toward "coalescing around trillions of dollars in cuts."

But Cantor, one of two Republicans taking part in the talks, made clear Republicans would stand firm on their positions and want tax increases off the table as a deficit-reduction option.

The Biden talks have been slow-going. While Republicans refuse to consider tax hikes, Democrats oppose Republican proposals to scale back the government-run Medicare healthcare program for future retirees.

The next round of talks, which include a group of six members of the House and Senate, will resume on June 9.

Obama met with about 200 House Republicans at the White House earlier this week.

In a 75-minute meeting described by some as frank with some tense moments, Obama warned Republicans of "dire" consequences if they do not raise the debt limit before the government runs out of funds. But Republicans, and many Democrats, insist that significant spending cuts must accompany any deal on raising the debt limit.