WASHINGTON (December 7, 2012)—U.S. House Speaker John Boehner says there's been no progress in negotiations on how to avoid a plunge of the so-called fiscal cliff of tax hikes and spending cuts and called on President Barack Obama to come up with a new offer.

Boehner told reporters Friday outside his Capitol Hill office that the president needs to get serious with the combination of tax hikes and cuts set to kick in after the first of the year.

The Republican leader accused the president of, "slow-walking" the economy toward the edge of the fiscal cliff.

Boehner called White House aides' comments that Mr. Obama was willing to go over the cliff "reckless talk."

Mr. Obama and Boehner spoke privately on Wednesday.

The speaker called the phone call pleasant but unproductive.