Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) spoke to reporters following weekly party lunches about negotiations to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” impending tax increases and sequestration budget cuts at the end of 2012 if Congress failed to reach a new budget agreement. He said reaching a deal on the “fiscal cliff” before Christmas would be difficult. He called House Speaker John Boehner’s recent call for President Obama to outline specific spending cuts a “strange thing.” He defended the president’s budget plan and said House Republicans have not offered any detailed proposals.