Boehner, Obama Fail to Reach Budget Deal After Meeting

House Speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio) on Tuesday said no budget deal was reached after meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House, raising the stakes ahead of a possible government shutdown at the end of the week.  The White House earlier said it ordered top officials at multiple federal agencies to ensure contingency plans were ready for a potential partial shutdown.

"While there was a good discussion, no agreement was reached," Mr. Boehner's office said in a summary of the meeting that he had with Mr. Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and other congressional leaders.   The meeting was seen as a last-ditch effort to avoid a government shutdown. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said ahead of the meeting that Mr. Obama "believes very strongly that an agreement is within reach."

As the click ticks toward this Friday's possible U.S. government shutdown, WSJ's Jerry Seib looks at proposals being weighed by Republicans and Democrats, along with efforts to raise the country's debt ceiling.  Those hopes appeared dashed, although Mr. Boehner said Republicans want to resolve "last year's budget mess in a manner that will help to remove uncertainty for private-sector job creators."

The prospect of a partial government shutdown is something both sides have said they want to avoid. Current spending authority for the federal government expires Friday at midnight.

source: http://online.wsj.com/home-page