Just Call Geithner 'Mr. Freeze'

摘要

Despite all the overtures from lawmakers who say they're ready to compromise over the fiscal cliff, the Obama administration is exploring one way it could blunt a recession if Congress doesn't sew up a deal by year-end. Failure would result in a jump in income tax rates at all levels, meaning more money taken out of people's paychecks. Enter U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The tax code gives him broad latitude to set withholding rates, and he could freeze the current levels to stave off effective pay cuts. Geithner said in an interview on Nov.