income distribution than the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts. >> as for the fears that going off the cliff on new year's eve would result in economic disaster, the former budget director explained as we have on this program, that there is a big difference between going off the cliff and staying off the cliff. >> is that going to be enough to avoid a recession in 2013? even the concongressional budget office is saying we will see it because it's not being addressed. >> what they're saying is if you go over the clif and stay there, that is such a fiscal constraint that that will cause a rescissirecessio recession. >> joining me now the former labor secretary and the author of the book "beyond outrage" and the political correspondent for guardian u.s. bob reich, it's conservative