From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

What if the U.S. goes over the fiscal cliff?

Hello again, I'm Armin Alney, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International.

A daily look at the issues Americans care about most. Since the election, both parties have promised they'll make a deal in time

to avoid massive tax increases and spending cuts by the first of next year, but now they're

back to familiar public posturing, with no reports of real progress in private. Would actually

going over the cliff be so bad after all? Would it really send the economy back into recession?

Would it set off a scramble to finally resolve long-term issues once and for all?

Today we'll hear predictions of financial disaster and from the Thelma and Louise Caucus,

which says the best action may be no action at all.

On reporter's notebook later on, Yasser Arafat's remains are exhumed. First,

here's the news. Support for To the Point comes from the members of KCRW and from the Public Radio

International Program Fund. Hello again, Wormin-Aldney, back with To the Point. Three weeks after the

election, there's been only one high-level meeting about the fiscal cliff, despite warnings about a return to recession. What are the prospects at both parties

reaching a deal? Would it be so bad if they didn't? On reporter's notebook was Yasser Arafat poisoned?

The remains of the late Palestinian leader were exhumed today, so scientists could try to find out.

First is news update. Egypt's first elected

President Muhammad Morsi has been trying to contain the fallout from last week's seizure of

virtually absolute power. Last night, he met with angry judges, but today tens of thousands

of protesters converged in Cairo's Tahrir Square, accusing him and the Muslim Brotherhood

of betraying last year's revolution. Matt Bradley is in Cairo, Tahrir Square, accusing him and the Muslim Brotherhood of betraying last year's

revolution. Matt Bradley is in Cairo. He's correspondent for the Wall Street Journal and the Dow Jones

...