Political leaders on Capitol Hill continue to talk past one another about how to solve the nation’s debt problems as the issue of taxes remains a critical sticking point in negotiations.

And with only five weeks left before the nation risks defaulting on its debt, all sides retreated to familiar talking points on the issue Tuesday, suggesting a compromise is far from sight.

“We’ve had a number of useful meetings,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, told reporters at the Capitol. “But I must say, I’m perplexed as to why the administration seems now to believe that tax increases … would be a good idea in this economy?”....