(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -- Republican North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr said if negotiations over the U.S. debt limit fail, it is President Obama's fault.  Burr blamed Obama for starting serious negotiations too late.

"To think that we can cram the type of work that needs to be done into a two-and-a-half week period, actually a two week period based on the President's deadline, is impossible," said Burr.

Burr added that the U.S. economy is sluggish because of uncertainty over U.S. debt and poor leadership from the Obama administration.  "I think that the White House actually believed this was just going to come back naturally that people were going to start to hire because profits were good."

He pointed out that business leaders are concerned about future taxes and regulations.  Even though business profits are up Burr said they are putting off hiring new employees because of so much uncertainty.