U2's Bono sat and spoke with World Bank President Jim Young Kim about What It Will Take to end poverty.
The discussion eventually gravitated toward the impending fiscal cliff – the billions of dollars worth of tax cuts and spending programs scheduled to expire by the end of the year.
"There's real jeopardy," he said. "Sequestration, should it happen...it costs about $2 billion of the programs that we care."
Bono estimated that potential funding cuts would affect around 275,000 people and could lead to around 65,000 deaths. The Wall Street Journal's Sudeep Reddy notes that these are based on estimates from the American Foundation for AIDS Research.
"Think about that: deaths," he warned.
But based on recent discussions he has had with political leaders, he's optimistic.
"We know there are going to be cuts," he said. "We understand that. But not cuts that cost lives.
"I'm still terrified [of the fiscal cliff]...I'm at least encouraged that programs that are working will not be cut."
Here's the full discussion. Bono talks about the fiscal cliff at the 25:55 mark.
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