A tax cut that 160 million Americans and government support for long-term unemployed will expire at the end of the year _ sucking $ 165 billion by next year the economy _ unless Congress intervenes.
Economists hope that the so-called super-Conference Committee decided to extend both measures. But the committee can not even agree on how his main goal, cutting $ 1.2 trillion federal budget deficit.
If the elimination of the tax costs the average family about $ 1,000 more in taxes next year, the equivalent of an extra tank of gas every two weeks. A person who earns $ 100,000 would pay $ 2000 more.
And if the long-term unemployment benefits expire, would have lost about 6 million people, weekly checks average about $ 300. For most long-term unemployed, which is their main source of income.
"There is so much uncertainty to the future," said Michael Hanson, senior U.S. economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch.