Annie Lowrey

Stalled pallets of goods idling at ports. Reduced foot traffic at sandwich shops in downtown Washington. Canceled vacations to the Capital and to destinations abroad. Slashed corporate earnings forecasts. Higher interest payments on short-term debt.

In the first week of March, a laid-off person living on $300 a week in unemployment benefits is liable to find a surprise in the mailbox: notification from Uncle Sam that come April the check will be $33 lighter.