Jobless Hoosiers hope for compromise

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Thousands of Hoosiers have started losing their unemployment benefits and thousands more will lose them every week unless congress takes action.

Maybe it's the holiday spirit, maybe political reality but it appears Monday that both sides in this debate are finding reasons to compromise. And that means before the week is out, unemployment benefits may be restored and tax cuts will remain in place.

Nearly 4,000 Hoosiers are losing unemployment benefits as each week passes.

Robert Sanders gets help with his job search at the Shadeland Avenue Work One office, but has been without work for more than 2 years.

"You got people out there that's struggling. There ain't no jobs out there to be found."

No job means no income and with benefits ending, there is fear among those who need the help says Darnell Allen.

"Yeah, because some people saying they might not have anyplace to get the money to take care of what they've got to do. It's hard times, especially around this time. Everyone is getting laid off. No money coming in, so you got to find something to do."

President Barack Obama Monday argued in a speech in North Carolina that extending unemployment benefits will benefit the entire economy.

"If millions of Americans who aren't getting unemployment benefits stop spending money… that slows down businesses, it slows down hiring. It slows down our recovery," the president said.

Republicans have been saying that the cost of extending the benefits would add too much to the nation's deficit. But they appear willing to compromise, if a deal includes extending the Bush era tax cuts for everyone, not just those making less than $250,000 dollars.

"To the extent that the president wants to do things that I and my members are comfortable with, we want to do that for the country," said Senator Mitch McConnel (R. Ky.) who leads Republicans in the senate.

Public appearances aside, it is behind the scenes negotiations that are said to be making progress. For those running low on money, like Robert Sanders of Indianapolis, the deal can't come soon enough.

"I need the benefits and I need a job. Like I said, there just aint nothing going on out there," he said.

Word out of Washington is that a compromise deal could be ready for a vote as early as Wednesday. Insiders say it would include extending the Bush-Era tax cuts for everyone for two more years. Unemployment benefits would get the go ahead for one more year. Without those benefits some 2 million Americans and more than 30,000 Hoosiers will have to find another way to make ends meet.