UNDATED (CNN) -- The stalemate between President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans has come to this; a deadline of March first when forced spending cuts start going into effect.
The forced budget cuts could have wide reaching effects. Over 2 million federal workers could face furloughs. They won't come all at once and experts expect agencies to do everything they can to delay them.
Unemployment benefits will take a hit. Some 3.8 million Americans collecting benefits between March and September will feel it the most. On average it could be a cut of $400 over that period.
A $51 million cut to food safety programs will trickle down to your kitchen table. With food inspectors at home and plants closed, you'll likely pay more for beef and chicken and there may be less of it.
Expect longer lines at airport security. Fewer workers will need more time to check passengers. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says these cuts are tough but necessary. He says, "We're gonna look at everything we possibly can to get to where we need to be, which is about $600 million in cuts. But we can't do it without also furloughing people."
In his weekly address President Obama gave a rundown of the possible cuts asking Congressional Republicans. He says, "Are they seriously prepared to inflict more pain on the middle class because they refuse to ask anything more of those at the very top?"
But most Republicans, like Senator John McCain, call this a problem of leadership. He says, "I won't put all the blame on the President of the United States. Put the President leads. The President should be calling us over somewhere, Camp David, the White House, somewhere, and us sitting down and trying to avert these cuts."