Democrats argue federal spending cuts advocated by Republicans will disproportionately harm the poor and the middle class.

"I will not sign onto a deal that throws the burden of deficit reduction right onto the backs of families and communities that have already sacrificed so much," warned Senator Patty Murray.

If no deal is struck, massive tax hikes and devastating spending cuts that neither political party wants - the so-called “fiscal cliff” - will take effect in less than five weeks.

“We do not have a lot of time here,” warned President Barack Obama.

He says a typical family would have to pay more than $2000 in new taxes next year.

“That means less money for buying groceries, less money for filling prescriptions, less money for buying diapers,” Obama said.

The president brought a group of middle-class Americans to the White House to demand action on his proposals. But the president’s public outreach is drawing criticism from the Senate’s top Republican, Mitch McConnell.

“Rather than sitting down with lawmakers of both parties and working out an agreement, he [Obama] is back on the campaign trial, presumably with the same old talking points that we are all quite familiar with,” McConnell said.

But Americans are speaking out, including small business owner Cookie Driscoll, who says the United States is drowning in debt.