Members of Congress headed for a recess over the weekend having failed to agree on legislation to address the nation's fragile employment picture, with both parties placing starkly different bets on the political consequences of their positions.

President Obama and his Democratic allies in Congress are hoping that voters will punish Republicans in the midterm elections for obstructing his efforts to extend unemployment benefits, expand lending to small businesses, and increase aid to struggling state and local governments.

Read the entire New York Times article here.