Washington's hard case: How to juice economy

Congress on Wednesday kicks off a series of hearings to weigh stimulus options. The right answer isn't so clear.

Washington lawmakers are about to begin playing a notoriously tricky game: pinpointing just how to steer the economy away from recession.

On Wednesday, the Joint Economic Committee of Congress is holding the first of several hearings to assess options for easing the financial strain many leading economists forecast is ahead.

Successfully predicting the chances of a recession, let alone staving one off, has left plenty of economists with egg on their face. But momentum has been building in Washington to do something to address a cascade of discouraging economic indicators - continued declines in housing, a rise in energy prices, slower-than-expected job growth and weaker-than- expected retail sales.

But there's no consensus on what's needed, what's politically feasible or whether any of it will be enough to nip a recession in the bud.

Rebate checks - a lump-sum payment to millions of consumers - is one idea reportedly being considered by both Democrats and Republicans. But the similarities in expected approaches by the two parties end there.

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