Government Shutdown

[SergeantChuck]

I don't want to get into the politics about the whole thing but I've watched this issue closely because I am retired military. Although it hasn't affect me yet I'm sure it could eventually.

I am more concerned about the folks who are out of work momentarily. Most people do not plan for situations like this and can be devastated to loose a primary income. I hope there isn't anyone on this board that has been affected and if so I hope things get situated quickly.

I think something similar happened a couple years ago but they came to a deal at the last minute. Looks like this one could go a bit longer.

 

[tslaw]

I am lucky so far. I get to work until we run out of money. Several friends got to go on leave without pay today.

 

[OriginalRocket]

Hard not to. But My office has been keeping tabs. I run a home health agency that primarily has MediCare patients. Medicaid took a hit a while ago, and the service, meals on wheels, that I use frequently are also affected.

Annoyingly, my Durable Medical Equipment services I use went to a lowest bid service, so now I have to hunt companies down that can service an area, as they are the only ones allowed to due to their "lowest bid"

The scooter market is about dead, as the lowest bidder bid so low they can barely function. Hope they get thrown out and the next lowest gets its contract.

The CMS servers are running, and running fast, so not too much going on here at the moment. We are watching though.

 

[Old Can Ride]

Definition of a attorney - "licensed theft"

Definition of a politician - "licensed theft"

So why do we keep electing licensed attorney politicians to go to congress and steal from us? May be it is our own fault!

 

[SergeantChuck]

I am lucky so far. I get to work until we run out of money. Several friends got to go on leave without pay today.

Are you a contractor that works on a base? Or GS employee?

 

[L.B.S.]

Soooo...I don't quite follow what it means "government shutdown" and people going home without pay, etc.

A quick "how USA stuff works" cliff notes kinda thing, for those of us in dirty foreign countries?

 

[TomnEssi]

I'm just gonna kick back and take my involuntary unpaid vacation time to do some fishing, work on my bike and the honey-do list.

 

[670cc]

I'm just gonna kick back and take my involuntary unpaid vacation time to do some fishing, work on my bike and the honey-do list.

I know this may sound cruel to those that can't live without pay for a short while, but I envy you, TomnEssi. I would love some unpaid time off, but the train I'm on just wont stop. And what better time of year to enjoy it? Ahhh. . .

Greg

 

[SergeantChuck]

Soooo...I don't quite follow what it means "government shutdown" and people going home without pay, etc.

A quick "how USA stuff works" cliff notes kinda thing, for those of us in dirty foreign countries?

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/10-things-affected-us-government-194846489.html

1. Around 700,000 government employees would be placed on mandatory unpaid leave. This will put an enormous strain on the many departments which will severely understaffed, and potentially on the personal finances of the furloughed employees. However, following the 1995-1996 shutdowns, all employees who had been furloughed were paid retroactively.

2. Military employees, including active duty personnel , will not be paid during a shutdown unless Congress takes a separate action to insure that payments are issued. According to Congressman CW Young, who heads the House Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, "All military personnel will continue to serve and accrue pay but will not actually be paid until appropriations are available."

3. America's famed national parks will likely be closed if the government shuts down. Would-be visitors to the Grand Canyon or Yellowstone will have to postpone their trips, and those currently camping in national parks will be forced to leave prematurely.

4. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC (Milan: CDC.MI - news) ) would have substantially reduced capacity to investigate the outbreak of diseases. The CDC's tracking of instances of the flu and other contagious diseases may be interrupted.

5. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would be significantly cut back, and would not perform any audits during a shutdown. The IRS will also not have staff on hand to assist those with questions about their taxes.

6. Federal loans for homebuyers and small businesses would be suspended during a shutdown. This could have an economic ripple effect should the shutdown be of significant duration.

7. Benefits for pensioners and military veterans , while scheduled to be delivered as normal, could be subject to delays. There will likely be cutbacks in staffing at the offices which process such payments, and some predict that benefit cheques will not make it into the post on time.

8. National museums and zoos would be closed during a shutdown. This would be a significant blow to tourism in Washington, where the Smithsonian museums and zoo, typically packed with tourists and school groups, would remain empty. The Statue of Liberty in New York and Independence Hall in Philadelphia would also be closed.

9. Rubbish collection in the nation's capital will cease. Unlike in the fifty US states, Washington DC's budget is subject to Congressional approval. Although schools and public transportation will remain open, services such as rubbish collection and parking enforcement will not resume until Congress passes a budget.

10. Buying and selling guns would be made significantly more difficult, as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, which processes permit requests, would face significant cutbacks.

 

[SergeantChuck]

I'm just gonna kick back and take my involuntary unpaid vacation time to do some fishing, work on my bike and the honey-do list.

It sucks but really that is the best way to approach it. I started working for Caterpillar, Inc when I retired from the army and we have had two major slow downs since 2008. In the middle of one now. Lots of layoff time and really nothing you can do about it but deal with it.

Glad your able to keep a positive look about things and use the time.

 

[jeremysilas]

My job is research in forestry and I can't do parts of my job because websites for the USDA and forest service are shut down. It's not good is my opinion.

 

[L.B.S.]

Thanks, SC

So those are some of the effects of the shutdown, what is the cause of all this in the first place?

I mean I vaguely know of the big Debt and deficit stuff, but is it a matter of there simply not being enough money in the coffers to pay the employees, or some weird "one political party versus the other" wrangling that has somehow stuffed up the works, before money can be approved for disbursement?

 

[Chestnut]

The problem is the two sides can't agree and won't compromise. So they'd rather everyone suffer. (Except themselves, of course. They'll make sure to get paid.)

 

[SergeantChuck]

Thanks, SC

So those are some of the effects of the shutdown, what is the cause of all this in the first place?

I mean I vaguely know of the big Debt and deficit stuff, but is it a matter of there simply not being enough money in the coffers to pay the employees, or some weird "one political party versus the other" wrangling that has somehow stuffed up the works, before money can be approved for disbursement?

I don't know the right words to use to say this. I'm not taking sides either way because I try to stay away from that. The Rebublicans do not want Obamacare to be implemented. They do not want it written into this bill. It a congressional dispute over whether Obamacare should be defunded or delayed as a condition of continued government funding. That's primarily what this is over. Someone else correct me if I have stated this incorrectly.

 

[wickerman]

10 things affected by the US government shutdown - Yahoo Finance UK



5. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would be significantly cut back, and would not perform any audits during a shutdown. The IRS will also not have staff on hand to assist those with questions about their taxes.

Well not all bad news.

 

[L.B.S.]

I try to stay well and clear of politics (and religion) for the most part, lol but sometimes I do get a bit curious.

Pretty much I agree with what Chestnut said; no matter which side or party is involved, in any country, they make sure to pay themselves, and justify huge raises while "standing up for principles" or proclaiming new "neccessary" taxes, etc., don't they. Funny how that works.

Grrrr.

I hope any members here effected, aren't done over too badly!

 

[dduelin]

I think most Americans are most concerned over whether or not continuing episodes of "Dancing With The Stars" or "Survivor" will be affected.

 

[tslaw]

Are you a contractor that works on a base? Or GS employee?

GS with ERDC, an army research lab.

 

[CoopaLoop]

Yeah, it's getting a little tiring. I'm a Dept. of Defense employee that just got done with several months of one day a week furloughs, narrowly missed a layoff, and now this. Glad to still have my job, just wish I could get paid normal pay to do it!
I hope those of you across the pond have politics as screwy as we do, cause we must look pretty dang silly to y'all about now.
I'm luckily considered "essential" enough to be allowed to continue working, although I won't get paid until appropriations are passed. When this happened in the 90s it went for about three weeks, hopefully this one wont go on too long.
I'll be fine, but there are plenty of good hard working folks that bust their butts day in and day that could get hit pretty hard with this.

 

[SlowSteve]

For us across the pond, we do look at the situation as a little odd. One of the top 2 most powerful countries in the world and your pulling yourselves to pieces and no one is in the streets demanding action.....

However, right now this stuff is internal..... It only affects you guys.

18th October is when the debt ceiling has to be passed, and 19th October is when you don't pay your bills to China, EU and Japan. And no one has any idea what happens then, but it almost certainly leads to events which make the banking crisis look very small indeed. Certainly your cost of imports rises through the roof and your exports fall off a cliff.

I ***really*** hope that this doesn't happen. I'm a Brit working for an American company and right now I can't even count on it existing in 6 months.