The list of collateral effects of a potential government shutdown keeps growing and people are none too pleased about it. Here are just a few of the negative impacts that could arise if Congress and the White House fail to reach an agreement on the budget (click here to view in chart form):
- The lawmakers who hold the cards will still get paid. Their staffers might be furloughed, though. That has prompted a few lawmakers to announce they'll refuse shutdown pay,but even that has elicited critiques of political posturing.
- Roughly 800,000 federal workers won't get paid because they're considered nonessential and therefore, the first to be furloughed. That includes people who work in national parks because they'll be closed, ruining countless long family road trips. And it's not just the loss of income that hurts – for many, it's being labeled dispensable when they know their jobs are anything but nonessential.
- As the shutdown looms, some political leaders are taking the opportunity to fundraise and rally their supporters. The executive director of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee sent out an appeal asking for a minimum $5 donation saying the organization wants to raise $100,000 in the next 36 hours.
- You'll still get your Social Security checks but don't expect anyone to be around to answer your questions about benefits. The people who take questions on Social Security and Medicare questions will not be at work and most government websites will shut down or have limited functionality.
- Various agencies with the Department of Health and Human Services will operate in a patchwork fashion. The National Institutes of Health will not accept new patients or start new clinical trials. The Food and Drug Administration won't operate at full capacity but will have some inspectors on staff. As a result, all FDA inspections of food processing facilities and drug manufacturing plants will be prioritized by risk.
- Word is getting around that a government shutdown doesn't actually save taxpayers money. For one, it will cost the government money to ensure a smooth transition to a shutdown. Then there's the lost revenue from a variety of sources, from government services to gift shops in government-run attractions such as Yosemite National Park and DC's National Gallery of Art.
How would a government shutdown anger you?
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Dear Government, if you feel the need to stop paying our military personnel, then I think you should feel the need to stop paying yourselves. I'd like to see you support your family without a pay check! By the way, maybe if you take your pay check down to less than $100K it would help some of the budget issues in America. I'd like to see you survive on enlisted military pay and veteran pay!
If the national parks shut down, not only will I be out of business, I will have to return thousands of dollars in deposits I took from park visitors for summer reservations. All the businesses around Glacier Park (and all the other mountain parks) will cease to exist because we have only a three month season in which to earn a living. But heh, I'm more than willing to give up my business and everything I've worked for all my life so women won't be told about abortion. I'm tickled pink to do my part.
Snarf, i want to punch you in your suck you disrespectful little punk!
It is the truth, I'm not making it up. It is obvious about ethics troops pull anyways. Yes, in fact they signed a contract. Too bad they are owned by uncle sam. If uncle sam wants to hold their check that is their problem. They put themselves in that situation. You all voted for the change you can count on, I hope all of you are satisfied with the change Obama has brought. Hope your enjoying it!
We are all screwed. The Federal Government is going broke. The deficit needs to be brought under control. Politicians need to start doing their jobs the people elected them to do. I don't think people realize how far in debt our Federal Government is in right now. We are so far in debt it would take at least $55,000 from every man, woman, and child that lives in the United States to pay back the debt. The spending cuts the politicians are talking about right now don't even come to 1% of our debt.
The sad thing is we are running out of time to fix the debt. Pretty soon every dollar coming into the Federal Government will go just to pay off the interest on the Federal Government debt. Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve Chairman, doesn't have a clue what is going. He got Federal Reserve printing presses printing out $2.5 million dollars per minute or $3.5 Billion dollars per day just to keep banks loaning money out. The reason gold does not back up the U.S. dollar right now is there is not enough gold in the whole entire world to back up U.S. currency. The only thing backing up the dollar right now is thin air. Different states around the country are recognizing gold and silver coins over paper currency because of how unstable the U.S. dollar is right now.
Can you imagine what will happen if China decides to pull all their money out of our Federal Government right now because of how unstable our Government finances are right now? It would bankrupt this country. We are running out of time to turn things around.
Democrats, get a darned backbone. Republicans: get some true ethics. Voters: make some smart choices!
Why dont they cut out these women who r kicking out the babys,and also the drug addicts who r getting ssi checks,Just because the are drug addicts.The forenger come over here and get a ssi check.
Amazing how short our memory is about the "no-money-no-spendee" mandate of the last elections. Take credit or blame for however you voted..or didn't vote. There now...that should end all the pointless dribble.
This is article is just a scare tactic. The Military WILL get paid. They CAN take care of themselves. The people in power need to know they cant just get us in debt and not have a consequence. This will be a good thing.
Yes the military will get paid but not on time! Tell that to my creditors when I have to continue to pay my bills on time. My husband is deployed and if he does not get paid (on time) he still has to work his butt off but our creditors won't care they just want there money on time. I too work but my pay won't cover all our bills along with feeding our kids. If I can't afford to put gas in my car because I'm trying to pay my bills on time then I won't be able to go to work and then what, no check for me either.
Myself and many more military personnel on the front line have enough on our plates. But congress still get pay. How about the ones that are putting their life on the line, is that fear Mr congress.
Stop lawmakers paychecks!Especially John Boehner,maybe the decision could come sooner. We the people and ones who serve our country should suffer for the suits who cant even come to an agreement, give me a break!
Blaming Boehner because the article does? Look into it. Fiscal year starts in October 2010, budget is due before then. Democrats had majority, could have passed a budget and avoided all of this. Question is, why didn't the democrats do it then?
I am in the military and my husband is a Marine serving in Afghanistan, whoever believes that we are going to be paid on time is sadly mistaken. We are having a brief in about four hours to discuss what will happen to us when the government shuts down. The only people guaranteed a paycheck are those in congress, funny how that works. Maybe if their paychecks were affected they would be more likely to speed things up and come to a resolution, instead of fighting like children.
@Snarf – you're an idiot! No one signs up for a government shutdown you freakin coward. Show some respect, they protect the freedom you live in. If you can't respect, them you shouldn't be allowed to live in the U.S.
My freedom isn't over seas unfortunately
Change you can count on? right? you all are such suckers for falling for that one. Obama just made you look like fools with the rest of the dems... Shouldn't you all be crying about Utahs new state gun? So glad obama budget the last 2 years was as he promised. Did you all get the healthcare you wanted? or refund checks you all wanted?
Another topic i want to raise is, Why should uncle sam pay for troops child support? because they knocked up some women? I understand if your married to assist but not all the random people you all hear about, you know you all have a friend or know someone who knocked up a women at the expense of uncle sam. Talk about budgeting.
Impeach Bohner
Like to see the passion we should impeach whoever is putting our country at risk by not getting this budget passed. That's right.
Now, let's look outside this story to see who that is. Let's see, fiscal year started in October 2010. Budget was due before then. House and Senate were run by Pelosi and Reid. Democrats had the Presidency and Congress.
Still feel that way, or just looking for an excuse to hate a republican?
This shutdown will affect social security payments. The workers that process corrections and updates to social security records will be going from their desks and if some of those cases are not worked timely disabled and retired beneficaries will not get their checks. Also, by not having those cases work it could cost the government money in incorrect payments to go out since the workers are not the to check and correct the records before the checks go out.
None of this "angers" me. Quite the opposite actually, I welcome and look forward to a government shutdown. A shutdown is the only effect way to both demonstrate how much we don't need government in our lives (at least if you're not a conformist busybody) and also cut the deficit by eliminating non-essentially services - which is all the government should be in the first place.