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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For every day the federal government is shut down, I want 1/365th of my taxes returned.
Yes, I understand it doesn't work that way, but the point made is a valid one...use the money we give you or give it back. It should be a criminal offense to collect taxes and then have the government shut down. Every member of Congress should be thrown in jail until they reach and agreement. They can travel to and from The Capitol on a work-release program in prison buses. They've had since last fall. Not getting a budget passed by now IS criminal, whether the law is there or not.
Chris, it's about time someone said what I was thinking – I'm disappointed I had to scroll down so far to find it! I couldn't agree more – their motivation would be much more immediate if they were thrown in jail and/or didn't get their paycheck.
LIKE
And Josie, you need to calm down. You seem like the type who brings a gun to work or something
Amazing, What ever happened to United we stand and divided we fall !!!
IN A WORLD OF LIES, ONLY THE TRUTH SETS YOU FREE(even before work...find out why) !!!!
WHAT DO LIBYA AND EUROPE OR USA HAVE IN-COMMON(DICTATORS vs DIC TRAITORS !!? What is worse !!!?...LEARN TRUTH ABOUT LIBYA WHICH NEWS/MEDIA DOESN'T WANT YOU KNOW ABOUT OR SEE AND THEREFORE LIE JUST AS ORDERED BY USA FOREIGN DEPARTMENT OF AFFAIRS...STOP THE VACUUM WORLD OF LIES !!! http://dictatorsvsdictraitors.wordpress.com/ OR http://dictraitorsvsdictators.blogspot.com/ OR CONTINUE FOR FULL VERSION OF DICTATOR OBAMA = STALIN = BUSH or USA = SOVIET UNION....TO LEARN WHO, HOW, AND WHY RUINED YOU…FROM 911 TO WHITE AMERICAN REFUGEES IN EXILE SEEKING ASYLUM RIGHT NOW - ARIZONA SHOOTING – AUSTRALIAN FLOODS - LEARN ABOUT REAL HUMAN FLASH EATING MACHINE - WIKILEAKS is CIA - BREAST FEEDING INSANITY PROTESTS - LEARN TRUTH ABOUT SO CALLED COLD WAR - NWO MULTICULTURALISM INVASION ON EUROPE AND N. AMERICA WITH HELP OF SWINE/PIG FLUE SYNDROME - EUROPEAN NATIONALIST PARTIES OR HEAVILY LOADED WITH LIES SINKING WRECKING SHIPS - CIVIL RIOTS IN ARAB COUNTRIES - WHO, WHY, HOW FORCED KIDS IN SCHOOL RAMPAGE SHOOTINGS - ESKIMO SARAH PALIN'S "BRIDGE TO NOWHERE" - NEWS/MEDIA OR SIMPLY BIG FAT WORLD OF LIES/DEMENTIA !!?? - THE REAL DON'T ASK DON'T TELL, BUT DIE !!! NWO POLITICAL PARTIES(not there for you, but instead to seal your faith for their own parliament pay$$ scale !!! http://avsecbostjan.wordpress.com/ or http://avsecbostjan.blogspot.com
Fire all of them! We need new people in office anyway. Not rich people who forget who they represent.
I say vote for EDUCATED people- meaning, they have to pass a standardized test on government and history, and be certified by an ethics committee. Eliminate lobbying all together, and instead, provide each member of Congress with a formal public liaison.
Fellow Americans, don't get angry at the armed forces or civil servants. Get very angry about members of congress pushing their own agendas. They don't care about any if us and only represent the wealthy. Who cares if congress gets paid or doesn't get paid? They make so much money from PACs they don't even notice their paychecks. Wake up! These people only care about corporate America and as a result, us normal people should band together and make them pay in elections. That is how we all can exact our revenge. Shutting down the government will not hurt anyone except normal, regular people.
Thank you. Much agreed.
I want each and every person who say this isn't a bad thing to look a dying kid in the face who can't get accepted into a clinical trial because the government is shutdown. Stop being selfish! What did these people do to you? If you want to get angry, get angry at congress. Not at the employees and the military who do their thankless jobs so Americans can feel safe and warm at night.
I think we have seen this coming for some time. The GOP may get what they have asked for less government all together. Less funding for public school. College loans may be effected and buying homes using FHA loans may seize all together causes further problems in the housing markets. Now that we are at this point we now get to consider all the corporate tax breaks and grant programs given to large multi billion dollar corporations. Hopefully we can also get some resolution on the trillions that have been spent on unnessasry government contractor who have increased the cost of military defense.
The people running this country and the dirty politicians who are puppets for special intrest group need to be replaced.
They're all idiots. Speaking of same, will GWB still draw his pension? If not, I can't see that impacting his income as he's got his Exxon and other assorted kickbacks.
@jOSIE who said "WELL I SPEAK FOR 4 LANGUAGES EXCUSE ME.........................................HOW MANY DO U SPEAK STUPID"
All the languages I speak, I speak intelligently. So can I presume you speak your four languages stupidly?
Are some of you people really this dense? This budget was supposed to be passed BACK IN 2010 by Congress, and who controlled Congress back then? The DEMOCRATS did. They were far too busy posturing for the 2010 election to care about what they were supposed to be doing. So all this talk about dumping trash on Boehner's lawn is ludicrous. I hope they post a police officer there to arrest any moron who tries it.
HA! Right, if Democrats really acted unilaterally on ANYTHING, you would be happy, right??? You make it sound like the Republicans in Congress WEREN'T obstructive, or even part of Congress!!!!!
So what will happen to the TSA? No more airport screeners?
Here is the deal our government does not care for the people that it governs all they care about is getting rich off the poor people, I mean if we had people running this country that was smart our deficit would not be so bad... I guess the government figures we can screw the American people how ever we see fit and raise taxes to try and cover what we spend you know I wonder if they could balance a check book because where I am standing it doe not look like it... Maybe we should make the other countries pay us for coming over and fighting their wars and fixing the problems that the create themselves.. the middle east has been fighting since man can remember are we really going to change anything by fighting for them....i do not think so.. I say we fight their fight they should have to foot the bill . close our borders and protect them let the rest of the world fight their own battles.. you don't here or see other countries rushing in to help when we have major disasters but America is the first to open up the wallet and give out money and aid... no wonder people are like the way they are... The American people are tired of working their butts off to get nothing in return and to see all the foreigners reap the benefits like free school , medicaid, welfare and the list just keeps going on.. America is the Great Melting Pot well guess what its Melting people its time we can thank our not so great leaders for this mess and all the leaders before them...
This is a case of extremely poor leadership in the White House and in the Congress.
So true....... everyone acts childish while the country's fiscal budget is at stake
Everybody chill. I found it funny to be fair.