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That family trip to the Grand Canyon could be in jeopardy if Congress and the White House fail to reach a budget agreement.
April 7th, 2011
07:48 PM ET
10 things that could ruin your day if the government shuts down
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.
- What happened to all that talk of helping small businesses? Many government contractors are just that. We're talking about IT firms and software companies, to name a few, who may be sent home as well.
- If the government shuts down for an extended period of time, the Department of Defense says troops, including those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, may not be paid on time. Troops are guaranteed back-pay but the pinch will be more immediate for military families at home, who may be forced to choose between food and rent if they don't know when to expect a check in the mail.
- In the District, trash pickup will be suspended in the event of a government shutdown. In response, some enterprising Facebookers have proposed a solution: "If Boehner shuts down the government I am taking my trash to his house." In addition to trash pickup, the nation's capitol stands to miss out on another cherished tradition: this weekend's Cherry Blossom Festival.
- 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.
- Numerous services administered by the federal government will come to a halt. That means no new approvals of loans by the Federal Housing Administration or the Small Business Administration; no IRS processing of paper tax returns or refunds; no issuing of regular passports or visas (emergency visas and passports will be processed). In fact, anything that requires permits probably will not be processed.
- 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.
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New images released by astronomers who used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope in Chile reveatwitter.com/i/web/status/1…OK95
Observers of Persian New Year -- which is celebrated on spring equinox and began this year on March 20 -- typicallyâ€twitter.com/i/web/status/1…We
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AI is rising to the "top of the list" for tech bosses. cnn.it/3JX4qoy https://t.co/BSyWWgA8vF
Important findings kbindependent.org/2023/03/20/cli…
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I think the American people are fed up with the irresponsible trillion dollar spending that has put our country in obscene debt. The only transparency that exists regarding Obama, is that the public can see through his ridiculous 11th hour attempt to blackmail the Republicans into passing his huge, pork laden budget, or the government will shut down. It's also a travesty that Obama would veto a measure to insure our troops get paid, even if the rest of government shuts down on Friday !!!
You mean when republican said 100 billion in cuts and dems said 10 billion and then republicans said no 100 billion and dems said ok 30 and then republicans said no 100 billion and dems said ok 70 billion and then republicans said no 100 billion?
Yup I've just looked at a list with all possible effects and I got to my own department Defense well all of us incrediblely including those taking incoming in Afganistan might not get payed on time...
then 4 items below that was a whole mention ' with tears' about how the 'House Gift Shop'
will be closed........eh what!
This is clear evidence of just how far removed the political class and their Press lackies are completely removed from the gut of this dear nation.
Well it looks like we heading to a revolution if they don't pass anything...like what's happening in the middle east!!! Why should people of America suffer JUST because those politicians can't agree on the budge? Meanwhile, we have soldiers proudly serving for a country that wouldn't even pay them! Really?
not the gift shop??
Net neutrality is important. Family planning is important. Health care for the children, the poor and the elderly are important. I'm staying home to raise my children (son, 20 months, and I'm due May 1st) and still these things are more important than my husband going to work on Monday. We're not wealthy, we're not going to have an easy time of it financially, but part of our quality of life rides on knowing that we live in a society that takes care of its members in need.
Shame on the Republicans for forcing a choice of hardship now or hardship later on the same groups of folks who are already struggling. Get some playground manners and cooperate. There will be few fooled by the "we passed it! it's you at fault" schtick. They knew it was dead in the water before the vote was taken.
A government shutdown as a result of not coming to terms on the paultry amount of money they're dancing around is a failure of leadership both in Congress and the White House. Any other opinion to the contrary is a failure of intelligence by those who voted the bozos into office. Perhaps it's time for our own revolution.
Your all so History ignorant, its painful. Does no one remember the Gov. shut down in the later half of the 90's? We all survived it and you soft bottom little whiners will to. Learn to do without.
thats what I thought. Its too easy to preach, but not so easy when your confronted by someone in a much more difficult situation than you were in in the "90s"!!! You should think about that before you speak next time SGT!
I'm not a big art fan but who or what will watch the priceless artwork in the Ntl museums? If govt shuts down simple things like that can be overlooked.
yeah, except the military still got paid......oh yeah, and you wernt deployed then either......or am I just history ignorant SGT?
I was deployed you puppy. A little foggy place called Kosovo, perhaps you heard of it? As for the Civ. Service, they came back to work after a few week unscheduled unpaid vacation, so what, are civilians working for the fed. better than the people who work in the private sector and get laid off all the time?
I am not going to get into it about your "TDY" to Kosovo....lol......but, correct me if I am wrong, all the troops still got paid correct?
Your are not even in the military are you? I have never met a fellow soldier who would mock anyone who served in Kosovo or any other combat deployment for that matter . Where are you deployed too? If its Iraq or Afghanistan, what AOR, what ComSec, what unit and company?
Didnt mean to mock your deployment, well, at the time I did, but thats only because I was agrivated with your whole "stop whinning" response. Afghanistan currently, again and previous Iraq deployments of course.......and OPSEC would suggest I dont provide any more than that on a public forum, I think you would agree. My point is simply, I know many, MANY young soldiers over here who dont deserve to be worrying about how they are going to provide for your families.....and if infact you are an NCO, then you too should know, as I do, that these young soldiers typically live from pay check to pay check......therefor, I think we both can agree, that this isnt a simple issue of "whinning" rather a very realistic problem, which, in a combat zone, can equate to dangerous situations!!!
. . . And the greed overfloweth.
yes...yes it does. It's really sad to see it unfold like this.
I am so ashamed of the republican party-- it is going to extremists.....sad.
Today's democratic playbook...use the words "republican" and "extremist" together in the same sentence: CHECK! Congrats...you get a pink donkey sticker for today! One thing though, next time try to squeeze in "racist" or perhaps "old people and child murderers." Saying they skin puppies alive would be good too. Signed, Howard Dean
These politicians, elected by us make 160k a year + all the handouts they get from the supreme courts decision to open up contributions from lobbyists. It's appalling that they are biickering about amounts of 30-60 Billion whereas the deficit our country is faced with – from the 'Deficits don't a matter" previous administration – is in the amt of the trillions of $. All the while they are hooking up corporate cronies/executives and opening up regulations so wall street can gamble with our money with reckless abandon. We need to tell these guys to start looking for jobs or maybe they can take a pay cut like everyone else and actually deal with the problem instead of scapegoating the REAL issues and pointing fingers. It's hard to believe that things have come to this level of selfishness..
Parks I can't afford to drive to are going to be closed? Federal employees might not process the tax return I DON'T HAVE this year because I'm unemployed? Can't afford to pay the troops? Maybe we should bring them back! I say, pull the politicians pay, give it to the troops on their way home, and push the reset button on the government!
Sounds good to me, wheres the plane?
This is insane. The fact the national parks will be closed and that tens of thousands of "non-essential" government workers will not be paid is bad enough, but the fact that the people serving in our military and their families will lose their income as well us a discrase to our nation. If we can't pay the people that volunteer to protect and serve our country then what good is our government at all. These people sacrifice everthing for the good of the rest of us, they deserve only the best treatment by the country they protect. I am disgusted by the possiblity that their families may have to go without.
The budget is six months overdue. The democrats had both houses last year and DIDN'T pass a budget. How is all this the fault of the Republicans?
Because not one republican would compromise? Idiot
Vwrbt...you mean when the democrats had a supermajority and didn't NEED to a single republican to compromise? The fiscal year is HALF OVER. This entire fiasco wouldn't even be happening if the democrats had actually put ANY thought into the 2011 budget last year.
By the way, I've lost count as to how many times in these posts you've called others "idiot" or the like. I think in the manners department your parents failed you sir. But I guess internet access, a keyboard, and anonimity make ones' testicles about five times their normal size, eh? Keep bullying everyone...it suits you. If I didn't know better, I'd wonder if you were a union member.