- @
- Followers:
No Tweets Found
CNN POLITICS ON FACEBOOK » | CNN POLITICS ON TWITTER »
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.
On Twitter
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake has struck Afghanistan, according to the United States Geological Survey cnn.it/3yToTEi
RT @Declaracion: A major #earthquake measuring at least 7.7 on the Richter scale has occurred in South Asia. 1. Remain calm. 2. Follow the…
Zach Braff says his new movie, “A Good Person,” was heavily inspired by his ex-girlfriend, actress Florence Pucnn.it/3JYS9jGfj4B
Stormy got jokes. twitter.com/StormyDaniels/…
The US will deploy Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine faster than originally planned, defense officials say
cnn.it/3JzWV5z
On Twitter
A 6.4-magnitude earthquake has struck Afghanistan, according to the United States Geological Survey cnn.it/3yToTEi
RT @Declaracion: A major #earthquake measuring at least 7.7 on the Richter scale has occurred in South Asia. 1. Remain calm. 2. Follow the…
Zach Braff says his new movie, “A Good Person,” was heavily inspired by his ex-girlfriend, actress Florence Pucnn.it/3JYS9jGfj4B
Stormy got jokes. twitter.com/StormyDaniels/…
The US will deploy Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine faster than originally planned, defense officials say
cnn.it/3JzWV5z
@cnnbrk on Twitter
Dang! Every country is shutting down! Either by nature causes or by politics. But this is worse because we are doing this to ourselves, how stupid can we be? Why the heck do we need to budget? I like the democrats' optimism, it's like business, you gotta spend some to make some, if you're ambitious about getting more money for our country, go all out and in style, so we can sell it and not looking all cheap. If it doesn't work then we can always borrow again anyway, right? And get a new business idea, that's how it is. Look at
Kennedy, he put men on the moon, didn't do much there but make sure that it was real but look at what it did to our country, made us very marketable! That's what I think they want us to maintain, our coolness image, 15 trillion debt? Who cares? We'll pay it off in 10 years. The mayans and biblical stories of dead fish, war, natural disasters, etc. says it will be all over when the current administration is over next year anyway. You guys all saw the movie December 2012 right? We are all know for spending beyond our means, so I don't know why the heck the republicans think we are not. The democrats are the true representatives of our people. If they haven't resolved this thing in months, I don't see any reason for us to get out of a shutdown once we are there. I say just go out in style and shoot for the moon again and hope it will bring out the best results, money wise, so we won't have to ever worry about this budget again.
So wait, let me get this right, congress still gets paid, social security checks still get sent, but Federal Workers are left high and dry – how ironic, the people making the decisions and the people sucking the system dry get their money, but the over 800,000 people who show up for work every day and do their "dispensable" jobs do not – THAT just isn't right!
If they really want to save money and cut the budget, then they should stop their full pay and benefits for life. To show they are willing to live like an American.
2. No work no pay.
3. Term limits. People get complacent after a few years on the job.
4. Soldiers should be paid period. They do not have a no work no pay situation.
5. Stop foreign Aid, use that money at home.
6. Start charging for our military services, you can only help someone for free for so long.
7. Many many more #'s could follow, but just stop the stupid spending, and the budgeting should be easier, with the money saved from #'s 2, 3, 5, and 6. Just an observation, but would be a good show of faith to the people that they work for....us...(U.S.)
Good call Hawg, especially the term limits, no pay for politicians, and charging for our military services to come in and help other countries. I like that.
The military might become solvent, if they charged for their services or break even, thus freeing up money for home. They already sub out Blackhawk, and some others, why not our services.
If the government shuts down, I have a feeling I am sending a note in with my Federal taxes, which I have to pay in to
this year. "Dear Government, I am sorry not to send you your money. I am in shutdown mode due to the inability to come
to a budget agreement with myself. Thank you. Yours Sincerely..."
OMG that's hilarious! Such hypocrites they are one and all!
That, my friend, is hilarious 😀
I work in education and work part time at a tax firm in order to pay my bills and I am taking your statement in to work this weekend. PERFECT!
Thanks, all!
We should make sure legislators' salaries are frozen if they do not reach a budget deal. Most Americans wouldn't get paid if they didn't do their jobs.
How can the goverment shut down and still plan on fixing our nation. I propose all goverment officials not be paid until the budget is fixed and the nation is out of its crisses. That will show us who is working for the right reasons. Also any health insurance and pensions etc. Should be postponed for them until a satisfactory budget is implemented.
Why do we need to shut down the government when China has all of our money? They own us anyway, why aren't we asking them to help us with the budget? You'll be eating rice at Starbucks soon, paying about 35 yuan for that bowl of rice, too. Enjoy, round eye.
If you really, really want to check on Obama's birthplace, – then check the passport records for his mother's travel. Surely it would have been "noticed" if a woman with her name travelled to Kenya at the time of his birth (passport records). If someone is relying on Obama's African grandmother's memories of "him" being born in Africa, I would guess that it might have been another one of the "senior" Barack Obama's white, American wives giving birth to a child over there. Obama has a half-brother (who lives in China) who has his father but another white (Jewish) American mother. Perhaps it was he who was born in Africa. So I say check out his mother's passport records and be done with it once and for all.
I have been reading commentary on this looming shut down all week, heck, even all month, and the vast majority seems to be against it. The vast majority seem to be angry about how our politicians on all sides are handling our nation, but I have yet to see anyone ask how we the people can change it. What can we do to get the results we want? I think we need to take a hint from our friends overseas, I believe if we really care about this shut down, if we are really that unhappy with the way congress is doing things, we need to make our voices heard and demand change. We need to come together as a people, not separated by our ideals or political standpoint, but together as a people who are being affected by faulty government. We need to protest until we get what we want, otherwise, all of this complaining is just a show, just a little thorn in your side.
Dem, Repub, Teabagger alike, can we set aside our differences even for a week and stand together for a change? We have the power to make a difference, and it is time to do it.
Take it down! ALLLLLLL the way down!
I still don't understand why the Dems didn't do this last year when in control of everything. Just like the lazy bums, they run when there is a crisis like in Wisconsin, and now they are holding up everything to make it look like the Republicans are doing it. These Libs and Dems are a bunch of whinny liars! We need to get real people who care about America and the citizens. Not like King Obozo!
I love watching ignorance displayed so predominately!!!! You REALLY think the Dems are only to blame. Let us go back and see how many times the Reps stopped passage of anything using political tricks because they just did not like it. Same thing happened with the budget. Read a newspaper once in a while dude. Stop watching FOX News!!
As a government contractor it is 9AM on Friday and we still don't know if your contract being fully funded will get us through the shutdown. This whole thing is a mess and the lack of communication to federal employees and especially contractors is unacceptable.
Carolyn, I'm in the same boat with you. I'm a contract recruiter (of all things). If the government shuts down, WTH am I supposed to recruit? My company has said nothing and is almost acting like nothing is wrong. I don't know what to do....
I never thought I could be driven to picketing but this is the last straw I'm angry I've had it!....and what is worse the people who got us in this mess are still getting paid
I am so sick of our government. Nobody can agree on anything. Some of the things that Ryan wants to happen in his bill are great and some are not so great. But to shutdown is insane. The economy would fall. I think it's a great idea, lets put more people out of work. Oh not to mention that our soldiers will not get paid. Yeah you can serve your country and DIE for it, but we are not worried about paying you or your family. This country has no values anymore. It's DISGUSTING. How is it that I have to go to school and work my butt off everyday and these rich idiots that are politicians can't even work hard enough and agree on something that will benefit the UNITED STATES and it's AMERICAN people!!!!
Who cares if he has a birth certificate or not! It isn't going to change the fact he's a moron! Clean the White House in 2012 of these libs and Dems or we won't recognize America as we knew it! Obozo's change is screwing the middle class and taking care of the illegals and the welfare receipents generation after generation. You work hard in this country you use to be proud, now they have you thinking you should be on welfare or be an illegal to get any help, after we are the ones paying the bills with our tax dollars! Boot them in '12'
Yeah and things with BUSH were SOOOOO great!!!! tick back a few and see when we started mounting on the deficit. In 2012. Put Reps in and it will be more of the same, mark my words. I say we clean house and put the liberal Reps and Conservative Dems in power (since they are the ones who will be able to negotiate in good faith). Cut out the Right-Wingers (LIKE YOU) and the Left-Wingers and I think our Gov't could function.