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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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On Twitter
The US will deploy Patriot missile defense systems to Ukraine faster than originally planned, defense officials say
cnn.it/3JzWV5z
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
@cnnbrk on Twitter
Listen up Everyone! First of all this is not President Obamas fault, Its the American People's Fault for Voting In the Republicans this past election, How can this president get anything done when he has all these uneducated, unetical right wing extremists to work with; What did you all think was going to happen when you fools voted these other fools into the House. WHY DOES THIS SURPRISE ANYONE? WHY!!!!
glad to know i wont be getting my paycheck while those morons still do...and i still have to come to work
I can't believe the lack of respect our legislators have for the American people! They will continue to get paid and have healthcare for themselves and their families but have no problem furloughing those that probably can't afford it over cutting finding for important programs. Let their wives, mothers, daughters and sisters be denied basic care that planned parenthood provides.
Lol, what are you complaining about. Even if it were true that different races make different political decisions... and I'm not saying it is Obama is a WHITE man with brown skin.
congress is made of rich people....so Obama may look different on the outside... he belongs to a rich bunch with same intentions.
It's not the shutdown that bothers me, its the group that refuses to negotiate a consensus and uses the American people as their reason...when most know nothing about how we feel and don't care until election day.
Doesn't ANYONE GET IT? We're BROKE! We, as a nation, got ourselves into maniacal debt, and we have to get ourselves out of it. And we have to start somewhere. And don't you DARE say its not your fault. The government is ours. We vote, obviously blindly, and we have made a mess of our country's finances and individually. We are ALL accountable. And I hate to say this, but soldiers and their families are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice "just don't make it too uncomfortable"???? This is the time, perhaps much like wwII, when we care for each other instead of being forced to, thus revisiting , wait for it...personal & patriotic responsibility! There must be an overcorrection in order to regain integrity and continuity of responsibility. Grow the "F" up. What's the alternative? Hide in our financed cars waiting for the Apple store to open to get the Ipad3, praying our credit card will not be declined while our chief financial model, the Fed, pays for the crap that is NOT NECESSARY while it sinks into oblivion?
Maybe of the subject???? Can someone give a good reason for raising the federal deficit ceiling? sooner or later we will have to pay for it. the thought of having much of my tax paying for these national debt is annoying, mildly put it. Also, why in #$@##$ do we borrow billions from the communist countries (ex..China)???? i was from a communist country and they treat people like slaves. The rich ones are those belonging to the communist party. the rest is left to starve. If the United State stands for fareness and democracy.....then stop supporting the COMMUNISTS!!!
The politicians are just grandstanding – again. Nothing is going to happen. It never does. This is their MO for their daily business. And, the media should be ashamed of themselves for encouraging the discourse. They love to sensationalize anything and everything.
You put theese people into office. Think smart next time you go to the polls.
I can't think of any way the shut down would affect me personally at this time. However I do find it ridiculous that our Service men and women's pay may be delayed. That's all they need to be worried about when the are putting their lifes on line for us and our country
Oh no don't close the gift shop at a National Park. We could lose tens of dollars if that happens. This is simple math people. There is not enough money to continue all the programs that have been established. Most people I know have cut back these last few years because things have been tight yet the federal gov't has grown 27% in the last 3 years. A senator in CA explained it this way. Right now the gov't is similar to a family who earns $50k/yr but spends $86k/yr. Just like you and I, the only way to get out of debt is to raise our income or cut back and I don't think raising taxes is going to work this time around.
Im all about reducing spending but to cut the funds that fund our women, our childern, our environment is wrong. Why cant the damn republicans cut spending in our defense budget. Answer that question anyone?
Perhaps we should eliminate the Bush tax cuts. As I recall, we were running a surplus until then!
Yanno, if we stopped trying to police the planet and convert everyone to democracy and christianity and minded our own business and sent all the illegals packing we wouldnt have these problems. Nature is self cleansing, and we are interfering with things that dont concern us.
Brean, Illeagles have been coming here for many many years, Do you know a place called Ellis Island? The illeagles are the least of our worries.
Roe vs Wade has been in for many years! Now instead of babies, it is killing the USA's other end!
American .... ends in 'I can'
Republican ..... ends in 'I can'
Democrat .... ends in 'rat'
If you're a hard-working American, vote to keep that money in your pocket, instead of Lupe and Juan Lopez's
and all their kids (who they keep having in this country for FREE).
Vote Republican and thank the Tea Party for looking out for the welfare of every [legal] American's future !
Why dont you shut up! it is people like you that voted the Moron republicans back in office. You are part of the problem. Illeagles have been coming here since Ellis Island you moron!! And they are the least of our problems. Go hide under a rock for a few more centuries...
This whole shutdown because of abortion is getting a little redicilious. I am a military wife and a soon to be mother, why would the White House want to take money that pays for the rent, the food we eat, the bills we have to pay, the gas we use to get back and forth to work, the doctor bills from each visit away from the military?? We have millions of troops over seas fighting for our country, fighting for freedom, fighting to save not only there families lives but there own lives. Some of us military families live pay check to pay check unlike the White House and all of the Senators who are rich and famous, they don't know how it feels to live a military life style. While we sit here and think of a way for food to be put on our tables and how our bills are going to get paid, while they will still be getting a paycheck and sitting on their butts laughing at us all because someone wants an abortion. Well I'm far away from agreeing to any abortion, I don't believe in them and all of his non-sense needs to stop, and needs to stop now.