10 things that could ruin your day if the government shuts down
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.

  • 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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Filed under: Budget
soundoff (2,555 Responses)
  1. Sergio

    Democrats failed to pass a budget when they owned both, HR and Senate, now, Republicans, are in a position to force certain changes by bringing the two parties to discuss what is best for the country. If we let one side or the other feed us their story and don't see the whole picture, we truly are missing the point. The budget, includes a lot of superfluous projects and over spending. As a responsible citizen, one has to ask himself/herself the question, would borrowing more money, when we're already in the hole, help us out down the road? Either way we see this issue unfolding, I think we, as citizens, have failed to take responsibility for our choices, by electing these morons to the government. Both, Dems and Reps politicians have a personal gain to pursuit, but posturing here in favor of Democrats or Republicans only goes to show how ignorant our population is about financial matters and how they affect us.

    April 8, 2011 at 12:02 pm | Report abuse |
  2. John

    With all the talk about shutdown and the people that will not get paid (my Wife and and I included) Congress is getting paid when they have not done there job, oh and god forbid the Cherry blossem parade is canx. I say fire them all for non performance just like you would if you owned a company and your people did not cut it. The budget should have been done by 1 Oct when they had control on both sides, HUGE FAILURE

    April 8, 2011 at 12:04 pm | Report abuse |
  3. AeiJay

    If 800,000 workers are non essential today, what makes them essential any other day? I'm sure someone already noticed that Congress sees themselves as essential; but essential for what?

    April 8, 2011 at 12:05 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Don't Care

    I don't care

    April 8, 2011 at 12:06 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Tracy

    FREE COLLEGE RIDES IN THIS COUNTRY NEED TO END!

    We pay for our kids college education and just found out more than 1/2 of Arizona State University students do not pay tuition, if you can't afford an education GET A JOB! Go to night school, just freak'n figure your problem out and not mooch of the tax payers dollars.

    Charter schools are obserd, if you want your child to attend a special private school PAY FOR IT!! or unfortunately they will have to go to a public school BOOO HOOO.

    Here's a thought if you're determined to get something for free, apply for scholarships that what their for!

    April 8, 2011 at 12:06 pm | Report abuse |
  6. Ivan swenson

    None of these "ruin" my day. Most of this list is pathetic, "the government will lose money because they have to close gift shops"... Because everyone knows gift shops generate the majority of government revenue. This Is a list I would expect a 7th reader to produce.....

    April 8, 2011 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  7. gogetajob

    Don't forget – when you work, part of your money goes to Social Security ....all those years you work. So the gov't
    isn't forking over all those millions to pay Social Security....OLD people have PAID into it.....and that is NOT something
    that should be cut. The years fly by the older one gets....and before you know it, you will be ranting and raving as
    the Seniors do now...because that is THEIR money they're talking about.

    April 8, 2011 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Maimonida

    I would change law so lawmakers and president lost their pay at this period. So they would work on budget having their personal disadvantage in mind

    April 8, 2011 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  9. Daniel Walters

    Here is an awesome idea, be ready to brace yourselfs because this is amazing GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASSES AND PASS THE DAMN BUDGET SO THAT YOUR SOLDIERS CAN GET PAID its not that hard i promise...Politicians must fake the education that they have because democrat and republicans are both completey stupid

    April 8, 2011 at 12:07 pm | Report abuse |
  10. Ktbkitten

    I'm waiting for the American people to stand up against this government. Its obviously not working in the favor of the people. In general the government seems to be nothing but for big companies because of how well their pockets have been lined. There's not a simple solution to our problems or even a party side or person to blame. Its starts with people who have no clue what they are doing voting in people based on party affiliations all the way up to petty arguments on issues that will NEVER be agreed on like abortion. I think party ties should be eliminated along with many people who are supposed to be for the people

    April 8, 2011 at 12:09 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Tracy

    FREE COLLEGE RIDES IN THIS COUNTRY NEED TO END!

    We pay for our kids college education and just found out more than 1/2 of Arizona State University students do not pay tuition, if you can't afford an education GET A JOB! Go to night school, just freak'n figure your problem out and not mooch of the tax payers dollars.

    Charter schools are absurd, if you want your child to attend a special private school PAY FOR IT!! or unfortunately they will have to go to a public school BOOO HOOO.

    Here's a thought if you're determined to get something for free, apply for scholarships that what their for!

    April 8, 2011 at 12:09 pm | Report abuse |
  12. church

    This whole thing is causing sooooo much chaos. Listen to all of us. Look how long this post is. Chaos diverts attention, and our attention is definitely focused on the issue at hand. Can anyone out there think of why our attention would want to be diverted? Is there a possibility that there is an underlying cause?

    April 8, 2011 at 12:09 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Josh

    "... ruining countless long family road trips"

    Well, that the main purpose of closing down National Parks. If they, instead, closed down the Congressional Car Wash, would we notice? Worse, would we care as much?

    April 8, 2011 at 12:10 pm | Report abuse |
  14. rw

    ok then.Where are all the changes obaba promised?I'm still out of work because the illegals took my job for less then half of what i made.Are they spending the money here???NO..They send it back home

    April 8, 2011 at 12:10 pm | Report abuse |
    • Chris

      Hey RW, What do you expect? Lets be realistic here, First of all Obama's been in office a whole 3 years and was handed one of the worst economic scenarios in history, Second we the pople decide we are going to vote in Idiots whos ideas are so old and extreme to work on capital hill and all of our problems would go away, when in fact they are the roadblocks to this presidents agenda .... WHAT DID YOU EXPECT?

      April 8, 2011 at 12:23 pm | Report abuse |
  15. Budi

    This is complete BS, congress will continue to get paid to sit around on their rear ends, collecting 170,000/year paychecks while our soldiers and sailors are overseas away from their families so these fat cats can collect even more on their business investments... I think it is about time these old, stagnant, greedy, corrupt, fools step down or get replaced

    -You want to solve this country's financial problems, get rid of all the tax exemptions and loop holes, everyone pay the same tax, no exceptions

    -You want to solve the rest of this country's problems, get rid of these old, insecure, weak, jokes we have for "leaders" in Congress, and I can assure you would see this country shine again

    April 8, 2011 at 12:11 pm | Report abuse |
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