Topic: Government Shutdown 2018 (January)

[blackdiamond]

I included the month in the title because it's entirely possibly that the idiots in Washington will fail more than once in the coming year.  It would be so refreshing to have a real budget passed that was bipartisan in nature rather than the short term resolutions that are the result of tantrum politics on both sides.

Unlike a lot of government employee I will be reporting to work on Monday with the expectation of being exempted from furlough.  What this essentially means is that I can continue working with the guarentee of getting paid at a future date while those that are furloughed run the risk of not getting paid.  In the past after a government shutdown has ended a bill was quickly passed to pay everyone for the time they were on furlough.  I don't think either side wants to be on the hook for lost wages so I would expect the same to happen this time.  I read that the last shutdown in 2013 cost the government about 2 billion is lost productivity.  I expect that this is tied to the money spend paying government employees for not working.

I have been planning to take Thursday and Friday off this coming week which would automatically put me on furlough for the duration of the government shutdown.  While I don't necessarily feel good about getting paid for not working, I also don't feel like I should let the shutdown dictate my life.  I woke up this morning thinking that I'll likely take Thursday and Friday off (assuming the government is still shut down) and take my chances.  Odds are the end result would be that I would get paid for the time out of the office and save my leave since I'm not allowed to be in a leave status during the shutdown.  I really don't see either party being willing to let this shutdown linger too long so the risk of it being a real financial hardship is minimal for me (and I wouldn't get paid until it's resolved anyways) and the longer it goes the more likely it is that they will vote to pay everyone that is on furlough as the financial hardship that would result becomes more and more serious.

If things are not resolved quickly it'll be interesting to see if we get paid next Friday since yesterday was the end of the pay period.

Anyone else impacted by this debacle?

I think the they should handle a government shutdown in a similar way to how Catholics choose a new Pope.  Congress and the President should be expected to be essentially locked in a room until they hammer out a plan.

[helipilot77]

I like your idea about locking them in a room. No politician should be out on a golf course or enjoying lobbyist benefits while our federal government is without a budget. They should also be included in the shutdown. If the rest of the federal employees don't get paid, then neither should they. I also think that they should have to buy their health care coverage on the federal insurance markets like everyone else. I think it's total  that they aren't subject to the laws they create. I like you am strongly in favor of bipartisan legislation. it is typically the only kind that is long lasting and well functioning. 

[gnob]

Um, or we should just jerk the whole system and start the flopp over.  These spoiled greedy assholes in Washington would rather bicker about their personal agendas instead of helping their people.  Downright bull crap.  All politicians should have term and age limits.
And thr genius Americans should start voting outside the R&D parties.

[jimbo74]

TRUMP 2020!