Is The Government Shutdown Affecting You Directly?

[JeepHammer]

I know five billion things that will end it.

No.
You know of $5.7 Billion ransom demand...
Outgoing Republican controlled Congress approved $1.5 billion for CBP to use for increased border protection, but Trump wants $5.7 Billion or nothing...
So he shut the government down...

The truth is, that's a one year-$5.7 billion demand, the end cost will be at the VERY LEAST $22 Billion because that's Halliburton's bid to get started and no one else was even considered.

500 to 600 feet of 1/2" thick steel, 40' long already used all over the world for dams, sea walls, and to hold up mountain sides all over the world costs roughly $1 million installed. 500' to 600' depending on price of steel.
Irving materials quoted this and the bid wasn't considered.
530' long retaining wall installed on Oak Island cost $1 million, and the materials had to be trucked into a very difficult place, Oak Island isn't exactly on the beaten path...

That's 20' underground, 20' above ground INSTALLED!
5,280 feet in a mile, at $1 million for 500 feet, that's $10.56 million a mile (before volume discount).
How much wall can you hammer in the ground in ONE YEAR, with $1.5 Billion?...
The logistics alone are mind boggling!

There is a reason I don't debate this with people, anyone that screams 'Build The Wall' has no idea what that will take, and you can't have a debate with someone that doesn't understand the scope or scale of the project.

Work wise, I was scheduled to testify in federal court starting Monday but the trial was stayed. Apparently while the judges and attorneys are still being paid there was a problem with funding for witnesses, etc. The DoJ is a funny animal.

I was in Dover, DE. yesterday, on the way back I listened to CSPAN and a couple other D.C. stations,
Apparently Federal Judges are getting paid, while district judges aren't, and no lawyers representing the US are getting paid (US being plaintiff or defendant).

It's been a record year for E-coli, salmonella, listeria, etc. and all the USDA inspectors are out (not that the seemed to catch much on the front end in 2018).
No oversight at all in food production...

I live in the middle of big agri-business area, and the Navy is complaining because there are no inspectors, military uses ONLY USDA inspected, and therefore no fresh meat...
The poultry producers are complaining the Navy isn't buying the poultry they have ready to hit the processor.
Local trucking is slowing because they move the meat the Navy consumes...

-----

For those that missed, or more likely ignored the posts above...
They BOTH work under Homeland, from two paychecks to none.
They are both prevented from having second jobs,
In an 'Emergency' both are working double, and sometimes triple shifts,
Depending on the rotation for paycheck issues, and both being under Homeland, the missed one paycheck because the shutdown hit just before their checks were issued, a second two weeks later, so they are on the way to missing a third, and that's BOTH of them.

He still works at the Coast Guard river port, while she is getting shuffled around to cover for people that 'Sick Out', and her travel expenses & time aren't paid no matter if the government decides to pay them or not.
It's a big hit when you have to drive from Evansville to Indianapolis to work because you are ORDERED to...

My military disability check is late, it's a good thing I don't depend on it exclusively!

 

[Clay Pigeon]

I have to say that 40+ years ago all throughout basic training Drill Sergeants harped on a few things. One was dont buy a ****ing new car until you are at least a Sergeant, second was dont get into credit card trouble. Third was dont ****ing get married until you are at least a Sergeant. Fourth was now is the best time in your life to save money for your future.
Funny part is, those conversations still happen today, at least in the Corps it still happens, my son heard and still hears the same conversations even past basic and SOI at his first duty station.
I'm sure there is free credit counseling available to the young coastie if he asks around. To be that young and live so close to financial failure needs to be corrected asap.
Good luck to them.

 

[KittySlayer]

No noticeable impact on my household other than the agony of watching evil, inept politicians of both parties posture and lie for their own personal grandeur.

Indirect impact on my dad who is traveling and will have TSA delays. Trouble is he crates his own problems traveling on purpose just to be a jerk when dealing with TSA checkpoints. I am sure my lazy ass brother in law is calling in sick to his Homeland Security job just so he can feel sorry for himself.

While it sucks that Federal employees are not currently getting paid and some are expected to work unpaid that is part of the job. Remember too that once you get many of those jobs you have a lifetime career where you don't have to worry about the factory closing. Rarely do you hear of Federal employees getting laid off or fired. Typically a great retirement plan compared to private sector. One thing to consider for the young couple of the OP is that idea of not having all your eggs in one basket, both hubby and wife working for the same company can have some potently disastrous consequences. Luckily this one should be short lived and if my wife and I were working for the Federal government I would not be quite as concerned.

OP: Good on you for raising a kid that shows up for work regardless of all the petty reasons that the lazy people will use to call in sick. This work ethic is sorely missing in many. Also good on you for helping them out where you can. While it is nice in theory for them to have emergency savings sitting in the bank some of us grumpy old men need to remember when we were young and just starting out. Don't take my comments as a direct dig on you, just big picture stuff to think about once the current crisis is behind them.

I’m also unclear about federal workers having trouble since I thought they didn’t miss a check until this week. So I would expect problems to increase from this point forward. I wouldn’t have thought there had been time for things like credit ratings to be affected. It’s really unfortunate that any of these people need to live paycheck to paycheck.

That being said - I agree these federal employees ought to be getting paid to do their jobs. I have not personally noticed any effect but am disappointed in everyone’s inability to compromise...

Good post cutting through the fake news drama.

 

[OakRiver]

No.
You know of $5.7 Billion ransom demand...
Outgoing Republican controlled Congress approved $1.5 billion for CBP to use for increased border protection, but Trump wants $5.7 Billion or nothing...
So he shut the government down...

The truth is, that's a one year-$5.7 billion demand, the end cost will be at the VERY LEAST $22 Billion because that's Halliburton's bid to get started and no one else was even considered.

500 to 600 feet of 1/2" thick steel, 40' long already used all over the world for dams, sea walls, and to hold up mountain sides all over the world costs roughly $1 million installed. 500' to 600' depending on price of steel.
Irving materials quoted this and the bid wasn't considered.
530' long retaining wall installed on Oak Island cost $1 million, and the materials had to be trucked into a very difficult place, Oak Island isn't exactly on the beaten path...

That's 20' underground, 20' above ground INSTALLED!
5,280 feet in a mile, at $1 million for 500 feet, that's $10.56 million a mile (before volume discount).
How much wall can you hammer in the ground in ONE YEAR, with $1.5 Billion?...
The logistics alone are mind boggling!

There is a reason I don't debate this with people, anyone that screams 'Build The Wall' has no idea what that will take, and you can't have a debate with someone that doesn't understand the scope or scale of the project.



I was in Dover, DE. yesterday, on the way back I listened to CSPAN and a couple other D.C. stations,
Apparently Federal Judges are getting paid, while district judges aren't, and no lawyers representing the US are getting paid (US being plaintiff or defendant).

It's been a record year for E-coli, salmonella, listeria, etc. and all the USDA inspectors are out (not that the seemed to catch much on the front end in 2018).
No oversight at all in food production...

I live in the middle of big agri-business area, and the Navy is complaining because there are no inspectors, military uses ONLY USDA inspected, and therefore no fresh meat...
The poultry producers are complaining the Navy isn't buying the poultry they have ready to hit the processor.
Local trucking is slowing because they move the meat the Navy consumes...

-----

For those that missed, or more likely ignored the posts above...
They BOTH work under Homeland, from two paychecks to none.
They are both prevented from having second jobs,
In an 'Emergency' both are working double, and sometimes triple shifts,
Depending on the rotation for paycheck issues, and both being under Homeland, the missed one paycheck because the shutdown hit just before their checks were issued, a second two weeks later, so they are on the way to missing a third, and that's BOTH of them.

He still works at the Coast Guard river port, while she is getting shuffled around to cover for people that 'Sick Out', and her travel expenses & time aren't paid no matter if the government decides to pay them or not.
It's a big hit when you have to drive from Evansville to Indianapolis to work because you are ORDERED to...

My military disability check is late, it's a good thing I don't depend on it exclusively!

May I ask what is your solution, or what are you advocating for to resolve this?

 

[bwframe]

The wall will beyond pay for itself every single day after it is built. The cost savings in law enforcement (all over the country) alone dealing with all the trouble illegals bring with them is huge.

Its too bad good folks are effected by the shutdown, but it's apparently the only way to get Chuck, Nancy and all the rest of the folks with TDS to listen to those of us who voted to build that wall.

 

[Phase2]

Heard something very interesting and hopefully useful. Have no idea if it is 100% factual, so maybe someone here knows something about it.

Apparently, if you are a federal employee and belong to a federal credit union, you can get a loan to cover missed pay at 0% interest to be payed back when your salary comes in. Also, if you are a federal employee and not a member of the federal CU, then you can get a similar loan at a low interest rate.

Seems like this would handle most all of the significant effects for those directly impacted by the shutdown. Can someone confirm this?

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Heard something very interesting and hopefully useful. Have no idea if it is 100% factual, so maybe someone here knows something about it.

Apparently, if you are a federal employee and belong to a federal credit union, you can get a loan to cover missed pay at 0% interest to be payed back when your salary comes in. Also, if you are a federal employee and not a member of the federal CU, then you can get a similar loan at a low interest rate.

Seems like this would handle most all of the significant effects for those directly impacted by the shutdown. Can someone confirm this?

Looks like it's true... haven't read the details yet. Actually I can't find any details but there is a banner that appears on their website advertising furlough loans. Might have to contact them directly.

https://www.fcfcu.com/

 

[Phase2]

You can click on that banner to find it the info. Here is a direct link to the short-term loan page: https://shutdown.fcfcu.com/

 

[DoggyDaddy]

You can click on that banner to find it the info. Here is a direct link to the short-term loan page: https://shutdown.fcfcu.com/

I tried clicking it, but it didn't work for me for some reason. Anyhow, glad you could find the direct link.

 

[Trigger Time]

What are people gonna do when the government eventualy fails? I hope people have made preparations.

 

[Phase2]

What are people gonna do when the government eventualy fails? I hope people have made preparations.

Yup. Too many look at prepping as tinfoil-hat foolishness due to media portrayals. However, anyone with even modest preps would be able to ride through both this short-term financial interruption and "Snowpocalypse" with minimal stress.

Hopefully, some will start to get a clue.. Modest preps won't get you through the worst disasters, but anything will help to soften the blow.

 

[Phase2]

I tried clicking it, but it didn't work for me for some reason. Anyhow, glad you could find the direct link.

It took me a couple of times to get through. I suspect a lot of people are learning about this service and their website is overloaded.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

I have slightly more freedom. I hope the shutdown continues so I can recover more of my freedom.

 

[Dr.Midnight]

No.
You know of $5.7 Billion ransom demand...
Outgoing Republican controlled Congress approved $1.5 billion for CBP to use for increased border protection, but Trump wants $5.7 Billion or nothing...
So he shut the government down...

The truth is, that's a one year-$5.7 billion demand, the end cost will be at the VERY LEAST $22 Billion because that's Halliburton's bid to get started and no one else was even considered.

500 to 600 feet of 1/2" thick steel, 40' long already used all over the world for dams, sea walls, and to hold up mountain sides all over the world costs roughly $1 million installed. 500' to 600' depending on price of steel.
Irving materials quoted this and the bid wasn't considered.
530' long retaining wall installed on Oak Island cost $1 million, and the materials had to be trucked into a very difficult place, Oak Island isn't exactly on the beaten path...

That's 20' underground, 20' above ground INSTALLED!
5,280 feet in a mile, at $1 million for 500 feet, that's $10.56 million a mile (before volume discount).
How much wall can you hammer in the ground in ONE YEAR, with $1.5 Billion?...
The logistics alone are mind boggling!

There is a reason I don't debate this with people, anyone that screams 'Build The Wall' has no idea what that will take, and you can't have a debate with someone that doesn't understand the scope or scale of the project.



I was in Dover, DE. yesterday, on the way back I listened to CSPAN and a couple other D.C. stations,
Apparently Federal Judges are getting paid, while district judges aren't, and no lawyers representing the US are getting paid (US being plaintiff or defendant).

It's been a record year for E-coli, salmonella, listeria, etc. and all the USDA inspectors are out (not that the seemed to catch much on the front end in 2018).
No oversight at all in food production...

I live in the middle of big agri-business area, and the Navy is complaining because there are no inspectors, military uses ONLY USDA inspected, and therefore no fresh meat...
The poultry producers are complaining the Navy isn't buying the poultry they have ready to hit the processor.
Local trucking is slowing because they move the meat the Navy consumes...

-----

For those that missed, or more likely ignored the posts above...
They BOTH work under Homeland, from two paychecks to none.
They are both prevented from having second jobs,
In an 'Emergency' both are working double, and sometimes triple shifts,
Depending on the rotation for paycheck issues, and both being under Homeland, the missed one paycheck because the shutdown hit just before their checks were issued, a second two weeks later, so they are on the way to missing a third, and that's BOTH of them.

He still works at the Coast Guard river port, while she is getting shuffled around to cover for people that 'Sick Out', and her travel expenses & time aren't paid no matter if the government decides to pay them or not.
It's a big hit when you have to drive from Evansville to Indianapolis to work because you are ORDERED to...

My military disability check is late, it's a good thing I don't depend on it exclusively!

Amazing what can be accomplished when you put your mind to it.

 

[Trigger Time]

I have slightly more freedom. I hope the shutdown continues so I can recover more of my freedom.

That's the way I feel. I'll never be sad to see the government reduced. It's way too big and needs downsized a lot more

 

[churchmouse]

Yup. Too many look at prepping as tinfoil-hat foolishness due to media portrayals. However, anyone with even modest preps would be able to ride through both this short-term financial interruption and "Snowpocalypse" with minimal stress.

Hopefully, some will start to get a clue.. Modest preps won't get you through the worst disasters, but anything will help to soften the blow.

Prepping can be all about surviving any crisis that comes along from the topic of this thread all the way to a natural disaster with the impending Zombie Apocalypse.
Loss of job, sickness, earth quake you name it. To have a properly stocked pantry and freezers with some cash reserves is a must.

Understanding that young people starting out are struggling just to be established. We all went through this of course. And not succumbing to the desires of the latest greatest cell phone or Air Jordans helps. I have zero knowledge of the OP's nieces financial needs/standings so no direct knock to them. I just see so many young (and older) folks needs being well off track.

 

[BigRed]

What are people gonna do when the government eventualy fails?.

You mean besides dancing a jig?

 

[KittySlayer]

...anyone with even modest preps would be able to ride through... "Snowpocalypse" with minimal stress...

Yeah, but that freeze dried breakfast is not as good as real French Toast made with fresh Eggs, Milk and Bread.

 

[Phase2]

Yeah, but that freeze dried breakfast is not as good as real French Toast made with fresh Eggs, Milk and Bread.

I know you are kidding, but for the less informed, modest food preps would mean building up a pantry- usually with canned and boxed foods. Good both for when you are likely to be trapped inside for a few days due to bad weather and to temporarily lower your cost of living in case of financial distress. It actually is very easy to do and can be built up over time as funds permit rather than purchasing a bunch of MREs and freeze-dried stuff. Living like this was the norm before supermarkets became a thing.

Besides, elbowing out grandma for the last of the french toast ingredients is uncouth.

 

[mikem1]

Sorry i never understood what the big deal is, they are nonessential personal right. And not to mention they will get their back pay. So itÂ’s like they get a paid vacation not like us in the private sector if we get sent home that money is lost, personally I would like to see all of the politicians get sent home with no pay. How is it right that congress gets to set their own pay and when they get a raise, makes no sense. Our founding fathers never intended for congress to be a federal employee , they said any compensation to the members of Congress should come from the district or state that sent them. So they would have someone to answer to, like the rest of us.