Is The Government Shutdown Affecting You Directly?

[HoughMade]

It's certainly not a great situation for the workers...

...but I'm not so sure that standoffs like this aren't the way it's supposed to work.

 

[T.Lex]

I have colleagues who have matters in the federal courts, and I guess there have been some disruptions there.

I'm not sure how criminal cases, that may have a "real" deadline, get handled in this situation.

 

[jamil]

no one posted that they blame the .gov worker for the shutdown.

what has been posted is that we blame the .gov worker for not being prepared.

the .gov worker like the majority of americans are never prepared. they dont have 3 to 6 months of savings, nor water/food in case of natural messes, blizzard, power outage, etc.

time n time again things happen and no one learns.
the few who have managed to get out of debt, have 3 to 6 months of savings, have food/water are seen as wierdos and typically made fun of by all including other family members.

its f**** hard to get that level.
it takes disciple. it takes going months even years without what the jones have, new car, best iphone, no cable, no cellphone, no going out to dinner, not buying the latest xbox, etc.. but it is possible.

The OP posted personal examples in this thread about how the shutdown has affected him and family. The response to that was it was their own fault for not being prepared. And fair enough to the extent that this is true. But it's not absolutely true because situations are different. Maybe some people had that 3 month buffer and was wiped out by some other personal catastrophe. And now this.

There are other threads where people are saying it hasn't affected them, and the implication is that it's not affecting anyone becuase the government is worthless. And yes, government sucks and all that. It's mostly worthless. A person with a good eye for value could probably find >50% of government to cut out completely and likely very few people would notice. But that's a different discussion. This discussion is about the impact real people are feeling, and perhaps they could have been better prepared for it, and thus been affected less. That doesn't absolve the politicians and it doesn't justify 'mah shutdown'.

 

[femurphy77]

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

Gonna be hard to do if you didn't stock up before the "blizzard of '19". Or was that just French toast appreciation day?

 

[jamil]

It's certainly not a great situation for the workers...

...but I'm not so sure that standoffs like this aren't the way it's supposed to work.

Standoffs are fine. Holding government workers hostage is not a good standoff. Would be better if the hostage at risk were something only congress had to lose. I still like the idea of having a default budget. If they don't have a budget signed by a certain date a budget goes into effect at, say, 90% of the spending from the last budget. If they want funds appropriated for something that's important to them, they'll have to hammer out a budget they can both sign.

 

[d.kaufman]

The OP posted personal examples in this thread about how the shutdown has affected him and family. The response to that was it was their own fault for not being prepared. And fair enough to the extent that this is true. But it's not absolutely true because situations are different. Maybe some people had that 3 month buffer and was wiped out by some other personal catastrophe. And now this.

There are other threads where people are saying it hasn't affected them, and the implication is that it's not affecting anyone becuase the government is worthless. And yes, government sucks and all that. It's mostly worthless. A person with a good eye for value could probably find >50% of government to cut out completely and likely very few people would notice. But that's a different discussion. This discussion is about the impact real people are feeling, and perhaps they could have been better prepared for it, and thus been affected less. That doesn't absolve the politicians and it doesn't justify 'mah shutdown'.

I do feel for those that are going to face hardships if the shutdown continues. The biggest thing that caught me reading the ops post was the fact hes having to pay their bills ALREADY. The first paycheck missed was just this past Friday. At time of thread being started, they were 1 day into the first paycheck not coming in.

 

[jamil]

I do feel for those that are going to face hardships if the shutdown continues. The biggest thing that caught me reading the ops post was the fact hes having to pay their bills ALREADY. The first paycheck missed was just this past Friday. At time of thread being started, they were 1 day into the first paycheck not coming in.

Yeah, that's paycheck to paycheck. Not a good thing. And not uncommon for people just starting out. Who here can say there was never a period where they've had to live paycheck to paycheck at some point in their lives. And it's not always issues of responsibility. Years ago when my job went to Mexico, I was out of work for a long time, stuck in rural Mississippi where local jobs weren't very plentiful in an industry that the bottom had just dropped out of. Took me awhile to get back on my feet. That period depleted the buffer I had built up, and it took a long time to build back up. If something like a furlough had happened before I built it back up, I'd have been screwed. People's situations are different.

 

[jedi]

meaning they are living paycheck to paycheck and if the .gov was not shutdown and say one of them got into a fender bender and lost their car and had a 5k medical bill as well they would be in the same boat. drowing cause they dont have a lifeboat.

 

[T.Lex]

I do feel for those that are going to face hardships if the shutdown continues. The biggest thing that caught me reading the ops post was the fact hes having to pay their bills ALREADY. The first paycheck missed was just this past Friday. At time of thread being started, they were 1 day into the first paycheck not coming in.

What the MSM fails to cover is that not all .gov employees are on the same pay schedule.

As the OP notes, there are different federal departments affected. IIRC, different departments were staggered so that not all pay days hit on the same day.

 

[Libertarian01]

Sure, I'll address this. Say I'm a landlord and I rent out a house to one of the affected people. Maybe I have a mortgage on the rental house. Regardless, I have bills I need to pay too relating to that property. How many months can I cut them some slack and not have to dip into my own savings to cover it? Can I call my creditors and say, hey, can you cut me some slack because I'm cutting my tenants some slack? If slack is what is needed, then it's needed all the way up. And even when you get to the tippy tops, someone's not getting paid. Would be poetic justice if it were the suck ass politicians. But life never works out that swell. Anyway, asking for a break is just shifting the burden to other people who have their own obligations, and so on. It's not a solution. And they'll likely say no. I've been in that position in my life. And I've made the 30 second call. And I've been said no to. It sounds great in theory, but it's not practical, at least not on a large scale.

I hear what you are saying and agree. However, I also know there are landlords, credit unions, small banks, etc that WILL give slack for a time.

The "call" cannot hurt and may help, but it won't help if you don't try ahead of time.

Regards,

Doug

 

[Libertarian01]

meaning they are living paycheck to paycheck and if the .gov was not shutdown and say one of them got into a fender bender and lost their car and had a 5k medical bill as well they would be in the same boat. drowing cause they dont have a lifeboat.

This 100% ^^^ and repped! It isn't the "government" issue, it is the "situation" issue.

 

[eldirector]

"Holding government workers hostage..."

Is it illegal for a .gov employee to quit? Take a second job? Work for a temp agency? Get a weekend/evening gig? Find employment elsewhere?

There are something like 7.1 million open jobs in the US right now (hit Google for the latest). There are supposedly 800,000 .gov workers impacted by this shutdown.

I totally and completely agree that the shutdown sucks for those effected. Heck, my own employer furlowed a few hundred folks for a couple of weeks over the holidays. Sucked for them, too. Most came back, because the gig is actually pretty good otherwise. A few did not, and left for greener (better fertilized) pastures. The difference, of course, is those furlowed folks did not get paid for not working.

 

[Libertarian01]

"Holding government workers hostage..."

Is it illegal for a .gov employee to quit? Take a second job? Work for a temp agency? Get a weekend/evening gig? Find employment elsewhere?

There are something like 7.1 million open jobs in the US right now (hit Google for the latest). There are supposedly 800,000 .gov workers impacted by this shutdown.

I totally and completely agree that the shutdown sucks for those effected. Heck, my own employer furlowed a few hundred folks for a couple of weeks over the holidays. Sucked for them, too. Most came back, because the gig is actually pretty good otherwise. A few did not, and left for greener (better fertilized) pastures. The difference, of course, is those furlowed folks did not get paid for not working.

According to the OP they can't quit while in shutdown and they aren't allowed to take second jobs. I am guessing due to the need for them to be on call.

Doug

 

[eldirector]

According to the OP they can't quit while in shutdown and they aren't allowed to take second jobs. I am guessing due to the need for them to be on call.

Doug

I understand the "second job" thing as part of the TSA union contract. I can also understand the union saying workers "must" show up. However, there are hundreds of stories in the media quoting numbers/percentages of TSA workers who have quit/resigned. Numbers supplied by the union and/or TSA management. It appears that it is perfectly possible to quit.

 

[HoughMade]

Standoffs are fine. Holding government workers hostage is not a good standoff. Would be better if the hostage at risk were something only congress had to lose. I still like the idea of having a default budget. If they don't have a budget signed by a certain date a budget goes into effect at, say, 90% of the spending from the last budget. If they want funds appropriated for something that's important to them, they'll have to hammer out a budget they can both sign.

I would be on board with something like this....but either side giving up the power?

Anyhoo, maybe the President and declare a state of emergency and we can start the serious impeachment talk instead of boring budget stuff.

 

[T.Lex]

I haven't worked directly for the federal government, but I am confident in saying that for many of the federal workers, they are willing to take less money and work for the government (than compared to private jobs) for some combination of 2 factors:
- Regular paychecks.... oops,
- A sense of working for something greater than oneself.

Yeah, some INGOers may scoff at that second one, but it is true. In fact, it is supported by research on the topic of what makes a happy employee - and a greater share than you would think involves working for something bigger, of giving back.

Is every lowly clerk in it for that? Probably not. But for all of the customer-facing government employees most people interact with, there are dozens of behind-the-scenes people really trying to do a good job. (The reality is that the clerk is probably trying to do a good job, too, but has issues that the customer doesn't even realize.)

 

[T.Lex]

I understand the "second job" thing as part of the TSA union contract. I can also understand the union saying workers "must" show up. However, there are hundreds of stories in the media quoting numbers/percentages of TSA workers who have quit/resigned. Numbers supplied by the union and/or TSA management. It appears that it is perfectly possible to quit.

Not every federal job has the same parameters as those TSA jobs.

And "quitting" when not allowed to is kinda the same inverse of, "You can't fire me, I quit." It becomes, "You can't quit, but you're fired."

 

[eldirector]

Not every federal job has the same parameters as those TSA jobs.

And "quitting" when not allowed to is kinda the same inverse of, "You can't fire me, I quit." It becomes, "You can't quit, but you're fired."

What is the difference? Other than eligibility for unemployment (for getting fired), one is free to pursue a job more to their liking.

Interesting tidbit: saw on the news that an airport security firm was HIRING last week. Actually held a job fair. Specifically to hire away good TSA folks. Free Market FTW.

 

[Denny347]

The OP posted personal examples in this thread about how the shutdown has affected him and family. The response to that was it was their own fault for not being prepared. And fair enough to the extent that this is true. But it's not absolutely true because situations are different. Maybe some people had that 3 month buffer and was wiped out by some other personal catastrophe. And now this.

There are other threads where people are saying it hasn't affected them, and the implication is that it's not affecting anyone becuase the government is worthless. And yes, government sucks and all that. It's mostly worthless. A person with a good eye for value could probably find >50% of government to cut out completely and likely very few people would notice. But that's a different discussion. This discussion is about the impact real people are feeling, and perhaps they could have been better prepared for it, and thus been affected less. That doesn't absolve the politicians and it doesn't justify 'mah shutdown'.

 

[Kutnupe14]

Yeah, that's paycheck to paycheck. Not a good thing. And not uncommon for people just starting out. Who here can say there was never a period where they've had to live paycheck to paycheck at some point in their lives. And it's not always issues of responsibility. Years ago when my job went to Mexico, I was out of work for a long time, stuck in rural Mississippi where local jobs weren't very plentiful in an industry that the bottom had just dropped out of. Took me awhile to get back on my feet. That period depleted the buffer I had built up, and it took a long time to build back up. If something like a furlough had happened before I built it back up, I'd have been screwed. People's situations are different.

+1 I've certainly lived paycheck to paycheck before. So I'm not going to slam people who are in that situation. Young people starting out often live that way, not by choice, but simply because of the nature of starting to be an adult.