The Government Is Shutting Down?

I could faintly hear my mom talking about this, but all I could hear was the government is shutting down? So what does that mean for us, how will it affect us?

Sorry if this is a really dumb question, I just honestly have no idea what is going on ;c and I really hope this was the right spot to put this topic, cause I wasn't really sure where it should go.

It's not a dumb question. I found a really good article about it the other day.

- Military will stop getting paid, but still be required to work.
- Government workers will be laid off without pay.
- Relief will be denied to Colorado in the wake of the floods, which means bridges will not be repaired, etc.
- You will not be able to get a loan, most likely.
- WIC services will not be available.
- No new passports or visas, most likely.

The last time it happened with in '95 when Clinton was president. It lasted 21 days.

@ gonna hear dru roar.
Dru, was this what the drunken GOP was blabbering about on that article that you shared?

According to what I read, the higher-ups in congress, including the house speaker, are still going to get a paycheck. If government shuts down, people like Boehner are still going to be paid regardless. There's nothing /he's/ worried about. What's scaring me is how the world economy is reacting in terms of stocks.

I believe there was an interview with someone from Yahoo, who said they're holding the country hostage. Its domestic terrorism, in my opinion.

The only good that can come out of it is that most of the people who orchestrated the whole thing will most likely lose their jobs next election. As a Texan, I'm so sorry much of that bs is coming out of here.

@ Nick.
I don't think they'll lose their seats. The ignorant people who voted for them just care that they're opposing Obamacare, no matter how recklessly or ineffectively they do it.

Honestly, it seems like the House keeps sending things to the Senate, knowing damn well the Senate is going to shut them down. That is just a waste of time. Not to mention, why does Congress still get its salary during this? Why not have their salaries go to the areas where people wouldn't get paid? It's not those peoples' fault they won't be getting paid.

@ Kurtni
I just based that assumption off of a national poll taken by CNN. 6 out of every 10 Americans, according to the poll, would blame Republicans for the shutdown. Unfortunately, you're definitely right about the ignorant people voting them in. That 4 out of 10 is still plenty when a majority of the country doesn't vote. I just wish people wouldn't be so tied down to their parties. Some people here in Texas vote Republican, just for the sake of not voting Democrat.

Thankfully that could change with Wendy Davis running for Governor.

To stay on topic, I just get so steamed when Boehner says they listen to the American people. Shutting down the government is going to screw A LOT of people over, and what for? -_-

@ independence.
It's part of the Constitution unfortunately. From a quick Google search, I believe it is the Twenty-seventh Amendment that says it. Although I did only skim it so it may be a different one. ^^' The amendment was created to prevent Congress from giving themselves a pay raise. However, the amendment also stops Congress from getting a pay cut. So no matter what, Congress will always be paid, even if they're not doing anything like right now. There have been bills in the U.S trying to make it so the government won't get paid in the event of a shutdown, but those bills have never gone anywhere.

It makes me so angry. These people are holding our country hostage and basically laughing in our faces and they're going to get paid for it. They're going to harm thousands of Americans and get paid for it. While I feel some sympathy for their families, I don't think Congress should get paid if the government shuts down.

@ Airi.
Damn it, I remember reading that amendment when I had to read the Constitution for my AP government class as a summer assignment. I agree with everything you've said though. I think it's ridiculously stupid, especially with what the house is doing (and I'm not saying that just because I'm not a fan of the Republicans in office ). They keep sending bills they know the Senate will shut down, and it's ultimately wasting time. It's not even just the people being furloughed that'll be affected though. My mom works for a government contractor and they rely on certain government functions to make money, and if the government shuts down, it affects those things too. Our government just pisses me off.

Airi.:

@ independence.
It's part of the Constitution unfortunately. From a quick Google search, I believe it is the Twenty-seventh Amendment that says it. Although I did only skim it so it may be a different one. ^^' The amendment was created to prevent Congress from giving themselves a pay raise. However, the amendment also stops Congress from getting a pay cut. So no matter what, Congress will always be paid, even if they're not doing anything like right now. There have been bills in the U.S trying to make it so the government won't get paid in the event of a shutdown, but those bills have never gone anywhere.

It makes me so angry. These people are holding our country hostage and basically laughing in our faces and they're going to get paid for it. They're going to harm thousands of Americans and get paid for it. While I feel some sympathy for their families, I don't think Congress should get paid if the government shuts down.

Congressman still get paid because they're considered essential government spending, like the postal service and Affordable Care Act Spending. Congressman do get to vote on their own pay, but historically have voted to delay or reject any raises they would be entitled to. The 27th amendment only says Congress can't pass a bill to increase their salary in the same term they're serving. So, if this congress, the 113th Congress, passed a bill to raise their salary, it wouldn't go into effect until 2015 with the 114th Congress.

@ Kurtni
Which makes sense. I know my government teacher explained that when we first talked about the Constitution. I just think it's dumb that they still get paid even though it's their fault the government'll probably shut down, but the people who aren't at fault will get furloughed. It's just one of those things about our government, I guess.

The government is officially shut down.

@ Kurtni
And that is why I should not skim Google and actually read it. Thank you for clearing that up. ^^

Did anyone see Boehner's statement where he basically just gave the finger to 800,000 government workers?

gonna hear dru roar.:

The government is officially shut down.

Can somebody explain what this means in non-abstract terms, as well as explain the intention and process? Thank you.

@ Double Infinity.
The U.S. House has chosen to shut the government down. This means that what the government has dubbed as "non-essential" services will halt. This includes, but is not limited to the following shit that is hitting the fan:

- 2 Billion dollar cost just for the shutdown
- Air traffic controllers, police officers, food inspectors, postmen, the guy who works the electric grid, etc. all have to go to work but may not get paid
- No gun permits issues
- The Smithsonian, Yosemite National Park, and all other national parks and museums will be closed
- You cannot get a new visa or passport
- You cannot get a liquor license
- Social Security and WIC will not be processed
- Food inspections will halt
- They are not sending help to Colorado to help with the flooding
- You cannot get a federally guaranteed home loan
- Elementary and secondary schools could face issues with government funded programs if it remains shutdown longer than a week
- The Environmental Protection agency shuts down
- The IRS continues to collect taxes but does not do things like audits
- Veterans will not have new benefits issued

Those are just a few of the things.

@ gonna hear dru roar.
thank you! Also, who has the authority to allow this to occur/relatively how easily can it happen, how is it prompted, and what is the intention of it?

@ Double Infinity.
Congress has refused to pass essential spending bills needed to allow our government to function. Several House Republicans refused to pass any bill that did not effectively end the AAC (Affordable Care Act) or push it off until next year. Senate Democrats, other House Republicans, and the President refuse to give into their terrorist threats. (I consider this domestic terrorism.)

It can only happen if you have a group of people willing to go this far. The last time they did it was 1995, the House had just been taken over by Republicans, and they threw another bitchfit. (Seriously, Dems need the house in '14, people. If you can vote, this is as important as the presidential election.) Technically they have the ability to shut the government down every year when this spending bill has to be passed, but they don't. Because the government is supposed to work for the people and most politicians know people don't want the government shut down.

And I got my information from this article if it helps you. It's in Q&A format and pretty easy to understand.

gonna hear dru roar.:

@ Double Infinity.
The U.S. House has voted to shut the government down.

I get what you mean, but they didn't vote for the shutdown, they voted for a spending bill that didn't pass the Senate that triggered the shutdown. It was a passive consequence, not a yay/nay vote for a shutdown.

Double Infinity.:

@ gonna hear dru roar.
thank you! Also, who has the authority to allow this to occur/relatively how easily can it happen, how is it prompted, and what is the intention of it?

No one has the authority per say to shutdown the government, it's a consequence of not passing a spending bill. The Constitution states that all spending bills have to originate in The House of Representatives. So, the House passed a largely agreeable spending bill, but they included an irrelevant clause that would have delayed the implementation of the Affordable Care Act ("Obamacare") for a year. The largely Democratic Senate of course refused to pass the bill with the clause about the Affordable Care Act. The previous spending bill expired on October 1st. Because no new law was passed, there isn't anything regulating nonessential government spending, so the government shuts down until a law is passed to authorize spending.

Shutdowns have happened before, the last occurred during Bill Clinton's presidency. As our Congress becomes more and more partisan, I think we'll see more things like this (ie, the sequester from previous months was a strong indicator this could happen).

The intention of it, unbiasedly, is that there is no intention. It's simply caused by the fact that there is no current law telling the Federal government how to spend money and granting permission. Realistically, the intention from the Republican House of Representatives is to use the government shutdown as a tool to force the Senate to pass a bill that delays Obamacare.

The commissary on base is closing tomorrow. For you non-military folk, the grocery store on the Air Force base is closing tomorrow. That means that all the people stationed at Offutt will have to go off base to shop. It's less of a problem than some of the other things, but it hit close to home for me and my family.