They did it.

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Well, the assholes shut us down instead of compromising and doing their job, which is working in the best interests of the country. (Whether you feel the ACA is a good idea or not, a shut down is NOT in the best interests of our country.) I wonder how long this will go on, and what the long term effects will be. I think it likely will be short, but there is always the possibility it will go on for weeks.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk 2

[crudos]

I saw a poll that Congress has a 87% DISapproval rating, yet instead of governing on behalf of their constituents, would rather make lame attempts at political posturing. The founding fathers would be horrified at what this body they created has become.

[sledge]

I view the shut down a little more positively.  The government has a spending problem that it supports by printing funny money out of thin air.  I support anything that puts an end to that.

Additionally, I haven't seen any news reports about state governments shutting down.  So while the shut down is in effect, we have a smaller federal government and stronger state governments without as much federal interference.  Kind of what the founding fathers put in place isn't it?

 

 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Maybe it is, but the problem is that the shutdown leaves hundreds of thousands without paychecks, damages our credit with the international financial community and tells me that our elected officials don't actually represent the people they claim to support.  It's not the way to make the government smaller, in my opinion.  Besides, which programs are you willing to have just disappear due to non-funding?  The Library of Congress and Smithsonian?  The National Parks?  The FAA or military (even though they passed a bill to have military paid, I think that's pure rot designed to moderate backlash, not fix problems)?  The CDC? 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Here's a good list of what's open and what's not.

http://www.cnn.com/interactive/2013/09/politics/government-shutdown-impact/index.html

[sledge]

If you are asking me, I say all of the above.  I like museums as much as the anyone else.  But they have nothing to do with prosperity of the people or freedom from government intrusion.  Name an agency that actually does?   As for the CDC, FDA and the majority of the rest, who do you think that they actually work for, you?  The people of this county?  In words they do, in actions they do not.

Not to worry.  This whole situation is only a show put on for the masses.  It will end quickly enough.  And it will be back to subjugation as usual with more to come.

   

[special-k]

I agree with sledge.

Remember, it takes two to compromise.  From what I heard, the Obama side of the isle refused to budge an inch on this one... whilst the other side did offer a compromise of a temporary fix.  If some folks got their info from places other than NPR and the commie propaganda industry tv networks... they would already know this.  But all this is beside the point... refer back what what sledge wrote.

[JohnyMac]

Just to keep things in prospective: The Federal government has been shut down six times previously. I think it started under President Carter's administration.

As Sledge wrote, states governments will not be affected. Neither will the many essential departments within the Federal Government. Social Security checks will go out along with Military checks and of course the folks in Congress will receive their checks. 

In actuality, The Fed is printing money as we discuss this issue to the tune of $85B a month. Secretary Lew reported last week that there is enough $$$ to run the government "in whole" till October 17th.

I think we can all agree that our Executive and Congressional branches are dysfunctional and acting political.

Many moons ago in the company I was working at the retail department wasn't working well with the buying part of the company. The CEO facilitated a meeting between Retail & Buying. We sat in a room and were told we would not be able to leave other than head breaks until we came up with a solution that both departments bought into. The meeting started with the CEO getting grievances from both parties. Then we narrowed them down to the top three for Retail and then the top three for the Buying group. Then we hashed out those six issues.

Lunch was brought in... Then Dinner and around 8:00PM a case of beer was brought in. To make a long story short - We solved the issues. As a side benefit, the Buying group and Retail group ended up being best friends.

Since President Obama is in affect the CEO of the country, maybe he should have done that long before October 1, 2013. I read somewhere he played golf on Sunday. The country defaulted while Obama played golf. Kind of like, Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

Last comment: Do you remember the sequester and how it was going to bring down the government? Well nothing happened except we saved 1-2% of the Federal budget.

Stay tuned...

[sledge]

WPW, please don't think that I was being verbally aggressive with you.  That was not my intention at all.  I just see things from a little different perspective.

In my view, I see a government and people who are not willing to address problems because they would cause pain or loss of power.  So a situation where fictitious money is printed by the second, a wealthy few control who is elected and what laws and regulations are enacted by congress, and more importantly enacted by bureaucratic agencies and dictatorial decrees from the Potus is killing any chance we have at personal prosperity and continuing as a free people. 

Where we as a nation are slipping towards a cliff for the benefit of a few, (this includes socialist power controls) and yet we as a people aren't willing to address it for our long term benefit because it would hurt to much.

It's kind of like a man with a skin cancer tumor who won't have it removed because the incision would hurt.

I don't see any kind of change coming to our national situation or the outcome we are going to eventually face. (I think sooner rather than later), thus I prep to reduce the coming hardships which are going to be much worse than they should have been due to lack of will to fix the problems.

 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

Sledge - I don't think you were being aggressive at all! (Or, rather, not in a negative context.) I just think we have wildly differing views of what's best for the country.  I also think that national treasures like the parks, museums, etc. are of value to be funded from our tax dollars and I very much think that the CDC and its ilk are needed in these days of SARS and MERS and MRSA, etc.  I think affordable access to health care, with subsidies for our disabled, elderly and unemployed, is vital.

The problem, IMHO, is that in essence I agree with you about how this all isn't working.  I would love to be able to start from scratch, but I see that isn't going to happen (at least, unless the SHTF, which is a possibility, but not a probability just yet) and so I'd rather try and make better what we have rather than ignore the problem and let people have to struggle on their own.  Probable enough that I prep, improbable enough that I haven't battened down the hatches.

[thatGuy]

As much as it pains me to see my beloved National Parks closed because of this I can't help but see what is really at stake here.

Our Government is playing fast and loose with a credit line that they will never have to pay. If this shut down lasts past the 17th we will destroy our ability to continue running our Government at a deficit. It will force the House and Senate to pass a BALANCED BUDGET. These assholes on the Hill won't do it unless they have too and I for one would love it if they had too. I can't run my house in a deficit, why should they?

[crudos]

I wonder how people would change their tune if the roles were reversed? Lets say a GOP President, GOP Senate and a Dem House, and the Dems were trying to change a law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by the President and judged constitutional by the Supreme Court?

In all of this, I see very little chance for real and positive change anymore. Governing has become hissy-fits, talking points and the perpetual campaign-mode. Now is a great time for third parties to make a big push to get ALL of those who stand in the way of our founding principles and liberty and freedom of the citizen. By all, I mean all of them, doofus sell-outs like Rand Paul and the other pseudo-Tea Party hangers-on need to be shown the door.

[JohnyMac]

Crudos, we had that exact same discussion over Sunday dinner with our neighbors. The final mutual agreement was we are not Dems or Reps and would support the shut-down if the rolls were reversed.

Although MrsMac and I use to belong to the Republican party we opted out in 2009. We are currently listed in our state as part of the Cool Moose Party.

Also, we all pretty much felt what TG wrote earlier:

Our Government is playing fast and loose with a credit line that they will never have to pay. If this shut down lasts past the 17th we will destroy our ability to continue running our Government at a deficit. It will force the House and Senate to pass a BALANCED BUDGET. These assholes on the Hill won't do it unless they have too and I for one would love it if they had too. I can't run my house in a deficit, why should they?

Let's all remember that Washington DC. works for you, Wellie, Sledge, TG...All of us not the other way around. I have posted this once before but worth me doing so again... "All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others", Animal Farm George Orwell

Lets remember that one of the Amendments of the CR was that Congress and staffers had to choose Obamacare - No Bye for them.

All in all a great discussion of idea's and thoughts.

[Kentactic]

I was thinking this month might be a great time to enjoy national forests. Finally we can go enjoy it and there won't be a ranger to piss in our cheerios.

[JohnyMac]

Right on Ken!  You are definitely a glass half full vs a glass is half empty guy.

[crudos]

Although MrsMac and I use to belong to the Republican party we opted out in 2009. We are currently listed in our state as part of the Cool Moose Party.

Cool Moose Party, lol. There is hope for the Republic yet. 

[special-k]

@Ken

Don't get your hopes up.  If Obummer gets wind of out-doorsey types trespassing in the king's forest, he is likely to send some DHS agents with drones to keep his land free from terrorists.  I'm a cracked glass kind of guy. 

[Kentactic]

@Ken

Don't get your hopes up.  If Obummer gets wind of out-doorsey types trespassing in the king's forest, he is likely to send some DHS agents with drones to keep his land free from terrorists.  I'm a cracked glass kind of guy.

Hopefully they'll all have quit with a wallet full of IOUs by then lol

[special-k]

Live Statement on National Park Shutdown

[JohnyMac]

  POLITICS!

When are folks going to understand that WE The American people pay them? The folks that are working in the US Government need to understand that there are 15% of the population in the real world unemployed or under employed. When are the folks that work in the government understand that you and I have to live within our means not unlike the government who has charged $17T on our credit card? Man O' man I get tired of the  politics. 

I just received a chain email letter from one of my US Senators. It was full of accusations and hate towards the Republicans in the US House of Representatives and the Tea Party that I was pissed off enough to call the Senator - Nope not write.

I of course got voice mail because the government was "shut down." I left a doozy of a message basically high lighting the anti Republican and Tea Party message in his letter. I am so done with both parties it isn't even funny.

When Dems slam Reps that is wrong. When Reps slam Dems that is wrong too. I am done with 'em!

[JohnyMac]

Government Shutdown.

I woke up this morning as the sun was coming up - Wow the sun was still coming up in the morning!
I got up and put coffee on - Our electric was working.
Turned on the Sirius radio and low and behold it worked - There was a bunch of noise coming from it telling me that the end of the world was here because of the government shutdown.
Turned on the stove to heat up some water - The stove turned on, so we still had propane.
Took a look outside and the sun was continuing to come up and it's rays we burning off the ground fog.
As the coffee perked I picked up my laptop to sign into UP (Of course) - The wifi was working.
The two catz started to bug me for breakfast so I woke MrsMac up to get them breakfast - The catz are still hungry.
I walked outside onto my porch and I heard our neighbors chain saw - Yup his chain saw is working.

Well I am still waiting for the government shutdown to affect my house or my AO. How are you faring?

Stay tuned...

[Well-Prepared Witch]

lol, JM! So far no S hitting the fan here, but give it time.   In all seriousness, I have several friends furloughed that are worried about their bills if this keeps on.  I just hope they resolve this quickly!

[JohnyMac]

I do and I don't feel bad for people who are caught in the middle of this debacle. I am in a quandary over these feelings.

On one hand I feel bad for folks who can not meet bills because they are on furlough.

On the other hand, they should have food in their cupboards, one months worth of cash on hand and knew that this kind of thing* was going to happen eventually.

I know this sounds harsh because it is. It is called life and just like it can happen to folks in the private sector it can also happen with government jobs.

*This kind of thing = EMP, bank holiday, financial collapse, government shutdown, etc.

[sledge]

Having experienced it, I hate to see anyone go through financial pain.  It is truly an awful experience.  Unfortunately, it is the nature of this economy which our so called national leaders have created over the past few decades. 

I'm wondering what those 800,000, whom Obama referred to as non essential government employees, were doing on the taxpayer payroll to begin with.  Also, what it must do to their concept of job security to be referred to as "non essential".

With roughly 50% of American workers being employed in government at some level and not producing anything of value.  Yet earning more than an equivalent job in the private sector and being promised retirement packages that border on the insane, what could possibly go wrong?

Stay tuned.  Even when the shut down ends, there will be more of this story to come.

 

[Well-Prepared Witch]

I know what you mean - that is why we prep, isn't it?  It's tough, though, to see folks I care about stressing so hard.