How many people do you know personally who will be hurt if the budget is not passed? FabGrandpa and I will be. For example, we are currently serving as volunteers at a federal campground in Alabama. We have been told that if the budget is not passed, the campground will be closed down and we will have to leave. While we were planning to leave anyway on Wednesday to head to Arizona to our summer seasonal jobs, those jobs in Arizona are with the National Park Service. So, we’ll be heading 2000 miles to Arizona for a job that may or may not be there when we get there.
My son, Seth, has been in the Air Force for 16 years or so. He is currently stationed at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. From what I understand, he will get paid on April 15th, but after that, if the federal budget is not passed by then and the government is not back up and running, he won’t be paid at the end of the month. He has a wife and four children. Although only three of his children live with him, that is still a lot of mouths to feed when you have no money coming in.
And what about all the senior citizens who receive Social Security as their only income. My mother, my father and mother in law, and countless other older people we know who may or may not receive their monthly payments while the government workers are furloughed.
Edited to add: Social Security will not be impacted by a government shutdown. Social Security benefits will still be paid. Sorry, I was misinformed when I wrote this.
And the biggest thing that irritates me about this whole situation is that the fat cat senators, congressmen, and the president will ALL still get paid if the government shuts down. Knowing that they will still get their pay tells me they have no incentive to make sure they come to a compromise before the country is shut down for lack of funding. And no, I don’t think we’re broke, I just think that once the yearly budget bill expires, there is no “law” or direction on where the money is to be appropriated, so nothing is spent until the budget is competed. They need to get on with it, and make America work for all of us.
We know lots of people in the same situation–our co-workers at the Grand Canyon, other people who are members of the military, one set of friends who are contractors for the Army Corp of Engineers. It is very scary to think about what will happen if this budget is not passed. We are keeping our fingers crossed.
Why is shutting down the government necessary to get a budget passed? I just don’t understand it at all.
Social Security will not be effected with the shutdown. I, personally, will not be able to work at all at the refuge, but they will allow me to stay. Even though it’s bogus, I can live with a two week vacation. Not paying our military folks is reprehensible!
It’s a mess — they’ve had 6 mos to work out any issues…the budget was due in October. We all must meet deadlines — except for the govt! Congress & Prez get paid but not our military — our military work more & harder than Congress and/or the Prez. I pray the stalemate ends for our military members sooner than later!
Government shut down creates a ripple affect so large even if we can’t see the waves. Is there something wrong with, we don’t get paid but still pay them? Sure hope it’s over long before we’re suppose to pull onto the NR. Good luck and safe journey.
NEVER worry about the so-called government shut-down. Those jerks in Washington would only be cutting their own throats. They always “pass” the necessary documentation at the last minute just as a scare tactic! JMTCW!