The news also pointed out that the government shut down for 3 weeks in 1996. I vaguely remember that happening. Didn’t mean much to me, then, will mean about as much, now. Sure, it sounds like I don’t care that some gov’t employees will be out of work, or laid off temporarily, but the same has applied to many of us when a company has gone out of business. Used to be called downsizing. Now it’s called… <gasp>… SHUTDOWN!
Whoopy big ding. Do it and be done with it. The government was considered bloated and bureaucratic in the 1960’s, and back then the entire federal budget was less than $350 billion, not the $3,830 billion fiasco that it is, now.
What’s all this business about fed-related websites going down? Unless the servers crash, why would someone need to be there to keep them online? (If the servers are expected to crash, that’s a whole other issue.)
Because hackers and other IT troublemakers will know that the government networks will have minimal support. If any problems are encountered the effected service will just be shut down until the normal staff returns.
You understand, of course, that those numbers are meaningless if you don’t adjust for inflation? A Ford Mustang cost $2,300 in 1964. Is the price of new car a “fiasco”?
Another reason why I love my bank: USAA caters mostly to vets and active duty and apparently if you can’t make your payments because of the shut down you can apply for a payment deferral, late fee waiver, term modifications, etc.
Hopefully it won’t come to that. My agency is not typically subject to the funding whims of congress and we’re good to go for at least the near future. I’ll be working during the shutdown unless it goes on for a LONG time, which I doubt.
I learned on Weds that I’m an essential employee - I think of the 500 or so in my organization, 87 were declared essential. And I am at a stage of life where I have savings so delayed pay won’t really hurt me. But this entire shutdown fiasco is stupid and could have been avoided if those idiots in the Legislative Branch did their jobs 6 months ago and passed the budget when it was due. And it’s now less than 6 months till the next one is due.
My personal prediction - they’ll fart around and finally finish on Sunday, avoiding a shutdown. Idiots.
Yep, sure do. Actually, I misspoke. In 1964, the entire federal budget was $119 billion. (Compared with $3,830 billion for 2011, or 12x higher.) It was the federal DEBT in 1964 that was almost $312 billion. (Compared with over $14,000 billion in 2011, or 45x higher.)
So, adjusted for inflation, a 1964 dollar would have to be worth $7.10 to have the same power, or 7x higher. Not 12x or 45x, only 7x.
And the cheapest 2011 Mustang I can find (sticker price, to compare apples to apples with your 1964 price) is $22,995. Or 10x higher today. Adjusted for inflation, it should cost less than $16,500.
Shutdown? Better believe it. And a lot of it should stay shut down, forever. Exactly what has the Department of Education done for education since its most recent outbreak in 1979? Johnny STILL can’t read (and now can’t spell for spit, either), but it’s a great bureaucracy for federal politicking with the pretense that our kids’ smarts matter. (Witness the explosion in home schooling? Voucher systems? Charter schools?)
Just checked my earnings statement for pay day on the 15th. It’s half of what I should be getting. Everyone is getting half pay this month. I guess that is better than no pay, though.