# Have you ever been personally affected by a federal government shutdown? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 1, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572 "2025-10-01T17:00:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/101 "2025-10-16T02:48:17Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I was furloughed today. So, yes. It’s been two weeks. Am wondering if I should file for unemployment? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/102 "2025-10-16T11:31:50Z")
Just realize it can complicate your taxes and possibly cause other issues should you end u getting backpay. Based on my faint recollections from 25-30 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2025, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/103 "2025-10-16T17:48:22Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Except Democrats will get blasted for the lack of subsidies next year with “why didn’t you do anything about it when you could???!!!?!!?!?” I don’t know if they _can_ do anything about it, though, because Republicans aren’t going to back down. Seems like a losing game and the longer it goes on the more people are going to blame the Democrats. ETA: The government has opened JustGrants again even though the government is still shut down. That’s a bit odd. Apparently they are still processing federal applications. And as a little update to my earlier rant, Michigan did finally pass their state budget and there’s a $35m allocation for victims of crime, which helps offset the cuts to VOCA. It’s not optimal but it helps. And best of all there is now a permanent $30m allocation as a minimum, with additional to be negotiated. That’s a very big win because it’s the first time money has been automatically included in the budget for victims of crime. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/104 "2025-10-19T23:17:12Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > The government has opened JustGrants again even though the government is still shut down. That’s a bit odd. I saw a news interview today where a Republican representative was asked point blank why Trump gets to carry on with the parts of government **he** wants to remain open. The answer? The shutdown is the Democrats’ fault. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/105 "2025-10-19T23:20:54Z")
This is five-year-old logic; I know because I have one. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2025, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/106 "2025-10-19T23:23:33Z")
And he never even mentioned Trump. At least give us, “He is keeping essential services open.” even if it is a blatant lie. ---
**Author:** ![LoneRhino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lonerhino/32/1311_2.png) [@LoneRhino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LoneRhino)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/107 "2025-10-23T05:02:59Z")
I just found out today that I may not get EBT in November. Also, if the shutdown goes through December Medicaid may be affected. ---
**Author:** ![Toxgoddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Toxgoddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Toxgoddess)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/108 "2025-10-23T19:47:06Z")
My daughter won’t get her SNAP benefits in November. We are mostly supporting her, but that helped. Now we’ll be fully supporting her. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/109 "2025-10-23T19:58:35Z")
Right now my child welfare agency is trying to marshal resources to help so many of the people in the community who will be impacted by the shutdown of SNAP and energy assistance. I work with the poorest of the poor and they are the ones who will suffer. Especially the children. We are organizing food drives and making lists and have some access to foundation money but it’s a drop in the bucket. Some local churches are helping. Plus my state - Pennsylvania - has a budget impasse and we might not be able to even pay our foster parents and possibly ourselves. The commissioners have implemented a spending freeze for all non essential travel and purchases. I’ve been hoping to order a replacement desk chair as my 17 year old model is creating some issues. It makes for a difficult work environment. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/110 "2025-10-23T20:10:01Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > I actually filed for unemployment, as I was younger, less financially secure, w/ new house mortgage/young kid. That was a hassle as I later had to figure out the process to repay it. You have to **repay** unemployment benefits? I’ve never heard of such a thing, but then I’m not in the US. For that matter, I haven’t heard of government shutdowns, either, except in the US. Is this a uniquely American phenomenon? ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/111 "2025-10-23T21:15:50Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > You have to **repay** unemployment benefits? It was several decades ago, but what I THINK happened was that after the shutdown, we got paid our wages. So we had to repay what we got in unemployment. But I might well misremember. As I recall, it also made our taxes somewhat complicated. I don’t know whether other countries experience anything similar. As I’ve said either in this thread or another, the government is far from shutdown. Yeah, some services are interrupted, and some folk - employees and contractors - are laid off/furloughed. But a whole bunch of services continue to be performed and a whole bunch of money keeps getting spent. Was golfing this morning w/ 3 retired guys, who observed that they received their Social Security checks. It is fucking theater. An inexcusable dereliction of responsibility by Congress, which results in a tremendous amount of waste, and causes a great deal of distress and actual harm to many folk. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/112 "2025-10-27T16:16:26Z")
Well, my health insurance premiums just went up 30%. I hope the Republicans get roasted. People are going to lose their shit when they see what this bill has done. In my fantasy world, public pressure will force them to negotiate. This is outrageous. And it’s not even the worst I’ve increase I’ve heard of. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/113 "2025-10-27T17:00:57Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > For that matter, I haven’t heard of government shutdowns, either, except in the US. Is this a uniquely American phenomenon? In the UK if Parliament can’t pass a budget, the prime minister has to resign or call for a new election. Not sure if that’s how it is for all parliamentary forms of government, but I heard that factoid this weekend. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/114 "2025-10-27T17:06:36Z")
That is certainly the case in Canada. Various issues can be considered a motion of non-confidence, which triggers an election, but budget bills are **always** the basis of a confidence motion. But all that happens if it fails is a new election is called, but meanwhile government work proceeds as always ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/115 "2025-10-27T17:33:42Z")
My wife needs to change which bank her government retirement check goes to, which means she has to call OPM in Washington, so that’s on hold. Otherwise, no. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/116 "2025-10-28T00:08:04Z")
> [@abcdefghij](#): > > Really, it seems much more that it’s you and Chessic who seem hellbent on laying this entirely on the Democrats, even though they’re not in charge of _anything_. I’m not hellbent on it. I’m just acknowledging reality that the minority party filibustering the bill is the one filibustering the bill. I’m also acknowledging that the CR has nothing to do with healthcare and, like me, is just a casualty in a political game. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I don’t see how anything changes unless voters suffer for what the Republicans did. Precisely what I’ve been advocating for. Want subsidies? Shoulda voted Blue. But I was told upthread that some people “rely on” those subsidies, and this is somehow supposed to be sufficient justification for having them. > [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > I just feel like Democrats are terminally incapable of understanding the mind of the American voter. No shit. They’re just handing Republicans an opportunity to play the hero, win the game, and sweep the midterms. Watch. Next week Republicans will use the nuclear option, eliminate the filibuster, pass the CR, and _then_ extend ACA subsidies, taking credit not only for defeating Democrats but doling out free cash and saving America. They’ll add in some language about not going to illegal aliens or some bullshit, and they’ll say how this is completely different from what Democrats wanted, but don’t worry, Papa Trump gotchu. Then they’ll beat that drum until November 2026. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 28, 2025, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/117 "2025-10-28T05:11:17Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > That is certainly the case in Canada. Various issues can be considered a motion of non-confidence, which triggers an election, but budget bills are **always** the basis of a confidence motion. But all that happens if it fails is a new election is called, but meanwhile government work proceeds as always The Canadian Parliament also passes an Interim Appropriations bill before the budget debate even begins, which typically provides 5/12 of the previous year’s budget to keep the government operating while full funding is debated. If the government falls, an election is called for some other reason, or Parliament is prorogued and cannot vote on funding, the Prime Minister can maintain funding through Governor-General Warrants. All of this to sensibly ensure that the critical functions of government continue regardless of any political spats that might be going on. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/118 "2025-10-31T06:14:47Z")
Having discussions with the IRS. Before the shutdown, you would spend 2 hours on hold before reaching a human. Don’t even want to try now. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/119 "2025-11-08T17:44:34Z")
I wondered anew if anyone’s personally affected by the shutdown. The top headlines I’ve seen this morning are canceled flights. Most of my peers have been standing in line at food banks and hardly considering flight statuses. But I know there can be all manner of problems. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572/120 "2025-11-08T18:02:33Z")
If the Republicans use the nuclear option, there is no way they will extend the ACA credits. The Democrats just made this offer yesterday: Extend the credits, that’s all, and we’ll vote to open the government. The Republicans said no. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-been-personally-affected-by-a-federal-government-shutdown/1023572.md?page=7)