# How has this shutdown affected you and yours? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 8, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401 "2019-01-08T15:13:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/1 "2019-01-08T15:13:54Z")
I personally have not felt the affects, but I have family members who are feeling it. My Son-In-law works for the US Forestry Department and he spent the day yesterday looking for side jobs in his neighborhood. He is working with his mortgage holder in some way or another to delay his payment. How about you guys? ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/2 "2019-01-08T15:34:27Z")
The continuing resolution that Trump had said he would sign before he backtracked, had language in it that kept the government funded project I work on operational. Without going in to too many details, my program was deemed important to US foreign policy goals, but would have to end January 31st if the language in the CR was not signed in to law. When Trump did not sign the CR, I was given notice on Xmas eve by the US government that the program is now ending at the end of this month and that I must submit an emergency closedown plan for a program that was supposed to continue for another 3 years. We had to write the plan, terminate subcontracts and lay off staff on Xmas day. ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/3 "2019-01-08T15:36:33Z")
I hit a lot less traffic on my morning and evening commutes since I live in the DC area. It’s kind of nice, but I feel guilt from appreciating this beneficial side effect of other people’s economic crises, too. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Mapp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miss_mapp/32/369_2.png) [@Miss\_Mapp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Mapp)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/4 "2019-01-08T15:53:57Z")
I’m lucky this time: my part of HHS is funded through 2019 so we’re still coming in to work and getting paid. But I can see that half the building is dark with offices that are shut down when I come in in the morning; I wasn’t certain that the building was actually open that first morning, or if I’d have to take my laptop back home and work from there. I have been planning a trip to Scotland this spring, but between Brexit issues and the possibility that this shutdown will go on long enough to affect ATC and security staff at the airports (how long can they stand to work without being paid before walking?), I’m wondering if that’s going to end up cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/5 "2019-01-08T16:29:59Z")
I work for a company that, among other things, builds flight and maintenance trainers for the US military and other countries. So far, our group has not been affected, since the contracts were all funded. How it affects getting more work, I couldn’t say. My husband subcontracts for a different department of the same company, and even tho it supports that Navy and theoretically, DoD is unaffected, he’s still twiddling his thumbs waiting for work. Fortunately, we should be OK, as long as it doesn’t drag on for years… ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/6 "2019-01-08T16:37:33Z")
At work, I have had to ask a big favor from a contractor to hunt down some information for me because I can’t go directly to the source (EPA) to get it, and the information is kind of important. Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![typoink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecb155/32.png) [@typoink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typoink)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/7 "2019-01-08T17:00:59Z")
A friend of mine is an avid collector of National Park Passport Stamps. She spent a big chunk of last year competing in a photo contest to win a trip to any National Park. She worked her butt off and actually won. She won a trip to a distant park she would be unlikely to get to. Ranger stations are closed; she can’t get stamped. Sure, it’s still a free vacation, but…c’mon. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/8 "2019-01-08T17:11:42Z")
I was furloughed for the last two weeks. I’m working this week for no pay because one of our projects is deemed essential, and that project started back up this week. It’s incredibly frustrating because my other project is behind schedule and I’m not allowed to work on it, I can’t even volunteer my own time. Even if I were willing to bend rules and work on it, it’s no use because I can’t make procurements for that project anyway. I did get a paycheck on Dec 28, because that was for the previous 2 weeks. But no more paychecks till the government reopens. My wife is a federal contractor and her workplace is closed, but her contract hasn’t ran out of money yet. So she’s been working from home. If the government remains closed, she’ll likely be forced to use paid leave, and if that runs out, who knows - furlough or layoff. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/9 "2019-01-08T17:24:43Z")
> [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I personally have not felt the affects… Same here. The closest to home it has hit so far is that a colleague had a work meeting with a government agency cancelled. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Knig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@Typo\_Knig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Knig)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/10 "2019-01-08T17:32:06Z")
My wife is not affected. I’m on a DOD contract, so I’m not directly affected, but our developer works for an agency that is shutdown. No patches, bug fixes, documentation updates for my project until sometime after the shutdown. My former manager is not working on her project, due to the shutdown. Another friend is working without pay, since she was deemed essential. She’s a guvvie, so she’ll likely get paid eventually. Her husband’s a contractor - he may never make up the lost pay. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/11 "2019-01-08T18:12:02Z")
Out as far as third cousins, not at all. The few friends who have any sort of government-related jobs are state or county and other than worries over whatever passes in general there really doesn’t seem to be any impact. Concern – yeah. But at this time it could go on several months or more before anyone I know is going to feel a pinch. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/12 "2019-01-08T18:21:42Z")
The scope of the shutdown is pretty limited. I think it’s 25% of the government? I haven’t seen first hand any effects. I am aware that some people aren’t getting paid and hurting. The previous shutdowns were much worse. Remember in 2011 when Standard & Poor’s  downgraded the US credit rating because our budget hadn’t passed? > **[United States federal government credit-rating downgrades](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_credit-rating_downgrades)** > > Several credit rating agencies around the world have downgraded their credit ratings of the U.S. federal government, including Standard & Poor's (S&P) which reduced the country's rating from AAA (outstanding) to AA+ (excellent) on August 5, 2011. > The 2011 S&P downgrade was the first time the US federal government was given a rating below AAA. S&P had announced a negative outlook on the AAA rating in April 2011. The downgrade to AA+ occurred four days after the 112th United States Congress voted... ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/13 "2019-01-08T19:21:34Z")
Not in the slightest. If they didn’t talk about it everyday on the news, I wouldn’t even know it was happening. That’s life under a rock in the middle of nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/14 "2019-01-08T19:27:37Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The scope of the shutdown is pretty limited. I think it’s 25% of the government? 25% of federal discretionary funds, but 40% of federal employees are affected (furloughed or working without pay). ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/15 "2019-01-08T19:29:17Z")
My wife is furloughed (working some days, furloughed some days), and her paycheck is uncertain (high likelihood her part-time work will be unpaid until the government opens). I’m still at work since the DoD is funded through Sep. Museums and attractions in DC are closed. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/16 "2019-01-08T19:32:14Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > The previous shutdowns were much worse. Remember in 2011 when Standard & Poor’s downgraded the US credit rating because our budget hadn’t passed? > > [United States federal government credit-rating downgrades - Wikipedia](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_federal_government_credit-rating_downgrades) No, that was when we almost failed to raise the debt ceiling. There was no shutdown in 2011. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/17 "2019-01-08T19:43:18Z")
Haven’t been affected at all yet, but I’ll be flying later in January and wonder if TSA workers will be doing their thing as usual. ---
**Author:** ![nelliebly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nelliebly/32/5422_2.png) [@nelliebly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nelliebly)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/18 "2019-01-08T20:06:43Z")
My daughter-in-law has been furloughed. Things are very tight for her and my son, and though they’re frugal and have saved, I’m worried about what they’ll do if this lasts. Even if this didn’t affect family, though, it would still affect me. I can’t go skipping through my day knowing how the ridiculous and unnecessary shutdown affects 800,000 federal workers. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2019, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/19 "2019-01-08T22:31:02Z")
Hasn’t affected me yet, but I get $48 a month in food stamps, which will likely not be coming starting in February if the shutdown is still going on. One of my mom’s friends works for the IRS and is on furlough. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401/20 "2019-01-09T00:29:03Z")
I have not been affected, nor has my family, as none of us work for a federal agency. The only thing in my town that even brings it to notice is that we have a national monument, the Brown vs. the Board of Education of Topeka National Historical Site. It’s closed for now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-has-this-shutdown-affected-you-and-yours/827401.md?page=2)