# The official government shutdown "let them eat cake" thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 25, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413 "2019-01-25T19:39:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/1 "2019-01-25T19:39:11Z")
First it was Wilbur Ross who wondered why furloughed government workers (with no income) couldn’t just take out a loan. Today Trump did one better: borrow groceries. In honor of republicans’ abject stupidity and complete reptilian lack of empathy for the people whose lives they ruin, I think we should keep a tally of all the statements that fall under the rubric of Mitt’s infamous “47 percent” comments. Post yours here. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/2 "2019-01-25T19:45:07Z")
Federal government employees have a substantially higher income than the general population. Thus they have savings, home equity, pension plan, credit cards, borrowing ability to absorb several weeks loss of income. For example to borrow from the federal pension plan: [https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html](https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/3 "2019-01-25T19:45:51Z")
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Oh, wait. You were serious??!? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/4 "2019-01-25T19:46:51Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Federal government employees have a substantially higher income than the general population. Thus they have savings, home equity, credit cards, borrowing ability to absorb several weeks loss of income. Right, but which Republican shithead are you quoting here? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/5 "2019-01-25T19:52:08Z")
Too late to edit: My bad. Commented before the edit that explained where the quote came from. I’ll let myself out. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/6 "2019-01-25T19:54:15Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > I’ll let myself out. Hold the door! ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/7 "2019-01-25T19:56:39Z")
“People walk thousands of miles with hope in their hearts to enter our country. With the wall, they don’t have that hope.” - Donald “Hopekiller” Trump ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/8 "2019-01-25T20:09:33Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > “People walk thousands of miles with hope in their hearts to enter our country. With the wall, they don’t have that hope.” - Donald “Hopekiller” Trump Good one. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/9 "2019-01-25T20:10:45Z")
Too late for this thread. He caved already. ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/10 "2019-01-25T20:25:51Z")
Impeccable timing ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2019, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/11 "2019-01-25T20:26:41Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > For example to borrow from the federal pension plan _Apply_ to borrow from the federal pension. Being a retirement fund, there is zero guarantee to any funds contained therein until one actually, y’know, retires. The #1 thing I retained from my orientation: anyone borrowing from their pension ends up hurting themselves in the long run. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/12 "2019-01-26T03:27:47Z")
“At this festive season of the year, Mr Scrooge, … it is more than usually desirable that we should make some slight provision for the Poor and destitute, who suffer greatly at the present time. Many thousands are in want of common necessaries; hundreds of thousands are in want of common comforts, sir.” “Are there no prisons?” “Plenty of prisons…” “And the Union workhouses.” demanded Scrooge. “Are they still in operation?” “Both very busy, sir…” “Those who are badly off must go there.” “Many can’t go there; and many would rather die.” “If they would rather die,” said Scrooge, “they had better do it, and decrease the surplus population.” “Scrooge was a better man before his life was destroyed by ghosts, sad.” CMC fnord! ---
**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:** [January 26, 2019, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/13 "2019-01-26T03:37:46Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Federal government employees have a substantially higher income than the general population. Thus they have savings, home equity, pension plan, credit cards, borrowing ability to absorb several weeks loss of income. > > For example to borrow from the federal pension plan: > [https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html](https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html) This is either a joke, or you are the dumbest motherfucker to ever inhabit this board, and are talking out of your great, gaping arse. A small example: the typical TSA worker at an airport makes $30K/year. The average police officer salary (in Oregon) is around $56K/year. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/14 "2019-01-26T04:04:07Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Federal government employees have a substantially higher income than the general population. Thus they have savings, home equity, pension plan, credit cards, borrowing ability to absorb several weeks loss of income. > > For example to borrow from the federal pension plan: > [https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html](https://www.tsp.gov/PlanParticipation/LoansAndWithdrawals/loans/index.html) If you read the link, you will see that employees cannot take out a loan unless they are in “pay” status. So I kind of think a furloughed employee would be disqualified. Ross’s “Let them eat bridge loans” speech was clueless on multiple levels. He thinks the loans are risk-free because the employees are guaranteed to get a paycheck eventually? I bet that most people that default on their loans get a paycheck of some sort. They just don’t use it to repay their loans. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/15 "2019-01-26T04:35:46Z")
> [@Ann\_Hedonia](#): > > If you read the link, you will see that employees cannot take out a loan unless they are in “pay” status. So I kind of think a furloughed employee would be disqualified. Not to mention that if someone does manage to secure such a loan but then no longer gets paid, such as becoming a RIF victim, the remaining balance likely comes due in full. Payments are automatically deducted from one’s paycheck; no paycheck, no payments. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/16 "2019-01-26T05:56:18Z")
Larry Kudlow has largely gotten a pass for his own stupid, tone-deaf comments on the shutdown, [but he shouldn’t](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/426851-kudlow-federal-workers-impacted-by-shutdown-are-volunteering-in-part). (The Hill) > [@](#): > > “They’re volunteering,” Kudlow reportedly said. "But they do it because they believe government service is honorable and they believe in Trump and they’re working as hard as ever.” > > A reporter replied by questioning Kudlow’s take on volunteering, saying that it’s “not volunteering if you’re being forced to work without pay.” > > Kudlow responded by accusing the journalist of trying to play a “semantic game.” > > “I’m not going to even go there. You know what I’m saying,” Kudlow said. Hurr durrrrrrrr. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/17 "2019-01-26T07:28:17Z")
I really think it’s awfully generous to label Wilbur Ross as “clueless”. What he is, is greedy, mercenary and ethically bankrupt. He’s a BANKER, and the credit union he runs is currently floating emergency bridge loans at 8.99%! He’s not out of touch, he’s touting for his industry generally and his own pocketbook specifically at the expense of the government workers. ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/18 "2019-01-26T11:07:52Z")
Why don’t these unpaid workers simply sell one of the buildings they own? :smack::eek:😕 ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2019, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/19 "2019-01-26T13:17:19Z")
> [@glee](#): > > Why don’t these unpaid workers simply sell one of the buildings they own? :smack::eek:😕 How about that house on Baltic Ave? ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2019, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413/20 "2019-01-27T19:45:04Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > … Today Trump did one better: borrow groceries. … > … Ummm, OK, whatever. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-official-government-shutdown-let-them-eat-cake-thread/828413.md?page=2)