# Trump's Shutdown **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 11, 2019, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577 "2019-01-11T06:18:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/261 "2019-01-22T11:17:28Z")
I’m starting to worry about Mr. Trump’s health. His only form of excerise is his well used “twitter” thumb; and the slightly more healthy amble from the golf cart to where his caddie has moved the golf ball. And he’s just not getting this vital aerobic excerise while the shut down continues. ---
**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 22, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/262 "2019-01-22T11:38:01Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Common wisdom is to save six _months_ of living expenses. Five weeks should not be a problem. You know what? I actually don’t entirely 100% disagree with this. The problem is, none of us know their individual circumstances. Americans DON’T save enough as a society. Compared to other societies, we DON’T stretch the dollar enough. Hell, our economy is pretty much based on borrowing and spending anymore. But again, what do we know? I’ve wondered aloud whether some of these federal employees - and whether low to middle income Americans more generally - have pooled resources with other families to the extent that we could. In modern times, young adults move out as quickly as they can, but there was a time when family lived together in one house, and that’s true in a lot of countries around the world today. But again? What if family is already spread out across the country or even just spread out across the DC area, which is rather geographically expansive as many of our Dopers know? What are someone’s options then? They’re living with rents that have soared way, way, way above the rise in wages. And that’s a problem that is only getting worse. If people can no longer afford homes and are stuck with being renters, they’re at the mercy of housing markets, many of which are spiked by speculative investment in 2019, just as they were in 2006. Many of these employees have already invested in homes. Or they’ve taken out a car loan because they need reliable transit to work. A month might not be a problem, and perhaps the ones who are calling off work aren’t desperate but are just taking precautions now and looking for work in case things become worse. One month? Okay, but 2 months, 3 months? How much longer? At this point there’s no deal in sight. Meanwhile, there are business owners and contractors who have developed business relationships with federal agencies and the federal workforce, and their business activity is grinding to a halt. Over what? Over the fact that a con-artist billionaire can’t be trusted to make decisions without checking in and getting approval from Ann Coulter first - and that’s not trolling, either. That’s an accurate illustration of the sequence of events that led us to where we are now. That’s a pretty stupid goddamn reason for a shutdown. **We have 800,000 plus workers not receiving income, and many more privately-owned, for profit businesses being seriously impacted by this – all because this country elected a traitorous career con man who is under the thumb of Russian oligarchs and American white nationalists.** ---
**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 22, 2019, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/263 "2019-01-22T11:44:44Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I predict a massive sickout by TSA in the week before the Super Bowl causing airport shutdowns around the country so players and fans cannot travel to Atlanta. NFL owners will be living in Mitch McConnell’s head until he allows a vote on the House bill to reopen the government. That scenario has crossed my mind. Unfortunately, I think that if Atlanta TSA were to go it alone, there would be hell to pay and they’d probably try to terminate any and everyone who took a sick day. I don’t think it’ll be too long before 10% of the workforce calling off becomes 15% and then 20%. I think that the more that people do this, the more the idea spreads. As I’ve said before people were born with a fairness meter. When the idea kicks in that we’re getting screwed, and when we see others in our in-group fighting injustice, that idea spreads. People aren’t going to keep putting up with this shit, even if they can afford to for another month or so. ---
**Author:** ![Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/budget_player_cadet/32/205_2.png) [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Budget_Player_Cadet)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/264 "2019-01-22T11:48:34Z")
> [@D\_Anconia](#): > > Common wisdom is to save six _months_ of living expenses. Five weeks should not be a problem. Do you have six months of living expenses saved? If so, do you realize this puts you in a significant minority? [Only about 1 in 3 Americans has enough money to cover a sudden $1,000 emergency](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/few-americans-have-enough-savings-to-cover-a-1000-emergency.html), let alone 6 months without pay. Apparently [some 28% have the money to cover 6 months](https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/20/pf/emergency-fund/index.html), which seems… well, absurdly high, and you will never, ever get there getting paid anywhere near minimum wage. Five weeks shouldn’t be a problem, but for most Americans, that’s really fucking bad. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/265 "2019-01-22T11:51:34Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > I predict a massive sickout by TSA in the week before the Super Bowl causing airport shutdowns around the country so players and fans cannot travel to Atlanta. NFL owners will be living in Mitch McConnell’s head until he allows a vote on the House bill to reopen the government. The teams will fly chartered jets and most people in this country could care less if a bunch of rich people can’t go to a football game. It would get lots of press, but not really move the needle. ---
**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 22, 2019, 11:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/266 "2019-01-22T11:54:06Z")
> [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Do you have six months of living expenses saved? > > If so, do you realize this puts you in a significant minority? [Only about 1 in 3 Americans has enough money to cover a sudden $1,000 emergency](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/few-americans-have-enough-savings-to-cover-a-1000-emergency.html), let alone 6 months without pay. Apparently [some 28% have the money to cover 6 months](https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/20/pf/emergency-fund/index.html), which seems… well, absurdly high, and you will never, ever get there getting paid anywhere near minimum wage. Five weeks shouldn’t be a problem, but for most Americans, that’s really fucking bad. It’s math conservatives use to make themselves feel better: _everyone_ can reach the top 1%. And here I thought their main entertainment was kicking someone while they’re down. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/267 "2019-01-22T12:54:01Z")
> [@scudsucker](#): > > I’m starting to worry about Mr. Trump’s health. > > His only form of excerise is his well used “twitter” thumb; and the slightly more healthy amble from the golf cart to where his caddie has moved the golf ball. > > And he’s just not getting this vital aerobic excerise while the shut down continues. And this worries you because…?? > [@Budget\_Player\_Cadet](#): > > Do you have six months of living expenses saved? > > If so, do you realize this puts you in a significant minority? [Only about 1 in 3 Americans has enough money to cover a sudden $1,000 emergency](https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/18/few-americans-have-enough-savings-to-cover-a-1000-emergency.html), let alone 6 months without pay. Apparently [some 28% have the money to cover 6 months](https://money.cnn.com/2017/06/20/pf/emergency-fund/index.html), which seems… well, absurdly high, and you will never, ever get there getting paid anywhere near minimum wage. Five weeks shouldn’t be a problem, but for most Americans, that’s really fucking bad. Hell, there was a lot of coverage last year about how almost 50% of Americans could not put their hands on $400 cash for an emergency. FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS. Here’s the [USAToday article-quoting Motley Fool](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/personalfinance/2017/10/06/why-half-of-americans-cant-come-up-with-400-in-an-emergency/106216294/), but this story was all over. > [@](#): > > …Author Neal Gabler reported on the work of one economist, who concluded that in the event of a job loss, “a family in the middle quintile, with an average income of roughly $50,000, could continue its spending for … _ **six days.** _” This finding is scary, and it isn’t much better at the next income level. “Even in the second-highest quintile, a family could maintain its normal consumption for only 5.3 months,” Gabler continues. > … My (over) emphasis. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/268 "2019-01-22T13:19:26Z")
My 6 month emergency fund is for actual emergencies, not stupid emergencies like the one Trump has created. What if I burn through it because of a shutdown and then an actual emergency hits me? What if I had an actual emergency 2 months ago? I’m sure **D’Anconia** will just tell me I should have had _two_ 6 month emergency funds. ---
**Author:** ![BeepKillBeep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9e8a1a/32.png) [@BeepKillBeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeepKillBeep)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/269 "2019-01-22T13:21:04Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > My 6 month emergency fund is for actual emergencies, not stupid emergencies like the one Trump has created. What if I burn through it because of a shutdown and then an actual emergency hits me? What if I had an actual emergency 2 months ago? > > I’m sure **D’Anconia** will just tell me I should have had _two_ 6 month emergency funds. You cannot fool me young man, it is emergency funds all the way down! ---
**Author:** ![Tatterdemalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/43a26b/32.png) [@Tatterdemalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tatterdemalion)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/270 "2019-01-22T14:44:06Z")
I really do think there’s a turtle in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/271 "2019-01-22T15:04:10Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > I’m sure **D’Anconia** will just tell me I should have had _two_ 6 month emergency funds. You just squirrel away six months of living expenses every paycheque. ---
**Author:** ![wguy123](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wguy123/32/3161_2.png) [@wguy123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wguy123)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/272 "2019-01-22T15:51:34Z")
> [@Tatterdemalion](#): > > I really do think there’s a turtle in there somewhere. It is Mitchs all the way down! ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/273 "2019-01-22T16:51:27Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Except the last “work stoppage” on the part of air controllers resulted in all of them being fired. Even if you didn’t know that, they haven’t forgotten. Things haven’t gotten to the point where any significant number of them feeling like metaphorically falling on their sword for the benefit of the nation. The ATC strike was 37 years ago (and a different situation entirely). Somehow I doubt there’s many in the towers today that actually went through it, though of course they know about it. How long would you work without pay until you felt like you needed to do something about it? [Their union has filed a lawsuit](https://www.thedailybeast.com/air-traffic-agents-sue-trump-as-airports-brace-for-sick-outs-with-shutdown-now-at-three-weeks-2), but that could take a long time to resolve. There is a suggestion in the linked article that there could be an increased rate of retirements. > [@Monty](#): > > Trump would, without a doubt, fire every one of the ATCs, just like Reagan did. And then that would add more to the military’s mission. Agent Orange isn’t Reagan. If he wanted to fire them, who would he get to do it? He surely wouldn’t want to be blamed for it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/274 "2019-01-22T16:59:46Z")
SNAP (‘Food Stamps’) are funded through February. If the Trump Shutdown lasts longer than that, there will be some hungry people. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/275 "2019-01-22T17:08:01Z")
Key difference between the ATC strike and today is that while the 1981 strike was over pay, the air traffic controllers where at least getting paid. Not the case today. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/276 "2019-01-22T17:24:54Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > SNAP (‘Food Stamps’) are funded through February. > > If the Trump Shutdown lasts longer than that, there will be some hungry people. You post that as if Republicans don’t consider that a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/277 "2019-01-22T17:29:45Z")
> [@asahi](#): > > That scenario has crossed my mind. Unfortunately, I think that if Atlanta TSA were to go it alone, there would be hell to pay and they’d probably try to terminate any and everyone who took a sick day. On the other hand I expect a lot of TSA employees are at the point of saying, go ahead and fire me. 14 bucks an hour doesn’t mean shit if you don’t actually get paid, I think I’ll find somewhere else to work thank you very much. Good luck filling my vacancy. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/278 "2019-01-22T17:49:11Z")
Pay issues notwithstanding, can they even hire new employees during a shutdown? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/279 "2019-01-22T17:52:49Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Pay issues notwithstanding, can they even hire new employees during a shutdown? I don’t think there’s anyone around to do the interviews or process the paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2019, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577/280 "2019-01-22T17:53:56Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Pay issues notwithstanding, can they even hire new employees during a shutdown? Maybe they can get volunteers. I’m sure volunteer air traffic controllers would do a bang-up job. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-shutdown/827577.md?page=15)