# Uncle Sam is now officially closed for business. But for how long? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 1, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083 "2013-10-01T12:52:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/1 "2013-10-01T12:52:21Z")
Well, a bunch of Federal workers are home watching tv today. Unpaid leave, unless some kind of deal gets cuts to retroactively pay them later. Some of them can probably use a few days off to relax and reconnect with their families. It’s surprising how many jobs out there are partially State and partially Federally funded. Some of them are off work too. It depends on how the percents are divided and whether the state decides to pay the entire cost during the shutdown. Otherwise does anyone particularly care that Uncle Sam is closed for awhile? Seniors still get their Social Security and the mail is still running. Military families are getting their pay. I’m not too concerned unless this impasse drags on for several weeks. The unpaid leave will start to hurt a lot of families after the first week or two. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/2 "2013-10-01T12:57:06Z")
There’s economic costs just due to radical swings in governmental direction. It costs money to continuously stop and restart (many of the functions of the) government. Same deal with health care: if Congress had agreed to delay some of the requirements of the ACA, it would have been potentially three shifts (to the ACA, then off, then back on again) that the government and healthcare providers would have had to make instead of just one. ETA: not to mention the economic costs to the people who continuously have to change their plans in both scenarios. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/3 "2013-10-01T13:09:21Z")
Seems like a good time to go throw some tea partiers into the harbor. ---
**Author:** ![smee\_goan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f07891/32.png) [@smee\_goan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smee_goan)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/4 "2013-10-01T13:12:28Z")
If that Navy Yard was closed, there might not have been those 12 fatalities last week. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/5 "2013-10-01T13:19:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Otherwise does anyone particularly care that Uncle Sam is closed for awhile? The people running hotels, restaurants, and general purpose tourist traps around places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and the Smithsonian do. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/6 "2013-10-01T13:26:22Z")
Not to mention all the tourists who planned their vacations around those spots. The galling thing is that the courts have ruled that Congress has to get paid, even if everybody else doesn’t. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/7 "2013-10-01T13:27:17Z")
My governor explained yesterday how they will handle state employees with partial federal funding. I’d guess other states will do something similar. They could reduce hours. A 80-20 employee could work 32 hours a week. But what about a 50-50 employee? Forcing somebody to commute into work for only 20 hours would be a big PITA. > **[AP Press](https://www.arkansasbusiness.com/ap-press/)** > > Hi there! If you’re seeing this message, it means the article you’re looking for was originally from the Associated Press and has been removed. AP stories are only available on \[…\] > [@](#): > > “The state is not in a position to, nor will we, bail out the federal government,” Beebe said at a news conference at the state Capitol. “We just don’t have the resources to be able to do it, nor is it our intention to do so.” > > Beebe said that some state employees whose positions are partly funded by the federal government may be able to keep working, but the state may need to furlough others. For example, Beebe said that instead of furloughing workers who have 20 percent of their salaries paid for by federal funds, the state would furlough 20 percent of the federally funded workers in that office. > > “You can’t divide a person 80-20, so you’ve got divide the total number of people 80-20,” Beebe said. ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/8 "2013-10-01T14:30:51Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Not to mention all the tourists who planned their vacations around those spots. And the families that rely on the Head Start program and/or WIC, people who are thisclose to buying a house, surviving spouses of service members killed in action, and in a week or two disabled and retired vets. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/9 "2013-10-01T14:32:26Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > My governor explained yesterday how they will handle state employees with partial federal funding. I’d guess other states will do something similar. > > They could reduce hours. A 80-20 employee could work 32 hours a week. But what about a 50-50 employee? Forcing somebody to commute into work for only 20 hours would be a big PITA. > > [AP Press - Arkansas Business — Business News, Real Estate, Law, Construction](http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article/94944/mike-beebe-2000-state-workers-furloughed-if-shutdown-occurs) The governor of Arkansas really said that? 😕 He’d rather a few suffer utterly than have many suffer a little? What an idiot and a fucking jerk. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/10 "2013-10-01T14:35:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Well, a bunch of Federal workers are home watching tv today. […] Otherwise does anyone particularly care that Uncle Sam is closed for > [@Ludovic](#): > > There’s economic costs just due to radical swings in governmental direction. It costs money to continuously stop and restart (many of the functions of the) government. > [@Frank](#): > > The people running hotels, restaurants, and general purpose tourist traps around places like Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, and the Smithsonian do. > [@silenus](#): > > Not to mention all the tourists who planned their vacations around those spots. > [@bobkitty](#): > > And the families that rely on the Head Start program and/or WIC, people who are thisclose to buying a house, surviving spouses of service members killed in action, and in a week or two disabled and retired vets. Other than that, OP- no, nobody cares. :rolleyes: ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/11 "2013-10-01T15:12:15Z")
I’ve been through this in 1996. It wasn’t a big deal. I can’t recall all the specifics but the Fed workers got some retroactive pay, and I think some of their vacation leave was used too. They came out ok. My employer has quite a few state employees that are partially Fed funded. Some of them are off today and other people are covering their duties as needed. It’s all just a stunt by the clowns in Washington. A PITA for the lower income employees that are effected. It won’t last long because political pressure will force it to end. The Internet will make things much hotter for the politicians. I can’t see this lasting more than a week. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/12 "2013-10-01T15:18:39Z")
Is their anything more spineless than a group of Washington politicians? They’ll cave in quick as the public pressure mounts. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/13 "2013-10-01T15:24:16Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Is their anything more spineless than a group of Washington politicians? They’ll cave in quick as the public pressure mounts. Do you have any idea why this is happening right now? Nevermind, I’ll rephrase: it sounds like you have no idea why this is happening. It’s not because anybody is spineless. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/14 "2013-10-01T15:28:39Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > It wasn’t a big deal. I can’t recall all the specifics but the Fed workers got some retroactive pay, and I think some of their vacation leave was used too. They came out ok. I’ll eat my hat if this retroactive pay happens again. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingRat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/59ef9b/32.png) [@FlyingRat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingRat)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/15 "2013-10-01T15:32:07Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Some of them can probably use a few days off to relax and reconnect with their families. You mean, like the days off they had earlier in the year, during which they didn’t get paid either? This fucking sucks. ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/16 "2013-10-01T16:25:44Z")
Politicians are spineless in reacting to public pressure. Losing public support scares them to death. We’re not in an election cycle right now otherwise they’d never pull a stunt like shutting down the gov. I know the reasons for the shutdown are varied and complicated. There’s other threads on the issues already. I may join in later but I got too much going on today for any serious discussions. If the shutdown drags on for over a week or two then I’ll get worried. I hope it doesn’t reach that point. > [@Marley23](#): > > Do you have any idea why this is happening right now? Nevermind, I’ll rephrase: it sounds like you have no idea why this is happening. It’s not because anybody is spineless. ---
**Author:** ![Taters](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/taters/32/2845_2.png) [@Taters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taters)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/17 "2013-10-01T16:43:41Z")
I am one of those federal employees who got furloughed. I was verbally notified last night and had to waste gas and time to come in this morning to sign my official letter. I am in the process of an “orderly shutdown”. I was also one of the Dept of of Defense employees who was furloughed over the summer. This fucking sucks. Two days a pay period with no pay hurt, but this will be even worse. I too, am a survivor of the mid-90s shutdown. We did receive retroactive pay, but you are smoking some serious wacky tabacky if you think we’ll receive it again. I am not hopeful those idiots in the House and Senate can come up with something quickly and get us back to work. Finally, vets are not going to receive their pay, and, if this continues, Social Security recipients won’t recieve their checks, eventually, all will be affected. And, it’s not just those federal employees who are affected, it’s their families too. It’s the businesses they support when they shop and go out to dinner and buy gas and every other thing that “regular” civilians do. I am furious and just sick and tired of this bullshit. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/18 "2013-10-01T16:44:32Z")
> [@aceplace57](#): > > Politicians are spineless in reacting to public pressure. If that were true this wouldn’t have happened. > [@](#): > > We’re not in an election cycle right now No we’re not! We are not at all in an election cycle! Look at a calendar. There was a presidential election a year ago and Congressional elections aren’t until next year. That’s a significant part of why this is going on. Just recently Paul Ryan (I think) noted that things probably aren’t going to change very much for Republicans any time soon, and that’s why this is happening this way. > [@](#): > > I know the reasons for the shutdown are varied and complicated. Not really! ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/19 "2013-10-01T16:57:20Z")
> [@Taters](#): > > Finally, vets are not going to receive their pay, and, if this continues, Social Security recipients won’t recieve their checks, eventually, all will be affected. I don’t believe this is true. Social Security and veteran’s retirement pay go out in spite of the shutdown: [http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-the-government-shutdown-will-work/](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/30/absolutely-everything-you-need-to-know-about-how-the-government-shutdown-will-work/) ---
**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:** [October 1, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083/20 "2013-10-01T17:45:24Z")
Theres some confusion on the WIC programs shutdown status. WIC is a nourishment program for pregnant women and children. Arkansas negotiated with the USDA to keep WIC’s going for awhile. That’s really good news. WIC’s is a critical supplemental nourishment program for babies and pregnant women. It has to be maintained somehow. Even if it takes temporary state funding. I guess the other states will try and keep WIC’s operating too. [http://www.thv11.com/news/article/281674/2/Health-Dept-negotiates-deal-with-USDA-on-WIC](http://www.thv11.com/news/article/281674/2/Health-Dept-negotiates-deal-with-USDA-on-WIC) > [@](#): > > Officials at the Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) announced late this afternoon that an arrangement had been reached with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) that would preserve benefits and jobs in the Women Infants and Children’s (WIC) program on a week-by-week basis in the event of a government shutdown tonight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uncle-sam-is-now-officially-closed-for-business-but-for-how-long/670083.md?page=2)