Goverment Shutdown...

Not sure what to say...

 

NPR Goverment Shutdown

 

Shutdown Begins After Congress Fails In Spending Compromise

 

by Scott Nueman

 

October 01, 201312:01 AM

 

Members of the House of Representatives enter the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Congress failed to reach a budget agreement by the midnight deadline triggering a partial shutdown of the government.

 

Members of the House of Representatives enter the U.S. Capitol on Monday. Congress failed to reach a budget agreement by the midnight deadline triggering a partial shutdown of the government.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

 

House Republicans and Senate Democrats could not reach agreement by the midnight deadline on a spending bill to keep the government operating, triggering an immediate shutdown of nonessential services and the furlough of nonessential personnel potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers.

 

Updated at 1:40 a.m. ET, House Speaker Boehner's Comments:

NPR Coverage Leading Up To Shutdown

Speaker of the House John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, arrives for a Republican Conference meeting at the U.S. Capitol on Friday in Washington, D.C.

President Barack Obama talks about the government shutdown during a media availability following Obama's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Monday.

If Congress does not reach a budget agreement and the government shuts down, the U.S. Postal Service is one agency expected to remain in operation.

 

House Speaker John Boehner spoke to the media at 1:15 a.m. ET. He said, in part, "The Senate has continued to reject our offers. But under the Constitution, there's a way to resolve this process, and that is to go to conference and talk through your differences. I would hope that the Senate would accept our offer to go to conference and discuss this so that we can resolve this for the American people."

 

Shortly before Boehner spoke, the House voted 228-199 to re-pass their earlier bill and request negotiations with the Senate on a compromise.

 

Boehner was asked if he would allow a vote on a standalone spending bill that would allow the government to reopen. He answered, "We are hoping that the Senate will take our offer to go to conference and let us resolve our differences."

 

Update at 12:51 a.m. ET. Senate Recesses Until Tuesday Morning:

 

With the shutdown now underway, the U.S. Senate at 12:18 a.m. They are scheduled to convene at 9:30 a.m. where they will return to the matter of finding a deal with the House that will fund the government.

 

Our original post continues:

 

This is the first government shutdown since 1996, when President Bill Clinton was in the White House.

 

The Senate leadership had insisted on accepting only a "clean" continuing resolution, as the stopgap spending bill is known. But House Republicans stood their ground, insisting on using the continuing resolution as a vehicle to accomplish their long-held goal of derailing President Obama's signature Affordable Care Act.

 

The final inning of the drama came Monday afternoon, as the that would have delayed Obamacare for a year and President Obama addressed reporters at the White House, accusing GOP lawmakers of threatening to throw a "wrench" into the economy "just because there's a law they don't like."

 

, voting 228-201 to pass another bill that would avert a shutdown of the federal government but also delay a key part of the Affordable Care Act. The Senate quickly tabled the amendments and sent the bill back to the House.

 

"I think what the speaker is doing is doubling and tripling down a path that was always intended to take us to shutting down government," Rep. Nancy Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, said at a press conference in the last hour before the deadline.

 

As the minutes ticked away toward the midnight deadline, no compromise appeared and the White House budget office directed federal agencies to begin shutting down.

 

The shutdown means but national parks, with daily attendance of some 750,000, will be closed.

 

After the deadline passed, President Obama to U.S. troops and Department of Defense staff assuring them that they would get paid.

 

"If you're serving in harm's way, we're going to make sure you have what you need to succeed in your missions," the president said.

 

As The Associated Press writes, the government shutdown is expected to inconvenience millions:

 

"Many low-to-moderate-income borrowers and first-time homebuyers seeking government-backed mortgages could face delays. ...

 

"About 800,000 federal workers, many already reeling from the effect of automatic budget cuts, would be ordered to report to work Tuesday for about four hours — but only to carry out shutdown-related chores such as changing office voicemail messages and completing time cards. Once they departed, they would be under orders not to do any government work.

 

"Some critical services such as patrolling the borders, inspecting meat and controlling air traffic would continue. Social Security benefits would be sent, and the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs for the elderly and poor would continue to pay doctors and hospitals."

 

Anticipating the likely shutdown, investors on Monday turned in a disappointing day. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 128.57 points, off 0.8 percent, to close at 15,129.67. The Standard & Poor's 500 dropped 10.20 points, or 0.6 percent, to 1,681.55.

 

Can't help but think of one of my favorite characters, Ron Swanson...

 

Good.

I think it's great to shut down non essential govt jobs such as statistics when the country is in debt

 

The only downside seems to be the national parks

 

 

Pretty crazy, you guys should have another election!

Thinking this could turn out to a shitfest I want to offer free kebab for all members! Good luck guys!

Problem is that many senators and congressmen are just as "non essential" and create a bigger drain, yet they still get paid. Some of these peoples pensions are more then several civil servants salaries combined. Not to stir a pot but a month ago they were still talking about starting a multi-billion dollar war.....hmmmm! I love the United States, and while they were in power the world was a better place. I hope they get it sorted out.

As a civilian Officer with the DoD who has been supporting the US Military for almost 10 years and who just busted his ASS to ensure another successful fiscal year end for my command (nice "thank you" huh?), this absolutely disgusts me. And before anyone posts further about how "good" this is, please keep in mind that you would not be posting that if it was your paycheck and family that was affected by this. I was told to report in today for 4 hours simply so I could sign a letter, and am now furloughed without pay AGAIN (for the second time in 6 months) while this gets straightened out.

 

 

My roommate is USMC civilian and said the same this morning. I'm contractor and due to the contract and funding structure I'm not impacted....yet. But I've already had to start adjusting project schedules. It is a pain in the ass they seem to wait to the last minute every time. And there is still the debt issue coming up in a couple weeks which will be another headache.

While that is awful about your paychecks, if any of the companies some of us work for had no money, we wouldnt get furloughed, we would get fired. And the company would be shut down.

Not to play nanny, but don't we kind of have a no politics rule around here?

 

That being said, I'm glad to see they have the stones to dig in and try to stop this health care landslide of bullshit.

Not to play nanny, but don't we kind of have a no politics rule around here?

 

That being said, I'm glad to see they have the stones to dig in and try to stop this health care landslide of bullshit.

 

Members have been self-regulating the political threads pretty well and not getting too out of control. There is always rooms for healthy debate, as long as it doesn't get out of hand, I don't have a problem with it. I'll let the more senior moderators make the call though.

As a civilian Officer with the DoD who has been supporting the US Military for almost 10 years and who just busted his ASS to ensure another successful fiscal year end for my command (nice "thank you" huh?), this absolutely disgusts me. And before anyone posts further about how "good" this is, please keep in mind that you would not be posting that if it was your paycheck and family that was affected by this. I was told to report in today for 4 hours simply so I could sign a letter, and am now furloughed without pay AGAIN (for the second time in 6 months) while this gets straightened out.

 

I hear you, and unfortunatly you suffer while the Damn congress goes on living their fat lives. The problem is to much self promotion.

I hear you, and unfortunatly you suffer while the Damn congress goes on living their fat lives. The problem is to much self promotion.

 

I think that the healthcare law is equated, for me at least, in JPegs13's quote in his signature bar...

 

"Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk"~~ Joaquin de Setanti

Just confirmed I'll still be getting section 8 payments. Can you believe this shit, they suspend your pay check while you're working for it but will support some dead beat lazy ass.

Just confirmed I'll still be getting section 8 payments. Can you believe this shit, they suspend your pay check while you're working for it but will support some dead beat lazy ass.

 

He doesn't want to upset his voter base.

Just confirmed I'll still be getting section 8 payments. Can you believe this shit, they suspend your pay check while you're working for it but will support some dead beat lazy ass.

 

Does that surprise you? Creating a system depending on the handouts will create a voting base to keep the one giving stuff out.

Just confirmed I'll still be getting section 8 payments. Can you believe this shit, they suspend your pay check while you're working for it but will support some dead beat lazy ass.

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself.

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself.

 

yeah I'm crying over it, if it wasn't direct deposit I would have refused to cash it.

 

To me the frustrating part is the collateral damage. I don't work for the government but I have quite a few friends in the military and it sucks to literally put your life on the line yet your bosses can't seem to work together. I dunno, it's tragedy. Personally, rather than focus on the media "blame game" I'd rather see these folks get this fixed and working again. America is a great nation, but sometimes Uncle Sam gets his head stuck up his ass...Now is one of those times

A story to make you smile amidst the bullshit.

 

One thing we can see here, the biggest detriment coming to this country is a general loss of integrity as a whole. Something these men (and my grandfather was one of them) still retain.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/10/01/great...in-their-honor/

 

What was meant to be a final gathering of heroes Tuesday instead became a final victory for dozens of World War II combat vets who refused to let the government's budget battle block a visit to their memorial in the nation's capital.

 

With bagpipers playing "Amazing Grace," nearly 200 veterans from Mississippi and Iowa swept past barricades and security guards at the World War II Memorial in Washington in order to keep a commitment to visit the site, which was closed today due to the partial government shutdown. The veterans, in their 80s and 90s, were accompanied by Rep. Steven Palazzo, R-Miss., a former Marine who earlier vowed not to let the National Park Police keep them from a planned visit to the open-air monument.

 

"Well, I would have been so down-and-out if I got all the way up here and wasn't able to get in," Navy veteran Oscar Leroy Russell, 90, who is blind after he suffered a stroke, told FoxNews

 

"I’m not going to enforce the 'no stopping or standing' sign for a group of 90 World War II veterans. I’m a veteran myself.”

 

- U.S. Park Police officer

 

Some veterans on hand wiped away tears when they saw a crowd waving the American flag as they came out of their bus.

 

"These men and women didn't cower to the Japanese and Germans," Palazzo said. "I don't think they're about to let a few National Park Police stand in their way."

 

Palazzo, who was joined by several other members of Congress, moved the barricades at the memorial and police did not try to stop the veterans' access.

 

"I’m not going to enforce the 'no stopping or standing' sign for a group of 90 World War II veterans," a U.S. Park Police officer, who declined to give his name, told The Washington Post. “I’m a veteran myself.”

 

The veterans are traveling as part of Honor Flight, a program that enables World War II veterans to partake in an expense-paid trip to view the memorial. Tuesday's trip is the second-to-last flight, with the last scheduled for November. But prior to their arrival early Tuesday, there was fear that the government shutdown and federal worker furloughs would mean no access to the monuments on the National Mall.

 

But with lawmakers leading the charge, the American military heroes, some in wheelchairs, surged into the memorial.

 

"It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission," Palazzo said. “We lined the veterans up along the blockade, we saw an opening and we took it."

 

Joe Cleveland, of Union, Miss., told The Mississippi Press that he would "be thinking about the many battles that have been fought and thanking all those who were willing to go fight for our country."

 

Palazzo noted his grandfather, Manuel McCarty, served in World War II at Guadalcanal and Okinawa. Palazzo was 7 years old when his grandfather died and said he sees his grandfather in these veterans.

 

"I only have a couple of memories of my grandfather," said Palazzo, who has taken part of Honor Flights before. "But each time I see these men, I envision how he'd be."

 

Congressman Bill Huizenga, of Michigan, told GulfLive that "this is the best civil disobedience we've seen in Washington in a while."

I think that the healthcare law is equated, for me at least, in JPegs13's quote in his signature bar...

 

"Be wary of the man who urges an action in which he himself incurs no risk"~~ Joaquin de Setanti

 

You think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free.

 

Just confirmed I'll still be getting section 8 payments. Can you believe this shit, they suspend your pay check while you're working for it but will support some dead beat lazy ass.

 

 

You shouldn't be so hard on yourself.

 

Who are you? You stole my line!

 

You think healthcare is expensive now, wait until it's free.

 

:iamwithstupid:

It sucks...first hand here.

As a civilian Officer with the DoD who has been supporting the US Military for almost 10 years and who just busted his ASS to ensure another successful fiscal year end for my command (nice "thank you" huh?), this absolutely disgusts me. And before anyone posts further about how "good" this is, please keep in mind that you would not be posting that if it was your paycheck and family that was affected by this. I was told to report in today for 4 hours simply so I could sign a letter, and am now furloughed without pay AGAIN (for the second time in 6 months) while this gets straightened out.

 

 

Man, not good. Several close friends had to return govt vehicles today and were told to turn off their "work" cell phones...not good. No bueno...funds stop and no work till further notice.

So not good news, if this shit keeps up its going to affect my contracts with the veterans hospitals.