A reader made this comment at the end of a news story about the government shutdown:
Ted Testerson
Republicans – Can I burn down your house?
Democrats – No
Republicans – Just the 2nd floor?
Democrats – No
Republicans – Garage?
Democrats – No
Republicans – Let’s talk about what I can burn down.
Democrats – No
Republicans – YOU AREN’T COMPROMISING!
shutdown game - it's not a game!
Colbert had a similar joke the other night. He played a game of government shutdown with a child on his show. The first rule was that Colbert got to go first, and he refused to do anything at all so the kid couldn’t take his turn.
After so more unproductive moves/rounds, Colbert threw the board in the air tantrum-style.
The other 85%
About a decade ago I read an article in the Washington Post that 85% of government work was being done by private contractors. If anything, that % is higher now.
Does anybody know what’s going on with contractors?
Are they being shut down?
The actual government workers are being sent home – 800,000 folks or so. Based on that number (from various newspaper accounts of this shutdown) there would be about 5 million contract workers for the feds.
I’m guessing they’re not furloughed.
To a degree many of them are
To a degree many of them are essentially furloughed as they cannot proceed with work without contracts which would come from government offices. Or because there is no assurance that they will get paid they are stopped mid-way in the middle of contracts. A hidden number of people essentially outside of government work who are “furloughed” also because of this situation. It’s causing some real hardship for a few people I know. If there is no one to sign the contracts or checks no one is working.
I’m actually curious as to what would happen if social security checks stop coming. Perhaps some of those tea partiers who are on SSI might change their minds about not wanting government involved in their lives.
SSI and Medicare
Spot on: “Tell the government to keep its hands off my medicare (and SSI)!”
It won't be long before we
It won’t be long before we can see how that plays out. From what I’ve read if there is a shut down over the debt ceiling as of November no social security checks, no veterans benefit checks, no disability payments of any kind. I’m really hoping Obama holds out . Let the tea party take responsibility for this. Many may find they rely on the government more than they thought.