Who benefits from the shutdown?

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  • #1667665
    Abba_S
    Participant

    I don’t see any incentive for Trump to give in. As long as it’s in effect it minimizes any misdeeds he may have done. Impeachment isn’t happening. Government programs such as food stamps are out of money. When a budget is finally passed I think payments to certain states for these programs will be delayed, resulting in either denying benefits or additional cost to those states. As soon as the 2019 budget is finalized the 2020 budget which is due by Oct. 1 must be passed. With 2020 being a presidential election year I think that year’s budget is going to be even harder to pass. I don’t really think anything is going to be done this session.

    #1667674
    akuperma
    Participant

    The only beneficiaries are the non-essential employees, who get paid without having to come to work. It is a mild inconvenience to miss some paychecks, but they get the money in the end, and they end up having received large amounts of time off without having to use up leave.

    The leaders of both parties (Trump and Schumer/Pelosi) benefit by showing their “base” they stood up for their principles, but they alienate the rest of the country which isn’t amused by the idea of giving a chunk of the tolerably well paid service a “no show” job at public expense.

    #1667891

    Nobody.

    #1667892
    Gadolhadorah
    Participant

    No one benefits and it simply shows how dysfunctional our government has become and how both sides have become polarized playing to their base at the far right and left. Hopefully some adults in both parties will take control and pass a reasonable compromise but that is looking less likely given the disappearing “center” in our political spectrum.

    #1667920
    Joseph
    Participant

    They’ll have proof they have too many employees to begin with and can get the job done with a 33% staff reduction.

    #1668116
    Amil Zola
    Participant

    “The only beneficiaries are the non-essential employees, who get paid without having to come to work.” Factually incorrect, non essential employees who are furloughed are not getting paid during the shutdown. Even the furloughed non essential IRS employees being called back will not be getting paid. Several states are working to ensure that furloughed individuals can collect unemployment.

    #1668127
    Joseph
    Participant

    Amil: akuperman specifically stated “but they get the money in the end.” Meaning even though they didn’t have to work, Congress will give them back-pay once a deal is reached and a budget is passed. It happened in every single previous shutdown. Congress paid them for the time they didn’t work.

    If they collect unemployment currently, which they are legally entitled to do, they’ll have to refund the unemployment once they get their back-pay.

    #1668159
    akuperma
    Participant

    All civil servants get paid in the end, including those who were on “vacation” the whole time. If one was planning to do overtime (e.g. to build up hours for upcoming yuntufs) you do lose that. Contractors in most cases don’t get paid.

    This is a ridiculous, but largely harmless way, for the Democrats and Republicans to prove their ideological purity. Holding your breath until you turn blue is childish. Giving your employees a paid vacation is an insane from of protest.

    #1668157
    zahavasdad
    Participant

    Not everyone is going to get back pay, there are about 800,000 government employees, they will get paid. However there are aboutr 4-5 Million contractors who work for a contractor who gets paid by the government, Those workers are not getting paid and will not likely get back pay either

    #1668143
    Amil Zola
    Participant

    Waiting maybe months to a year to get paid is a good thing? Seriously we’re not talking people with executive incomes having salaries deferred, we’re talking working class people. Some of whom, based on their jobs and conditions of employment may not moonlight with second jobs. Some IRS workers who have been called back to work without pay, are concerned about having money to pay for gas to get to work. There are families who in another 30 days will be losing their medical insurance. Some of these workers have families who have critical medical needs.

    I can’t see how Americans benefit without food inspections at the manufacturing or import level. Or how flyers benefit when the safety inspectors who are required to certify a plane for flight have been furloughed.

    Certainly the people living in cities like Lkwd and PalmTree who have high levels of dependence on national programs aren’t benefiting. They may have gotten their February SNAP benefits early but those payments are the last until the shutdown is over. How many property owners in Monsey, Lkwd, or Palmtree depend on Section 8 Voucher $ to make their mortgage payments? It’s illegal for them to ask their renters to make up the difference. Emergency heating subsidies will be greatly reduced because those programs will no long receive federal funds. WIC is vital to many pregnant women, no more benefits for those women and children.

    BTW few states pay unemployment to workers who are furloughed. Naturally if they are paid, those monies advance must be repaid when they receive their back pay.

    #1668141
    Amil Zola
    Participant

    Joseph, the furloughed are not legally entitled to collect unemployment. If you have a job you cannot collect unemployment. That’s why a change in the law is necessary. So what these people and others will get paid in the end. Many will have lost their medical benefits, some their homes or living spaces, some their vehicles. Some won’t be able to pay for medicines that are critically needed for their children or spouses. Naturally since SNAP is out of money applying will do little to help them. Food banks are getting maxed out.

    In the meantime there are no USDA food inspections, the mechanics and technicians who certify that a plane is safe enough to fly are off the job. Critical medical research programs will be out of money. Some small towns are looking at thousands of people without income and that trickle down hurts businesses.

    It will be interesting to hear what’s actually happening in towns like Lkwd and Palm Tree where there is a large population of people dependant on federal programs who have run out of money.

    So who is benefitting?

    “I am proud to shut down the government for border security, Chuck. … I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down. I’m not going to blame you for it.”

    #1668422
    Joseph
    Participant

    Attention Federal Employees:

    Your months plus long bonus paid vacation, courtesy of Uncle Sam, is coming to an end soon. You may have another bonus paid vacation in three weeks hence.

    How have you enjoyed your paid time off so far?

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