The unpaid 800,000 almost all have dependents. So let's make it 2,400,000 suffering at minimum.

[Hekate]

Please help make the oft-cited 800,000 number more realistic. They're not counting so-called comtractors and they're not counting families.

[sheshe2]

1. You are so correct, Hekate.

Add the children and babies to those numbers. I saw one interview where the mom spoke and said she is rationing her children's Asthma Medication. So now he is killing Americans, must be bored with incarcerating black and brown immigrant babies. Guess the bastard needs to up his quotas.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

2. or, ignoring suffering and examining economics

How many vendors and lenders does each worker deal with in each pay period? Housing, commute expenses, food, education, loan servicing, clothing, etc.

The 800,000 paychecks touch a lot more people than just the ones who are missing them. The ripples are going to touch several millions.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. It is actually much worse than that.

Let's use an average of 2.2 contractors for each government worker. Let's say that is 1.8M. Then using your 3:1 dependent ratio, that would be an additional 5.4M. That brings the total number of victims - to date - to 7.8M As time goes on, even more contractors will see hard times. Add to that people who are already affected by the inability to do something because of no government services (for example, see breweries needing federal label approvals for new seasonal beer) and the number goes up in a way that we can't even calculate right now.

Anyway, I think it is safe to assume there are *at least* 10 million victims so far.

[Hekate]

4. I was just reminded that whole categories of low level jobs have been passed along to contractors...

Janitors and the like. I have absolutely no idea how many that is except it's a lot.

Damn Trump and all his ilk.

[Stinky The Clown]

6. I can't cite a source, but the ratio of 2.2 contractors to every federal employee is about right.

I read it at a reliable source linked here on DU. The number was higher than I imagined, but not surprisingly so.

[FBaggins]

7. There are, however, some offsetting factors as well

Most contractors work for medium-to-large corporations that won't miss payroll or lay people off due to a few weeks without getting paid.

Similarly... a not-insignificant portion of even the 800k should avoid too much pain in the first couple months. Prior history tells them that when the shutdown ends, they'll get all of their missing pay. Most of us would feel pain at putting a few thousand dollars in living expenses onto a credit card or home equity line... but if we knew for certain that a month or two from now we would get all of the lost money back? That's not necessarily a big deal.

[Hekate]

9. I read last year that most Americans don't have even $400 in savings. Living paycheck to paycheck...

...is a way of life. Credit cards are maxed out. Medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcy in this country. Mortgages are bundled and sold overseas -- there is no local banker who gives a shit about you or your local town any more.

These are our fellow Americans and they are scrambling for a food bank right now, but that won't help them with the cost of medications or their rent/mortgage. Their babysitter can't wait -- she has her own bills.

Civil servants have a career ladder and benefits, but salaries are not magnificent. The jobs are supposed to have security and some benefits -- and my experience is that most civil servants, whether city, county, state, or federal -- all have some sense of mission about serving a greater cause that gives them pride in the work they do. Trump and the GOP have just robbed these people of that and everything else.

[area51]

5. Not to mention the people on SNAP & more. n/t

[peggysue2]

8. Important detail

I think you're absolutely correct with the appeal to underscore the ripple effects of the shutdown and the month-long forfeiture of salary. The 800,000 have families, as do the contractors and other ancillary business/labor that is dependent on/providing services to our Federal employees.

I've read the number of individuals actually affected is more in the 4+ million range.