I am a government employee

[CatWoman]

and I don't know if I'm more scared than pissed off.

These people are playing with lives. And they don't give a crap.

They have no soul.

[Cleita]

1. Keeping my fingers crossed, it won't get to that.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. From one government employee to another...

I'm in another country though, so my next pay's looking as solid as it always is...

I'm really feeling for you guys right now. What the Republicans are doing by threatening to block that supply bill is disgusting. Dumb question, but if they do it, do you stay home or go to work?

[CatWoman]

4. same here about the pay

we had a staff meeting last week and were updated on the situation.

there is a good possibility that we won't be reimbursed for the time lost.

And if it goes thru, we stay home. All government facilities are closed.

We are prohibited to work, and all IT programs will be shut down.

I went thru this in the nineties. We were out for 2 weeks, however, we were reimbursed.

[LiberalLoner]

47. That is the same info my husband received too. We are just planning on not

Getting reimbursed, which if this goes on long enough, will be something that will hurt us and everyone else in the same boat.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

54. I'm a government employee, too. Except I'm low man on the toten pole so I'm told I will be expected

to show up and man the phones but will not get paid. Last shutdown the employees did get paid, this one with the atmosphere in DC, they said don't expect it even if you have to work. If they are going to shut it down, shut down everything, even essential services and let the repugs feel the full wrath of the country. They are playing with people's lives while mugging for the cameras. And according to Huff Po more than one Congresscritter is wafting with boozy smell as they come off the floor.

Dumb question, does this mean no mail service, too? I know they are self-funded (while losing money hand over fist) but does the mail stop during this time?

[DebJ]

61. I heard that too, but how is that possible that one would not get paid for working?

I thought that practice was ended in 1865. This infuriates me.

[Boudica the Lyoness]

84. Maybe you should think about those of us that farm

We can work our arses off, pay an arm and a leg for irrigation, seed, fertilizer and a million bucks in very expensive equipment...then the weather fucks us over. That's the life of a hay farmer!

[left on green only]

87. My Every Thank You Goes Out To You And To Yours

You are the reason why we are all able to live, and you are the most valuable contributors to our society.

Men of the fields, men of the valleys
Men of the seasons and the soil
Strong hearts and hands, molding the lands
All over Earth they toil

Buffy St Marie (I wish you could listen to her sing it)

[calimary]

73. Does HuffPo name names?

I'd like to know who those assholes are coming off the floor with their Eau de Martini perfume reeking behind them.

[CatWoman]

91. our mail service is provided by contractors

it's my understanding that if the facility is closed, contractors will not have access.

But then, that's between them and their parent companies.

[Duckhunter935]

6. Air defense school here

We stay home without pay and doubt we will get back pay. One of my employees is TDY in a school for training and will have to return. One of our courses will be stopped and students sent home, some from overseas. Go in Tuesday for 4 hours to turn in keys, computers. Forbidden by law to work to include answering phone calls relating to work. Not even authorized on post if using civil service ID.

[Downwinder]

18. If you are on furlough can you read

classified documents in the Guardian?

[kelliekat44]

22. ROFLOL!!1

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

13. We stay home. Only essential employees go to work. Each agency determines who those essential

workers are. Essential workers are typically those who hold critical positions that deal with "life and death" situations, most health and safety occupations, but not all. Some, but not all, military personnel are essential. Some people who handle Social Security/Medicare distribution checks are essential. It varies.

[annabanana]

3. Our Government should never be entrusted to those who

intrinsically HATE government. They are nihilists who, having failed during the Civil War, are taking their pound of flesh now.

[onehandle]

5. You should be saying that in a national TV ad.

I hope someday the DNC will figure out that they have to play dirty, like the GOP does.

[NutmegYankee]

33. The Hatch act limits what Civil Servants can say politically.

Being in a DNC ad and saying you're a government employee is a quick way to get a pink slip.

[Cha]

7. I've been worried about you guys!

[Blaukraut]

8. Hubby is, too. Plus, retired military, so we get slammed twice over - AGAIN!

We just recovered from the furlough this pay period, got back on top with bills, etc. But if this shutdown ensues, we will have no income at all. So if we want to pay the mortgage and other bills, we need to take out a loan. I hate these treasonous bastards who play with people's livelihoods like that.

[Stargazer09]

11. Furlough forced my hubby to take a non-US job

He misses his GS job, but furlough would have killed us.

The thought of losing his retirement pay, on top of all the stuff we have already lost, just makes me sick.

[LiberalLoner]

48. That's where we are too. DH retired from Army, now govt worker so no income

We have a nest egg so we will be okay but it still sucks.

[sarge43]

52. Same here

My husband and I are both retired military, living on our pensions and social security. If this last any length of time, I don't know what we will do.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

56. What happens to the monthly retirement check/deposit?

Does it simply vanish? Or does it go into a stack of IOUs that will be paid in a lump when the Republican strike ends?

If the latter, a "bridge" loan may be tolerable, though the interest is an unwelcome expense.

If the former, it is a terrible betrayal.

Best.

:salute:

[Blaukraut]

66. Retirement check would be an IOU. The GS pay would vanish, unless congress does what they did in 96

When they passed a bill to retroactively pay Gov. civilians after the shutdown was over. Somehow that seems pretty unlikely in light of what resides in congress these days.

[madville]

9. I was kind of looking forward to a week off

But they will pass something Monday I bet. I'm ok as far as money goes, could not work for a year or so. I learned to live cheap as an E-2 making $700 a month, it has stuck with me over the years.

The 18 previous times the government has "shutdown" since 1976 they have funded back pay, hopefully we can get a few days off AND get paid for it eventually.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

14. Not a chance. Not with this Teabag Congress. People want to keep telling me that it has NOTHING

to do with hating this president. When the government shut down under Clinton, government employees got back pay. These fucking racist Teabag Republicans hate Obama so much, mainly because he's black--they hate government so much, I highly doubt they will ever support back pay should a shut down occur. I'm so sorry, but they live to destroy us simply because they hate so much. They are driven my hate. They are absolutely consumed by racial hatred. Please believe that. Understand it. It has been this way for many years now. Bill Clinton had some Republicans who were moderate and were willing to work with him--maybe one or two, maybe a few. Obama has ZERO Republicans. None! They all hate him. And I believe that it is because of the color of his skin. Yes, it also has to do with the fact that he's a Democrat. But, most of it has to do with his skin. No one can convince me otherwise.

[kelliekat44]

24. They said as much right after he was elected the first time.

They didn't even know him and they were plotting to destroy his administration. Can't be anything other than the color of his skin. It's not because he is half white. It's because he is half black.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

25. On the day of his inauguration, they were in the back rooms, plotting against him. They admitted it.

Told Joe Biden to expect nothing but obstruction. Said that they weren't going to do anything to help him. Nothing! McConnell said that they wanted to make sure he's a one-term president. Limbaugh said "make him fail". That's rich.

Talking to my mom today who lives in rural Georgia. She said that on the day that Obama won, a white woman came up to her and told her to her face, Obama won because "you niggers" voted for him. I was done. Yes, it's the south, but that exists all over this country, not just the south. I confronted that shit in New Jersey during the fucking 2008 Democratic Party primaries.

Anyway, we're headed for a shutdown, I'm afraid. Unless there's a miracle, that's where we're headed.

[Jamaal510]

30. I love how they

conveniently ignore the fact that it wasn't just us who voted for Obama; he had plenty of people from all races and ethnicities backing him. Considering that we also only make up 13% of the U.S. population, it would be impossible for anyone to win a presidential election with Black support alone.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

31. I know. And throughout our history, we've voted for white candidates--over black candidates--for

elective office at ALL levels of government. It's simply not true that we only voted for him due to his race. Some people may have, but it's simply not the case that voting patterns among black Americans are consistent when it comes to the race of the candidate. I would argue that white candidates, particularly white Democrats have fares exceptionally well. Most recent example is the fact that blacks lifted Bill de Blasio up over a black candidate--Bill Thompson--in the New York mayoral race. So again, this notion that blacks look only at race and vote accordingly is simply not true; it is a lie that we hear from both Democrats who are angry at the outcome of the 2008 Democratic primaries and from Republicans who wish to divide the Democratic Party and/or who are just plain racists. It's just simply not true. Plus, as you rightly put, there is not enough of us to have that much of an impact.

[Rozlee]

36. Oh, but, pshaw, that was all about "white guilt."

Or what does that make my vote as a Hispanic; solidarity? They just can't accept that others don't see the world through the same prism of racism that they do. So, they have to label the motivations of everyone else. They can't comprehend that for many of us, we voted for an African-American male on a Democrat ticket for most of the same reasons we voted for a white male on it in previous years. Because we sure as hell weren't going to vote for those Civil War retreads in the Republican Party.

[Samantha]

43. I am a Caucasian female whose family is from Tennessee

I cried when I voted for Barack Obama for President and they were tears of joy.

Sam

[peacebird]

53. White family from NC, FLA , & VA - we all voted for Obama both times.

Three generations of us all voted for him.

[frog64]

88. Southerners for O

Texans here: all yellow dogs. Still some of us left. Voted for O twice.

[CoffeeCat]

80. One word for those ignorant fools: IOWA!!!

Bigots are bad enough because of their ignorance and hate, but they're also really STUPID--because they fail to realize that the state of IOWA--a state that is 99 percent white--voted overwhelmingly in the their Democratic caucuses for Barack Obama. Iowa has "first in the nation" status in the Democratic primaries, and that win was important for Obama.

Hillary was supposed to win it and John Edwards was predicted to take second.

Iowans turned out in record numbers at their caucuses that year. Obama won each and every one of Iowa's 99 counties. He won impressively and decisively.

Iowans take their "first in the nation" status very seriously. You can meet the candidates if you like. There are so many events and speeches. I've spoken with most Democratic candidates who have run for President in recent years. We went to speeches, listened, asked tough questions and we made our choice. We didn't go with what the media was telling us to do. We met the candidates, talked with them, paid close attention and voted for the best candidate.

I wish Iowa was more diverse. 98 percent of the population is white. But we blazed the trail. We created the buzz and we gave Obama the Iowa caucus win that jump-started his campaign.

Please remind those bigoted buffoons of that little factoid!

[LibGranny]

60. I think they hate him for the fact that he is SMARTER THAN ANY

OF THEM in addition to the racist reason.

[TxDemChem]

28. My husband and I feel the same way

It's pathetic. Wer're supposedly the benchmark for other countries, and yet these bastards won't even work with him because he's a black man in the White House. Disgusting! I'm so pissed that I can barely even tolerate my tea-party coworkers. I've already snapped on them a few times and I suspect I'll snap on Monday if I hear one more ignorant ass statement from a particular coworker.

I have an uncle who works for the SEC and a cousin in the navy. I don't know what will happen with them, but my uncle has unfortunately gone through this before.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

29. I'm so sorry to hear this. Your family is in my thoughts. :(

[TxDemChem]

34. Thank you.

For all of DU, especially those who would be affected by a shutdown, you are in my thoughts as well.

Even with our occasional problems here, I really appreciate the DU community. This has helped me keep my sanity more than most people know.

[LiberalLoner]

49. +1

[truebluegreen]

67. With this House? I fear you will not be paid...

they don't even want to pay the bills they already authorized (i.e. raise the debt ceiling).

[ripcord]

10. My sister works for National Parks

She is pretty worried, as anyone would be when the checks stop, I will of course help her out but damn it I shouldn't have to!

[calimary]

74. Welcome to DU, ripcord!

Glad you're here! I'm so sorry this is happening. But I'm glad it's being described so frequently and so widely as a hostage hold. Because that's what it is. And those doing it are domestic terrorists. All those trying to scare voters into this or that - this is exactly what terrorism is about, in its very heart: to provoke and promote FEAR. That's why they're called "terrorists," and why the root word is "terror."

I'm so sorry our poor nation has to go through this. Because these assholes failed to force their agenda on voters in the last two Presidential election cycles. And they STILL insist that they should have their way. Nothing but adult-sized spoiled snot-nosed brat-children to me. As a mom I'm just up-to-HERE tired of their tantrums and acting out, and I'm sure as hell not interested in reinforcing their bad behavior by giving into their demands and granting them their wishes!!! NO WAY IN HELL!!!! I'm just sorry that so many noncombatants have to suffer because of their pigheadedness.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

12. I am, too, CatWoman. My family members are calling me worried and asking if I'll need help

financially. I told them not to worry about me. Worry about the American people who will lose out.

One of the most depressing (and infuriating) things to hear is coming here on DU and seeing folks here celebrating and cheering on a government shutdown. We are Democrats. Since when do Democrats celebrate the government shutting down when tens of millions of Americans that it serves will be hurt. I'm not just talking about government employees. I'm referring specifically to people we serve, especially the poor and disadvantaged people we serve (I work for HUD). Why cheer that? On a Democratic Party discussion board? It's maddening! Very disheartening.

[Iliyah]

15. Been reading the net and reporters are tweeting

that house gopers are boozing it up.

I have family members also that work for the government and they are extremely pissed, and 1/2 of them are GOPers. Here's praying for a positive solution.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

26. 1/2 work for the government and they are Republicans? I don't get it. Do they finally understand

that they are voting against their own best interests?

[calimary]

75. Links? I wanna hear more about that! And I want NAMES.

[calimary]

83. I found one:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/28/government-shutdown_n_4010592.html?ir=Politics

[revmclaren]

16. I work for a concessionare in a National park

and we have all been told to expect layoffs starting Tue if the government shuts down. Im lucky in that I have a few weeks of vacation to use before worrying about dipping into my unemployment. This shut down is pure Teapub grandstanding and power play.

[Duckhunter935]

27. As a federal employee no leave

is available during a shut down. Hope you are different.

[Democrat 4 Ever]

55. Can you use your vacation time? I was told we couldn't.

I hope you get it but we were told no pay for nothing, no vacation, sick or credit hours. Hope you are right.

[revmclaren]

86. I work for a company that is under contract in a National park,

Im not a government employee. But if the shut down happens, hundreds of us will be out of work until the shut down ends. Looks like It will prob happen. Damn political terrorists!

[RazzleCat]

57. I too am a government employee and I have to work with out pay

My position was "excepted" so I must go to work, I am one of 13 persons doing the same job, I was selected as I had the most time on the job. Here is the kicker, I asked both my director and Union Representative if I could go on furlough, my reasoning was that my husband and I are lucky, our home is paid for, our cars are paid for and we have no consumer debt, and my husband does not work for the government. I know that several of my co-workers are living check to check, have kids still at home and do not have any savings to tide them over. I was told that no I was the selected one and I could not opt out of being excepted and select furlough and give my spot to a co-worker, who must have a check to survive. One other item, I am the second most expensive employee selected as I have the highest grade and step excluding my supervisors. I know I will not receive pay, but I will receive back pay. Their is something very wrong when I can't opt out and I cost more.

[calimary]

76. Welcome to DU, revmclaren!

Good to have you with us! I'm hearing Arne Duncan talking about how we're losing a competitive edge because our country isn't committed to building an educational edge. Because nobody wants to invest in public schools >>> because nobody wants to pay taxes.

[Stargazer09]

17. Sending hugs

I hope things work out for the best. I don't want the shutdown to happen, but I don't want to compromise with the terrorists, either.

[revmclaren]

20. Definitely no...

The President should NEVER give in to these domestic terrorists!!!!

[Shrike47]

19. I am a retired public employee. We got furloughed. That means working for no pay.

It's not like the work disappeared or elves came in and did it. It meant working several LONG days to get the work done. Since I was salaried, I worked a hell of a lot of hours some weeks.

[benld74]

21. I TOO for 30 yrs now

Allow me to tell you about the shutdown and continuing resolutions the Pukes force down
the throats of the Feds.

1) Because the threat of a shutdown TIME is taken away from REAL work in order to create lists of essential and non-essential employees.
2) TIME is taken away from real work in order to devise processes to be in place for computer systems accessible by the public, which will be DOWN during a shutdown
3) $$$$ is taken away EVERY time Congress passes a continuing resolution, which allows the agencies to continue WORK, but at levels of PRIOR YEAR budget. Last years budget numbers only, while everything else and its brother goes UP. Sort of like grocery store prices VS your paychecks. Agencies have to decide WHAT programs they can fund using last years numbers WHILE making good on what they told Congress they were going to do for the present year.
4) Oh and people retire, leaving their workloads on the plates of those who cannot, leavings a longer line of tasks that NEED to be accomplished on last years budget numbers while Congress critters, read children's books in the Senate, talk plenty without saying anything at all. AND FOR WHAT. A little political mayhem.
5) BOTTOM LINE - CONGRESS DOESN'T CARE

IT IS A GAME TO THEM, THEY DONT CARE ABOUT Federal workers, their constituents, NOR THIS COUNTRY

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

32. I gotta tell you that you rock! I could not have described this better.

[Agony]

59. ***

thx for posting this useful information

[Rhiannon12866]

23. I totally agree with you, this is affecting countless lives to prove a fruitless point.

This affects not only government workers and their families, but every single American who pays taxes. They are wasting billions, yet want to cut Medicaid and food stamps. How many people/children/senior citizens could these billions feed?!

[maryellen99]

35. I'm so sorry

This is really pissing me off that that the republicans are willing to shut down the gov't, potentially crash the economy, and hurt people because they can't stand having a black man in the WH plus having people have decent health care.

I'm not a gov't employee but I feel horrible for those who are

[AnnieBW]

37. So am I

Unfortunately, I've got a lovely set of golden handcuffs. I've got too much time in to just leave, and not enough time until I retire. During my annual review last week, my boss and I were fantasizing about what we would do when we could retire. I'm sick of being a political football for the fucking teabaggers who are whining because they don't want people to have health care.

[seveneyes]

42. I worry that the Cinderella effect will hit the retirees

No one here gets out alive. It would be best if we all get out painlessly and as happy as can be.

[calimary]

78. Welcome to DU, seveneyes!

Great to have you here! It just sucks, doesn't it? WHY do the racists and religious fanatics get so much positive reinforcement, when they're in the minority? I keep hearing - "we're responding to the AMERICAN PEOPLE..." as the ongoing mantra that blesses every one of their actions. WHAT American People? WHICH ONES? They sure never asked me! Let me see the tests, the polls, the questions. Let me see who they're asking and where they're asking those people and how they're asking. Let me see them ask ME those questions so MY view gets reflected, too? Even though I know full well they won't pay any attention even when I give them my view. Even so, I don't hesitate to call the offices of the bad guys as well as my (thankfully!!!!!) all-Democratic Senators and my Congressman. I'm grateful I'm represented by good guys. Thank Heaven!

[maced666]

38. Stay pissed off.

Scared -they want.
Anger -they run like a schoolyard bully when stood up against.

[calimary]

79. Welcome to DU, maced666!

So happy you're here! This is a great point you make. They WANT voters scared. They WANT to scare us all because we're far more malleable when we're scared. More of US - on THIS end of the political spectrum - need to get active and get out there and make OUR views heard. Rabble-rouse on OUR side. That seems to be what gets all the attention.

[Beartracks]

39. Republicans think money paid to government employees just magically disappears....

... from the economy. So to sideline the government -- which just gets in the way of their cronies' profits -- will have no significant economic impact whatsoever, except to make everything better and rosier!!!

Republican politicians are dumb as dirt.


On edit: I mean no insult to dirt. Dirt is actually productive, unlike Republican politicians.


======================

[Raine1967]

40. I live in Alexandria, Va

On my block alone I can count 10 families going thru what you are talking about. I have many many friends around the area that work in government. All are amazing people.

This pisses me off. A lot of people forget that hundreds of thousands of government workers won't be getting a paycheck and now have to worry about how they are going to pay the bills.

People either forget or don't realize that most government workers are middle class like you, like me; like your friends and neighbors. They use their money to support local businesses. They put money into their communities just like you, your friends and neighbors.

Really disgusting what the House GOP is doing.

CatWoman, I will add you to the list of the many people I know going through what you are going thru. You are in my thoughts.

[seveneyes]

41. You got at least one more dog in this race than I do

I am just a government elector, and we need to work together to get the job done. These folks could mess it up for all of us. Sanity needs to prevail.

[spanone]

44. their hatred of Obama trumps their disregard for us citizens....

they don't give a shit about you and me CW...hang tough friend.

[MADem]

45. There are a few of them in my family as well.

They've got a nest egg put aside, against this contingency.

We've figured that the GOP is batshit crazy enough to pull a Newt for a long time....

[LiberalLoner]

46. My husband will be furloughed too.

I hope you will be okay. Hang in there.

[B Calm]

50. How long do you have to be off work before collecting unemployment? Oh hell

it just came to me, there won't be any unemployment.

[jeff47]

82. Unemployment is a state-level program

So "regular" unemployment will continue.

During economic down times the Feds will sometimes pay to extend unemployment, but even then it's administered by the states. So long-term unemployed will be hurt, but people who were just laid off would be able to collect unemployment.

Though keep in mind the amount unemployment pays is capped, typically at a level far below what many jobs pay.

[JI7]

51. i guess Govt Employees like Congress Members are not those who may not get paid

[Enthusiast]

58. CatWoman, they qualify as assholes but little else..........nt

[DinahMoeHum]

62. The GOP = DFW

Dead Fucks Walking

[CrispyQ]

63. How convenient that they still get their paychecks.

Honestly, who the fuck wrote that?

Fucking assholes.

[DebJ]

64. The Tin Men Brigade.........nah, we'd be better off with Tin Men in Congress. n/t

[RoccoR5955]

65. My question...

Why do people elect people to government office, who say that government can do no good, then, when elected, go on to prove it?

This is sickening. Since Raygun came around, people got this damn impression that the government is no good. Don't they realize that by voting for some schmuck who wants to make government so small that they can drown it in a bathtub, that they only hurt themselves?

[bigwillq]

68. I wish we could get group of Gov Employees

like yourself together and have you stand united in the House of Reps and make these bastards take a vote right in front of you.

They need to see what they're going to vote against.

All they do is talk about job this and job that, but yet they want to suspend some jobs just to make a silly political point.

Government is not working FOR THE PEOPLE. I'm sick of all the games that both parties play, quite frankly.

[SmittynMo]

69. Who can we blame?

Ourselves!!! We put these idiots in there in 2010 by not voting. It was a very low turnout. We can take it all back in 2014, but people have to understand the importance of voting every 2 years after a presidential election. It's probably just as important, if not more, as voting for the presidential elections. We need to get the word out and vote these assholes out of politics.

[Bluenorthwest]

71. I can blame those of you who did not turn out and those States that did so but that was regional not

nationwide. The entire West Coast turned out like mad, Oregon broke midterm records in 2010. We elected lots of Democrats for DC and for our own state houses. So you and your neighbors did not vote in 2010. Me and my entire region did.
Still I blame the shitty candidates that bored you to the point of inaction with their nearly Republican Blue Bagger Tea Dog centrist ways.

[cantbeserious]

70. Right You Are - The Soulless Republicans And Tea Baggers - Bringing Destitution To All

eom

[dawnie51]

72. I am a retired government employee....

over 25 years working acute psychiatric ward at a VA hospital. I retired because I knew it was getting harder for me to keep up, and it was time for younger people to take charge. And because I was weary of every few months being jerked around by congress (small c) and being told yes you have to work, you're necessary, but no, we won't guarantee your pay. Scary stuff. And in retirement, it's even scarier. These people despise us, we are nothing, we mean nothing to them. If they could, they would take every penny of our retirement and for those still working, they would lower the wages to McDonald's wages. They're working for that, don't ever doubt it, and if they get a change, they'll do it. We have to fight this with everything we've got

[calimary]

81. Welcome to DU, dawnie51!

So good to have you among us! WE fight, here on DU. WE fight. We're a relatively small fraction of the overall demographic pie, but we are all in this, pushing in the same direction. Unfortunately, you're correct about how the bad guys view government workers. They can't, don't, and won't make the connection that YOU folks are WORKING. That's not just dreaded government jobs - that's many people's EMPLOYMENT. Which enables them to go patronize local businesses, hell - even the Walmarts of the world, enables them to feed their kids and not go on the dreaded "dole," enables them to do the sanctified "personal responsibility" schtick these assholes blather about, over and over and over again. Those are people's JOBS. What difference does it make where they work? They're WORKING!!!!!!!! WORKING!!!!! I mean, isn't that what everybody wants? Everybody WORKING??? Don't even the bad guys at least SAY they want that, too?

So all that wonderful cutting-back-the-government crap is actually cutting off a lot of people's JOBS. You and your colleagues in government service were drawing paychecks that you used in your community to pay for stuff, and keep grocery stores and restaurants and hardware stores and gizmo stores and other businesses afloat, and pay taxes that fund things that most of us agree are good to have and desirable and convenient and even essential to the preservation of life on this planet as well as in our neighborhoods. And they're basically against that, with their myopic "vision" and their short-sighted worldview and their selfish, penny-wise/pound-foolish absurdist, unrealistic, ill-conceived, and willfully-ignorant opinions.

And somehow THAT is what's leading all this.

[CatWoman]

92. welcome, friend

[DevonRex]

77. Both of us

are. Well, I'm retired. My husband still works for the federal government.

[cynzke]

85. I solute you.

I hate how the right wing is trashing government workers.

[emsimon33]

89. I have been urging friends and family to call Republican legislators

and tell them to stop their nonsense. We all need to call and call again so that their phone lines are burning. On the other hand, I have been calling Democrats and Obama to tell them not to cave, not to give in to the Republican terrorists tactics.

I will be praying for you and other government employees. We need to NOT pay Congress and the Senate.

[grantcart]

90. I sell supplemental services to federal employees.

Every shutdown costs me money.

Every time we are about to look at buying a house we loose $10-15k in one of these shutdowns and we go back to living on the edge.

It is a small side note but federal employees buy supplemental dental and life insurance policies (among others) that are paid for with a deduction from their biweekly pay. These along with all of their health care and other plans they are on through work would go into default should the shutdown last an entire pay period causing massive confusion.

I can not express my hatred for these people.

They are like the kids who lose and want a constant do over until they win.