How's the partial federal government shutdown affecting you?

[RangerPooh]

While the shut down is not directly impacting my family I'm beginning to see signs of how it's impacting others.

I was on Facebook last night and a friend posted that one of her students who's on the high school swim team has both parents that are government workers. They're coming onto final competition and the swimmers family is unable to pay for their daughter to attend the championships. The coach was reaching out to others to see if they knew of any groups that might help support their teammate.

This lead me to think about the sheer number of military families in our town who might be impacted. Our Cub Scout pack and Girl Scout Service Unit have many families who might be feeling the pinch but not speaking up. Likewise our local school system. I do think that as a whole our community is probably feeling it more than anyone wants to admit.

 

[GreatLakes]

I don’t get what ppl get out of acting like that. The only thing I can think is that ppl think it can’t happen to them so judging makes them believe that fantasy more.

I think at least some of it comes from citizens lumping "the government" into one big category. I know of some people who think the government is a monolith that did this to themselves. Whether you are a janitor in a federal building or a Senator you are "the government" and deserve what you get since you can't keep your house in order.

 

[LSUmiss]

I think at least some of it comes from citizens lumping "the government" into one big category. I know of some people who think the government is a monolith that did this to themselves. Whether you are a janitor in a federal building or a Senator you are "the government" and deserve what you get since you can't keep your house in order.

Well that’s absurd. If I work for Disney as a janitor, it is clear that I am not the Disney co & can’t be held responsible for the decisions they make.

 

[GreatLakes]

Well that’s absurd. If I work for Disney as a janitor, it is clear that I am not the Disney co & can’t be held responsible for the decisions they make.

I'm not saying it isn't absurd but it is a sentiment I'm seeing in some places. It is along the lines of "if you work for a dysfunctional organization don't be surprised when you encounter dysfunction". The overall notion of not being surprised when your dysfunctional employer is dysfunctional I get but that doesn't mean it is their fault.

I turned down a Federal job right out of college because I had no desire to work for that mess of an employer.

 

[skyblue17]

It sounds like this is starting to affect airports a little more by the day. Apparently security wait times in Atlanta are really long today, leading to people missing flights. A few airports have also started limiting use of terminals due (Miami and Houston. Not sure if Houston just closed a terminal early last night or if it is still not open).

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well that’s absurd. If I work for Disney as a janitor, it is clear that I am not the Disney co & can’t be held responsible for the decisions they make.

Is that any different though than how regular everyday people interact with other people?

Have you ever been yelled at, talked down to, all sorts of things because of the decision(s) the company you work for did? Of course you didn't make the decision, you didn't make the rules but in the end you face the customer on a far more consistent basis.

I think that's something many of us have probably dealt with over our lives. It's not right by any means but whether it's the shutdown or a late fee or an increase in your insurance rate people exhibit that type of behavior often enough.

 

[kamik86]

I think at least some of it comes from citizens lumping "the government" into one big category. I know of some people who think the government is a monolith that did this to themselves. Whether you are a janitor in a federal building or a Senator you are "the government" and deserve what you get since you can't keep your house in order.

I think the other part is that if you don't know people directly affected (or worse know people that you thought might be but aren't) it makes it harder to see as big of a problem.

My mom asked me right at the start if I was affected in any way. I knew I wouldn't be furloughed (federal contractor but I work on a project that is funded in large chucks I'm funded through the end of May, we have other projects in my department that are short staffed and funded for years so the chances of a direct impact was slim) at first when she asked I didn't know. It was the week before christmas and new years and so much of my company and our government counterparts don't work that week anyway.

My government counterparts are all DoD though so they were all back to work too by the 7th (and most of those that weren't before then was still vacations). So people in my town that have a large government and contractor building that is still all up and running might not realize this is as big since the only type of thing in this immediate area is still business as usual.

People have a tendency to not think about what they don't directly see.

 

[BLAZEY]

Who says different? That would be awful to say otherwise. They all deserve to be paid. Vetren of not. From what I understand they all will be.

Except they are not being paid in a timely manner. If ANY private company were to NOT pay their employee 8-10 days after the close of a pay period depending on the laws where you are, would be subject to labour law infractions a could be fined and sued. To force people to work but not pay them and then forbid them in many cases from seeking other employment to make ends meet is unfair and unlawful in the private sector.

 

[kimmar067]

It sounds like this is starting to affect airports a little more by the day. Apparently security wait times in Atlanta are really long today, leading to people missing flights. A few airports have also started limiting use of terminals due (Miami and Houston. Not sure if Houston just closed a terminal early last night or if it is still not open).

....I was just wondering about that, since we are leaving for WDW Monday [DS was accepted to the DCP]...our flight leaves at 7AM so I am hoping that it isn't going to affect it too much...

 

[BLAZEY]

This made the news over the weekend. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/air-traffic-controller-pizza-1.4976548

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I turned down a Federal job right out of college because I had no desire to work for that mess of an employer.

Thankfully, there are others that step up and accept the jobs.

 

[mousefan73]

I've been trying to think of some way to help locally.

Has anyone's town set up some sort of matching organization - to put families who need some help in touch with families who want to help, something like that?

Or maybe some sort of "Pay One Bill" campaign - where you can go in and pay someone's electric or heat or something?

How would people sign up? What's the best place to run it out of (library, town office, ...)? How do you get started organizing something like this?

your post makes me sad as I just realized 20 million was raised by Gofundme to build the wall, yet where are the 20 million to help fellow Americans????

 

[Floridaman999]

This made the news over the weekend. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/air-traffic-controller-pizza-1.4976548

I've seen and been a part of several pizza shares on some of the subreddits I'm a member of over the weekend. It was fun surprising some people with pizza.

 

[BLAZEY]

I've seen and been a part of several pizza shares on some of the subreddits I'm a member of over the weekend. It was fun surprising some people with pizza.

I'm sure the controllers on both sides of the border work together to keep the skies safe and the Canadian knowing that their American counterparts aren't getting paid tried to do something to lift moral, and provide a free meal or 2 for them when money was tight due to the shutdown.

 

[Wishing on a star]

There are factors here that concern me a LOT more than a few weeks waiting for a paycheck.
The paychecks have been going out until this last week.
The political histrionics do not impress me.

 

[cabanafrau]

I wonder what kind of a toll it's starting to have on the economy?

 

[LSUmiss]

your post makes me sad as I just realized 20 million was raised by Gofundme to build the wall, yet where are the 20 million to help fellow Americans????

Some of which are working with NO PAY at that very border that they’re so concerned about securing.

 

[Dentam]

It sounds like this is starting to affect airports a little more by the day. Apparently security wait times in Atlanta are really long today, leading to people missing flights. A few airports have also started limiting use of terminals due (Miami and Houston. Not sure if Houston just closed a terminal early last night or if it is still not open).

That could also be due to TSA letting a gun slip through there a day or so ago. Maybe they're being extra vigilant now.

Heading to the airport myself in about an hour (Denver) and hoping it won't be too bad.

 

[cabanafrau]

Has anyone taken the step to express their opinion on the shutdown to your legislators? I have begun to contact mine to let them know my thoughts, my concerns and my expectations for them to get the ball rolling. I'm wondering if I get any response, if I just get the canned response, or if I'll actually get contacted back for more in depth information?

 

[Wishing on a star]

I contacted my Legislators.
Got only one canned response.
Typical political double-speak....
Did not like the disregard and lack of concern for the true issues.