Government doors closed, but workers may get paid
WASHINGTON (AP) - Their government has failed to keep the doors open and has told federal workers to stay off the job as the political parties fight over spending and health care in austere times.
Now Congress and President Barack Obama are sending this message to the 800,000 sidelined government employees: We don’t know when the impasses will end but you will get reimbursed for lost pay once the government reopens.
With the partial shutdown entering its fifth day, the GOP-run House passed a bill Saturday that would make sure the furloughed workers get paid for not working. The White House backs the bill and the Senate was expected to OK it, too, but the timing was unclear.
The 407-0 vote in the House was uniquely bipartisan, even as lawmakers continued their partisan rhetoric.
“This is not their fault and they should not suffer as a result,” Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., said of federal workers. “This bill is the least we should do. Our hard-working public servants should not become collateral damage in the political games and ideological wars that Republicans are waging.”
Rep. Michael Turner, R-Ohio, said federal workers shouldn’t have to worry about paying their bills while Congress and the White House fight over funding the government.
“They have child care expenses, house payments to make, kids that are in college, and while the president refuses to negotiate, while he’s playing politics, they shouldn’t worry about whether or not they can make ends meet,” Turner said. SOURCE
What kind of alternate universe are we living in, a Money for Nothing music video?
To each and every one of the 407 members of Congress that voted for this atrocity; what are you thinking? Have you lost your minds and lost touch with reality and the American people?
It may not be the fault of the federal workers that they are laid off or furloughed at this time, and yes, I DO understand that they have bills to pay, but what are you going to do about that poor man or woman in the private sector that got laid off, or cut back to *part time* because of Obamacare?
They too have child care expenses, house payments to make, kids that are in college, all the normal bills to pay, just like everyone else. Are you going to guarantee them that once this is over, once the President, the Democrats and yes, even the Republicans are done playing games, are you going to give them the back-pay that they have lost because YOU, the United States Congress, allowed this bastardization called Obamacare to pass and you were unable to rein-in the budget and federal deficit?
Would it be fair to say that Mr. and Mrs. America shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not they can make ends meet while you, the Congress, Senate and White House continue to live in the lap of luxury as you spend the tax dollars that those lucky enough to have a full time job still pay?
These are some hard questions and I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this writing will be ignored by members of Congress, but you members of Congress need to know this; 2014 is coming fast, you can be put out of work as well, ALL OF YOU, and considering the mood of this nation, it wouldn’t take a lot of effort to strip each and every one of you of those LIFETIME benefits you get simply because you were able to con a block of voters into electing you!
So what the hell is the point of the shutdown? The American people still get to foot the bill for the entire nonsense, but we don’t get the services. The point of the shutdown was to NOT spend the money. However, it seems that the new reason is to still spend the money, just deny access and services.
This is bizarro world upside down times infinity. Why is it govt employees don’t get to feel the same pain as the rest of us. It’s bad enough they get the best benefits, top pay over what the private sector pays for the same task, a pension, medical, a union that guarantees they can’t be fired, and now guaranteed pay regardless if they work or not.
This is nothing but a shutdown in name only. No cost savings benefit to Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, but they damn well will suffer for pissing off pres. stompy feet. Hell, at this point, I not only blame him, but the whole of congress.
Fred, you are absolutely right. If the everyday American doesn’t get compensated for his losses during economic slowdowns or from being laid off, then neither should any govt employee. The hurt should be felt across the board by all. We The People have suffered under the obama economic plan, now it’s the turn of those who work for him.
I bet the janitor who cleans the floors in the capitol bldg makes out better than the average junior associate attorney when you add up the benefits/pension/paid sick-holiday-vacation days/raises/etc. How sad is that?
I am really starting to hate our politicians. They have created a nationwide us versus them reality. Damn, that reset button sure is tempting.
Starting to hate our politicians? I have been doing everything I could to suppress the sheer hatred I have been feeling for these scum sucking weasels…
No longer, ALL of em need to go, I mean turn the whole damned U.S. Congress and MOST of the Senate around…
Every one of those Federal workers knows that they’ll be going back to their jobs once this is over. They also know now that they’ll be getting any missed pay even though they could have signed up for unemployment during that time. Millions of other Americans were also sent home from work knowing that there will be no job to come back to. No missed back pay for them; only unemployment.
And THAT is the whole point, these cretins in DC have got to go… If there are 800K non-essential persons laid off, leave them laid off, that’s what non-essential means…
Even the Demturds should be taking notice; if you’re non-essential the WHY are we paying you to begin with??
And to be totally honest, I think we have a U.S. Congress FULL of non-essential turds that need to be flushed…
“So what the hell is the point of the shutdown?”
It’s a faux “shutdown” plain and simple. Only one point: to punish, to inconvenience as many persons as possible, and to inflict as much PAIN as possible.
What a great life: to NOT have to work and then get PAID for NOT working.
BZ
Kind of like an Officer messing up and getting *paid administrative leave*…
Good point. Why continue the shutdown? Since they’re now going to be paid for not working, the least they should do is go back to work and continue doing their jobs until this thing gets sorted out. They’re going to be paid anyways so put them back to work.
Sounds just like welfare, doesn’t it?
BZ
Surprising isn’t it??
It seems to me there is a fairness issue at play here. Isn’t that what the President constantly harps on, fairness? He wants everyone to “pay their fair share” and he can always be trusted to bring up how he is fighting for the little guy, ie. the middle class.
I honestly hate that these federal workers are part of the causalities from this shutdown, but if they want to harp on what is fair and what is not, then what about the people who don’t work for the federal government? Who is going to provide back pay for them?
DISGUSTING!!!! And we little taxpayers have to cough up their pay for not working. In this country life sucks and then you die.
Lots of luck getting unemployment insurance for many. Pennsylvania now has implemented a new law that when one gets the axe, any accumulated benefits count against you. Chump change is offered as you go out the door. Take it and it is considered a voluntary exit, thus not eligible as well. These jokers need to learn how the other half lives and deals with.
Not to mentions, not only do we have to give them all of their back pay, we also have to pay full-time and over-time to workers who’s job it is to patrol federal lands and parks and keep us out under threat of force and arrest, along with bulldozers, trucks, barry-cades, crime tape etc. obama, from what I have read, has shut down open air parks, museums, all federal lands, lakes, beaches, cemetaries in Normandy, parking lots near Mt. Rushmore, and on and on. Stuff that under a typical day, saw little or no federal employee efforts on a daily basis, but now, they are full in force to keep WE THE PEOPLE from getting near them or even looking at them from afar.
How long before federal highways are shutdown? And when they are, obama will double up on the highway patrol writing tickets and arresting people for using these federal roads?
I think it high time we get a few thousand veterans and go attend our memorials. Get lots of friends to move cones and barricades to view Mt. Rushmore. Go swimming at federal beaches and on and on. And when the handful of thugs come running to enfore the “pain”, we need ten times their amount to pop up from nowhere and say “WE AIN’T LEAVIN”. And if guns get drawn, well, we show them we have guns too.
I am former law enforcement and fully respect MOST cops. It can be a thankless job. But when do cops learn its time to “look the other way”? Are they really going to arrest and/or shoot a 90 year WWII veteran in a wheel chair? That would be a death nell those cops if they do. But the ones obeying obama are no better than the redcoats doing the bidding of King George or even better, Wermacht soldiers who were “Just Following Orders”.
obama may have started something he cannot win. He is getting dangerously close to a pissing contest that he may very well lose. All it takes it one cop to go a little too far and shoot some innocent person, kid, or veteran, and it will be open season. Blue and green will start to look like redcoats to everyone who loves America. Sheriff Arpaio and his boys may be the model that needs to be followed here. Any other law enforcement agency that undertakes the bidding of obama, will be viewed as the enemy. And no one wants to harm a cop, but we are getting to a point where there is so much division, it has become an us versus them situation.
Sadly, I cannot feel that this is exactly what obama wants. Total insurrection, so he can declare martial law, call in the UN, or the soviets, or china to “assist” with the peace keeping, and from there, full blown war will be at hand. Sounds stupid, but it is scary true IMO. We are one asshole cop encountering one itchy-trigger redneck from hearing the second, Shot Heard Round the World.
I know it seems like conspiracy theory nonsense, but in the last 5 years, I have seen so much that at one time, I would have thought IMPOSSIBLE, and no way could that happing in America. But frightfully, it is happening.
Until obama is out of office (which I have my misgivings about him giving up his throne easily), I will rest a little better. Once we get a conservative in charge, I am thinking we need another Office of Un-American activities, and another Joseph McCarthy at the helm. There is no way you can convince me that our govt is not completely infested with communists all working very hard to take this country down and make it into a failed communist country.
Again, maybe I’m a little too concerned over what may never come to fruition. But I would rather be ready and nothing happen, and even get lauged at, then be right. I really hope I am WRONG. But history has a way of repeating itself, and I’ve heard this music before and I know how the song ends. As the old saying goes, those that ignore the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it. Well, there is a lot of ignoring going on.
I agree with you 100 percent. The more I read about what ‘federal’ sites are being closed and how access is being restricted to private property and then I read this : All about power and leverage’ — feds shut down major roadway, block access to graveyard http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2013/10/07/all-about-power-and-leverage-feds-shut-down-major-roadway-block-access-to/?intcmp=latestnews. Well, it’s obvious that there is a lot of pushing going on by the feds. And why? obama is being intransigent in not being willing to engage in a dialogue. He wants everything to go his way or else. This is all very chilling to see. Does he want to see how far people can be pushed? Does he want to see what law enforcement agencies will be loyal to him in following these ridiculous and potentially dangerous edicts?
It looks to me that should the SHTF federal law enforcement and local too, will be ready and willing to do the bidding of the federal government even unto the dismay of the populace.
And people wonder how Hitler was allowed to come to power.
So my “mission critical” better half is going to get paid after all..?
I see a new Kimber in my future….
We used to go through the same thing with state budget negotiations. As Troopers we kept working while others got to set at home. These furloughed workers always got their back pay even though they didn’t work. It made the folks that were forced to work feel like we had been used and we had been.