Political Hippo Circle Jerk - America, farg YEAH!

[MDS]

american government is a waste of time

[Sgt PSN]

Bill Clinton on Letterman right now. Missed the beginning but he's mostly taking about Syria, Russia, Iran, etc, etc.

[Diomedes]

Republicans are going to eat shtein over this shutdown.

[ice grillin you]

i wonder what movie i will go see today

[Rome]

Republicans are going to eat shtein over this shutdown.

Are you sure about that?  The "media" keeps insisting there's an impasse that's both parties' fault.  I scanned roughly 20-25 front pages today on the internet and there's invariable a picture of Obama looking upset and Republicans looking smug.

I know the American public is vastly ignorant and most of those people don't understand basic civics, but they do understand blame, and these outlets are bending over backwards to appear neutral when this is 100% a GOP act of infantile defiance.

[Diomedes]

I think it's clear what's up to a lot of people:  the extreme faction of the Republican party is holding the federal government hostage because they don't like a law that was passed and later upheld by the Supreme Court.  All Obama has to do is keep reiterating that there are ways to change laws you don't like, but that shutting down the government is not one of them. 

Even Americans understand that and the Republicans will lose this in the end.   Politically, that is. 

The real losers are the American people and especially the Fed workers.

[PhillyPhreak54]

This is from the wife of one of my FB friends...I went to HS with this guy although we don't really talk much...

Victoria overheard the news this morning about the government shut down and asked me what is was about.
Doing the best I could to explain it to a 7 year old so that she could understand, she simply responded with "NO MOMMY! It's because Obama doesn't believe in God!" If a 7 year old can see that this country needs God, why can't the rest of the country?!

[ice grillin you]

I think it's clear what's up to a lot of people:  the extreme faction of the Republican party is holding the federal government hostage because they don't like a law that was passed and later upheld by the Supreme Court.  All Obama has to do is keep reiterating that there are ways to change laws you don't like, but that shutting down the government is not one of them. 

Even Americans understand that and the Republicans will lose this in the end.   Politically, that is. 

The real losers are the American people and especially the fed workers.

the only way a fed worker gets hurt is if a) this goes past one pay cycle (we all have one more check coming) and b) they live paycheck to paycheck (rare for a govt worker)....we are all getting back pay for however many furlough days there are

the people really getting hurt are the private business that rely so much on the fed govt....johnny the hot dog guy outside my building....tj's restaurant down the street....randys office supplies who get get our copier paper from....ect....ect...ect...

govt contractors not on fixed contracts with the govt also are farged as they wont be paid for any time off

[Diomedes]

You've got half a pay cycle due...one week not two.  And it's not clear that fed workers will be paid for these furlough days.  They may not.

Plenty of people live paycheck to paycheck, even fed workers and especially those with spouses who are unemployed.

This hurts workers.

We had a job scheduled that has now been delayed/cancelled depending what happens/if back pay is covered, etc.  So I guess this hurts me too.

[SD]

meh...it's farging me.

First we haven't heard an official word yet.

Originally they told us we're funded till midday Friday. Then that changed till midday Monday. Now they're telling us we're essential and will not be furloughed. Fair enough.

http://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/furlough-guidance/guidance-for-shutdown-furloughs.pdf

If we're furloughed any prior leave requests are cancelled. I'm taking my daughter to Disney for her birthday Wednesday. So what, I can't go now? I already told my boss I'm going. They want to try to fire me when I get back so be it.

[ice grillin you]

And it's not clear that fed workers will be paid for these furlough days.

trust me we are getting back paid...its already funded....they will not pull it out of whatever budget they vote thru

If we're furloughed any prior leave requests are cancelled.

if you are furloughed that's just means you cant get PAID for leave....getting furloughed when you were supposed to be on leave is the best thing that can happen....because you can still go away and you don't have to use up the leave...and then once the shutdown is over you are going to get paid back pay....its literally a paid vacation....this will happen to me if this thing goes long enough...next Thursday I roll out on leave for ten days

[Sgt PSN]

I remember the near shutdown a few years ago and our CO canceled the scheduled drill weekend for our reservists.  A lot of them were broke college kids and the reserve weekend was their only "steady" form of income, so he didn't want them driving 90 miles from LA for a $200 paycheck.  It was a reasonable decision.  But then that farger still made us work that weekend, which made do sense at all since our reservists wouldn't be there for us to train. 

Obviously, I'd love to still be in since I'd only be 23 months from retirement right now, but there's still a huge relief from not having my financial and physical livelihood in the hands of the morons running things in DC.  This last year has been the most relaxing, enjoyable, stress free year of my life. 

[SD]

If we're furloughed any prior leave requests are cancelled.

if you are furloughed that's just means you cant get PAID for leave....getting furloughed when you were supposed to be on leave is the best thing that can happen....because you can still go away and you don't have to use up the leave...and then once the shutdown is over you are going to get paid back pay....its literally a paid vacation....this will happen to me if this thing goes long enough...next Thursday I roll out on leave for ten days

My boss just told me, either I'll get 3 unpaid leave days or it'll count like normal. Either way he said I'm fine to go, which is all that matters.

[Rome]

Me:  May I burn your house down?

Tea Partier:  No!

Me:  Ok, how about just your 2nd floor?

TP:  No!

Me:  Your garage?

TP:  No!


See?  Those darn tea partiers just REFUSE to compromise.

[phillycrew]

I remember the near shutdown a few years ago and our CO canceled the scheduled drill weekend for our reservists.  A lot of them were broke college kids and the reserve weekend was their only "steady" form of income, so he didn't want them driving 90 miles from LA for a $200 paycheck.  It was a reasonable decision.  But then that farger still made us work that weekend, which made do sense at all since our reservists wouldn't be there for us to train. 

Obviously, I'd love to still be in since I'd only be 23 months from retirement right now, but there's still a huge relief from not having my financial and physical livelihood in the hands of the morons running things in DC.  This last year has been the most relaxing, enjoyable, stress free year of my life.

It is all over the map.  We are close to deployment so we have drill weekend as usual but say there is no lodging.  The Army unit is not deploying so they have cancelled this UTA.  Let me ask, why won't congress just say whether they will pay the back-pay?  The reason is that they enjoy the drama and attention and neither side gives a crap about the federal workers.

Also, if Obamacare is so great, why does there have to be an individual mandate and what is the harm in giving the average citized an extra year to decide?  They could see if all the kinks get worked out and make a decision without getting a fine.  I thought democrats were for choice and the little people.