The Trump Shutdown

[3rdnlng]

1 hour ago, Koko78 said:

 

Again, you are comparing apples to oranges and calling the kumquats. You can't quote a study that claims 80% of the country as a whole are financial idiots and conflate that to 80% of federal workers. Are there going to be some sob stories about how Orange Man Bad? Sure. They're called morons.

 

Is 80% (of the ~25%) of the affected federal workforce going to be financially ruined by having to wait a few weeks to get their retro money? I doubt it. This isn't exactly the first time the government has shut down. If they don't plan, they're stupid. If they claim they can't afford it, I'd really like to see their finances (and then call them idiots.)

You have to understand the typical federal worker. I know it's anecdotal but "Exhiled" is a federal worker.  Not exactly reassuring, eh?

[plenzmd1]

3 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

You have to understand the typical federal worker. I know it's anecdotal but "Exhiled" is a federal worker.  Not exactly reassuring, eh?

@ExiledInIllinois , defend yourself here! (that did make me laugh though).

[DC Tom]

I just saw a headline that called this "Day 6" of the shutdown.

 

A couple hours ago, I saw one that said "Day 4."

 

After seeing one this morning that said "Day 2."

 

Seriously, media...what the ever-lovin' *****?  What is this, Kirk and Spock's half-assed "Starfleet Regulation 46A" code from Star Trek II?  

[3rdnlng]

1 minute ago, plenzmd1 said:

@ExiledInIllinois , defend yourself here! (that did make me laugh though).

Encouraging Eric to post here is against TOS and could get you "Exhiled".

[/dev/null]

6 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

You have to understand the typical federal worker. I know it's anecdotal but "Exhiled" is a federal worker.  Not exactly reassuring, eh?

I gave that a , but in all seriousness EII doesn't represent all of us

[3rdnlng]

2 minutes ago, /dev/null said:

I gave that a , but in all seriousness EII doesn't represent all of us

I didn't know you were a federal worker but I did specifically say "anecdotal".

[Deranged Rhino]

3 hours ago, Coach Tuesday said:

 

Ridiculous.  Leave your bubble.

 

Speaking of leaving your bubble, did you ever read the FISC Opinion memo that's at the root of the entire Russia/Collusion/Conspiracy investigation? The one you said you'd read over half a year ago now?

 

Or is it uncomfortable to read information that conflicts with the news you hear in your own bubble?

 

1 hour ago, keepthefaith said:

In this game of chicken, Trump I believe will blink.  There will be no pressure on Dems. 

 

There will be UNBELIEVABLE pressure on the Dems once January 3rd hits and the govt is shut down. Their base wants investigations, hearings, and subpoenas to start flying - that can't happen until the govt is open. And they need that chaos for 2020. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

54 minutes ago, plenzmd1 said:

@ExiledInIllinois , defend yourself here! (that did make me laugh though).

My job is shutdown teflon.  I am actually off on my monthly 7 days off... I am packing to get the heck out of town before they call me in.  I am not due back until 6am-6pm for Over Time on January 2nd... Next Wednesday.

 

I am not a typical Fed worker.  I work, get my hands dirty.  LoL... "All duties as assigned."

I am just a working slob, federal wage grade employee on swing shift.  I am not a GS employee desk jockey.  I get paid by the hour.  We work 24/7/365... We have never shutdown in almost 30 years I have been there. I think the big one under Obama, they sent the non-essentials home for two weeks... We covered with Over Time and then when they came back, they paid them back pay anyway.

 

We aren't shutdown, the DoD is fully funded.  Except for the Coast Guard, they are Homeland I think?... They are working without getting paid... Paid that is...Yet, that is.

 

I would suppose I'd have to go to work and not get paid if the military wasn't funded. We are open shop union, join if you want... But we can't strike, we signed a no strike clause.

 

My wife works, we have savings, we'd be fine.

 

Single income households, who knows, it's easy to spend... I suppose many don't have liquid savings?  Would have to call creditors, etc... ???

 

 

52 minutes ago, 3rdnlng said:

Encouraging Eric to post here is against TOS and could get you "Exhiled".

LoL... It really should be!!!

Edited December 27, 2018 by ExiledInIllinois

[keepthefaith]

19 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

My job is shutdown teflon.  I am actually off on my monthly 7 days off... I am packing to get the heck out of town before they call me in.  I am not due back until 6am-6pm for Over Time on January 2nd... Next Wednesday.

 

 

 

Have a good trip.

[Chef Jim]

34 minutes ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

My job is shutdown teflon.  I am actually off on my monthly 7 days off... I am packing to get the heck out of town before they call me in.  I am not due back until 6am-6pm for Over Time on January 2nd... Next Wednesday.

 

I am not a typical Fed worker.  I work, get my hands dirty.  LoL... "All duties as assigned."

I am just a working slob, federal wage grade employee on swing shift.  I am not a GS employee desk jockey.  I get paid by the hour.  We work 24/7/365... We have never shutdown in almost 30 years I have been there. I think the big one under Obama, they sent the non-essentials home for two weeks... We covered with Over Time and then when they came back, they paid them back pay anyway.

 

We aren't shutdown, the DoD is fully funded.  Except for the Coast Guard, they are Homeland I think?... They are working without getting paid... Paid that is...Yet, that is.

 

I would suppose I'd have to go to work and not get paid if the military wasn't funded. We are open shop union, join if you want... But we can't strike, we signed a no strike clause.

 

My wife works, we have savings, we'd be fine.

 

Single income households, who knows, it's easy to spend... I suppose many don't have liquid savings?  Would have to call creditors, etc... ???

 

 

LoL... It really should be!!!

 

Monthly 7 days off?  You get a week's vacation every month?  

[keepthefaith]

59 minutes ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

There will be UNBELIEVABLE pressure on the Dems once January 3rd hits and the govt is shut down. Their base wants investigations, hearings, and subpoenas to start flying - that can't happen until the govt is open. And they need that chaos for 2020. 

 

From where though?  Media will continue to blame Trump and will run stories of poor federal workers not getting paychecks because of this evil selfish man.  They'll have other stories of how dormant government services are hurting people.  Dem pols will be on nearly every network every day saying how they want "common sense immigration reform" and that walls are stupid.  They'll comment and report that Trump is holding up the entire government for his lousy wall.  Dem base will be fired up from that alone.  The hearings and investigations can easily start a month or two or three from now.  They'll still be riding Mueller and SDNY for a while.

 

Trump doesn't have enough support on this to cause pressure to his opposition in my view.  Twitter only goes so far.  He hasn't sowed the seeds of support enough along the way IMO.  I see Dem pols holding out and winning unless they get some other funding in their wheelhouse added. 

[Keukasmallies]

5 hours ago, TH3 said:

More people voted against his promises than for them?

 

But they were too stupid to realize that the popular vote isn't the determining factor in election of the President; well, that's not quite right, is it.  The real culprit is the Democratic Party/DNC leadership who tinkered with the process to get their gal into the front position.  Those yahoos then decided that they knew more about elections than anyone else, so they ignored the states populated by the Deplorables and got their asses handed to them on Election Day.

 

However, I encourage you to repeat your sad comment over and over and over and....

Edited December 27, 2018 by Keukasmallies

[Deranged Rhino]

20 minutes ago, keepthefaith said:

 

From where though?  Media will continue to blame Trump and will run stories of poor federal workers not getting paychecks because of this evil selfish man.  They'll have other stories of how dormant government services are hurting people.  Dem pols will be on nearly every network every day saying how they want "common sense immigration reform" and that walls are stupid.  They'll comment and report that Trump is holding up the entire government for his lousy wall.  Dem base will be fired up from that alone.  The hearings and investigations can easily start a month or two or three from now.  They'll still be riding Mueller and SDNY for a while.

 

Trump doesn't have enough support on this to cause pressure to his opposition in my view.  Twitter only goes so far.  He hasn't sowed the seeds of support enough along the way IMO.  I see Dem pols holding out and winning unless they get some other funding in their wheelhouse added. 

 

You're not wrong but I think that's small potatoes compared to what their base truly wants, and that's a bloodletting in congressional hearings. That pressure will be intense and brought to bare by the candidates looking to run in 2020 from within the party. They NEED the investigations to kick off so they can get their campaign ads ready with cut ups of them hammering witnesses appearing in front of their committees. 

[BeginnersMind]

1 hour ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

You're not wrong but I think that's small potatoes compared to what their base truly wants, and that's a bloodletting in congressional hearings. That pressure will be intense and brought to bare by the candidates looking to run in 2020 from within the party. They NEED the investigations to kick off so they can get their campaign ads ready with cut ups of them hammering witnesses appearing in front of their committees. 

 

I don’t see this happening unless new Trump facts come to light. 

 

The unhinged will call for it but that’s just noise. 

 

I would not be shocked if Trump goes too far and finds he’s joined the left and right in the Senate in impeachment proceedings, but I also see that as a low percentage outcome. 

Edited December 27, 2018 by BeginnersMind

[DC Tom]

53 minutes ago, BeginnersMind said:

 

I would not be shocked if Trump goes too far and finds he’s joined the left and right in the Senate in impeachment proceedings, but I also see that as a low percentage outcome. 

 

I foresee that anything Trump thinks of doing that might be grounds for impeachment will ultimately be delayed by people in the administration until they can explain to him why he can't do whatever-it-is and get him to rescind it.

 

That's right, I said it.  I firmly believe that Trump is too stupid to be impeached. 

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Monthly 7 days off?  You get a week's vacation every month?  

Yes... I work a compressed 12 hour shift.  I worked through the weekend and Christmas Day.

[Chef Jim]

3 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

Yes... I work a compressed 12 hour shift.  I worked through the weekend and Christmas Day.

 

Big ***** deal. That shouldn’t give you 12 weeks of vacation. I assume paid?

[B-Man]

SHUTDOWN? WHAT SHUTDOWN?

Rumor has it the federal government has shut down. Have you noticed? I haven’t.

 

1) It goes without saying that the shutdown is the Republicans’ “fault.” It makes no difference whether the president is a Republican or Democrat, or who controls congress, or whether the shutdown is prompted by Congressional inaction or by a veto. An iron law of reporting holds that the GOP is to blame for all shutdowns.

 

2) So that’s a given. The question is, will anyone care? The public has become rather jaded about shutdown theater, I think. In 2013, the Obama administration deliberately tried to dramatize the shutdown by closing the national parks and D.C. monuments, and taking other measures to make the shutdown relatively visible and even impactful. I don’t suppose the Trump administration will do the same.

 

3) Before the script changed, Mitch McConnell vowed that there would be no shutdown, saying:

Well, [President Trump] can speak for himself, but I think that a government shutdown is not a good option. That’s my view. The American people don’t like it. I don’t know how many times, you remember my favorite country saying, there’s no education in the second kick of a mule. We’ve been down this path before and I don’t believe we’ll go down this path again.

I’m not sure what McConnell was talking about. The latest notable shutdown, the one he must have had in mind, occurred in October 2013 and lasted for 16 days. The Obama administration tried to maximize shutdown pain, and the press universally blamed Republicans and deplored their supposed intransigence. What was the result, in the midterm elections that took place just over one year later? Wikipedia reminds us:

The elections saw sweeping gains by the Republican Party in the Senate, House, and in numerous gubernatorial, state, and local races. The Republicans gained control of the Senate for the first time since 2006, and increased their majority in the House. The Republicans also gained two seats in governors’ races. …

 

Overall, the elections resulted in the largest Republican majority in the entire country in nearly a century, with 54 seats in the Senate, 247 (56.78%) in the House, 31 governorships (62%), and 68 state legislative chambers. Moreover, Republicans gained their largest majority in the House since 1928, the largest majority in Congress overall since 1928, and the largest majority of state legislatures since 1928.

 

Obviously the shutdown wasn’t politically fatal to the GOP–to say the least–despite the Obama administration’s efforts.

 

4) How and when will the shutdown end? The history of shutdowns is interesting. The longest-lasting shutdown ever was in 1995 and lasted 21 days. That record could well be broken this time. To the extent the administration “shuts down” by furloughing non-essential employees in, say, the EPA and the Commerce Department, the situation won’t generate a lot of pressure from voters. And I don’t think President Trump is in a mood to cave (contrary to early appearances). Still, something’s got to give.

 

The $5 billion Trump is holding out for represents only a portion of the cost of building the remaining wall–which, by the way, has been mandated by legislation for some years–and Trump has indicated he is open to compromise on the amount. A wall already exists on part of the Southern border, so all that is really at stake here is how much more of a still-incomplete wall will now be funded. In theory, compromise should be easy. But both sides see symbolic importance, and political benefit, in holding firm. So the faux shutdown could go on for a while.

 

I have no idea who will “win” the shutdown by any rational criterion, although, given the context, I would bet on President Trump to get most of what he wants. But one thing I will guarantee: no matter what happens, the press will assure us that the shutdown was a disaster for the Republicans. Again.

 

 

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2018/12/shutdown-what-shutdown-2.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+powerlineblog%2Flivefeed+(Power+Line)

[ExiledInIllinois]

3 hours ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Big ***** deal. That shouldn’t give you 12 weeks of vacation. I assume paid?

I work 40 hours a week.  It's not vacation except for 8 hours every two weeks. Normal days off, just the way it's "bridged" around My swing shift.

 

Think a "nurses or fireman's swing shift."

 

I get only 5 weeks & 1 day (208 hours)  vacation a year use or lose. I carry-over 240 hours on the books each year. That's the limit, 240.

[Chef Jim]

7 hours ago, ExiledInIllinois said:

I work 40 hours a week.  It's not vacation except for 8 hours every two weeks. Normal days off, just the way it's "bridged" around My swing shift.

 

Think a "nurses or fireman's swing shift."

 

I get only 5 weeks & 1 day (208 hours)  vacation a year use or lose. I carry-over 240 hours on the books each year. That's the limit, 240.

 

“Only” 5 weeks.  ?