Government shutdowns

Porsupah Ree

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(Thought I'd use the plural in the title, given it's become a favorite Republican tactic)

Here's a letter the main US pilots union, the Airline Pilots Association International, has sent to Cheetolini:

http://www.alpa.org/-/media/ALPA/Files/pdfs/news-events/letters/010219-shutdown-trump.pdf

Dear President Trump:
On behalf of the 61,000 pilots of the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA), I am writing to urge you to take the necessary steps to immediately end the shutdown of government agencies that is adversely affecting the safety, security and efficiency of our national airspace system. The nation’s airspace system is a complex transportation network that involves government and industry partnerships to function properly, and the disruptions being caused by the shutdown are threatening the safe operations of this network.
Finally, at both the FAA and at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the air traffic controllers, airspace system maintenance personnel, and the airline passenger security workforce are being asked to work unpaid. They are dutifully providing safety of life services while facing increasingly difficult financial pressures to provide for those dependent on their paycheck.
 

Kalel

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Guy who has never been poor in his life relate to people who live pay check to pay check?

IOUs don't work the same for poor people as they do for rich people... hope the person on the receiving end is lenient...

Donald Trump Says He Can 'Relate' To Federal Workers Who Can't Pay Bills During Shutdown | HuffPost

“Mr. President, can you relate to the pain of federal workers who can’t pay their bills?” a reporter asked Trump outside the White House on Sunday.
“I can relate,” the president responded. “And I’m sure that the people that are toward the receiving end will make adjustments, they always do. And they’ll make adjustments. People understand exactly what’s going on.”
“Many of those people that won’t be receiving a paycheck, many of those people agree 100 percent with what I’m doing,” he added, without evidence.
 

Kara Spengler

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It's not just direct federal employees. Any company that gets federal contracts or funding of any kind is feeling an impact.
It is even beyond that as it ripples out into other economic areas as well. Just this morning in DC there was a story that ridership on the subway system is down between people not going to work and tourists staying away (fortunately January is our off-month for tourisms). I am guessing some people are looking into lower cost methods too, even if that means driving a single passenger vehicle to work. Then historically rider losses never rebound again.

An example I listed before: a few years ago my favorite work restaurant closed after a shutdown. They simply were not able to take the hit from most of their clientele not being there for a few weeks.
 

Noodles

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Guy who has never been poor in his life relate to people who live pay check to pay check?

IOUs don't work the same for poor people as they do for rich people... hope the person on the receiving end is lenient...

Donald Trump Says He Can 'Relate' To Federal Workers Who Can't Pay Bills During Shutdown | HuffPost
I don't know about that.

If you are poor and owe "IOUs" you get a visit from the repo men to take your TV or car or whatever.

If you're Trump, you get a visit from Russian Thugs threatening to rough up your shit. So maybe he can sympathise a bit?
 

Katheryne Helendale

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danielravennest

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So, if I were to send the IRS IOUs for my tax bill, they'd be okay with that? Huh, Donnie boy?
Since the Treasury Department is one of the agencies shut down, and the IRS is part of Treasury, there's a question about if tax refunds are going to be processed. That's a whole lot of people who are going to be pissed off and short of money very shortly.
 

Kara Spengler

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Since the Treasury Department is one of the agencies shut down, and the IRS is part of Treasury, there's a question about if tax refunds are going to be processed. That's a whole lot of people who are going to be pissed off and short of money very shortly.
I just saw a report on that this morning. The IRS's plans for the shutdown are to have some functions as essential employees. Payments are still due on time however refunds might be delayed.

The IRS (like everyone else) did not plan for this going on this long though. However since not being there would mean less money for the government (and probably even lose them money because of interest) nobody expects their plans to change and time soon.

So odds are anyone that owes money will most likely have to pay on time (although I highly expect more will wait until the last day). If you overpaid that refund check you were counting on right after the holiday bills might be late. Yay? About the only people not getting screwed are the ones that have a 0 dollar tax bill.
 
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Ah, a leopards eating people's faces party voter.

"He was only supposed to do it to OTHER people!!!"
Now we see the real reason the republican establishment lined up behind Trump. His reputation for not paying people for their work, now repeated in the furloughed federal employees makes it that much easier to spring a few new tax-cuts for the wealthy.
 

Porsupah Ree

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Airport Security Lines Grow Across The Nation As TSA Sickout Continues

Security lines at airports across the country are starting to grow long as nationwide action from Transportation Security Agency (TSA) workers starts to take its toll. On Friday, CNN reported that the agency, which is responsible for operating security checkpoints at airports across the country, was suffering from staffing shortages as a function of the government shutdown. According to the report, TSA agents have been calling in sick in record numbers during the shutdown in protest of withheld pay. Frontline staff at the agency have worked without pay since the shutdown began, though they expect to be paid in full after the government resumes operations.
Starting on Sunday, the sickouts appeared to be having an impact on wait times at a handful of typically-busy security checkpoints. At New York's LaGuardia airport, passengers passing through Terminal C, which is primarily inhabited by Delta Air Lines, were subject to wait times of around 90 minutes. TSA Precheck, the service that typically expedites pre-cleared passengers through security, was also closed at that checkpoint.
 

Da5id Weatherwax

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A mate of mine lives near one of Cheeto Caligula's golf courses here in Scotland. He intends to pay it a visit today. While the asshat is bloviating from the Oval office, he intends to stop by the golf course for the specific purpose of pissing on it.