I have some questions about the government shutdown

I'll start by saying that I work for a company involved with federal contracting so I see exactly what is going on and it directly affects my everyday job. That being said, I am not a federal worker and, at least for us, it will be business as usual until the government can get its act together.

I work on a military installation in Alaska and we have many on-going constructon projects going on at any one time and usually at multiple installations across Alaska and the lower 48.

The only good thing, if you could call it that, is that some government services will remain active. Services like the VA provides to Veterans (including myself) are absolutely critical and fortunately the VA has already recieved advanced appropriations so they won't be affected (The VA wasn't so fortunate last time this happened).

However, during the shutdown Military members serving, fighting and dying for their country will not be paid while Congress does..

This is easily the most disturbing part of this entire ordeal.

Why did the Democrats wait this long? This is a great question but one without an answer as of yet. My primary questions are as follows..

1) What would happen to intelligence services like the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, NSA, etc..?
I would assume that intelligence services would remain un-changed during the shutdown but this is a pretty sketchy aspect of the entire scenario. Even if the intelligence services remain active during the shutdown, who would they report to? Would they still get paid? Would investigations and operations be put on hold?

2) Will the shutdown save taxpayer money or cost us more in the long run?
I recently read an article on Fox News which pointed out that the shutdown could easily cost us MORE but noone really knows for sure. Alot of money and efforts must be put into organizing and preparing the shutdown and determining who is "essential" vs "nonessential", etc..

3) Will the shutdown affect federal tax returns?
Will we even get returns? Due to the economic and budgetary turmoil federal workers that are deemed "non-essential" are not being given any guarantees they will get backpay at all. Some are saying federal workers would even be qualified for unemployment services.. The simple fact that those people aren't being guaranteed their money tells me we aren't even being guaranteed our tax returns. Especially if the government isn't even paying military members.

4) Would the government be opening itself up to millions of lawsuits and/or billions of dollars in settlements for allowing the shutdown to happen?
Thousands of small businesses would be ruined. The security of the entire country would be vulnerable to attack. Then there's the federal worker's union which may continue filing lawsuits until the government could be held accountable for its negligence. Plus, as I mentioned before, it could cost Americans more in the long run excluding any future lawsuits against the government.

-ChriS

Shutdowns have happened before. They aren't complete shutdowns, just partial shutdowns.

"non-essential" staff will be laid off...some services will be interrupted...pretty sure it isn't going to be catastrophic...most likely not even noticable.

If it even happens.

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


This may seem like fear mongering but it isn't suppose to come out that way but I would be withdrawing all my money from the bank asap and if anyone is actually in front of their mortagages take that money out too because if they are looking at a shutdown they are searching for money. If they have none they will take yours if it helps keep them afloat and kiss your returns good buy too.

Hate to be in your shoes with all this crap going on atm. Thankfully I live in AUS but if China fails to keep inflation steady we are screwed too because we rely on our resources too sell to them.

Originally posted by BlasteR
I'll start by saying that I work for a company involved with federal contracting so I see exactly what is going on and it directly affects my everyday job. That being said, I am not a federal worker and, at least for us, it will be business as usual until the government can get its act together.

I work on a military installation in Alaska and we have many on-going constructon projects going on at any one time and usually at multiple installations across Alaska and the lower 48.

The only good thing, if you could call it that, is that some government services will remain active. Services like the VA provides to Veterans (including myself) are absolutely critical and fortunately the VA has already recieved advanced appropriations so they won't be affected (The VA wasn't so fortunate last time this happened).

However, during the shutdown Military members serving, fighting and dying for their country will not be paid while Congress does..

This is easily the most disturbing part of this entire ordeal.

Why did the Democrats wait this long? This is a great question but one without an answer as of yet. My primary questions are as follows..

1) What would happen to intelligence services like the FBI, CIA, Secret Service, NSA, etc..?
I would assume that intelligence services would remain un-changed during the shutdown but this is a pretty sketchy aspect of the entire scenario. Even if the intelligence services remain active during the shutdown, who would they report to? Would they still get paid? Would investigations and operations be put on hold?

2) Will the shutdown save taxpayer money or cost us more in the long run?
I recently read an article on Fox News which pointed out that the shutdown could easily cost us MORE but noone really knows for sure. Alot of money and efforts must be put into organizing and preparing the shutdown and determining who is "essential" vs "nonessential", etc..

3) Will the shutdown affect federal tax returns?
Will we even get returns? Due to the economic and budgetary turmoil federal workers that are deemed "non-essential" are not being given any guarantees they will get backpay at all. Some are saying federal workers would even be qualified for unemployment services.. The simple fact that those people aren't being guaranteed their money tells me we aren't even being guaranteed our tax returns. Especially if the government isn't even paying military members.

4) Would the government be opening itself up to millions of lawsuits and/or billions of dollars in settlements for allowing the shutdown to happen?
Thousands of small businesses would be ruined. The security of the entire country would be vulnerable to attack. Then there's the federal worker's union which may continue filing lawsuits until the government could be held accountable for its negligence. Plus, as I mentioned before, it could cost Americans more in the long run excluding any future lawsuits against the government.

-ChriS

2) Will the shutdown save taxpayer money or cost us more in the long run?
I recently read an article on Fox News which pointed out that the shutdown could easily cost us MORE but noone really knows for sure. Alot of money and efforts must be put into organizing and preparing the shutdown and determining who is "essential" vs "nonessential", etc..
"yesterday on the msm they were saying it would cost up tax payers billions" to shut down the government

3) Will the shutdown affect federal tax returns?
Will we even get returns? Due to the economic and budgetary turmoil federal workers that are deemed "non-essential" are not being given any guarantees they will get backpay at all. Some are saying federal workers would even be qualified for unemployment services.. The simple fact that those people aren't being guaranteed their money tells me we aren't even being guaranteed our tax returns. Especially if the government isn't even paying military members.
There will be no tax returns until the government re-opens. We just finished filing 2 days ago, told it would take 8 to 10 days to show up in our bank account, We wont see it until the govrenment gets there arses out of their political party prides and take care of business.

as with the fbi cia ect...im not sure about them, I do know the military will loose their paychecks until the problems are solved and they were ordered to show up regardless.
its sad right

reply to post by OutKast Searcher


From what I understand the non-essential federal workers are placed on "Furlough" until the next budget actually gets passed. At that point they may or may not recieve backpay for the time they didn't work. "Essential" workers will still go to work but won't get paid. However, essential workers are guaranteed their backpay from what I understand.

The whole situation definately puts federal contractors in an extremely tough spot... You can probably understand my cynicism

-ChriS

I have a feeling they are getting ready to "pull the pin" and head underground.
Sounds suspicious to me with all of the recent goings on.
I could be wrong though.

reply to post by wlmgsmn


IMO, it is beyond Sad. Sad isn't close to expressing the severity of the situation.

I was in the Air Force for 6 yrs and I never had to face a situation like this when I was in the Service. Though, at the time we didn't really have any major conflicts going on around the world either.

Congress, who put us in this situation, will continue to get paid. Military men and women fighting, dying, losing limbs, etc.. in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere will not get paid. They will not be able to feed their families and they eventually won't even be able to purchase gas. I know from experience that military service is essentially a paycheck to paycheck kind of lifestyle. When that goes away, it isn't even serious it is dire.

The word is that military members will eventually make backpay once a new budget is eventually passed but noone knows when that might be.

Alot of the blame should be going on Obama's head for allowing it to get this far.

-ChriS

I think, and what i've been told, what is going to happen with us military, is that we'll get 1 week's pay, but won't get our full check.

They're saying that if anything, our check's will be delayed.

Praying it doesn't.

For the meantime, i'm praying for the 800k+ goverment employees that are not getting paid.

reply to post by Pinkgomo653


Well hopefully you guys will do something against the government for what they are doing as that is wrong if what you guys are doing means so much you should be payed first. Are guys going to just sit down and catch some rays then and if the sarg decides he doesn't like it throw him in lock up more of you lot than anyone who can actually get hold of you guys.