How's the partial federal government shutdown affecting you?

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Before this current administration it really didn't shut down all that much. Once in 2013. Once during the Clinton admin. Three times under the current.

I had already mentioned somewhere but there was one in Feb 2018 that was not considered a shutdown. It was considered a funding gap lasting 9 hours with no impact to services or loss of pay (this is similar to a couple of incidents that happened in the '80s in terms of impact).

I already mentioned somewhere but the way our system is set up a shutdown can occur, regardless of who is the current president. If we're talking why a shutdown occurs that's too political really to discuss here on the Boards. But the shutdowns are possible because of how the system is set up and works. Doesn't make it right.

 

[Searc]

My understanding is that military contracts are unaffected. I guess they could be affected if they're not specifically funded by DoD such as service contracts for companies that serve multiple cabinet departments.

https://www.defenseone.com/business/2019/01/shutdown-contractors/153985/

The Coast Guard isn't under the DoD, it is under Homeland Security, which is why they aren't being paid right now.

 

[bcla]

Coast Guard is not being paid.

A lot of agencies. DHS (including Coast Guard). Transportation. Interior. Agriculture. Justice. The law enforcement agencies where nobody is getting paid include the Secret Service, Border Patrol, CBP, ICE, Marshals Service, FBI, NPS (LE rangers and US Park Police), etc. I suppose they're out there, but they're pretty cranky right now. Federal prison guards are expected to show for work without pay.

 

[luvsJack]

My understanding is that military contracts are unaffected. I guess they could be affected if they're not specifically funded by DoD such as service contracts for companies that serve multiple cabinet departments.

https://www.defenseone.com/business/2019/01/shutdown-contractors/153985/

I would guess that some contracts fall under different things and just because they are on a military base does not mean they fall under the Dept of Defense? Honestly I have no clue how that all works. Just who is and isn't working. The only people working at dd's site is Navy and a few of the contract employees. At the Army training site close to where I live, a few weeks ago, the armed guards at the gates were civilians. Now they are army. Two women I know that work at that site in offices, are not working. I am not sure what they fall under.

 

[luvsJack]

I don't remember if it was in this thread or another one, but someone mentioned federal student aid being affected. Well, in some ways it is. If certain paperwork is requested it has to come from the IRS. Guess whose offices are closed? Exactly. So these students are in a bit of limbo on whether their they will get their financial aid and when. If this goes on long enough, it will begin to affect the colleges.

 

[cabanafrau]

I don't remember if it was in this thread or another one, but someone mentioned federal student aid being affected. Well, in some ways it is. If certain paperwork is requested it has to come from the IRS. Guess whose offices are closed? Exactly. So these students are in a bit of limbo on whether their they will get their financial aid and when. If this goes on long enough, it will begin to affect the colleges.

There's already an impact to the colleges. The research position my oldest daughter held back when she was in college has been put on hold indefinitely. I am unaware of others at the moment, but I'd hazard a guess that if the positions at that lab at that university are already in a holding pattern others at that university and others are as well.

 

[wvjules]

I'm not sure how the IRS is going to start processing tax returns when as far as I remember they haven't even finalized some schedules. How is that going to work?

(I'm a CPA that has NOTHING to do with taxes! lol)

 

[soccerdad72]

I don't remember if it was in this thread or another one, but someone mentioned federal student aid being affected. Well, in some ways it is. If certain paperwork is requested it has to come from the IRS. Guess whose offices are closed? Exactly. So these students are in a bit of limbo on whether their they will get their financial aid and when. If this goes on long enough, it will begin to affect the colleges.

I mentioned it. Our financial aid offices are reporting errors when students are trying to link their FAFSA form to the IRS site.

 

[cabanafrau]

I'm not sure how the IRS is going to start processing tax returns when as far as I remember they haven't even finalized some schedules. How is that going to work?

(I'm a CPA that has NOTHING to do with taxes! lol)

How can returns be prepared if the schedules aren't finalized?

Our accountant warned last year that things for this year were probably going to be a very different landscape and catch many people very offguard. Unsettled schedules amid a protracted government shutdown weren't even contemplated in that prediction I'm sure!

 

[kamik86]

Before this current administration it really didn't shut down all that much. Once in 2013. Once during the Clinton admin. Three times under the current.

Yes but the first one was actually the one that impacted at least my job the most. Although that might have been that the company was more prepared with procedures for what to do after the first time.

 

[mnrose]

I could see that creating a negative domino effect. The sole reason why some things aren't affected is because they already have their budgets passed. Do I like paying taxes in this situation? No but the flip side is not paying taxes, or in this case getting a refund/credit for the portion of the time the government is shut down, means that it's just shortchanging the whole system. That wouldn't fix the situation. It just makes someone feel better.

I'm trying to figure out an incentive for those who can control this situation to do so, rather than standing around "posturing." I agree that it would have a negative domino effect. It SHOULD and maybe that would make those idiots think twice about shutting the government down. We pay them to represent us. To work. They are doing nothing for us at the moment, except posturing for their respective bases.

 

[lifesavacation]

I absolutely believe that when there is a shutdown ALL Congress politicians involved should also have their pay stopped with no back pay. Also I am blown away and confused by people who are required to go to work without pay. Are they guaranteed back pay? Didn't we end slavery.

I feel most sorry for those essential people who are overworked, not getting paid, and working in the middle of this ****storm.

 

[wvjules]

I'm trying to figure out an incentive for those who can control this situation to do so, rather than standing around "posturing." I agree that it would have a negative domino effect. It SHOULD and maybe that would make those idiots think twice about shutting the government down. We pay them to represent us. To work. They are doing nothing for us at the moment, except posturing for their respective bases.

But representing you could be different than representing me. Each "side" is trying to represent their base.

I think the problem is too complex to say no pay for congress or no reelection if a shutdown occurs. The solution basically boils down to compromise. This could have not even occurred if the house had actually voted (which would have mostly likely passed) on the bill passed by the Senate, instead of checking with the Executive branch first. Now the House has passed the same bill and the senate won't take it to a vote. This was/is a bi-partisan bill that will pass both chambers of congress. Pass it and put it on the President's desk. Depending on how the wind is blowing he may or may not sign it. Hard to tell until it's right in front of him.

 

[LSUmiss]

My focus is solely on how Americans (federal workers included) can do a much better job of managing their finances.

It appears that I am the only one who can separate out that point from the very emotional and personal nature of the shutdown.

It’s called timing. You don’t go to a funeral & tell a family member that their loved one should have eaten better if they died of a heart attack.
I also find your insistence on labeling other ppl’s opinions dismissive & arrogant like we are just a bunch of hysterical, emotional lunatics, but you’re the only logical one. Your opinion of this matter also seems to be an emotional one connected to the issues you have with your father.

 

[luvsJack]

I mentioned it. Our financial aid offices are reporting errors when students are trying to link their FAFSA form to the IRS site.

Its going to be a hardship on a lot of students. I guess the bigger schools can wait for payment but its hard us smaller schools to do that. What a mess.

 

[Searc]

Its going to be a hardship on a lot of students. I guess the bigger schools can wait for payment but its hard us smaller schools to do that. What a mess.

For my son's school, financial aid for Spring Semester is supposed to post this weekend, with tuition due on the 22nd. I wonder if it will?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm trying to figure out an incentive for those who can control this situation to do so, rather than standing around "posturing." I agree that it would have a negative domino effect. It SHOULD and maybe that would make those idiots think twice about shutting the government down. We pay them to represent us. To work. They are doing nothing for us at the moment, except posturing for their respective bases.

I totally hear you on trying to figure out I just don't think in a situation where so many people are upset and feeling for those impacted that we want to potentially make more people impacted come a future shutdown because their funding is less because the taxpayers were absolved of their taxual obligations for the time period that the government was shut down. It makes us feel better because why pay into this system, etc but that's all it does is make us feel better. I think it just opens the door to potentially hurt more people.

It's like if it came to it this year again and my state's Board of Education threatened to not allow any state-funded school to open for the next year because the per pupil spending isn't high enough, etc and out of trying to make myself feel better I, as a property owner, decided not to pay my property tax amount that accounted for the state, to the community college, to the school district in my area. Yeah sure not paying just over 63% of my property tax (which is the percentage of state, community college, and school district) sounds amazing but all that is going to do is make it worse. Even if you take out the state and community college portion it's still 55% of my property tax going to my assigned school district. Then come the next year we may be in the same or even worse situation because I didn't pay my amount and then neither did the neighbor and the other neighbor nor the other, well you get the picture.

 

[cabanafrau]

Its going to be a hardship on a lot of students. I guess the bigger schools can wait for payment but its hard us smaller schools to do that. What a mess.

Not quite sure the logic holds -- bigger schools also have larger overhead and more students impacted. Like anything else, it's always easiest to see clearest what's under our nose and minimize things as they get further in the distance from us.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

But representing you could be different than representing me. Each "side" is trying to represent their base.

I think the problem is too complex to say no pay for congress or no reelection if a shutdown occurs. The solution basically boils down to compromise. This could have not even occurred if the house had actually voted (which would have mostly likely passed) on the bill passed by the Senate, instead of checking with the Executive branch first. Now the House has passed the same bill and the senate won't take it to a vote. This was/is a bi-partisan bill that will pass both chambers of congress. Pass it and put it on the President's desk. Depending on how the wind is blowing he may or may not sign it. Hard to tell until it's right in front of him.

But that's just the problem and reason for the shutdown, posturing without compromise. Some pushed influenced by propaganda infotainment opinion news shows. It's all for pol show. And if they want to play these P games that affect people's livelihoods, they should be forced to work without pay themselves. I actually heard One that shall remain nameless, say they should be proud to not work or get money if it affects them bc they are standing for a cause.

 

[kamik86]

But that's just the problem and reason for the shutdown, posturing without compromise. Some pushed influenced by propaganda infotainment opinion news shows. It's all for pol show. And if they want to play these P games that affect people's livelihoods, they should be forced to work without pay themselves. I actually heard One that shall remain nameless, say they should be proud to not work or get money if it affects them bc they are standing for a cause.

The issue with that one is it won't work. Most of congress doesn't need the money. Most of congress could in fact posture even if there pay is on hold.