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(Nearly) Everyone is going to have to file their taxes over the next few months, so it will affect a lot of people, especially if you are expecting a refund. I'm also traveling next month, 4 flights total, and I don't know how much (more) that will suck.
Where this shutdown will hit a wall (no pun intended!!!!!) is IF food stamps, WIC and Medicaid are affected. Obviously it would be the Democrat base that's most directly affected as its mostly them who depend on those things (yes I live in a very conservative state that unfortunately has a lot of welfare recipients but most of those actual welfare recipients are black Democrats) but it can lead to large scale unrest. I remember once the food stamp system crashed for a few hours and there were near riots in Walmart in some ghetto areas.
I don't think industries and airlines will purposely cut corners as its not in their best interests to have a plane crash or have a major industrial accident though government regulators are mostly known around here for destroying jobs rather than helping our community.
You can blame that on McConnell - again. It's always McConnell isn't it? He was the one who wouldn't give Trump his wall when we had control of all 3, and now he's the one who is not putting the spending bill for the DoT, HUD, and USDA to a vote. The House passed the bill in early January, and it's been sitting there in the Senate, untouched.
For food stamps, there is a reserve or "contingency plan". The USDA has about $3B but it will cover only about 64% of the typical cost. So...people may only get part of their food stamps for March.
As for Section 8, if the person is on a lease, the landlord cannot evict them if HUD doesn't pay, as long as the tenant still pays whatever portion they are supposed to pay. If they are on month to month...well, that's another story.
I just find it difficult to believe that anyone in the government is going to allow millions of people, which includes a high number of elderly and disabled, to become homeless. I find it difficult to believe that anyone in the government is going to let people starve - especially kids since 42% of those getting food stamps is for the kids.
If millions of people end up on the streets, homeless and starving because of government, they aren't going to care who did what, they will blame the entire government, and some of them may take their anger out on every day citizens. Not all are disabled or elderly.
For food stamps, there is a reserve or "contingency plan". The USDA has about $3B but it will cover only about 64% of the typical cost. So...people may only get part of their food stamps for March.
As for Section 8, if the person is on a lease, the landlord cannot evict them if HUD doesn't pay, as long as the tenant still pays whatever portion they are supposed to pay. If they are on month to month...well, that's another story.
I just find it difficult to believe that anyone in the government is going to allow millions of people, which includes a high number of elderly and disabled, to become homeless. I find it difficult to believe that anyone in the government is going to let people starve - especially kids since 42% of those getting food stamps is for the kids.
.
Simple solution to prioritize.
64% funded should be realigned to cover 42% who are kids, ahead of benefit distribution for single or married, childless adults.
Why do you qualify the opinion poll by tacking on political 'affiliation?'
That said, I'll answer here but not respond to the poll itself.
At some point, this shutdown will have an effect on us all. Yearly tax return processing will likely be delayed - if you travel, well the TSA situation is already having ramifications and if you were going to visit a national monument or other such attraction, well that is likely closed - US Customs and Border Protection is likely feeling the pinch - people who are deemed non-essential and are not receiving a paycheck are also going to start feeling this (apparently, no one is prepared for any type of emergency as evidenced by the continued news stories of furloughed workers needing food donations, etc). It's snowballing.
That said, I support Trump in wanting the wall. I believe we need 'a wall.' I just don't think he figured on this level of obstinacy by the other party.
I find it supremely embarrassing that this bunch of clowns is 'governing' us.
"I'd rather be governed by the first 535 people in the Boston phone book." William F. Buckley
I guess you won’t be needing that wall then; let’s go ahead and eliminate Border Patrol and Air Traffic Control as well.
And since you brought up Somalia, how’s that lack of government working out for them? Thought so.
Libertarian Fantasy Land is something else to behold.
Want to quote where I said we should eliminate all government?
Nah, I didn't think so...
.
Since I specifically said it's not an all or nothing equation.
But you still couldn't resist parroting the "SOMALIA" nonsense.
Typical.
Tell you what, if you want to play that game, why don't you move to Venezuela and see how well socialism is working out for them?
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkpunk
OK let me throw it back to you for a minute or two, what exactly parts of the government COULD we lose in an administrative furlough? You challenge us to defend the parts of the government we want to keep, but can you name the ones you want gone. I'm sure there are ones that I don't even know exists and I'm sure there are ones you haven't even thought of why we should keep them.
For one, the EPA is under-fire due to the recent explosion in childhood cancer cases. 48 since 2008 with 45 cases in two towns specifically. There is a known carcinogen (TCE) in the water of one of the two towns. Obama was looking to remove that one, however under Trump's "The EPA is too aggressive" stance, he stopped that proposal from the Obama era. Removing "oppressive" EPA regulations just allows the foxes like Monsanto to guard the henhouse that is the local land. We saw what happened with that and rivers burned in the 1960's because of it. It is beyond comical that people who grew up in that time larheluy voted for someone who wanted to return to that.
My mother worked Department of Defense going out to contractors to test items such as bulletproof vests and radar systems going overseas to our troops. She did this for nearly 40 years. She retired 9 years ago this February. The problem, most people wouldn't realize the DoD does this. The DoD needs oversight just so we know our troops aren't getting screwed by the contractors cutting corners to make money off the DoD contracts. Again like the EPA, without this oversight, the foxes are on guard.
Much of the government can be reduced through cutting fraud, abuse and red tape and simply relegating responsibility back to the States.
The Dept of education..... especially government backed student loans, which are the number one reason why college tuition is so high.... schools charge more with a guaranteed payer and it reduces competition too.
The IRS could be slashed to a skeleton crew if we simplified the tax code to a flat tax or similar and eliminate deductions.
The ATF could be completely eliminated, since there isn't any constitutional justification for it's existence at all.
Pretty much any agencies or programs that rely on the Commerce Clause in order to justify their existing under the Constitution.
Welfare could be largely gutted or at the very least, means tested and subject to drug testing and more fraud/abuse investigation.
The Post Office is hanging on by a thread, and could be completely replaced by the private sector.
Those are just a few things off the top of my head that I came up with over my morning coffee.... I'm sure I could come up with a lot more examples if I didn't have to go to work......
After all.... SOMEBODY has to pay for all that crap.....
You do realize that the benefit isn't just based on dollar benefits? IRS workers make sure that revenue is fully reported and that you didn't overpay or underpay your taxes. DoD inspectors like my mother was, inspect items sent overseas to make sure they work for our troops instead of taking a contractor's word for it. TSA removed a patchwork of private and public security firms at airports who didn't do their job on 09/11/2001.
Also I would argue many contribute a little bit more to the economy considering private sector wages. For security TSA is fairly even with security pay I have in my private sector security job. Also if they cannot afford ends meet, how would they be able to earn enough to retrain? See the issue here?
They sure had no problem cashing my 2018 4th quarterly estimated tax payment during the shutdown. Hmmm...
I am the conservative on this poll greatly effected. I haven't lost my pay yet but we are getting there.
I agree with a lot of the conservative issues here. There are people in the gov't who shouldn't be there. There are people in the gov't who are rude and don't do anything. But pulling their pay check - along with mine - with no to little warning isn't the answer.
It is hard to do things like lay off particular gov't employees of or get rid of agencies. Remember when we all thought Trump was going to get rid of the Department of Education or the EPA? He didn't do that.. because that would have been personally hard for him.
But this isn't personally hard for him and is playing with my life.
Why do I blame him? Because he made no real attempt to get the wall when had the entire gov't. But now it is a massive issue? BULL.
I would be a moron to continue to support him. Got to look out #1 apparently just like he does.
Post fail. The Republicans didn't have 60 seats in the Senate. 60 votes are required for cloture before a bill is even put to a vote on the Senate floor.
Here, again, we have another poster who has NO CLUE how the US legislative process works. I'd like to know WHY that is.
I accepted a fed position right before the shutdown in early December. Still have not gotten an updated start date from the original January 4th date that had to be recended due to shutdown.
My wife and I ran out of money for gas. We are lucky she didn’t have work today. French Fries and combing can goods for dinner. Can’t blame it on Christmas because this year our only expenditure was on family dinner which was priceless.
The shutdown did not precipitate our current position. The loss of my career job initiated our rapid loss of means. However, I accepted the federal job as we were looking at our last handful of $1 bills. It truly was and still is a blessing. A blessing delayed but a blessing indeed. We have change for her gas tank, cans in cabinet, and hope that things open up soon.
I will eat every morsel in our home and go out and earn dinner can by can before I would ask our Country to fall because we are willing to compromise the true value of being American.
The way this decision goes will have long term implication on whether America will exist as we know it. Time to grow up!
Your vicinity will have several privately-funded food pantries. They run food drives all the time via schools, houses of worship of all denominations, local civic organizations and groups, stores, and even your local mail carriers, etc. They stock their shelves with donated food and supplement with food purchased with $ donations. Look them up online. You'll get canned veggies, fruits, meats, etc., but it won't cost you a dime and you'll be able to eat.
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