[Prealiitellg]

In deference to my plutonomy thread, I'm thinking a good-old national crisis is what is needed to bring another blow to the plutocracy in America.

Yes Social Security checks will stop going out, but so will farm aid and most defense defense contractors will also not get paid.

America's credit rating decrease will mean that foreigners will start selling off American assets they hold because they would rather repatriate cash rather than deal with the risk of political instability.


But most of all... I would love to see a nuclear meltdown of both political parties in the public forum. The pent up anger and vitriol would grow more intense while independent voters sit back and watch. Corporate lobbying would probably be sidelined for a little while due to the spectacle.


But the credit rating downgrade that is sure to come will cause the price of Treasuries to go down and interest rates will jack up higher; it will also cause a big point loss on the NYSE & Nasdaq.

The tense feeling a lot of plutocrats had when the TARP bailout was rejected in Congress would start to return.



The government shutdown will severely anger the most influential electoral group---elderly people. Social Security recipients are millions upon millions of people and their size of the voting block is following them into their Social Security years.

The 3rd rail of politics will get touched no matter what.

A credit ratings downgrade will then cause Republicans to shift their focus on entitlements because all this crap over the 14% of the Federal budget on discretionary items will be a moot point... the big chunks of the budget will have to be trimmed.

And if it continues to get worse, taxes will go up. The AARP electorate will get more and more angry with each passing year.



John Boehner is about to walk his party into a political showdown that has the potential to sideline his party's base; older retired conservative Americans. When people stop getting their SS checks I wonder if the voters will listen to the excuses "it's the Democrat's fault!!!" over their anger that they can't pay their bills.

[konanoileaski]

I actually think this may happen and I agree with you ... going to be fun to watch the 24 hr news cycle as both parties sound off on each other .. good times

[Endatrybeeddy]

Social security typically goes out even during a shutdown, for the very reason that you cite.

[numinertyuesk]

In deference to my plutonomy thread, I'm thinking a good-old national crisis is what is needed to bring another blow to the plutocracy in America.

Yes Social Security checks will stop going out, but so will farm aid and most defense defense contractors will also not get paid.

America's credit rating decrease will mean that foreigners will start selling off American assets they hold because they would rather repatriate cash rather than deal with the risk of political instability.


But most of all... I would love to see a nuclear meltdown of both political parties in the public forum. The pent up anger and vitriol would grow more intense while independent voters sit back and watch. Corporate lobbying would probably be sidelined for a little while due to the spectacle.


But the credit rating downgrade that is sure to come will cause the price of Treasuries to go down and interest rates will jack up higher; it will also cause a big point loss on the NYSE & Nasdaq.

The tense feeling a lot of plutocrats had when the TARP bailout was rejected in Congress would start to return.



The government shutdown will severely anger the most influential electoral group---elderly people. Social Security recipients are millions upon millions of people and their size of the voting block is following them into their Social Security years.

The 3rd rail of politics will get touched no matter what.

A credit ratings downgrade will then cause Republicans to shift their focus on entitlements because all this crap over the 14% of the Federal budget on discretionary items will be a moot point... the big chunks of the budget will have to be trimmed.

And if it continues to get worse, taxes will go up. The AARP electorate will get more and more angry with each passing year.



John Boehner is about to walk his party into a political showdown that has the potential to sideline his party's base; older retired conservative Americans. When people stop getting their SS checks I wonder if the voters will listen to the excuses "it's the Democrat's fault!!!" over their anger that they can't pay their bills.

You're wrong on Social security checks; they will to be paid out during the shutdown as payments from the Social Security fund are not subject to the same budgeting process as other governmental spending.

Also, it's funny to see you speaking so cavalierly about a government shutdown when you won't suffer any immediate consequences. Congress needs to pass a stopgap bill ASAP. I've had the good fortune to have made enough money in a previous life that I have some reserves but the majority of my joes aren't in the same boat. They risk their life and limb for **** pay and are now faced with the prospect of not getting paid for their work. Many of these guys live paycheck to paycheck and any delay in paying them is going to have pretty profound consequences. This isn't cool at all.

I actually think this may happen and I agree with you ... going to be fun to watch the 24 hr news cycle as both parties sound off on each other .. good times

Yeah, it will be a real hoot.

[BypeVupyide]

Social security typically goes out even during a shutdown, for the very reason that you cite.

That's not why. Social Security is a separately funded program which is directly financed by payroll deductions. You're supposed to get out of it what you pay into it. It is not subject to the same budgeting process as other federal expenditures.

[Haibundadam]

but the majority of my joes aren't in the same boat. They risk their life and limb for **** pay and are now faced with the prospect of not getting paid for their work. Many of these guys live paycheck to paycheck and any delay in paying them is going to have pretty profound consequences. This isn't cool at all.

What is their work?

[theatadug]

What is their work?

Defending the American people and preserving the American way of life.

[Misebeita]

Defending the American people and preserving the American way of life.

I think the military will continue to get funded. If true they will be OK so i don't see why you are worried abt your 'joes'

[Lapsiks]

I think the military will continue to get funded. If true they will be OK so i don't see why you are worried abt your 'joes'

It's amazing what people think. I'm telling you, I will not get a paycheck if an interim budget is not passed.

Sure, I'll eventually get backpay once a budget has been approved. Fortunately I have cash reserves upon which to rely until Congress gets its act together, but not every soldier with bills to pay has that luxury.

EDIT: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2011/0...pdate-040711w/

Note the gamesmanship going on here: While ideological discussions on abortion and other social issues are certainly relevant in the context of an ordinary spending bill they have no place in the debate over an interim spending bill. Come up with an amount of spending you believe to be fiscally viable and get the thing passed so that federal employees aren't forced to go without paychecks.

What's particularly irksome is the fact that Congress balked on approving legislation that would ensure its own members don't get paid in the event of a government shutdown.

The Congressmen standing in the way of a stopgap measure are proving that they don't give a damn about the American people.

[Klorissana]

It's amazing what people think. I'm telling you, I will not get a paycheck if an interim budget is not passed.

Sure, I'll eventually get backpay once a budget has been approved. Fortunately I have cash reserves upon which to rely until Congress gets its act together, but not every soldier with bills to pay has that luxury.

EDIT: Congress wrestles over shutdown, military pay - Army News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Army Times

Note the gamesmanship going on here: While ideological discussions on abortion and other social issues are certainly relevant in the context of an ordinary spending bill they have no place in the debate over an interim spending bill. Come up with an amount of spending you believe to be fiscally viable and get the thing passed so that federal employees aren't forced to go without paychecks.

What's particularly irksome is the fact that Congress balked on approving legislation that would ensure its own members don't get paid in the event of a government shutdown.

The Congressmen standing in the way of a stopgap measure are proving that they don't give a damn about the American people.

Just the Congressmen?

[Dilangos]

Just the Congressmen?

and women. Yes ... they are the one
s deadlocked. The President can only sign what's put before him.

[Dkavtbek]

In deference to my plutonomy thread, I'm thinking a good-old national crisis is what is needed to bring another blow to the plutocracy in America.

... but so will farm aid and most defense defense contractors will also not get paid.

Except they will get what they are owed after the appropriations are passed. I doubt they will hurt.

[Qesomud]

Except they will get what they are owed after the appropriations are passed. I doubt they will hurt.

True. The only people who will suffer are working stiffs who need a paycheck on a regular basis. Again, the most galling part of this all is that Congress is paying itself during this **** show ... as if they are somehow too good too share in the sacrifice.

[in4wikiu]

What's particularly irksome is the fact that Congress balked on approving legislation that would ensure its own members don't get paid in the event of a government shutdown.

The Congressmen standing in the way of a stopgap measure are proving that they don't give a damn about the American people.

Just the Congressmen?

and women. Yes ... they are the one
s deadlocked. The President can only sign what's put before him.

And he can VETO what's put in front of him as well.

Obama threatens to veto GOP budget extension plan - Yahoo! Finance

WASHINGTON (AP) -- House Republicans advanced a bill Thursday that would avoid a government shutdown for one more week, cut spending and fully fund the Pentagon, but the White House labeled the measure a distraction and said President Barack Obama would veto it.

[Wdlglivi]

And he can VETO what's put in front of him as well.

Obama threatens to veto GOP budget extension plan - Yahoo! Finance

True, but nothing will make it to his desk with all of the posturing coming from the Senate. First things first.

Again, save the big ideological disagreements for a permanent budget. Get the government funded on an interim basis and stop playing political games which only hurt soldiers and their families. Whether The District of Columbia can fund abortions or not should NOT be an issue for discussion in that type of bill. This is pure GOP political posturing this time around. Insert contentious stuff into a spending bill and then suggest that Democrats don't support the troops when they refuse to endorse it.

Both sides do it and it's nonsense. American soldiers shouldn't be used as pawns to make a political point!

[ExpodoDop]

True, but nothing will make it to his desk with all of the posturing coming from the Senate. First things first.

Again, save the big ideological disagreements for a permanent budget. Get the government funded on an interim basis and stop playing political games which only hurt soldiers and their families. Whether The District of Columbia can fund abortions or not should NOT be an issue for discussion in that type of bill. This is pure GOP political posturing this time around. Insert contentious stuff into a spending bill and then suggest that Democrats don't support the troops when they refuse to endorse it.

Both sides do it and it's nonsense. American soldiers shouldn't be used as pawns to make a political point!

Maybe they should've passed a budget back in October?

[colmedindustry]

Senate Republicans are on the floor right now pointing fingers and whining that the government is shutting down.

Ugh, excuse me; the House freshmen were all for the shutdown. Now that we're less than 24 hours away from this reality there's R's whining about it?

Oh maybe that's because a lot of private GSA contractors started calling some backlines complaining that GSA payments are due to go out this month for the 1st Q and the shutdown means those payments slow way down or stop entirely.

[Fhgzmftq]

FL Senate Dem "OMG Gabby Giffords' husband won't get paid!" hahah

[U2DnBGFE]

Yeah I didn't know backend support personnel for Social Security would not get furloughed, so those people must be present in order to approve the batch FEDWIREs that have to go out (Social Security is distributed via direct deposit).

This is different from the IRS refunds... paper print and mail operations for the US Treasury are non-essential, and those are the people who print and mail out tax refund checks. I'm guessing the automatic tax refund system will still be operating without any personnel present, so if you electronically file your taxes you should still get a turnaround of 14 days or sooner, so long as you're getting direct deposit.

April happens to be a critical month for government payments that get settled on a quarterly basis. Having the government shut down now is a lot more painful now than at the dead of winter like when it happened the last time. It will get felt a lot more, and the last time this happened is was about 3 weeks of shutdown.

It really looks like the shutdown is happening tomorrow no-matter what happens. The stopgap measure is clearing the House now and the Senate is debating it on the floor, but this morning's press call from the White House indicated that Obama is dead-set on veto'ing this 1-week extension.


Seems like the White House wants Congress to pass a remainder budget for the completion of this FY. I guess with a shutdown, the pressure to compromise will dramatically escalate.

[DrunkMans]

Senate Republicans are on the floor right now pointing fingers and whining that the government is shutting down.

Ugh, excuse me; the House freshmen were all for the shutdown. Now that we're less than 24 hours away from this reality there's R's whining about it?

Oh maybe that's because a lot of private GSA contractors started calling some backlines complaining that GSA payments are due to go out this month for the 1st Q and the shutdown means those payments slow way down or stop entirely.

Trying to figure out what is more entertaining; watching both sides blame each other if the govt shuts down, listening to the left complain that 'granny gonna kick' if Ryan's budget is passed, or Trump investigating Barry's birth certificate