Precious metal markets sure think there's going to be a shutdown.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
This is all political posturing
Shut down what you want
We, the people, will survive

Yep... shut it down. I don't care.
Most people I know don't rely on the government for anything.
My only problem with a government shutdown is that it always ends up as a paid vacation.

In previous “shut downs” I’ve never noticed a difference.

Trump has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Its his last term, he's tried working with the swamp and they tried to put him in jail, and now he's seen that action and courage is what is required. If we don't rip the bandaid off now and reverse course, the swamp will only fill back up.

quote:

Trump has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Its his last term, he's tried working with the swamp and they tried to put him in jail, and now he's seen that action and courage is what is required.

100%

I'd shut it down until they can agree on a balanced budget. Not a proposal to balance income and expenses 10 years from now ... this year. Now.

Trump’s Masterstroke: Why the Government Shutdown Is Essential to Drain the Swamp and Reshape DC

https://choiceclips.whatfinger...-in-full-panic-mode/

In the last shutdown, the wife was deemed critical and essential and ended up working without pay, but was retro paid once they agreed on new funding.

However, at the same time, her coworkers who didn't meet the criteria and were sent home, were unpaid however once the shutdown was over, one of the terms was that all those who were sent home would have their time off counted as paid vacation but the days were not counted against their yearly vacation total. Those who were deemed critical were not given extra vacation days to match the paid time off of the others.

quote:

Originally posted by Flashlightboy:
In the last shutdown, the wife was deemed critical and essential and ended up working without pay, but was retro paid once they agreed on new funding.

However, at the same time, her coworkers who didn't meet the criteria and were sent home, were unpaid however once the shutdown was over, one of the terms was that all those who were sent home would have their time off counted as paid vacation but the days were not counted against their yearly vacation total. Those who were deemed critical were not given extra vacation days to match the paid time off of the others.

I was handled the same way and it pissed myself and all of my agent brethren off. It’s like why did the “non essential” folks get free vacation but the essential folks didn’t even get a thank you. I’m not looking to take food off of anyone’s table but the cost of even a few extra days vacation credit or comp time for those of us that worked the whole time and also didn’t get our pay checks on time but still had to pay our bills on time, would have been minimal and gone a long way to show appreciation.

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:

quote:

Originally posted by Flashlightboy:
In the last shutdown, the wife was deemed critical and essential and ended up working without pay, but was retro paid once they agreed on new funding.

However, at the same time, her coworkers who didn't meet the criteria and were sent home, were unpaid however once the shutdown was over, one of the terms was that all those who were sent home would have their time off counted as paid vacation but the days were not counted against their yearly vacation total. Those who were deemed critical were not given extra vacation days to match the paid time off of the others.

I was handled the same way and it pissed myself and all of my agent brethren off. It’s like why did the “non essential” folks get free vacation but the essential folks didn’t even get a thank you. I’m not looking to take food off of anyone’s table but the cost of even a few extra days vacation credit or comp time for those of us that worked the whole time and also didn’t get our pay checks on time but still had to pay our bills on time, would have been minimal and gone a long way to show appreciation.

You've been talking to my wife because that's the exact thing she said.

quote:

It’s like why did the “non essential” folks get free vacation but the essential folks didn’t even get a thank you.

Yeah... doesn't seem right.
The “non essential” folks should not get free vacation. Those who have to work, for delayed pay, ... definitely should get a thank you.

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:
It’s like why did the “non essential” folks get free vacation but the essential folks didn’t even get a thank you.

My employer did the same during all of 2020 and 2021. The pilot's association happily went along with it. Junior folks getting paid time off (some of it care of federal programs) while senior crew were deemed essential and worked full schedules.

Perhaps government employees with pensions to protect are different, but such antics just drove a lot of us to retire early or go work somewhere else.

I believe it was Samuel Clemins who said that the American People are safest when Congress is not in session.

In my +26 year Federal Employee career, we went through 5 shutdowns. The only one that was kind of interesting was - December 22, 2018 – January 25, 2019 (35 days).

LE always had to work and all leave was cancelled. All the other "non-essential" employees were at home and got all the back pay when it was over.

quote:

Originally posted by Grumpy Old Man:

I believe it was Samuel Clemins who said ...

I thought it was Mark Twain.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig M11:
In my +26 year Federal Employee career, we went through 5 shutdowns. The only one that was kind of interesting was - December 22, 2018 – January 25, 2019 (35 days).

I remember that literally on the day that I would have normally gotten paid, the hot water heater crapped out on my rental apartment. It wasn’t too much of a hardship and I’m pretty sure that we got paid like almost exactly a week late, but I remember thinking that it was just my luck to have to make repairs and dig into savings on the first day without pay.

Democrats in Congress are a collection of Idiots!

It completely escapes me how we keep electing these morons.

I am still afraid the Assassination of Charley Kirk is going to create open season on politicians (especially DemoRats) an idea I deplore… but their replacements might be worse!

Sadly, I have no solution.

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Grumpy Old Man:

I believe it was Samuel Clemins who said ...

I thought it was Mark Twain.

“No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
~ Mark Twain

I worked for 42 plus years at Social Security before my retirement. The vast majority of SSA employees were always deemed essential, so I always worked through every furlough. I went to work. I just didn't get paid (until the furlough was over.)

I was fortunate that my bank (TD bank) offered all of their customers who were federal employees interest fee loans equal to their delayed net salaries if their was a need. No interest was charged unless it was not repaid in full within 30 days of the end of the furlough. After 30 days, the interest on the loans was pretty hefty, but since the delayed salaries were paid in a lump sum when the furlough ended, there should be no issue with repaying the interest free loan. I never found it necessary to take advantage of this, but I knew a few people who did.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Grumpy Old Man:

I believe it was Samuel Clemins who said ...

I thought it was Mark Twain.

“No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
~ Mark Twain

They're both the same person

quote:

Originally posted by hairy2dawg:

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by Grumpy Old Man:I believe it was Samuel Clemins who said ...

I thought it was Mark Twain.

“No man's life, liberty, or property are safe while the legislature is in session.”
~ Mark Twain

They're both the same person

Tomato / Potato

Yes and Yes

I think the Dems are fine with closing things down, it will be something else they can blame on Trump. I would be surprised if some of them don't already have statements and speeches ready to go with the blame game.

I think Congress and Senators should not get paid if there isn't a budget. They also should not get back pay.