When I was in DoD and Federal contracting, when civil service personnel were sent home during shutdowns, often my employers would float us for a pay cycle or two to keep things going, even if they lost revenue during the shutdown. I'm sure this wasn't pleasant for the executives of my employers, but they generally had good relationships and a level of mutual trust and respect with our regular customers. DoD consulting was a great experience, but I had to bail was I got older and needed to land a little more solidly for lack of a better term. Looking back however I loved it in spite of the pressure, inconvenient but necessary security, tons of bureaucracy and paperwork, long commutes, and out of town travel. It was a great ride and offered tons of valuable experience in the field.

However, the Govt employees ALWAYS got a FREE PAID VACATION, and never broke a sweat, so Govt shutdowns were a perfect situation for them, with guaranteed back pay when shop was reopened. I suppose for lower paid employees it might have been an issue, but not for the civil servants I worked for and with, in the GS13 to GS15 pay grades with lots of pay step increases with long years of service.

Shut it down. Make a national address. Hang it on the Dems for their ridiculous demands. Clean house.

It will be like the beginning of Gulf War I. Saddam did not believe the US would jump at the opportunity, but Bush set the ball rolling on the first night. Trump is just itching to permanently lay off 100,000 excess government workers.

Wifey was told late today that she's considered essential, won't be furloughed and she's to come to work tomorrow for a regular workday, of course without pay.

Others were furloughed and they will sit at home but while in the past it was later addressed as paid vacation, this time seems different with the administration itching to RIF people even before this.

If they are not deemed essential, Trump could say they can be RIFed, provided notice is given and the layoff rules followed.

quote:

Originally posted by Lt CHEG:

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 was an 1811 in an agency where 90% or better of what we did was deemed "non-essential" for purposes of the shutdown/furlough because it didn't involve immediate protection of life or property. AUSAs LOVED hearing that (prepping to indict or go to trial on a bank fraud? Sorry, brother... I'm not allowed to even check my email under threat of dismissal).

"Can we do it on a volunteer basis?" Also no, because working for free apparently violates the Anti-Deficiency Act.

I cannot express how little I miss that crap.

Political theater.

A line from the article: The politicians making threats are the only ones who get to leave town.

Mark Levine referenced this opinion piece on his radio show yesterday. I thought it was worth mentioning here.


The government never shuts down: What actually happens in budget standoffs
BY CHERYL KELLEY, OPINION CONTRIBUTOR - 09/29/25 7:30 AM ET

Congress is threatening another “government shutdown” as the September 30 deadline approaches. But here’s what most Americans don’t understand: Government has never shut down. Not once.

What people call “shutdowns” affect only the most visible, least essential services. The actual machinery of government continues operating normally during shutdowns.

Somewhere, at 3 a.m. this morning, USDA food safety inspectors walked into meat processing plants across America. They will examine 37 billion pounds of meat this year — not because politicians told them to do it this week, but because that’s what the permanent government does every year. In windowless rooms at the National Weather Service, meteorologists are today analyzing atmospheric data that will determine whether your flight gets delayed tomorrow. At USDA’s global intelligence centers, analysts are tracking crop conditions in 95 countries that could affect American food prices months from now. Nuclear engineers are monitoring reactor cooling systems that can’t take a day off.

This will all continue going on, regardless of budget negotiations in Congress. This is the government that Americans rarely see but depend on absolutely — and it reveals why the term “government shutdown” is fundamentally misleading.

What actually stops during shutdowns are the visible, public-facing services that make citizens feel the political pain. This includes tourist visits to national parks and the Smithsonian and processing of some permits and applications.

Here’s what continues: nuclear reactor monitoring, air traffic control, food safety inspection, disease surveillance, border security, law enforcement, military operations, Social Security payments, Medicare processing, weather forecasting, and thousands of other essential functions.

In terms of shutdown language, “the government” consists of 15 enormous agencies that run the country. The government in this sense is very different and separate from politics. Politics is what happens in Congress — the debates, the standoffs, the theater of elected officials. Government is the infrastructure of 2.2 million career professionals who maintain complex systems regardless of election outcomes.

This separation isn’t bureaucratic inefficiency — it is democracy’s firewall against political manipulation of essential services. It prevents politicians from weaponizing food safety, air traffic control, or nuclear security for electoral advantage.

Each of the 15 cabinet-level agencies operates at a scale most citizens can’t comprehend. The Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration coordinates more than 44,000 daily flights, serving more than 3 million airline passengers across 29 million square miles of airspace. Its system is so complex that a single software glitch can ground planes nationwide.

The Department of Health and Human Services processes Medicare claims for approximately 63 million Americans, with the program serving nearly everyone over 65 plus younger Americans with disabilities.

The Department of Energy manages not just power grids but the entire nuclear weapons arsenal — warheads, delivery systems, and the scientific infrastructure that maintains them. The department’s responsibilities include ensuring that nuclear reactors continue operating safely, regardless of political standoffs.

What does shutdown theater actually cost taxpayers? Lost Productivity, for starters. The 2013 shutdown cost $2.5 billion in back pay to 850,000 furloughed employees who missed a combined 6.6 million work days. All that productivity was permanently lost, since they were paid for work not performed.

Shutdowns also result in special expenses specifically related to preparing for shutdowns. Before each shutdown, agencies must develop detailed contingency plans outlining which functions will continue and which will stop. This pulls hundreds of thousands of employees from their regular duties to document procedures that everyone hopes will never be used.

Shutdowns cause economic disruption. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018-2019 shutdown reduced GDP by $11 billion in all, including $3 billion that will never be recovered. The 2013 shutdown cost the economy $24 billion and 120,000 private sector jobs.

Finally, shutdowns cause a great deal of administrative drama. Beyond direct costs, shutdowns can delay tax refunds (almost $4 billion in 2013), halt fee collections, and force the government to pay penalty interest on late payments. These indirect costs often exceed the supposed savings from furloughing workers. (White House Office of Management and Budget, November 2013)

The government’s actual structure is both simpler and more complex than political rhetoric suggests. It is simpler because it is just 15 major agencies with clearly defined missions. It is more complex because each agency is as large as most multinational billion dollar companies and they operate multiple sophisticated systems that interlock with others.

The Department of Agriculture doesn’t just inspect food — it manages global agricultural intelligence, rural banking systems, emergency food stockpiles, scientific research networks, and international trade relationships. When politicians threaten to “shut down” the department, they’re really threatening to pause passport applications at rural offices while inspectors continue examining meat and intelligence analysts keep tracking global grain supplies.

Understanding this distinction would make Americans immune to much political manipulation. You can’t be misled about agricultural policy if you know it involves operating intelligence networks in 95 countries. You can’t be fooled by promises to “drain the swamp” if you understand that career professionals maintain essential systems while political appointees rotate through ceremonial positions.

American government isn’t all broken — it’s just invisible. Every day, 2.2 million professionals keep complex systems running while 537 elected officials argue about credit and blame. The systems largely work despite political theater, not because of it. The proof is in all the things we take for granted — stocked grocery shelves and electricity that comes on when you flip a switch.

We could save money and fix things inside the government, but even to talk about it effectively, people need to understand what it is — starting with the fact it never shuts down.

The next time you hear shutdown threats, remember what actually continues: food inspection, air traffic control, nuclear security, disease surveillance, weather forecasting, and thousands of other functions that keep 330 million people safe and prosperous. During “shutdowns,” all of these operations continue. A true shutdown would include things we never imagine like power outages across the nation within weeks as our power grids sit unprotected.


Government doesn’t ever shut down, because it can’t. The politicians making threats are the only ones who get to leave town.

Understanding this difference is the first step toward better citizenship in our complex, but knowable democracy.

Link: https://thehill.com/opinion/co...in-budget-standoffs/

quote:

Originally posted by DennisM:

I was an 1811 in an agency where 90% or better of what we did was deemed "non-essential" for purposes of the shutdown/furlough because it didn't involve immediate protection of life or property. AUSAs LOVED hearing that (prepping to indict or go to trial on a bank fraud? Sorry, brother... I'm not allowed to even check my email under threat of dismissal).

"Can we do it on a volunteer basis?" Also no, because working for free apparently violates the Anti-Deficiency Act.

I cannot express how little I miss that crap.

I totally hear you about not missing out on the shutdown games. I was honestly not aware of any 1811 that wasn’t considered “essential” for shutdown purposes. I was told by someone once, obviously incorrectly, that the entire GS 1811 series was considered mission critical for public safety and therefore essential during shutdown purposes. It made sense to me so I never questioned it. I learned something new today, thanks for the info, and another congratulations on your retirement!

https://x.com/ResisttheMS/stat...mess-for-the-left%2F



https://x.com/RNCResearch/stat...mess-for-the-left%2F

The other part of this funding show is that the proposed CR the Dems won't vote for would only continue funding the government for 7 weeks, and then this entire dog and pony show starts all over again.

What Chuckles wants today, if provided, will turn into some other demand in 7 weeks and we'll have the same problem all over again.

quote:

The other part of this funding show is that the proposed CR the Dems won't vote for would only continue funding the government for 7 weeks, and then this entire dog and pony show starts all over again.

What Chuckles wants today, if provided, will turn into some other demand in 7 weeks and we'll have the same problem all over again.

Right. This entire dog and pony show has to end. We were promised "regular order" when we elected a Republican majority. They haven't delivered.

The purpose of a "debt ceiling" was to limit the debt. It's a charade. It's used to expand the debt, and spending, every time. They hold us hostage and Republicans continue to cave to it.

We might be able to point the finger at Chuckles today, but Republicans continue to make this possible by not restoring an orderly budget process with a strict calendar.

Government shutdown to last at least through Friday as Senate breaks for Yom Kippur

https://justthenews.com/govern..._campaign=newsletter

The government shutdown is now expected to last at least three days after the Senate adjourned Wednesday afternoon without passing a continuing resolution to reopen the government until November.

The Senate adjourned at 4:23 p.m. Eastern and will reconvene on Thursday for a vote on whether to confirm a block of President Donald Trump's nominees, which is scheduled to take place at noon. But no vote on a resolution is scheduled until Friday because of Yom Kippur.

The Senate failed to pass a procedural vote on two competing Democratic and Republican continuing resolutions earlier Wednesday. The chamber also failed to pass either resolution prior to the shutdown on Tuesday. Republicans have blamed Democrats for the shutdown, asserting they seek to fund health care for illegal migrants.

The White House has warned that a massive firing plan will take place in the coming days, but the possible scale of the mass federal layoffs remains unclear.

It is also not clear how long the government shutdown will last, but the longest shutdown on record is 35 days, which occurred during Trump's first presidential administration in 2018 and 2019.

Mass Shutdown Firings To Begin 'In A Day Or Two': Trump Admin

Update (1405ET): The thing that the Trump administration said would happen if Democrats insisted on adding $1.5 trillion in spending - is happening.

https://www.zerohedge.com/poli...acted-and-whats-next

I'm thinking this dovetails into POTUS45/47 not auto-spending every dollar that Congress has mandated.

If Congress can't provide funding/appropriations, it would seem they are saying, 'hey, stop spending' and thus, almost unavoidable that non-spending occurs following the rules.

Be a real shame if all the nonsense got re-nuked now...and I'd like to see the judge that could mandate that President Trump has to spend those dollars when Congress has shut him down.

https://www.usatoday.com/story...imeline/86407107007/

"Over the last five decades, and as of Oct. 1, there have been 22 federal shutdowns. The longest government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, occurred from December 2018 to January 2019 due to an impasse with Congress and the Trump administration over funding for a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

1976: Under President Gerald Ford. Lasted for 11 days.
1977: Under President Jimmy Carter. Lasted 12 days.
1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
1978: Under Carter. Lasted 17 days.
1979: Under Carter. Lasted 11 days.
1981: Under President Ronald Reagan. Lasted two days.
1982: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
1982: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
1983: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
1984: Under Reagan. Lasted two days.
1984: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
1986: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
1987: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
1990: Under George H.W. Bush. Lasted four days.
1995: Under President Bill Clinton. Lasted five days.
1996: Under Clinton. Lasted 21 days.
2013: Under President Barack Obama. Lasted 17 days.
2018: Under President Donald Trump. Lasted three days.
2018: Under Trump. Lasted several hours.
2019: Under Trump. Lasted 35 days and cost the economy about $3 billion, equal to 0.02% of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
2025: Under Trump. Started on Oct. 1, 2025.
Contributors: USA TODAY's Zac Anderson, Joey Garrison and Bart Jansen; Reuters

This story has been updated with new details. "

____________________________________

National Park "Service" LEO's and others shutting down visitor parking areas, Sept 2015, my view.

https://greatsmokymountainsgui...nment-shutdown-2015/


Government Shutdown 2015?
GSM Guide September 26, 2015

News
Government Shutdown 2015?
Government shutdown 2015? Another government shutdown is possible next week meaning the likely closure of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park at one of the most busiest times of year for the park. The month of October is a very busy month at the park due to the fall foliage show and tourist coming to view the beautiful scenery in the mountains. Two years ago the Great Smoky Mountains National Park as well as all other national parks were closed down for several week during the month of October resulting in a costly loss of money to the park and surrounding areas. Another government shutdown during the month of October at the height of fall foliage tourism would be devastating.

Canaveral National Seashore shutdown yesterday

quote:

Canaveral National Seashore shutdown yesterday

If this is public property, why is the public not allowed to enter or use it without government employee oversight?
I guess it's not really public property, it's government property.

https://x.com/RealLindellTV/st...llegal-immigrants%2F

Senate Erupts in Laughter As Schumer Calls NYT Poll Blaming Democrats for Shutdown ‘Biased’

https://www.breitbart.com/poli...for-shutdown-biased/

https://x.com/RapidResponse47/...l1973156400571490609

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:
Mass Shutdown Firings To Begin 'In A Day Or Two': Trump Admin

Good. I hope the President takes a page out of the Democrat playbook and fires them at 4:30 PM on Friday afternoon.