Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Want to place any bets-gov't shutdown?
I think it's safe to say that the gov't will shutdown at midnight tonight, there just isn't enough time to push a bill through (if they even had one) both houses and have Obama sign it. But if they hold sessions this weekend they could do it.
Our office is still waiting to see how many of us they deem "essential" so i'm not even sure if I will be working or not. The older crew at work that was here for the last shut down, and had to work, said that it took over 3 months to get the back pay they were owed. I will take a furlough, but a planned furlough in the future, so that I have time to actually plan to be w/o a paycheck.
And getting on my soap box for a minute, I think it's luidcrous that the tea party thinks they can try to influence major consitutional changes at the last minute as part of a budget bill. I think it's backhanded to throw in cuts for Planned Parenthood and EPA testing at the last minute. Interesting enough, I read that a poll of Veterans revealed that they would place the blame of a shutdown at the feet of Republicans.
Re: Want to place any bets-gov't shutdown?
I think a shut down will happen, I'm just not sure for how long. At my work, the money was paid back pretty much right away so hopefully that will be the case this time.
I do have a question. The budget expired at the end of the fiscal year, why wasn't a budget passed then? To be on a continuing resolution for six months is ridiculous in my opinion.
They couldn't compromise in the last Congress and since the new Congress had just been elected, they decided to punt to them.
But the Democrats had the majority in October.
I believe the thought at the time was that they didn't want to risk the public backlash of pushing the budget through during the lame duck session of Congress. So, they waited.
I've worked here for over 10 years and I can't remeber the last time we had a budget on time. Last year we had CRs into March, if I recall correctly.
Yeah, I think that was the result of poor political planning - I think by the time a lot of Dems actually realized they would lose the house, it was too late to shove a budget through, since Dems who were in uncertain districts probably would have sided with the Rs in a last-ditch attempt to save their seats. But even then, I dont think anyone, even a great deal of the Rs, anticipated that failure to pass a budget in October would result in a government shutdown in April.
Oh, and to address the OP - yeah, I think there will definitely be a shutdown and it will last for a few days, but I don't think it will last a week.
A shutdown of extended duration would be really really bad for this area, whether or not you are employed by the federal goverment. I can't believe the people in DC won't even have their trashed picked up...........
Partisan politics at its finest! Democrats wanted to push through a budget while they still had a majority in both houses, but Republicans used a filabuster to kill it. I hate political parties!
huh?
I'm leaning towards a short shutdown. And no back pay when we do go back.
Policy riders are nothing new- they are included in every budget that's passed, only usually, it isn't this much of an issue.
Dems had the majority, but it doesn't mean that they can just pass any bill through they want to. Republicans still had enough votes to filibuster and they would have done so to any budget, which is why they have been passing CR after CR.
No trash pickup in DC in the event of a government shutdown.
ETA - I know that's such a random thing to point out like that lol, but in my mind it's a good example of the phuckery that will result from this.
And the DMV's will be closed, can you imagie if it happens for a week what a clusterfvck the DMV will be when they re-open?
I don't know the specifics, but the DC gov't relies heavily on the federal budget for many of their governmental needs (DMV, libraries, Public Works):
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/dc/residents-angry-as-dc-finetunes-contingency-plans-for-government-shutdown-040711
And before I get a
for using a Fox News source, I've found this local affiliate to have the best local coverage.
From what I understand, the original number in cuts the R's wanted was 61 billion. I think it's safe to say that have budged since the numbers are now down to 36 or 33 billion.
right - and they haven't reach an agreement b/c the R's are still waiting for the 61 B.
I'm pretty sure they have agreed to 39 B.
Yes, the R's have agreed to 39B in cuts, and the Dems have agreed to $34B. It's the 5B that's the problem b/c they can't agree on what to cut...it appears its coming down to women's health and energy:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/both-parties-continue-talks-over-elusive-2011-budget-deal/2011/04/07/AFB1Z2xC_story.html?hpid=z1
This is most likely a really dumb question, but are the dmv's federal or state?
In DC, they are federal.
Last I heard on the news last night and my current understanding is that they haven't agreed to any numbers. Democrats have offered the 30-some billion, but aren't agreeing to certain, specific cuts (Planned Parenthood being one), Republicans are sticking to 60-some billion and insisting on the specific cuts that the Dems oppose. It's one big temper tantrum, if you ask me.
Editing because I just read another article that said it's down to a difference of 2 billion but the sticking point is PP. It's annoying that they're (both sides) forcing a shutdown basically over one issue.