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What Will Happen If the Republicans Force a Government Shutdown?
Let's talk large view for a moment. In 2008, there were 2,768,886 people employed as civilians by the US Federal Government. (Data from here.) That's almost three million folks. What's the current number of unemployed people? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that's 14.9 million people. So, if the federal government shuts down, that's an approximate 16% increase of people who don't have the money that they expected to be coming in to be coming in. Do you really think that the economy can afford to have that many more people to be out of work? Really?
I'm trying to write out how this would affect me personally, but when I do, I just think of all of my friends who are in financial difficulties, and who have been dealing with this horrible, horrible economic crap for a very long time. And I feel like a heel for talking about this and not all the stuff that they have already gone through and are still dealing with, while I discuss hypotheticals.
So I'll just say this, and if anyone wants to question in the comments, they can. If I don't get paid but am still employed, I can't collect unemployment insurance or access most of the other safety nets available to the unemployed. Therefore, our household budget would get cut to the absolute bone as fast and as harshly as possible. We have savings, but with no idea of when the Republicans would be willing to let me work for pay again, we would have no idea how long of a storm we would have to weather. There's temporary jobs, but I doubt they would be scientific ones. (There are a lot of scientists in the area who are employed by the federal government. All of us would be out of work.) I doubt I could even get a McJob -- they'd see that I was most recently employed by the federal government and assume that I'd bail on them at the first opportunity. (Not to mention that I can't get money from anyone the FDA inspects while I work for the FDA. So no fast food at all.)
Shutting down the government means that 3 million people are suddenly out of work with all of the badness and none of the safety net or future new job that it normally entails.
That's what the Republican plan gets you. No social services, and less money flowing into the economy.
On the plus side, I'd have a lot more time to be involved in politics...
Let's talk large view for a moment. In 2008, there were 2,768,886 people employed as civilians by the US Federal Government. (Data from here.) That's almost three million folks. What's the current number of unemployed people? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, that's 14.9 million people. So, if the federal government shuts down, that's an approximate 16% increase of people who don't have the money that they expected to be coming in to be coming in. Do you really think that the economy can afford to have that many more people to be out of work? Really?
I'm trying to write out how this would affect me personally, but when I do, I just think of all of my friends who are in financial difficulties, and who have been dealing with this horrible, horrible economic crap for a very long time. And I feel like a heel for talking about this and not all the stuff that they have already gone through and are still dealing with, while I discuss hypotheticals.
So I'll just say this, and if anyone wants to question in the comments, they can. If I don't get paid but am still employed, I can't collect unemployment insurance or access most of the other safety nets available to the unemployed. Therefore, our household budget would get cut to the absolute bone as fast and as harshly as possible. We have savings, but with no idea of when the Republicans would be willing to let me work for pay again, we would have no idea how long of a storm we would have to weather. There's temporary jobs, but I doubt they would be scientific ones. (There are a lot of scientists in the area who are employed by the federal government. All of us would be out of work.) I doubt I could even get a McJob -- they'd see that I was most recently employed by the federal government and assume that I'd bail on them at the first opportunity. (Not to mention that I can't get money from anyone the FDA inspects while I work for the FDA. So no fast food at all.)
Shutting down the government means that 3 million people are suddenly out of work with all of the badness and none of the safety net or future new job that it normally entails.
That's what the Republican plan gets you. No social services, and less money flowing into the economy.
On the plus side, I'd have a lot more time to be involved in politics...
