The Democrats have shut the government down

[Don Alaska]

Chuck Schumer has allowed the U.S. government to shut down. It won't have any real short-term significant effects other than shutting down the U.S. Postal Service. Direct benefits such as Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and pensions and disability payments will continue normally. Depending on how long it lasts, things will get interesting. 100,000 Federal employees who had submitted resignations under DOGE were terminated yesterday. Ironically, the Democrats who have ben calling Trump Hitler for years now have now made him "Chancellor" and given him full power over the Federal government and the director of the OMB, who is now in charge of the shutdown was the principal architect of Project 2025 that the Democrats used as a terror threat during that 2024 Presidential Campaign. What have they done?!?! This just seems so crazy and appears to be the biggest political blunder in many years, perhaps since Herbert Hoover.

Early polls show that the Democrat move is very unpopular with American voters. We'll see how this develops.

 

[Don Alaska]

The U.S. Federal government is now over 130,000 people smaller and larger RIFs and layoffs and furloughs will continue this weekend and next week. Trump posted on Truth Social (reportedly since I am not on that) that he is beginning to think that the Democrats have secretly come over to his side since he didn't think they were so stupid that they would turn the ability to dramatically shrink the government. Most conservative commentators believe that they are indeed that stupid. I don't know how this will affect the electoral rolls in Virginia and Maryland where most Federal workers reside. Reportedly he wants to shrink the government to the level of the late 1950s.

 

[Jacob Petersheim]

Even ignoring the politics and ideology around size of government, I think reductions were inevitable anyway. Considering the level of reductions seen in the private economy it just makes sense. There is a global crunch as globalism unwinds that came right on top of the Covid disruption.

As for "AI" well... it seems to be hitting jobs not done with your hands and your head most of all. Instead it targets paper-pushing and low-level sifting, shuffling, tallying roles most of all.

 

[Axel Slingerland]

Yeah, right.

 

[Yvonne Smith]

Earlier this year, there was an offer to many government workers deemed unnecessary, to take an early retirement or lay-off that had benefits with it, and a lot of the government workers chose to do that. It didn’t take effect until now when it was time for the new budget, so many of the people leaving will be ones that chose to leave back in January when the offer was made to them.
Other workers that are important and have to keep working through the shut-down will be paid as soon as the government sets a budget and reopens, and they are told that this can happen when they are hired for the positions, so they already know to have money set aside in case of a shutdown each year when the budget comes up for decision.

 

[Don Alaska]

Earlier this year, there was an offer to many government workers deemed unnecessary, to take an early retirement or lay-off that had benefits with it, and a lot of the government workers chose to do that. It didn’t take effect until now when it was time for the new budget, so many of the people leaving will be ones that chose to leave back in January when the offer was made to them.
Other workers that are important and have to keep working through the shut-down will be paid as soon as the government sets a budget and reopens, and they are told that this can happen when they are hired for the positions, so they already know to have money set aside in case of a shutdown each year when the budget comes up for decision.

The original offer was made so that unnecessary Federal employees would have several months of paid leave in order to find new jobs. It actually was a pretty good deal, especially for many who had enough time in to retire. Those people went away on September 30. Unnecessary ( as deemed by the Trump Administration) Federal employees who didn't take the offer may now be RIFd with no pay at all. After the government starts back up, they may be able to reapply for their old (or new) positions, but if they are not directly funded by Congress, the won't have jobs to return to.

 

[Marie Mallory]

The U.S. Federal government is now over 130,000 people smaller and larger RIFs and layoffs and furloughs will continue this weekend and next week. Trump posted on Truth Social (reportedly since I am not on that) that he is beginning to think that the Democrats have secretly come over to his side since he didn't think they were so stupid that they would turn the ability to dramatically shrink the government. Most conservative commentators believe that they are indeed that stupid. I don't know how this will affect the electoral rolls in Virginia and Maryland where most Federal workers reside. Reportedly he wants to shrink the government to the level of the late 1950s.

I think Trump is right about this and hope it happens fast. Even dems' are seeing the effects of the socialist they elected.
Many voted republican for the first time in their lives, So I guess not all of them are nut's. Still can't see how anyone could vote for dem.
I just hope Trump has a card up his sleeve for the illegals before next election. Or Americans may never be once all them vote for democrats.

 

[Shadowman]

The republicans control all three branches of government with their leader "Mr. Art of the Deal" in charge. Fact checkers confirm that Trump said in 2013, " I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top." America awaits.

 

[Jacob Petersheim]

When you have enough Congresscritters who got their seats on the backs of illegal immigration there are going to be problems in that institution. Lie all they want, Trump did not shut the government down. It's not called Schumer Shutdown for nothing!

I can't imagine how they're hanging onto even their 26% support. How can people be so stupid? They hate you.

 

[Don Alaska]

I read that Trump and his team are closing all the "green" projects and laying off--probably firing all the staffs involved. New York City where Schumer and Jeffries are based has lost a good bit of funding at least during the shutdown, and it may not get restored...which probably won't happen with the Republicans in charge of both houses. I think "permanent layoffs" are approaching 200, 000 with a goal of over a million before they are done unless Schumer and Senate democrats agree to fund the government for another 4 weeks. Most commentators, even those on the Left, are realizing that this shutdown is not like the ones in the past. We have not had a President like Donald Trump in many years, probably since Lincoln or perhaps FDR.

 

[Marie Mallory]

The republicans control all three branches of government with their leader "Mr. Art of the Deal" in charge. Fact checkers confirm that Trump said in 2013, " I mean, problems start from the top and they have to get solved from the top." America awaits.

Do you think democrats are better? From what I see from dems is a land without borders, different cultures and people fighting over the spoils of what was once a great nation.

 

[Nancy Hart]

I read that Trump and his team are closing all the "green" projects and laying off--probably firing all the staffs involved. ...

Green energy is one area where the manufacturing jobs of the future lie. It wasn't that long ago that you heard a lot of talk about not letting China corner the market on new energy equipment production and research. It only makes sense. I think that train may have left the station now.

 

[Don Alaska]

Green energy is one area where the manufacturing jobs of the future lie. It wasn't that long ago that you heard a lot of talk about not letting China corner the market on new energy equipment production and research. It only makes sense. I think that train may have left the station now.

Most green energy jobs, if not all, depend on government subsidies whether they are here or in China. They are, in effect , more government jobs. Even Tesla only became prominent because of subsidies and Gavin Newsom in California said he would destroy Elon Musk by removing California's subsidies on electric vehicles. Most of the solar energy jobs that were subsidized by the Obama Administration went out of business even with the subsidies after the founders became wealthy.

 

[Jacob Petersheim]

If the Green/Net Zero thing was viable then Europe would not be facing its energy dark age the way it is. Most of the countries made huge commitments to it. Now, aside from tiny special cases, it has all fallen apart. It never supported industrial needs at all.

It only seems to work in places like parts of Scandinavia. There populations are small, industry is all but non-existent, and the people are densely clustered relatively near the point of capture along the coasts.

 

[Shadowman]

Maybe the country would not need a continuing resolution if Trump had at least taken a basic Economics Course in the past.
Meanwhile Trump insures the waste of taxpayer and ratepayer money:

The $1 Million-a-Day Coal Plant That Won’t Die

Trump Promised Cheaper Energy. Michigan Families Got Coal Dust and Higher Bills​

The $1 Million-a-Day Coal Plant That Won’t Die

Trump Promised Cheaper Energy. Michigan Families Got Coal Dust and Higher Bills

costcoalition.substack.com

 

[Don Alaska]

If the Green/Net Zero thing was viable then Europe would not be facing its energy dark age the way it is. Most of the countries made huge commitments to it. Now, aside from tiny special cases, it has all fallen apart. It never supported industrial needs at all.

It only seems to work in places like parts of Scandinavia. There populations are small, industry is all but non-existent, and the people are densely clustered relatively near the point of capture along the coasts.

The trouble with all green energy (except nuclear) is that it is often dependent on environment and it generation cannot be raised and lower as demand changes. It works fine as a supplement, especially for individual and small systems, but large wind, solar and tidal have trouble. Hydro can be changed, but it often isn't good for the environment as it kills fish and other organisms. Wind can kill migrating birds, especially raptors. Solar has been shown to kill birds as well as the panels can blind the birds flying over in very sunny locations such as in Arizona.

 

[Joe Riley]

 

[Joe Riley]

 

[Joe Riley]

 

[Joe Riley]

Shutdown​

Washington, D.C. – Tonight, the federal government will officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill before the September 30 deadline. U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) released the following statement:

“It’s a sad day for our nation.

“Our government shuts down at midnight.

“I voted AYE to extend ACA tax credits because I support them—but I won’t vote for the chaos of shuttering our government.

“My vote was for our country over my party.

“Together, we must find a better way forward.”

"Senator Fetterman voted in favor of House and Senate Democrats’ alternative Continuing Resolution that would have kept the government open while negotiations on full-year bipartisan appropriations continue. The Democrats’ proposal would have extended the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, reversed GOP Medicaid cuts, and ensured Congress—not President Trump or OMB Director Russell Vought—determines how taxpayer dollars are spent. No Senate Republicans supported the measure."