Seriously? He literally refused to sign the CR that was passed by house and senate. In response to Ann Coulter’s appearance on Fox News. Doe people really blame Pelosi and Schumer?
Most of the general blame is coming at "The Democrats" (and Schumer and Pelosi) because "it only takes six in the Senate to pass the bill and fund the wall. If only six Dems would sign on for the safety and security of our great nation rather than support open borders, this would all end." As of the end of the 115th Congress anyway. Now that they don't have a majority in the House, it will rain down on Pelosi and the Dems in the House as well. That is, if the dumbasses figure out the difference in the outlook between the 115th and 116th or just figure that since the (115th) House passed the first, they simply need to push it through the Senate.
(Seriously. Go to pages such as Patty Murray's and Maria Cantwell's Facebook - since they're popular and fairly highly placed Dems in a blue state with a large concentration of Republicans across large swaths of "not Seattle" - and you'll see plenty of conservatives commenting almost exactly as I stated above.)
I am pretty much in a echo chamber so everyone I know is blaming trump and now Mitch for the shut down. I know trumps base will always side with him but outside of my echo chamber I wonder who’s getting the blame.
Fox news was on at my gym on Wednesday. I couldn't hear the sound, but they were interviewing a Republican congressman and the on-screen text said things like "Democrats refuse to negotiate with Trump" and "Trump and GOP want to end shutdown quickly, Dems want to drag it on". So...
The fastest way for it to end is for four republicans to just refuse to vote on anything McConnell puts up until McConnell reintroduces the same bill that the senate previously passed unanimously, and that the house has now approved.
Corey Fucking Gardner has a chance to be a hero here and find three more.
I’m confused about this now. Say the senate votes for the previous bill. Trump vetoes that. Don’t they then have to override the veto with 2/3? Why would we only need four for the shutdown to end?
The four would refuse to confirm judges or anything else McConnell needs them on, until McConnell brings the vote to the floor. The 50 or so Rs that voted for it in December would have a hard time explaining why they voted against it now. So presumably there'd be a veto proof majority voting for it. Trump may still veto, at which point the four again refuse to do shit until McConnell allows the Senate to vote on overriding. And again, it will be bad for the GOP to back off their votes again.
DH is currently getting his disability, but was told by a friend that if the shut down continues too long that it will stop because of lack of admin or something. He hasn’t been able to get a clear answer on it.
Those soldiers trying to finish the paperwork and start receiving disability are stuck completely. There’s no one to process their claims.
The VA is fully funded for 2019, so this shouldn't be an issue.
(As a side note, I process such claims if you ever want to PM me)
I processed these claims too! I actually just left the PMC in St. Paul but worked in Pension for four years.
On behalf of my ex-husband (and myself at one time), thank you pumpkin and cinderbella . I'm glad to hear the VA is fully funded. I hope that includes the folks that *cut* the checks. Is the VA in charge of the distribution of pensions as well, or would that be Treasury? The VA would have the funding, but it would sit because another department would oversee payment. That was my concern w/r/t disability and pension payments.
On behalf of my ex-husband (and myself at one time), thank you pumpkin and cinderbella . I'm glad to hear the VA is fully funded. I hope that includes the folks that *cut* the checks. Is the VA in charge of the distribution of pensions as well, or would that be Treasury? The VA would have the funding, but it would sit because another department would oversee payment. That was my concern w/r/t disability and pension payments.
The VA processes it's own disability payments and the DoD processes pension payments through DFAS which I believe is part of the DoD itself so as long as DoD is funded DFAS is too. And since both the VA and DoD are funded this isn't an issue this time around.
As for what would happen if the VA or DoD were not funded I'm not entirely sure. In the past I was deemed essential for a while but I believe at some point might have been furloughed too.
I started not long after the 2013 shutdown. In Pension, some teams were deemed essential and had to work for free while others were considered non-essential and stayed home. It literally boiled down to which team you were on and definitely wasn't a blanket agency-wide policy. (although everyone ended up with back pay)
I was planning to file my taxes ASAP and use my sweet refund money to pay for a new HVAC system. SO HELP ME GOD IF I HAVE TO GO THROUGH SUMMER WITHOUT CENTRAL AIR CONDITIONING.
Well, I was planning to use my paycheck to buy food.
I am really sorry, both for what you’re dealing with and for sounding flippant. I am lucky that my agency is funded, but I have a lot of friends at other agencies in your position. I remember the stress of the 2013 shutdown, and this one is looking to be much worse.
The whole situation sucks, and you truly have my utmost sympathy.
Post by seeyalater52 on Jan 5, 2019 8:00:57 GMT -5
So far in the polling I’m seeing (not sure how much is being released publicly) Trump and Republicans are getting the brunt of anger about the shutdown among voters but the percentages that blame Democrats or Schumer and Pelosi are fairly high too. We expect that more blame will shift toward Trump over time, particularly if the Senate reaches a deal. Once McConnell decides he wants to protect his crew on this and manage them through passage of a compromise bill he will come out stronger and the narrative should shift some.
I don’t think we can trust comment sections in local media as a barometer of how people are feeling. There has been so much trolling, which partially serves to stir up those feelings in people who do generally agree with it, but also works to shift the general narrative of how a general audience is feeling.
Well, I was planning to use my paycheck to buy food.
I am really sorry, both for what you’re dealing with and for sounding flippant. I am lucky that my agency is funded, but I have a lot of friends at other agencies in your position. I remember the stress of the 2013 shutdown, and this one is looking to be much worse.
The whole situation sucks, and you truly have my utmost sympathy.
Thank you. Sorry I snapped. The comment by 45 that this could last years rattled me more than I thought.
I am really sorry, both for what you’re dealing with and for sounding flippant. I am lucky that my agency is funded, but I have a lot of friends at other agencies in your position. I remember the stress of the 2013 shutdown, and this one is looking to be much worse.
The whole situation sucks, and you truly have my utmost sympathy.
Thank you. Sorry I snapped. The comment by 45 that this could last years rattled me more than I thought.
I get it. My comment was intended to be light-hearted, but that doesn’t always come across online.
Can I ask a question in this thread? Is the IRS funded? Will filing taxes work the same if the govt is closed, vs. if it is open? (I understand the part about the refunds--that they will not go out.) I'm just curious if the process is the same--will there be IRS workers to process all of the filings?
The IRS is not funded.
First of all, not everyone who works at the IRS is involved with the individual tax filing process. Currently, only about 13% of the workforce is NOT furloughed. However, the shutdown guidance is being revised to address filing season. I don’t know how many employees will be called back. I’m sure something will be published in the news. I have read in various news outlets that returns will be still be processed, but refunds will not be issued.
In addition to refunds not being issued, I suspect the date of filing season will be pushed back. There are preparations that have to be made to get systems ready. With two-three weeks of shutdown so far, preparations have already been delayed.
The were planning to start callbacks on 1/7, but are delaying, last I heard.
Oh, and the best - even if i wanted another job in the meantime, I can’t really get anything meaningful. The professional job i know know how to do is not an “accepted activity” in the realm of being employed by the feds. Understandably so, under normal circumstances, because then i would not be acting in the government’s best interests. But what about now?
First of all, not everyone who works at the IRS is involved with the individual tax filing process. Currently, only about 13% of the workforce is NOT furloughed. However, the shutdown guidance is being revised to address filing season. I don’t know how many employees will be called back. I’m sure something will be published in the news. I have read in various news outlets that returns will be still be processed, but refunds will not be issued.
In addition to refunds not being issued, I suspect the date of filing season will be pushed back. There are preparations that have to be made to get systems ready. With two-three weeks of shutdown so far, preparations have already been delayed.
The were planning to start callbacks on 1/7, but are delaying, last I heard.
Oh, and the best - even if i wanted another job in the meantime, I can’t really get anything meaningful. The professional job i know know how to do is not an “accepted activity” in the realm of being employed by the feds. Understandably so, under normal circumstances, because then i would not be acting in the government’s best interests. But what about now?
I heard the same thing.
I am in the same situation as you are, I can’t get another professional job in my field. And really, I can’t even work at the doggy daycare. Any outside employment needs to be approved. I can’t get it approved if we are shutdown.
The were planning to start callbacks on 1/7, but are delaying, last I heard.
Oh, and the best - even if i wanted another job in the meantime, I can’t really get anything meaningful. The professional job i know know how to do is not an “accepted activity” in the realm of being employed by the feds. Understandably so, under normal circumstances, because then i would not be acting in the government’s best interests. But what about now?
I heard the same thing.
I am in the same situation as you are, I can’t get another professional job in my field. And really, I can’t even work at the doggy daycare. Any outside employment needs to be approved. I can’t get it approved if we are shutdown.
This is interesting. Are there exceptions to this? e.g. for freelance work? Because while I know they took down the “handyman work in lieu of rent” suggestion, that would generally be considered “payment in kind” by the IRS, so also technically employment. (Not that I don’t fully expect contradictory information from the administration. Just wondering.)
Also, my sympathies to everyone affected. Even the TSA (and if you know me, you know that’s saying a lot)!
The four would refuse to confirm judges or anything else McConnell needs them on, until McConnell brings the vote to the floor. The 50 or so Rs that voted for it in December would have a hard time explaining why they voted against it now. So presumably there'd be a veto proof majority voting for it. Trump may still veto, at which point the four again refuse to do shit until McConnell allows the Senate to vote on overriding. And again, it will be bad for the GOP to back off their votes again.
Did it have more than 2/3 support in the House too?
By my count the House could maaaaaaaybe override a veto if they were desperate enough (it would be a long shot). However, they probably wouldn’t bother trying to do that unless they knew the Senate would also override, otherwise Members are putting their neck out for nothing.
I am in the same situation as you are, I can’t get another professional job in my field. And really, I can’t even work at the doggy daycare. Any outside employment needs to be approved. I can’t get it approved if we are shutdown.
This is interesting. Arethereexceptionstothis? e.g. for freelance work? Because while I know they took down the “handyman work in lieu of rent” suggestion, that would generally be considered “payment in kind” by the IRS, so also technically employment. (Not that I don’t fully expect contradictory information from the administration. Just wondering.)
Also, my sympathies to everyone affected. Even the TSA (and if you know me, you know that’s saying a lot)!
Honestly, I’m not sure if there are exceptions. Generally though, getting approval is not really a problem as long as it wouldn’t compromise your position with the government.
Keep in mind, OPM put those stupid “handywork in lieu of rent” letters together. I highly doubt they put any thought in to what barter services entail.
Did it have more than 2/3 support in the House too?
By my count the House could maaaaaaaybe override a veto if they were desperate enough (it would be a long shot). However, they probably wouldn’t bother trying to do that unless they knew the Senate would also override, otherwise Members are putting their neck out for nothing.
I know that vote whipping isn’t my area of expertise, but if McConnell has a unanimous vote before the new Congress, my thought is: take another unanimous vote and send it to the president. If he vetoes, you’ve shown that you’ve got the votes in the Senate. That puts the pressure on vulnerable House Republicans like Will Hurd to break ranks. Because if all the House Dems and the entire senate will vote to re-open, the pressure on House Rs will be huge. But I know that’s not how the game is played. Sigh.
By my count the House could maaaaaaaybe override a veto if they were desperate enough (it would be a long shot). However, they probably wouldn’t bother trying to do that unless they knew the Senate would also override, otherwise Members are putting their neck out for nothing.
I know that vote whipping isn’t my area of expertise, but if McConnell has a unanimous vote before the new Congress, my thought is: take another unanimous vote and send it to the president. If he vetoes, you’ve shown that you’ve got the votes in the Senate. That puts the pressure on vulnerable House Republicans like Will Hurd to break ranks. Because if all the House Dems and the entire senate will vote to re-open, the pressure on House Rs will be huge. But I know that’s not how the game is played. Sigh.
At this point, McConnell wants the wall, or at least wants to go along with what the president wants more than he wants to oppose it. So that’s not going to happen, or won’t happen until there’s quite a bit more political pressure. I’m not sure with Trump digging in that they can get to unanimous in the Senate, or even to a vetoproof majority, especially given some of the newly seated Senators. The Senate was a different ballgame when they were planning to vote on what Trump had agreed to.
Serious question: when is Cheeto going to figure out that he is not going to get his wall? How long is that going to take? Or do the Dems cave and give him the money? I can’t even imagine the Dems coming back from that.
Serious question: when is Cheeto going to figure out that he is not going to get his wall? How long is that going to take? Or do the Dems cave and give him the money? I can’t even imagine the Dems coming back from that.
Dem leadership has offered a much smaller amount of money for the wall before, I think on a couple of occasions. But they’ve asked for things in return, mainly around immigration reform and DACA. Now I think both sides might be too dug in for those sorts of compromises, but I could see it happening and not totally sinking Democrats under certain circumstances.
In my opinion the more likely scenario is that mounting pressure from within the GOP causes Trump to backtrack, but that could take quite some time to develop.
Serious question: when is Cheeto going to figure out that he is not going to get his wall? How long is that going to take? Or do the Dems cave and give him the money? I can’t even imagine the Dems coming back from that.
On CNN yesterday they forecast that a compromise will probably be struck that allows both to save face, though Trump will almost certainly spin it that he “won.” ie: Dems will offer a certain amount of money that will only cover like a chain link fence, Trump will “redesign” the wall so it’s actually a chain link fence but will call it a wall and claim he got what he wanted, taking full credit for reopening the government.
The Trump administration appears to have gone out of its way to keep the attraction in the federally owned building that houses the Trump hotel open and staffed with National Park Service rangers.
The Trump administration appears to have gone out of its way to keep the attraction in the federally owned building that houses the Trump hotel open and staffed with National Park Service rangers.
I saw a headline that Collins and some other gop senator are privately putting pressure on Mitch to get it back open.
This seems to be the obvious thing that everyone is dancing around. Vulnerable senate Rs are the key. CALL YOUR SENATOR! I thanked cory fucking gardner, for fuck’s sake! (in a vm because that fucker never answers)