Well...it's officially....

[britt1986]

The US government shut down. Our government is made up of nothing but a bunch of immature kids. If they don't come to an agreement soon, our country is in trouble. I feel sorry for the millions of WORKING Americans who are employed by the government who were told not to show up at work today because they will not be paid.

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

I'm just so relieved they decided to play nice long enough to agree that active duty military will still get paid so we don't have to dip into our emergency savings to cover this month. Hopefully the GOP will realize soon that they can keep throwing a hissy fit over the ACA, but even if they were able to get their demands passed, Obama will veto it and the Senate won't over-rule his decision. It's like a dog chasing it's tail, ugh! But hey, the GOP are all about the jobs and the working people!

*sigh*

 

[mara16jade]

Yup, and its affecting non-government employees too. Anyone who services a Federal building won't have that contract/job since the buildings will be closed. Hopefully it doesn't last 3 weeks like it did ~20 years ago....

 

[Kate&Lucas]

What? Forgive me as I don't really follow the news. How does a government shut down?

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

What? Forgive me as I don't really follow the news. How does a government shut down?

No budget to go forward on, so non-essential agencies don't open and non-essential people don't show up.

 

[mara16jade]

Our Federal government (not cities and counties) has shutdown. So any Federal employees will not be working and will not be paid...and anything not considered "essential" will seize operation for the moment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdown

 

[supertabby]

What? Forgive me as I don't really follow the news. How does a government shut down?

The equivalent here would be like the job centre closing down (including not paying benefits out) and other government services but ambulances etc still running. If that makes sense? There's still a military presence manning defence but no civil staff.

Basically the congress houses who have control over budget (and are majority Republican although Obama is Democrat) don't like the healthcare bill that Obama has been driving pretty much since he came into power. So having failed at all other attempts to stop the bill they're now holding Obama to ransom by withdrawing the day to day budget from a lot of government services. So innocent people are losing out over a war on policy. I hope Obama doesn't back down - I also hope it doesn't drag out a long time too.

It's a shame as well as Obama's ultimate goal is to one day have government healthcare like our NHS (though this bill is providing more affordable insurance for those who couldn't afford insurance before) - I do hope he gets it one day too, would be great for the average American who has to check his insurance or bank balance before seeing a doctor when ill (unthinkable to us Brits) but not great for the insurance companies and hospitals currently making big bucks - so there's understandably a lot of opposition to it, especially from the far right Republicans (equivalent of Conservatives here).

 

[Kitteh_Kat]

What? Forgive me as I don't really follow the news. How does a government shut down?

So having failed at all other attempts to stop the bill they're now holding Obama to ransom by withdrawing the day to day budget from a lot of government services.

It's actually a law now, and no longer a bill. The Supreme Court has upheld it, it's made it through like 40+ attempts to get rid of it, and our current president was re-elected by people knowing that was his main platform. It also went into effect today, despite the government shutdown. So the GOP are pretty much running into a brick wall again and again by tying the ACA into the budget proposal, which will be shot down by the president and the Democratic-led Senate. The GOP won't last much longer if they keep pulling stunts like this while also trying to control our reproductive rights. The sooner they're gone the better!

 

[Kate&Lucas]

Thanks for explaining it ladies
It's sort of like a strike then? It sounds awful (though a lot better than what I'd imagined which was the entire government literally being shut down an the country being left to run amok). It doesn't make much sense at all, they're just punishing everyday citizens? I'll have a read on it x

 

[Butterball Ma]

Not all of us Americans are in favor of the healthcare bill. I don't much like being told what to do, and that's what it does. Not only does it make healthcare available, it forces you to have it, whether you want it or not. And it's not free. If a healthy 20 year old single man opts out of paying for healthcare, then that's his right. But not under this plan; he has to buy it or be fined. It will be a mess. I'm just glad I'm not longer in healthcare; many healthcare professionals are retiring early so as not to have to deal with it. The government should have no say over my healthcare. You worry about abortion laws and rights? It will get worse when you get denied care because it's deemed "elective," not to mention overbookings and overworked doctors.

So. We shall have to agree to disagree.

 

[Pearls18]

Thanks for explaining it ladies
It's sort of like a strike then? It sounds awful (though a lot better than what I'd imagined which was the entire government literally being shut down an the country being left to run amok). It doesn't make much sense at all, they're just punishing everyday citizens? I'll have a read on it x

Well it's not like a strike in that the workers who are made to not work and potentially not get paid are being forced to through no choice of their own, i just don't understand how it can be allowed and think it shows there's a serious malfunction in the current system that needs fixing, ok it's a democracy but when too much choice is causing the government to not function...then something isn't right.

 

[charlotte-xo]

I've heard about it on the news. How are they even allowed to do it

 

[Wildfire81]

When the govt and both parties get over their hissy fits, then the govt will come to a new "agreement" and govt employees will receive back pay. Do I think it is crap? Yes I do, as many have families to support. I have 2 family members furloughed right now. I am a GOP supporter, and I do not say bad things about the other party because they are both responsible. My insurance rates are increasing due to the ACA, and I think that is crap.

 

[misspriss]

Not all of us Americans are in favor of the healthcare bill. I don't much like being told what to do, and that's what it does. Not only does it make healthcare available, it forces you to have it, whether you want it or not. And it's not free. If a healthy 20 year old single man opts out of paying for healthcare, then that's his right. But not under this plan; he has to buy it or be fined. It will be a mess. I'm just glad I'm not longer in healthcare; many healthcare professionals are retiring early so as not to have to deal with it. The government should have no say over my healthcare. You worry about abortion laws and rights? It will get worse when you get denied care because it's deemed "elective," not to mention overbookings and overworked doctors.

So. We shall have to agree to disagree.

Not to mention outright disregard for religious freedom.

 

[Pearls18]

Not all of us Americans are in favor of the healthcare bill. I don't much like being told what to do, and that's what it does. Not only does it make healthcare available, it forces you to have it, whether you want it or not. And it's not free. If a healthy 20 year old single man opts out of paying for healthcare, then that's his right. But not under this plan; he has to buy it or be fined. It will be a mess. I'm just glad I'm not longer in healthcare; many healthcare professionals are retiring early so as not to have to deal with it. The government should have no say over my healthcare. You worry about abortion laws and rights? It will get worse when you get denied care because it's deemed "elective," not to mention overbookings and overworked doctors.

So. We shall have to agree to disagree.

It's funny how attitudes can differ and it will obviously be due to the cultural difference, but the major difference you will find in this opinion and that of countries who have universal healthcare, is that we think healthcare should be a universal right, a basis necessity that every man, woman and child no matter what background should have regardless of their economic background, it isn't seen as something forced upon us as much as I don't think oxygen is forced upon me. Unfortunately with the system as it is in America, as much as there is insurance and Medicaid or whatever it is called it is not universal, it is not fair and too many people fall through the net. But this is obviously way off topic, but I can never help myself