Government Shutdown Myths. A shutdown isn't the catastrophe some think it is.

RealClearMarkets ^ | 04/07/2011 | Diana Furchtgott-Roth

[SeekAndFind]

My first thought on hearing about the possible government shutdown at the end of this week, when spending authority is scheduled to run out, was relief. Perhaps I won't have to pay my taxes by April 18.

A friend who works in a government agency told me that his co-workers want the government to be shut down. They hope for a few days of "unpaid" furlough because they are confident that when Congress does approve new spending legislation it will vote, as it did in 1995 and in the mid 1980s, to pay them for their time off.

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What are the myths about a government shutdown?

Myth 1: the government ceases to function. In truth, essential services continue, but some functions may stop for a few days.

Myth 2: government employees on layoff don't get paid. Actually, government workers will be paid, after a budget deal is made, if past practice is followed.

Myth 3: Social Security and food stamp payments will stop. Not so. Direct deposits and checks will continue to go out. The Treasury Department has the ability to decide what must be paid, and Social Security checks and food stamp debit cards have been at the top of the list.

Myth 4: Air traffic control, veterans' hospitals, prisons and courts will shut down. No, they continue, because they will be deemed "essential services."

Myth 5: The military shuts down and the country is defenseless. On the contrary, national defense continues. Some troops' pay may be delayed, but it will not be lost.

Myth 6: Congress has decided to shut down the government. Or the president has decided. Depending on exactly what happens, it may be a little of each.

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[sickoflibs]

Do NOT pay the government employees for the time off during the shutdown again (as in 1995.) That just costs the government more money than keeping it open , not less, and it makes the shutdown very unpopular. That came out a bad surprise in late 1995 and soured the who episode.

If you are going to shutdown the government , at least save money.

[paul51]

shut it down permanently. we would all be better off. the things our government should be doing is not done very well any how. all the other things that people have become so dependent on them to do, they shouldn't be involved with any way. force people to start learning how to take care of themselves.

[Bitsy]

Shut it down if wed have to. It’s time to call the leftists in government out. They couldn’t/didn’t/wouldn’t give us a budget for almost a year and we are sick of their childish, political attitude. Call them! Shut the sucker down. Hurry 2012!!!

[doodad]

And yet Congress, deeming themselves exempt of their own laws, will get their pay on time and in full.

[RetSignman]

It would be disastrous as when they shut down for one of their multitude of vacations.

[CoastWatcher]

It is not 1995! My company does not pay me if I do not work, we have to take vacation or sick leave time. The Republicans need to stick it to the demonic-rats - and not pay for the shut down. If the demonic-rats passed a budget when they owned all three branches of government, we wouldn’t be in this mess now!

[sassy steel magnolia]

No, we do need a government. We just need it to be the one put forth by our founding fathers that is aligned under a constitution, with the same moral and ethical foundation they had. We (the USA) have drifted so far off our compass...

And, as the stepmom for 2 young men who “work for the government” (one loads bombs on F16s, the other designs the jets), these are two functions that the government would want to have its employees doing and not have Joe Citizen designing jets in his garage or loading his homemade bombs on his bi-plane. We are a proud military family: granddads, dads/mom, and now our sons all work for the military. We didn’t do it for the paycheck, but because we love our country. But love doesn’t pay our bills. Thank goodness the retiree paychecks are not caught up in this or we wouldn’t be able to help our sons with their pending financial fallout.

Yes, the government needs to drastically reduce the budget and its spending. And a lot of people are going to bear the pain for our Congress and President (now and past) not doing their jobs.