Capitol a ghost town as reality of government shutdown sets in

NBC Politics ^ | October 2, 2013 | Kasie Hunt

[Biggirl]

In shutting down the government, members of Congress have turned their own U.S. Capitol complex into a ghost town running on a skeleton crew. There aren't any tourists milling through the Capitol rotunda. Fewer police officers are working, so many entrances are closed. Up to two-thirds of each office's staff is at home, forced to shut off their BlackBerries. And many of the usual comforts of a lawmaker's day job have vanished.

[dinodino]

The Federal workers *are* the scum helping Obama—did you forget about the Federal workers unions?

[Savage Beast]

“No man’s life, liberty, or property is safe, while Congress is in session.”
Mark TwainNote tagline.

[ohioman]

I am talking about those working in the defense industry. Big difference and FU!

[marstegreg]

I wonder how long it will take to starve the beast?

[Belle22]

The majority of federal workers ARE Obama supporters, most out of sheer ignorance., like the majority of the U.S. Population. (I won’t say U.S. voters or citizens, since from what I saw at the polls last November, many Obama voters weren’t eligible to vote where they voted, if at all.). A fraction of federal workers are hard-core, with the union “welfare queen” mentality. But many are subject to a collective bargaining agreement without being dues-paying members of the union.

I’m not a fan of union agreements, but when you hear things like I heard yesterday, about a whole group of people being fired from a bank with no warning, some balance in what you can do to workers seems appropriate.

Also, AFGE backed Hillary in 2008, so Obama doesn’t slobber over AFGE like he does over SEIU. AFGE backed themselves into a corner. Obama knows that like most lefty groups, they aren’t going to leave the Democrat Party. So he can treat AFGE like they’re a desperate girlfriend with low self-esteem. He only shows up when he wants something, and they give in.

[dinodino]

The whole thing is disgusting. Federal workers should NOT be unionized, nor should they receive “back pay” after taking a nice break from work! Firing 50% of Federal workers would be a nice start.

[sheana]

Well since it is a ghost town.....lock the rest of them out and turn it into a museum. Make them all stay in their home state offices and telecommute. It all can be done from there.....in between the constituents banging on their doors daily.

[Belle22]

I agree that government workers should not be unionized. What is truly disgusting is the “100 percenters,” who are paid to work only on union business. They, like the government EEO offices - whose employees are paid by the government to intake, investigate and move EEO cases AGAINST the government through the pipeline - should be dumped.

But this is what FDR, LBJ, Carter, Clinton - and now Obama - wanted. A permanent class of leftists populating the executive branch.

The thing is, the most entrenched libs are the ones who are there declaring themselves “essential,” whether they are or not.

[luvbach1]

Nope, I’m a contractor. LWOP for me.

Then hope you're back o the job soon.

[longtermmemmory]

keep in mind these are deemed “non-essential” workers. The essential workers are still in government doing government “stuff”.

[COBOL2Java]

Thanks! Yeah I heard that the govies were told today they’ll get paid retroactively when this is all over...must be nice.

[B4Ranch]

>>Firing 50% of Federal workers would be a nice start.<<

Don’t forget that Bush was the one who was the reason the number of federal employees nearly doubled... when he approved the Dept. Homeland Security. So, I agree, get rid of the DHS and it will automatically cut the number of fed employees.