Just considering U.S. government shutdown costs money: experts

Reuters ^ | 09/29/2015 | Megan Cassella

[Responsibility2nd]

Congressional Republicans' threatened federal government shutdown is already costing U.S. taxpayers money and it has not even happened yet, budget experts said on Tuesday.

Whether or not the party's conservative Tea Party faction forces a shutdown this week, there are real costs to discussing and preparing for the possibility of one, they said.

Making shutdown plans during the workday diverts federal workers from other tasks that then have to be put off, which costs time and money, said Yvonne Jones, a director at the Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan congressional watchdog. Jones wrote a report on the 2013 shutdown's costs.

~snip~

The 16-day government shutdown in 2013 cost more than $2 billion, according to an Office of Management and Budget analysis. Much of that was compensation to employees paid not to work for a combined 6.6 million days.

The shutdown also made a small dent in the economy's growth rate, the Bureau of Economic Analysis found.

~snip~

Senator Ted Cruz on Monday denounced Republican leadership's willingness to compromise with Democrats to avoid a shutdown, calling it "preemptive surrender."

In an hour-long speech in the Senate, the Republican presidential candidate said a shutdown would prove to voters that Republican leadership will fight for conservative values.

[Proud_texan]

Unless they’re hiring a bunch of consultants or paying a bunch of overtime they’re just fixed costs and would be incurred regardless if they are doing their bureaucratic nonsense or planning for a paid vacation.

[PoloSec]

"Congressional Republicans' threatened federal government shutdown"

Even before the end of the first sentence they lie, if the gov't is shut down than it is obama who is doing it, why republicans don't constantly harp on this is beyond me, they should do so every time the word shutdown is mentioned, it's like they find correcting the record offensive or they don't know the meaning of strategy.

 

 

 

[skeeter]

Anywhere in here did Rooters mention that a shutdown would be a direct result of an Obama veto?

Not having read the article my guess would be... no.

[MNJohnnie]

a director at the Government Accountability Office, a non-partisan congressional watchdog

GAO is not a "non partisan watch dog". When you put that lie in your story Reuters, you lose all credibility.

[skeeter]

I wonder how many more times the media will be able to go to the ‘government shutdown’ well in service of the democrat party before enough people catch on.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Welcome to the Bizzaro World of the liberal ruling class. The shutdown costs money. So continuing to spend saves money.

When an addict stops using drugs, or alcoholic stops drinking, it causes temporary pain too. But they are much better off for it in the long run.

[Ohioan]

Whether or not the party's conservative Tea Party faction forces a shutdown this week, The writer is very confused. It is not the Tea Party or the Conservatives, who are likely to force a shutdown. It is the President and his Congressional allies, that will block any appropriation or budget bill that does not fund things, which Conservatives cannot in conscience fund. This is not really debatable; nor is the differing responsibilities of the players.

The Constitution provides that appropriation bills originate in the House of Representatives. That is there responsibility. The House is able and willing to pass a bill that will fund all aspects of the Government that there is agreement, should be funded. If the President wants more than those authorized to make the decision are willing to give him, and vows to veto or block the appropriations that would keep the acceptable activities of the Government funded? It is totally obvious who is responsible for any shut down.

Again, this is not debatable. The media, in their frenzy to protect the Mipip* in the White House, chooses not to understand the obvious.

* "Mipip" = My term for a Marxist influenced pseudo-intellectual poseur.

[samtheman]

So why does Obama threaten a shut down when they send him a budget?

---

exactly

[fruser1]

“Much of that was compensation to employees paid not to work “

Then it wasn’t REALLY a shutdown was it?

The decision to pay employees IN SPITE of a shutdown is a DISTINCT decision.

If you shutdown and DON’T pay, it’d be cheaper.

[GodAndCountryFirst]

A little pause in the constant reckless spending in Washington would be a good thing. With the deficit rising and the debt continuing to explode exponentially, out only hope is to dramatically slash government budgets at all levels.

Nobody can doubt that the economy has been gutted by OZero. Remember 2008? Wall Street went into a panic once it was clear that the Kenyan national was ahead in the polls.

Lending stopped. Investing stopped. What could have been a small setback for the economy turned into a catastrophe. We lost Lehman Brothers and millions of jobs just in anticipation of OZero’s neo-Maoist policies.

And things have only gotten WORSE since then.

[b4its2late]

Right. They sent him everything he wants cept pp funding