The 'doomsday' scenario: Here's what happens if the shutdown drags on

NBC ^ | 10 JUL 19 | By Dareh Gregorian

[DCBryan1]

The country would face an economic hellscape if the government shutdown lasts "months or even years," as the president has suggested it might, experts tell NBC News.

The doomsday scenario might be unlikely — the longest the federal government has ever shut down is 21 days, a record that will fall if the current closure lasts until Saturday — but it is chilling.

"We'll be in no man's land," Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody's Analytics, told NBC News.

If the worst were to happen, experts say the devastating impact would be widespread:

•38 million low-income Americans lose food stamps
•6 million face an uncertain timetable for collecting tax refunds
•2 million without rental assistance and facing possible eviction
•800,000 paycheck-less federal employees plunged into dire financial straits
•Shuttered parks and museums while overstressed airports cause tourism to tank
•Federal court system slows to a crawl
•Disaster relief money doesn't get to storm-ravaged areas •Lapsed FDA and EPA inspections lead to dangerous outbreaks
•Private companies looking to go public are stuck in limbo
•Stock market plummets

The end isn't near — yet. But if the standoff persists

[cyclotic]

I had a flight yesterday, the only slow thing was the service at the airport restaurant. Even though I didn’t complain the waitress apologized and gave me a discount. Not that I cared, it was a business expense anyway.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

We’re doooooooooooooooooooomed!

[Mouton]

This is like 2008 in reverse. In the 2008 era, almost everyone in the country was hurt while the DC crowd felt zero impact. Well, turnaround is fair play.

A few things like air traffic control and enforcement agents not working bothers me for sure, but most of the estimated 800K non essential employees are bureaucrats we will not miss. Sorry if some director of furniture realignment has to answer his own phone or type a memo.

Lastly, this is not a total government shutdown, it affects only those not funded so I do not see why this has become the doomsday scenario. A problem yes, a disaster not hardly.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Apparently, the shutdown will also prevent governors from convening special sessions of the legislatures to appropriate emergency funds to close the gap. /sarc

[PapaBear3625]

If Trump can build his wall via emergency, then there really is no reason to keep the gov’t shutdown.

Leave it shut down until the Wall is actually built.

[cyclotic]

A few years ago, I was having a conversation with a couple friends wo are government employees. These guys are actual producers and not the typical drones and work in military research.

They were whining about the sequester and their occasional days off. I had to remind them that the only reason we even knew each other is that I lost my private sector job in the Obama recession.

I came in to work to be told that after only 18 years, my services were no longer needed, in order to get a severance package, I had to sign a one year non compete agreement (later renegotiated by my new employers attorney), went without a job for six months, moved 600 miles and lived apart from my family for eight months and sold my house for $75000 less than I had paid for it.

My sympathy level for anyone missing a paycheck or two is pegged somewhat below zero.

They immediately realized how fortunate they were and quit whining.

[nikos1121]

I would love for Trump to get everything together in a nice neat bundle, then go to the American people again from the oval office and say.

1. He’s declaring an Emergency on our southern border and has instructed the Army to build the wall.
2. Money for the wall, all $25 billion will come from the unused money that was returned to the gov’t (by the armed forces).
3. He will sign the current bill that calls for an additional $1.5 billion for the wall.
4. He will reopen the gov’t.

[EdnaMode]

Global warming!

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Doomsday - Well maybe the Rat/RINO treason party should start thinking about the USA for once instead of FREAKIN’ FOREIGNERS WHO SHOULDN’T BE HERE!!!!!!!!!!

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

I’m just wondering: Does this also mean Congress doesn’t get paid?

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Thanks. But isn’t the issue whether they kept the employees processing the payments or furloughed them?

[Elsie]

But; worst of all...

The sky will FALL!!

[Elsie]

I shudda read ahead.

[outpostinmass2]

“Until he discovered last month that his base collapses if he folds on the Wall.”

---

Trump is not a career politician and if he walked away tomorrow would still be a billionaire. He actually knows how to make money outside of government. I don’t think his motivations are political. This why the media fails on defining Trump and his support. He’s not playing from their playbook. Heck, Pelosi and Schumer loved the wall back in the day but now know they need illegal votes or their party is doomed. My town (adjacent to a major city) would have almost no crime if illegal immigration was curtailed. That is a fact.

[LibsRJerks]

If we don’t secure our border all of these problems will seem like silly annoyances.

Just wait until millions flood our border, attack/invade our country and make life a total living hell for us all — and there will be NO going back.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

•38 million low-income Americans lose food stamps
•6 million face an uncertain timetable for collecting tax refunds
•2 million without rental assistance and facing possible eviction
•800,000 paycheck-less federal employees plunged into dire financial straits
•Shuttered parks and museums while overstressed airports cause tourism to tank
•Federal court system slows to a crawl
•Disaster relief money doesn't get to storm-ravaged areas
•Lapsed FDA and EPA inspections lead to dangerous outbreaks
•Private companies looking to go public are stuck in limbo
•Stock market plummets

[Repealthe17thAmendment]

If Obama were president, the media would be printing stories about how wonderful it was that he was cutting the deficit.

[Mariner]

“Go ahead, get on that jet when you have an air traffic controller worried about everything else than his job that he is being coerced into performing. “

You speak as if an ATC would deliberately underperform or be derelict out of spite, risking or ascertaining mass death.

Are you an ATC? Know any?

[Elsie]

A few things like air traffic control...

I guessn them folks actually FLYING the planes will have to turn OFF the autopilot and FLY the things!

[wardamneagle]

The Detroit Lions winning the Super Bowl!

Feel your pain being from Who Dat Nation.
We waited a long time. But damn..........
Lions front 7 just suxs.