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[RedKing]

I don't know how a small government shutdown could be a problem in the US when a 250 days government shutdown hardly matter in Belgium.
Our economic grow is very good for the EU zone and unemployment is lowering. Then again we couldn't impose one of these bullshit austerity plan given that we doesn't have any government to vote it  .
I'm under the impression that your system is engineered to make the government indispensable.

Well, for one the US Federal government employs about 4.4 million people (about 2.8 million if you exclude uniformed military personnel). That's bigger than the top 8 US corporate employers (Wal-Mart, McDonald's, UPS, Sears, Home Depot, IBM and GM) *combined*.

Putting most of those folks on a furlough takes a big chunk of money out of circulation in the economy. When you add in all the government contractors who are not direct Federal employees, but are basically paid by the government, that's probably another million or so people.

Yes, the deficit is a serious problem. But it's pure politics that the GOP picks now, in the midst of a huge recession, to tackle it. We should have been dealing with it back in 2005, when the economy was booming, unemployment was low, and we could have AFFORDED some cuts in Federal payrolls and services. But no, no.....that was when deficits didn't matter and the only ones worrying were those crybaby Democrats...

[Phmcw]

Corporation make no jobs, everybody is supposed to know that. The first employer is aways small and medium company.
Employee are not getting paid because? Here they are paid, all of them.

[Flaede]

Corporation make no jobs, everybody is supposed to know that. The first employer is aways small and medium company.
Employee are not getting paid because? Here they are paid, all of them.

If they stop getting work, because the government is not funding the services that they were working for.
That's but one example.

[Aqizzar]

I just found out that if there *is* a government shutdown, the Congressional and Presidential salaries are exempt from the shutdown. In other words, they still draw a paycheck, even if their inability to get all their shit in one sack causes the rest of the government (and tens of thousands of contractors like myself) to stop drawing theirs.

I honestly don't see the problem here, because it makes perfect sense.  Yeah, Congressional and Presidential salaries are exempt.  All federal salaries are exempt, it's just that most federal employees go on pay-reserved furlough until official funding comes back.  I'm just in favor of keeping heads on straight.

But yeah, I can see this becoming a recurring theme of the next year and a half, of constantly shunting the government along for a few weeks at a time, by scrounging for change out of the PBS/unemployment insurance/heating oil couch cushions of government spending, while the military and energy department go untouched.  The President will continue to insist it's not his place to intervene.  And come November 2012, the number one Republican attack line against Obama's reelection will be, "What happened to all the PBS/unemployment insurance/heating oil?  You didn't do a damn thing for the American people."  In a really funny kind of way, they'll be completely right.

[Phmcw]

It is clear that you have zero knowledge of the subject, and I am far too busy to educate you.

Please do. I'm sorry my lack of understanding made me believe that lack of taxes (because they are indeed incredibly low, particularly for corporation) in America, led to a situation where you cannot even afford an state run health-care or social security. Or made a society where you end your studies with 50000$ of debt.

[Sir Pseudonymous]

It is clear that you have zero knowledge of the subject, and I am far too busy to educate you.

Please do. I'm sorry my lack of understanding made me believe that lack of taxes (because they are indeed incredibly low, particularly for corporation) in America, led to a situation where you cannot even afford an state run health-care or social security. Or made a society where you end your studies with 50000$ of debt.

Yep, that's a pretty big misunderstanding. You see, it's not a lack of funds, but a horrifyingly large, batshit insane faction that is actively trying to violently fuck every last American up the ass for shits and giggles that is behind the lack of public healthcare, and the low quality of public education. All this could be done easily, and with effectively no negative repercussions for anyone, but they will still fight it tooth and nail, simply to make the world a worse place.

[Earthquake Damage]

Yep, that's a pretty big misunderstanding. You see, it's not a lack of funds, but a horrifyingly large, batshit insane faction that is actively trying to violently fuck every last American up the ass for shits and giggles that is behind the lack of public healthcare, and the low quality of public education. All this could be done easily, and with effectively no negative repercussions for anyone, but they will still fight it tooth and nail, simply to make the world a worse place.

Spoiler: The GOP according to Sir Pseudonymous (click to show/hide)

[Sir Pseudonymous]

Yep, that's a pretty big misunderstanding. You see, it's not a lack of funds, but a horrifyingly large, batshit insane faction that is actively trying to violently fuck every last American up the ass for shits and giggles that is behind the lack of public healthcare, and the low quality of public education. All this could be done easily, and with effectively no negative repercussions for anyone, but they will still fight it tooth and nail, simply to make the world a worse place.

Spoiler: The GOP according to Sir Pseudonymous (click to show/hide)

That is just terrible, indeed.

Ok, so it is an oversimplification of the issues, but that is an accurate description of the people setting their agendas in the first place. Someone like Hukabee, he actually believes the horrible things he's saying, but someone like Murdock or the Koch brothers? They all know full well they're full of shit, and they'll profit no matter which way the wind blows, and just choose to make it blow in the way that hurts the most people.

[Phmcw]

Basically, I agree with you, pseudo.
I just doesn't know If you could make it without a more reasonable taxing policy.

[Sowelu]

I just found out that if there *is* a government shutdown, the Congressional and Presidential salaries are exempt from the shutdown. In other words, they still draw a paycheck, even if their inability to get all their shit in one sack causes the rest of the government (and tens of thousands of contractors like myself) to stop drawing theirs.

Well, technically, even though they may be doing a BAD job, their job is still to work on fix that problem, and they are still doing it.  So...

Shame that their performance review only comes up once every few years.

[Nikov]

Yes, the deficit is a serious problem. But it's pure politics that the GOP picks now, in the midst of a huge recession, to tackle it. We should have been dealing with it back in 2005, when the economy was booming, unemployment was low, and we could have AFFORDED some cuts in Federal payrolls and services. But no, no.....that was when deficits didn't matter and the only ones worrying were those crybaby Democrats...

Funny how you pick the last year of Republican control to be the year to correct the problem, while Pelosi's 110th Congress made it worse.

Spoiler: Congress makes the budget, the President takes the blame. (click to show/hide)

[G-Flex]

What's the source for that, exactly?

[Aqizzar]

Funny how you pick the last year of Republican control to be the year to correct the problem, while Pelosi's 110th Congress made it worse.

Yeah, those numbers do skyrocket, when you start putting two wars on the budget book, instead of always writing up Emergency Funding checks to keep the Pentagon above water.

[Peewee]

decromacy

It's spelled "decromancy".

just posting to mention that Google puts this thread 2nd from the top of hits for that word

[Nikov]

Yep. Look at that staggering debt racked up between 2003 and 2004 when we first invaded Iraq, then watch what I can only presume is money from stolen oil squeezing that debt down during the expensive occupation that bankrupted us and the addition of conventional forces in Afghanistan. Then watch Obama inherit all that horrible debt in 2008. But don't worry. I'm sure that now the party of no is in power, they'll repeat 1995-2000 and 2004-2007's wizardry and let Obama take the credit in 2012's campaign.

... I wonder if any other typos can be used to draw web traffic to Toady...