Have you personally been affected by the shut down or the sequestration?

[Anonymous]

I know those impacted directly by the shut down or the sequestration are feeling the pain but for the vast majority or Americans I don't think it has made any difference.

For example, if Social Security checks were suspended, there would be a huge outcry. But the shut down that has affected government jobs impacts only a limited segment of the population. It is analogous to major lay-offs in a company: those affected would be hurt and one feels sorry for them but for the majority of people it has little or no impact.

Speaking for myself and my family it has not mattered one bit. I am wondering if the relatively muted reaction of Americans is because they are not impacted by it. Sure the opinion polls show that Americans want Congress and the president to work together to resolve the issues but that is rather like talking about motherhood and apple pie.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I'm furloughed and my H is excepted, so neither of us are getting paid.

My daycare is open even though it's in a fed building, but it's an hour drive each way, so I'm paying for it, but not using it since it makes little sense to drive that much just to get a few hours of care for my kid, so I've become a stay at home parent, which is not something I ever intended to be.

I think especially now that most of DoD has gone back, people are forgetting unless they are personally inconvenienced and that scares me as to when I might get to go back to work.

[Anonymous]

Yes. Spouse is furloughed.

[Anonymous]

No. Private sector. Havent been directly impacted.

[Anonymous]

I am furloughed.

[Anonymous]

There are ripple effects. Besides businesses like restaurants that have huge federal employee clientele, for example.

There are fiscal impacts to DC, MD, and VA governments, and if it goes on long enough, those governments will in turn have to reduce services. Some things you may care about, like libraries. But others like subsidized housing, free health services, grants to food banks, etc., tend to hurt lower-income people more. They will feel it sooner than most.

[Anonymous]

No I haven't (except if they cancel Boo at the Zoo.)

[Anonymous]

As a government contractor directly affected, I agree with you. I wish that SNAP and Social Security payments would stop, passport processing would stop, etc. We need a country-wide outcry and heightened pressure on Congress, but you're correct when you say this won't happen without the majority of Americans experiencing real suffering. Such a drastic measure might be unfair but so is reducing federal workers, who have bills to pay and families to care for, to pawns in a partisan game.

Even sadder is that the Tea Party continues to use red herrings such as the WW2 Memorial to stir up vitriol toward the Obama administration and deflect from the real issues of the looming debt ceiling and the very serious implications of even a partial shutdown. It's become a completely embarassing blame game. The rest of the world is laughing at us.

[Anonymous]

Yes and yes. Furloughed during sequestration, furloughed now, subject to all the pay freezes.

[Anonymous]

Yes. We are a dual-Fed family, so neither my husband or I are getting paid, even though he continues to work. We have a baby on the way in a few months and lots of preparations to make, but too afraid to spend the money until this is resolved.

[Anonymous]

No. Both private sector.

[Anonymous]

Yes, husband is a government contractor, and while he went back to work yesterday, there's already rumors that he'll have to sit back out because there aren't enough feds back at work who are around to allow him to do his work. And this may lead to his being laid off. We were planning on leaving the area next year right after his clearance is renewed, which is up in January. If he gets laid off, that gets put off, and then that delays our ability to move right before our daughter starts kindergarten. It's extremely stressful for us right now because this could really have some negative consequences for us.

[Anonymous]

No. Private sector.

[Anonymous]

Yes, both DH and I are furloughed Feds, as is my sister.

[Anonymous]

Ds has a an expired passport that I was hoping to renew soon. Otherwise no.