Government Shutdown - Sep 2025 Thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

If you are loyal to the United States, you wouldn’t work for this administration, which is destroying the country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

If you are loyal to the United States, you wouldn’t work for this administration, which is destroying the country.

+1 million

[Anonymous]

Yes there will be a shut down.

No there will not be elections in 2026

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

If you are loyal to the United States, you wouldn’t work for this administration, which is destroying the country.

+1 million

Sigh. No. The people who are still working are the people that are keeping the ship afloat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pay for government employees who work during a shutdown; no pay for employees who don't work.

I am a liberal democrat, and can someone please explain why this shouldn't be the policy?

Because feds want to work and are unable to continue working?

Another point is that I have to do the same amount of work whether there's a shutdown or not. I just have to work harder and longer hours when work reopens. My cases don't go away magically when there's a shutdown.

"But I want to work" is not a justification for getting paid when not working. When private sector employees are furloughed, they still want to work, but can't.

Also, federal employees, particularly lawyers, aren't paid on a piece rate system. They're paid for the time they are working. That's why when things are slow you get paid the same as when things are busy.

It troubles me that federal attorneys don't understand both of those points.

I think you are the one who is confused… the situation is created by dysfunction and not normal order. Federal employees are not the ones who should be facing consequences for no budget. It’s so bananas that any working person, liberal or conservative, would be advocating for declining to pay working people for no reason.

I don't know why you think I'm confused. No one is advocating not paying people for time they work. But time where they are not working? No.

And of course it is the result of dysfunction. What else is new? Not sure why you think that should matter?

The reason that there are regular government shutdowns now, apart from the dysfunction, is that the consequences have been mitigated so it isn't a big deal anymore. So many employees are deemed "essential" that the a shutdown doesn't really significantly impact the majority of people. Back pay for non-working employees contributes to that.

During the height of Doge, many federal employees were really perplexed by the attitude of the general population - why didn't they care what fed were going through? If you don't think the (misplaced) righteous indignation of the PP, who thinks it is *obvious* that federal employees get paid for time they aren't working, plays into that, you aren't paying attention.

So, to review, your argument is that the general voting population doesn't care if Feds suffer, so they should actually suffer.

I don't see how that is persuasive.

If you are really a "liberal" democrat then you are doing what a lot of supposed liberals do- surrendering the framing of the issue to Republicans.

The idea that federal employees live a life of luxury is a myth, but you yourself appear to have drunk that Kool Aid as well. Public sector workers shouldn't be furloughed every fall, and private sector workers shouldn't suffer from employers' arbitrary and shortsighted decisions either. All workers should have rights that protect their stability and health.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not going to happen because Trump will order the executive branch to keep working, funding or no.

Yes, we are that far gone.

That would be illegal (and yes, I know he doesn’t care, but I think that’s a slam dunk loser).

Yes, that would be illegal. And? Who would stop him from doing this? Wouldn't this be a huge win for him with his supporters? "Trump singlehandedly keeps the government running!"

There is zero change that this won't happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's not going to happen because Trump will order the executive branch to keep working, funding or no.

Yes, we are that far gone.

Agreed. The RIFs and reorgs are already happening. So are the impoundments. The admin doesn’t need a shutdown to get what it wants.

They’ll just claim everyone is excepted and order them back. Who’s gonna enforce the Antideficiency Act against them? GAO will write a strongly worded letter, and Vought will use it as more ammo in his campaign to have them abolished.

The real test will be whether they start moving money around to pay ICE and other favored agencies. I’m sure they’ll claim Article II allows them to redistribute money from fee-funded agencies, etc.

They may even order Treasury to just pay everything despite the shutdown. Sure, it’s explicitly unconstitutional, but if a court tries to stay the action, SCOTUS can just issue a wordless order from the emergency docket to allow it “temporarily.” The admin will conveniently order Treasury not to pay the courts, so the case will sit in limbo forever, and we’ll have a king.

This person gets it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think there will be a shutdown and maybe not even a continuing resolution - would look bad for Republicans since they have full control the government. I think everyone will fall in line with Trump and he will tout how he got something done.

Republicans have had full control of the government since January and no budget was ever passed for 2025. They passed a continuing resolution on March 15.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

That has nothing to do with loyalty. Employer did stealth layoffs by cutting pay 20% (20%!!) for 5 months, so that people left for better options. As someone else said, the people with the best options left. BIL made a rational decision. Not sure why he'd want to go back there.

[Anonymous]

No shutdown. They will pass a CR.

[Anonymous]

50 / 50

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No shutdown. They will pass a CR.

this.

they control all 3 branches of gov... they should be able to keep it open, or else they are not great at governing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No shutdown. They will pass a CR.

this.

they control all 3 branches of gov... they should be able to keep it open, or else they are not great at governing

Hahaha, they are not great at governing, but I think we still won't have a shutdown

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No shutdown. They will pass a CR.

this.

they control all 3 branches of gov... they should be able to keep it open, or else they are not great at governing

They don’t have 60 votes in the Senate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think this would be a good test of who is loyal.

My idiot BIL worked for a nice family owned firm in NY where owner gave regular raises, great benefits and good pay. Never a layoff in history of company.

Well in late 2008 he got hit hard in financial crisis. Rather than lay off people he rolled out Free Fridays. Everyone would continue working five days a week but only paid for four days a week. He would do that till economy recovered so no one would lose job.

My short sighted and greedy BIL immediately started job hunting. It took 2-3 months and landed a job with a much longer commute, less job security for slightly less than prior job.

About 8 weeks later his old company announces around 20 percent of company quit. The less loyal employees he called them. He went back to five days a week pay, gave everyone their annual raise and said in summer 2009 things are back close to normal with less headcount I will make up for last years lack of bonus with a bonus that is higher for next few years. We are more lean and more profitable.

My BIl was furious. he was like I would have never have quit if I knew this would happen. And also I worked for less a few weeks and I am not getting a raise and extra bonus for it.

End story he commuted an extra hour a day nfor two years than laid off.

His old company never wanted any of the quitters back.

Maybe Uncle Sam should do same thing nexrt govt shutdown.

If you are loyal to the United States, you wouldn’t work for this administration, which is destroying the country.

+1 million

So all federal workers should just quit? And do what?