Fed Government Shutdown 2025: non-political thread

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some people are, but it is generally restricted by ethics clearance (and those ethics people aren't there right now), and it's not like we can sign up for a job that would be consistent in the future (nor would someone needing a consistent hire, hire us).

Wow the brain cell challenged has entered the chat.
You must be extremely stupid to be spreading that crap propaganda and have no knowledge how employment works at the Federal Goverment.

Go back to your hole MAGA better yet move to North Korea the US doesn't want anti americans living here.

that is a big fat lie. Look Gardners by me are charging $1,000 to clean up leaves this year. Are you telling me if a Fed rang my doorbell and said for $800 cash I will remove all your leaves is not allowed? Or detail a car for $200 cash, or paint your neighbors kids bedroom for $500 bucks.


Sounds like excuses. Or you could just barter. When my family had financial troubles when I was a teen we need new water heater in summer. Mom made a deal I work for guy a few weeks in summer for free. He was really happy. Was kinda fun. I spend a month helping him on jobs. That is barter a Fed could do that. Plus Feds kids and spouse can work. If all five of you are sitting home doing nothing and you are expecting handouts when there is a massive labor shortage that is crazy.

[Anonymous]

Already shut down next week as well.

"Votes are no longer expected in the House on Monday November 3,2025"

They are never reopening because of the Epstein files.

Because of the Nov 4th elections, more House members will need to be sworn in, and Mike Johnson cannot do that because of the Epstein file.s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

Besides the ethics restrictions, many of us are still working full time - either as an excepted employee or as a furloughed one recalled for excepted activities. So we ARE working. We’re just not being paid for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Plan to be back in office Tuesday. Nice that he gave people the weekend to get back from furloughcation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-get-rid-of-the-filibuster/

And back on furlough Nov 21, since the House won't come back due to the Epstein discharge petition.

[Anonymous]

remember when DOGE was so certain that we were all working second jobs that they were violating security in order to get our tax records?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some people are, but it is generally restricted by ethics clearance (and those ethics people aren't there right now), and it's not like we can sign up for a job that would be consistent in the future (nor would someone needing a consistent hire, hire us).

that is a big fat lie. Look Gardners by me are charging $1,000 to clean up leaves this year. Are you telling me if a Fed rang my doorbell and said for $800 cash I will remove all your leaves is not allowed? Or detail a car for $200 cash, or paint your neighbors kids bedroom for $500 bucks.


Sounds like excuses. Or you could just barter. When my family had financial troubles when I was a teen we need new water heater in summer. Mom made a deal I work for guy a few weeks in summer for free. He was really happy. Was kinda fun. I spend a month helping him on jobs. That is barter a Fed could do that. Plus Feds kids and spouse can work. If all five of you are sitting home doing nothing and you are expecting handouts when there is a massive labor shortage that is crazy.

You are either a troll, a bot, have no knowledge of how being employed by the federal government works, or a combination of all those things. None of that is permitted without getting clearance for outside employment. While ethics rules appear to not apply to the administration, they do to rank and file, none of whom are going to put a big target on their backs for firing given the climate of wanting to fire as many of us as possible. And add in a side of tax fraud! Bartering is still considered income under section 61 of the Internal Revenue Code, which includes all ascensions to wealth unless specifically excluded by another section of the code. So that’s cash jobs, bartering income, winning a raffle prize, etc. Perhaps many people don’t report those things, but especially being an IRS employee, I dot every i and cross every t.

Yes, all of this.

But also, there are way too many people in this country who firmly believe that anyone who doesn’t pull themselves up by their bootstraps the exact same way they did, even under completely different circumstances, is a pathetic loser. The above post is Exhibit A.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some people are, but it is generally restricted by ethics clearance (and those ethics people aren't there right now), and it's not like we can sign up for a job that would be consistent in the future (nor would someone needing a consistent hire, hire us).

that is a big fat lie. Look Gardners by me are charging $1,000 to clean up leaves this year. Are you telling me if a Fed rang my doorbell and said for $800 cash I will remove all your leaves is not allowed? Or detail a car for $200 cash, or paint your neighbors kids bedroom for $500 bucks.


Sounds like excuses. Or you could just barter. When my family had financial troubles when I was a teen we need new water heater in summer. Mom made a deal I work for guy a few weeks in summer for free. He was really happy. Was kinda fun. I spend a month helping him on jobs. That is barter a Fed could do that. Plus Feds kids and spouse can work. If all five of you are sitting home doing nothing and you are expecting handouts when there is a massive labor shortage that is crazy.

Whenever I'm breaking my agency's ethics rules, I for sure also like to add a side of tax fraud.

Right?! I snorted when I read PP.

I wish people understood the very tight restrictions placed on federal employees (that are not placed on your members of Congress!)

I have to report every source of income to my agency, including my spouse's eBay sales. I have to submit all the statements from our 401(k) and 529 accounts for review, every year. I can't teach a night class or pick up a side gig without approval. I can't own certain stock. I can't accept certain gifts. I can't run for office or fundraise for candidates. I am specifically forbidden from helping friends and relatives who are trying to interact with any federal agency or court (so, I can't help grandma figure out her SSA paperwork).
I don't pay under the table, I don't hire anybody whose legality is in question, I don't do anything that could look like a favor or a conflict of interest - because my job is on the line.

All for PP to say "hur, why don't you consult on the side?" PP, you don't want a federal bureaucracy that consults on the side, that is a corrupt system!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plan to be back in office Tuesday. Nice that he gave people the weekend to get back from furloughcation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-get-rid-of-the-filibuster/

And back on furlough Nov 21, since the House won't come back due to the Epstein discharge petition.

Yep this

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plan to be back in office Tuesday. Nice that he gave people the weekend to get back from furloughcation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-get-rid-of-the-filibuster/

And back on furlough Nov 21, since the House won't come back due to the Epstein discharge petition.

Why? Do they need the House to open the government ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some are. some can't get ahold of ethics to clear secondary employment. some have savings, and don't want to help worsen an already bad job and gig job market. but keep in mind that most furloughed feds have already fired their cleaners, lawn care folks, dog walkers and aren't ordering instacart or ubereats... not only does that hurt the folks that *were* doing those jobs, that means there is much less of that type of work to go around.

i'm tackling stuff i'd been putting off around the house. Fixed my broken washing machine for $200 in parts... but of course, that means $500 that didn't go to a repair person, or $1500 that didn't go to a local appliance store. spending more time with the kids-- thats a bunch of money that didn't go to back-up care/babysitter during the school closures/holidays. and even if they nuke the filibuster and pass the house CR, it expires in three weeks. We're just going to do this ish again and again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plan to be back in office Tuesday. Nice that he gave people the weekend to get back from furloughcation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-get-rid-of-the-filibuster/

And back on furlough Nov 21, since the House won't come back due to the Epstein discharge petition.

Why? Do they need the House to open the government ?

bills can't become law until both houses pass legislation. The only bill the house passed was a CR until nov 21. They have to come back to pass anything beyond that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Plan to be back in office Tuesday. Nice that he gave people the weekend to get back from furloughcation.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-calls-on-senate-republicans-to-get-rid-of-the-filibuster/

And back on furlough Nov 21, since the House won't come back due to the Epstein discharge petition.

Why? Do they need the House to open the government ?

If the Senate were to somehow come to pass the current CR, they aren’t needed.

If the Senate comes to agreement to change any aspect of the CR, the House is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some people are, but it is generally restricted by ethics clearance (and those ethics people aren't there right now), and it's not like we can sign up for a job that would be consistent in the future (nor would someone needing a consistent hire, hire us).

that is a big fat lie. Look Gardners by me are charging $1,000 to clean up leaves this year. Are you telling me if a Fed rang my doorbell and said for $800 cash I will remove all your leaves is not allowed? Or detail a car for $200 cash, or paint your neighbors kids bedroom for $500 bucks.


Sounds like excuses. Or you could just barter. When my family had financial troubles when I was a teen we need new water heater in summer. Mom made a deal I work for guy a few weeks in summer for free. He was really happy. Was kinda fun. I spend a month helping him on jobs. That is barter a Fed could do that. Plus Feds kids and spouse can work. If all five of you are sitting home doing nothing and you are expecting handouts when there is a massive labor shortage that is crazy.

Whenever I'm breaking my agency's ethics rules, I for sure also like to add a side of tax fraud.

Right?! I snorted when I read PP.

I wish people understood the very tight restrictions placed on federal employees (that are not placed on your members of Congress!)

I have to report every source of income to my agency, including my spouse's eBay sales. I have to submit all the statements from our 401(k) and 529 accounts for review, every year. I can't teach a night class or pick up a side gig without approval. I can't own certain stock. I can't accept certain gifts. I can't run for office or fundraise for candidates. I am specifically forbidden from helping friends and relatives who are trying to interact with any federal agency or court (so, I can't help grandma figure out her SSA paperwork).
I don't pay under the table, I don't hire anybody whose legality is in question, I don't do anything that could look like a favor or a conflict of interest - because my job is on the line.

All for PP to say "hur, why don't you consult on the side?" PP, you don't want a federal bureaucracy that consults on the side, that is a corrupt system!

Exactly. People don't realize what you sign up for when you are a federal employee. My DHs federal job governs which stocks I can own.

It's not like feds can just go off and get another random job, particularly if it is at all related to your current position, or even if it's not.

[Anonymous]

I have to submit all the statements from our 401(k) and 529 accounts for review, every year.

Wow - I’m a public filer and have to disclose these, as well as any reportable debt, but have never had
to submit statements for review. Are you financial regulatory, LE, or IC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are Fed Workers who are not going to office not working? Clean gutters, mow lawns, paint houses, dog walking, intacart, door dash, uber, care.com

In Covid when the rest of us Canned with no back pay and we could not get unemployment payments for months as you guys at Unemployment had dated systems to do it online and shut the offices and stopped answering the phones we all did all of the above to hustle.

Why not work? My neighbors kids started a car detailing business in driveway in covid, my kids did door dash, instacart and started a side consulting business.

But why are they at starbucks and netflix and chilling go do some work.

some people are, but it is generally restricted by ethics clearance (and those ethics people aren't there right now), and it's not like we can sign up for a job that would be consistent in the future (nor would someone needing a consistent hire, hire us).

that is a big fat lie. Look Gardners by me are charging $1,000 to clean up leaves this year. Are you telling me if a Fed rang my doorbell and said for $800 cash I will remove all your leaves is not allowed? Or detail a car for $200 cash, or paint your neighbors kids bedroom for $500 bucks.


Sounds like excuses. Or you could just barter. When my family had financial troubles when I was a teen we need new water heater in summer. Mom made a deal I work for guy a few weeks in summer for free. He was really happy. Was kinda fun. I spend a month helping him on jobs. That is barter a Fed could do that. Plus Feds kids and spouse can work. If all five of you are sitting home doing nothing and you are expecting handouts when there is a massive labor shortage that is crazy.

Whenever I'm breaking my agency's ethics rules, I for sure also like to add a side of tax fraud.

Right?! I snorted when I read PP.

I wish people understood the very tight restrictions placed on federal employees (that are not placed on your members of Congress!)

I have to report every source of income to my agency, including my spouse's eBay sales. I have to submit all the statements from our 401(k) and 529 accounts for review, every year. I can't teach a night class or pick up a side gig without approval. I can't own certain stock. I can't accept certain gifts. I can't run for office or fundraise for candidates. I am specifically forbidden from helping friends and relatives who are trying to interact with any federal agency or court (so, I can't help grandma figure out her SSA paperwork).
I don't pay under the table, I don't hire anybody whose legality is in question, I don't do anything that could look like a favor or a conflict of interest - because my job is on the line.

All for PP to say "hur, why don't you consult on the side?" PP, you don't want a federal bureaucracy that consults on the side, that is a corrupt system!

Exactly. People don't realize what you sign up for when you are a federal employee. My DHs federal job governs which stocks I can own.

It's not like feds can just go off and get another random job, particularly if it is at all related to your current position, or even if it's not.

Yep, same for my HHS job. Most people with my type of job outside of the fed consult on the side, or develop spin-off companies, or (very commonly) accept honorariums for invited lectures/seminars. All of those are forbidden in the government, even if you aren’t in a policy-influencing role. Heck, I can’t even invest in most of the usual individual stocks that others would (mutual funds are ok). I even had to get ethics approval to join my neighborhood HOA board and volunteer as a science fair judge. Even the appearance of a conflict of interest is forbidden.