How could this happen?
http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/12/15/could-government-shut-down-its-possible
The current stop-gap funding measure (called a Continuing Resolution - or CR, for short) that is keeping the government's doors open, employees paid, and the lights on expires on Saturday at midnight. The House passed a clean extension of the funding measure through fiscal 2011, but Senate Democrats, with the help of some of their Republican colleagues, have put together a $1.2 trillion omnibus spending measure that they want instead.
Many Republicans and a few Democrats have balked at the earmark-laden omnibus and have pledged to hold it up at all costs, though supporters have noted the pork accounts for less than 1% of the measure. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky, who previously had earmarks inserted into the bill but now says he's opposed to the directed spending, said Wednesday that the chamber should, instead, pass a short-term CR to fund the government through February.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev, is expected to call up the omnibus sometime Thursday, and Republicans, including Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC, are expected to pounce, demanding that the 1,924-page bill that was just introduced this week be read aloud by the clerks in the chamber, a move that is estimated to take about 35-40 hours.
That gets the Senate to sometime Saturday before Reid can even begin the procedural process to shut down the GOP filibuster. Once Reid files for cloture, a procedure that shuts down debate, technically there must be one intervening day before the cloture vote.
That would leave the government shut down on Sunday, as well as Monday, when the Senate would just be voting to end the blockade, a move that requires 60 votes. Final passage, technically-speaking, would then come after a 30-hour clock has run out, putting the Senate into late Monday or early Tuesday before final passage.
Then the measure must travel to the House, where House Republicans, staunchly against the earmarks in the omnibus bill, have vowed to work against the measure. More time must be expended to get to final passage there before the feds get their money.
If the government does shut down, this Democratic aide said, "It's not our fault," noting the GOP slowdown of the schedule.
One senior Senate GOP leadership aide took exception to that, telling Fox, "Talking about shutting down the government is not a win. We're two and a half weeks past the deadline for spending bills, and we're now on a treaty. We're not on a funding bill. And tomorrow morning, what will we be doing? A treaty. We didn't ask to go to the treaty."
All of that said, a number of aides on both sides of the aisle are expecting that cooler heads will eventually prevail, and the Senate will reach an agreement to wrap up the issue of funding the government by Saturday evening, in order to avert a government shutdown.
ATC Says - During a government shutdown all government employees are furloughed. Essential employees (law enforcement, military, first responders, etc.) are still required to show up for work, although they're technically not being paid. Non-essential employees are not required to show up for work.To my knowledge, the post office hasn't gotten direct federal funding in almost 30 years, so I don't think it would be affected by a shutdown.....although I could be wrong about this.
Unemployment checks would also stop coming......as well as other government entitlement programs such as food stamps, medicare and other taxpayer draining systems. Oh, and for those receiving social security checks........forget-a-bout-it.........If the post office is affected by this then I feel sorry for those people paying bills, or sending gifts that may be held up as a result of this, and if your bill is late - man the late fees .....and it's not even your fault!
Is it any surprise to anybody that the demonrats (Democrats) would try to add 1 trillion dollars to this massive bill including 9 billion dollars in pork barrel spending as we approach the Christmas holiday.........sneeky dirty underhanded politics ......and where is obama on this while bella-lagosi in the house is holding up the passage of his tax deal......not a peep....oh no certainly not against his own party! These politicians are playing with our lives while they play a game of politics and the demonrats try to use their opposition to this Omnibus bill in a desperate attempt to blame the Republicans of shutting down the government. and everybody's taxes increases Jan, 1 2011.......
One last thing of note, the last time this happened was in 1995 under Slick Willie Clinton......and the govt shut down......isn't it interesting how Obama and slick willie are such great pals that he can duck out of cover and let clinton handle the tax deal negotiations and take the flack for him.......Had enough of being a pawn yet people?
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