Shutdown showdown...

Just so you know (I used to have a boss that said that all the time, so I enjoy saying it...), if you work with or near federal government employees - talk about the possible "shutdown" has replaced work that would be "shut down." 

Just like any normal company, its people's jobs.  Its a break from reality.  Some of the rumors are incredible.  There will be negative consequences, if certain people are not allowed to perform their work.  But it is mostly a political show - and the consequences are political too. 

"The majority of federal employees - about three out of four feds - would NOT be subject to a furlough during a shutdown." Post Office - not effected. The Social Security Administration will still send out benefits, as well as take applications.
 
The Government has money, in their accounts (and in some desk drawers if you have been around a while :)
 
Other things NOT effected:

• Jobs that provide for the national security, including the conduct of foreign relations essential to the national security or the safety of life and property.
• Jobs that provide for benefit payments and the performance of contract obligations under no-year or multi-year or other funds remaining available for those purposes.
• Conduct essential activities to the extent that they protect life and property, including:
  • Medical care of inpatients and emergency outpatient care;
  • Activities essential to ensure continued public health and safety, including safe use of food and drugs and safe use of hazardous material;
  • The continuance of air traffic control and other transportation safety functions and the protection of transport property;
  • Border and coastal protection and surveillance;
  • Protection of federal lands, buildings, waterways, equipment and other property owned by the United States;
  • Care of prisoners and other persons in the custody of the United States;
  • Law enforcement and criminal investigations;
  • Emergency and disaster assistance;
  • Activities essential to the preservation of the essential elements of the money and banking system of the United States, including borrowing and tax collection activities of the Treasury;
  • Activities that ensure production of power and maintenance of the power distribution system; and
  • Activities necessary to maintain protection of research property.

So....SHUT IT DOWN! Come everybody, together....

However (I know, I get excited), there is a balance here - the Republicans need to take a stand - and get the public to understand their goals.  They ALSO, need to keep Paul Ryan's 2012 budget and 2012 election in mind...

Pants on fire...

On Tuesday, April 5, 2011, the United States Senate voted on a motion by Senator Rand Paul.  The motion contained the language:

“The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation.”


ZERO Democrats voted in favor of this language.  Not one.  If you know Rand Paul, you know why he made the motion.  He doesn't want the U.S. Military used "as the world's police." But there was more to the specific language put in the motion.

John Yoo wrote about this in National Review Online.  I like John Yoo. You might not agree with what he believes, but he is not afraid to say it, he has been brutally honest with his legal opinion, and lesser minds have tried to hang him for his opinion.  (Plus, if I were him, you bet I would'a been quoted, "Yoo gotta do what Yoo gotta do"...and stuff like that).

I Googled the entire quote.  Guess what I found:

"The President does not have power under the Constitution to unilaterally authorize a military attack in a situation that does not involve stopping an actual or imminent threat to the nation."

Who? What? Where? When? Why?

Barack Obama.  Answer to question while being interviewed by Boston Globe.  Boston, I guess.  2007.  He wanted to get elected President.

I found the questions in the interview delightfully lame.  The Globe might as well have asked, "If President Bush didn't actually do something, but I ask a question as if he did...would you oppose it?" 

We all know Obama's response to that: "I would never agree...to sign off...on something President Bush were accused of doing...even if...I knew...he didn't do it....as long as I could do it...once elected."

Here we go again...

They probably did this before I posted, I just didn't see it...

FOX News, ultra-right-wing-conspiracy place that it is, published this:  "The official said the president doesn't want government shutdown, but they think from a "good government" perspective and for "good housekeeping," they need contingency plan."

HERE is the plan

You will note that it is similar to Clinton's press release (only this time, before the shutdown, so they can take every advantage to blame the Republicans):

"800,000 federal employees (the same as 1995) the official says is the "vicinity" of workers who would be affected." (Remember, they will all get back pay, so its their 'work' that is affected)

"IRS filings with paper claims won't be processed and audits will also be stopped. Electronic claims will continue. Small business loans and Federal House Administration mortgages will also be halted." (Again, good - don't depend on the government)

The National Institutes of Health will not be accepting new patients or starting new clinical trials. (this should be private too, if I'm wrong - I know I'm right when I say it should be smaller)


The Cherry Blossom parade in D.C. this weekend wouldn't be happening (WTF - I thought this was a District of Columbia thing, our taxes fund this?)

National parks will be closed, along with the Smithsonian (which includes things like the National Zoo). (How is seeing the Grand Canyon not a 'vital national security issue'?! Oh, and since it costs money, it should be open)

Will they...

Will the Federal Government have a "shut down" ?  

Hopefully.

We need hundreds of billions of dollars cut from spending.  The Republicans want to cut $100 billion (for the entire fiscal year), Democrats...seriously, they have moved from nothing, to half way.

Shut it down!

The Democrats believe the Republicans will pay for this - the MEDIA has pushed this over and over, that is all you hear.  It is possible (especially with the media's help), but only if the Republicans let it happen.  Obama is so ripe to be painted as The One who can't fix this...not to mention he is in hiding since Axelrod and Emanual left.

One website pointed out that the government has shut down many times, but the standoff in 1996 was skillfully played by Clinton when he published the 'costs':

•Lost Dollars: The six-day shutdown cost taxpayers about $800 million, including $400 million to furloughed federal employees who were paid, but did not report to work and another $400 million in lost revenue in the four days that the IRS enforcement divisions were closed.
Inconvenienced Citizens (While its totally true that furloughed employees will get paid, they shouldn't! And it is a total play on numbers to say that IRS enforcement lost $400 million in revenue, do you think the IRS forgave money owed?)

•Medicare: Some 400,000 newly eligible Medicare recipients were delayed in applying for the program. (Delayed...the government shut down for a week, stop depending on the government for everything.)

•Social Security: Claims from 112,000 new Social Security applicants were not processed. 212,000 new or replacement Social Security cards were not issued. 360,000 office visits were denied. 800,000 toll-free calls for information were not answered. (Again, it was shut down for a week - this is a good example of government controlling too much of people's lives)

•Healthcare: New patients were not accepted into clinical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) clinical center. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ceased disease surveillance and hotline calls to NIH concerning diseases were not answered. (Thanks, we have Google now...)

•Environment: Toxic waste clean-up work at 609 sites stopped as 2,400 Superfund workers were sent home. (And nobody died, or got sick, as most of these are just money making boondoggles for the people that were sent home)

•Law Enforcement and Public Safety: Delays occurred in the processing of alcohol, tobacco, firearms, and explosives applications by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms; work on more than 3,500 bankruptcy cases reportedly was suspended; cancellation of the recruitment and testing of federal law enforcement officials reportedly occurred, including the hiring of 400 border patrol agents; and delinquent child-support cases were delayed. (Note the use of the word "reportedly" - it didn't happen, and it won't happen...the DOJ and other law enforcement entities already have a hiring freeze in effect....and what child-support cases are federal?)

•US Veterans: Multiple veterans' services were curtailed, ranging from health and welfare to finance and travel. (This is a needed service...but folks, it was 6 days, congress did and will fund emergency spending for military and national security)

•Travel: 80,000 passport applications were delayed. 80,000 visas were delayed. The resulting postponement or cancellation of travel cost U.S. tourist industries and airlines millions of dollars. (Good - stay home, spend your money here.  80,000 in a week? Sounds high.)

•National Parks: 2 million visitors were turned away from the nation's national parks resulting in the loss of millions in revenue. (Open the gates - its our park!)

•Government-backed Loans: FHA mortgage loans worth more than $800 million to more than 10,000 low-and-moderate-income working families were delayed. (Awesome - cancel the program altogether!)

Hopefully your still reading (this means you Pat!)...

Isn't this what the 2010 elections were all about?!  The new Republicans need to stand up - no more continuing resolutions, no half measures.  Tow the line!  Shut it down!

If not, if we get that half measure - throw them out! All of them!

Another iPad giveaway....

Actually, its and iPad2.  And second prize is a Nook!




All you have to do is CLICK HERE , make a donation, leave comments - and your comments enter you to win.  If you blog about it, you can enter comments again - and get entered again at no cost.  Right now, the odds of winning are BETTER than 1 in 70.

The Jersey Shore...

...not everything it appears like on TV

View more videos at: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/.

The third video on the article link here, mentions that the family doesn't know why this happened.  I wonder if the house was a stash house for drugs? You never know....

Thanks...

I often hear stories about somebody dealing with a police officer who they said was rude, or treated them like a criminal when they weren't.  The answer - maybe something was on his/her mind...

I have nightmares about making traffic stops. Maybe its because I haven't made a 'routine' traffic stop in years, and while my brain stores the memory of every traffic stop, it only shows me parts of some, merged with parts of others.  Police officers don't practice 'routine' traffic stops, they don't practice giving a smile and warning, they don't even practice writing tickets (even though they seem very good at it), the only traffic stop police officers practice for are the bad ones. Only, for the cop on the street, they don't always get a warning as to what kind they are making.




I do Crossfit, I train very hard.  I often get asked why?  The answer: There is always somebody out there training harder...