US shutdown: Flight delays caused by staff shortages

Post by HarryHirsch » Fri, Jan 25, 2019, 4:35 PM UTC

akhilcacharya wrote: post #214

bouncing wrote: post #157

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was a kid, my dad was deciding between two engineering jobs; one for the US Department of Commerce and another in the private sector for a big aerospace contractor. The private sector one paid more, I remember, but my mother brought up to my dad something interesting: You're less likely to get laid off, and you'll always have more job security, with the stable paycheck provided by a government job. It's weird…

If this country was actually run like a business, the CEO would be fired by now.

Post by joshuaheard » Fri, Jan 25, 2019, 4:35 PM UTC

Post by roywiggins » Fri, Jan 25, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

javagram wrote: post #204

clarkevans wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In many western countries, when a government can't form a working coalition or agree on a budget, new elections are called.

The US system is so archaic at this point, the founding fathers never anticipated the federal government budget being this important to the country. Provisions for dealing with something like a shutdown just aren’t in the constitution other than 2/3 supermajority requirements for veto override or impeachment, which is a recipe for gridlock. Many US states have much more sane budgeting systems and manage to run even u…

Post by toomuchtodo » Fri, Jan 25, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

justaguyhere wrote: post #206

tibbon wrote: post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've seen too many people say, "Oh, government workers should all know this stuff happens all the time, and if they don't have months or years of savings in the bank then it's just their fault". It's really sad that instead of being compassionate, too many are focusing on what "should" be instead of what is the reality for many people. Like you point out, the reality is that most people don't have savings. They shoul…

Lack of compassion/empathy is a much bigger problem than we can imagine, I realize it more and more as I grow older. If we pause for a minute and watch the words and actions of people around us (or even our own) intentionally, we can see how little empathy a lot of us have.

Post by whorleater » Fri, Jan 25, 2019, 4:36 PM UTC

benj111 wrote: post #288

whorleater wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The recent interpretations of the anti-deficiency act ( https://www.gao.gov/legal/appropriations-law-decisions/resou... ) means that the government can be shut down unless functions endanger "life" or "property". Congress could amend the anti-deficiency act to fund the government at previous levels, but that would remove the shutdown process as a political cudgel.

I came to ask the same question as the parent. This is an answer, but what are the politics of it? Eg you could make an argument that government only maintains things (ie property and life) for the public good, therefore all state employees are required lest they endanger life and property. You could certainly make the case that air traffic controllers are essential to life. Try landing planes at a busy airport witho…