With no deal, U.S. government shutdown likely to drag on past Christmas

[rooster59]

With no deal, U.S. government shutdown likely to drag on past Christmas

By James Oliphant and Richard Cowan

 

Sun shines on the U.S. Capitol Dome as budget legislation deadlines loom for a potential federal government shutdown in Washington, U.S., December 21, 2018. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A partial U.S. government shutdown appeared likely to drag through the Christmas holiday after the Senate adjourned on Saturday with no deal to end an impasse over President Donald Trump's demand for more funds for border security.

 

Talks between Senate Democrats and the White House appeared to yield no progress, leading Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to send senators home.

 

McConnell left open the possibility of a Senate vote should a deal to re-open the government be reached in the coming days, but the logistics of staging votes in the Senate and then the House of Representatives over the holiday would make a quick resolution difficult.

 

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Thursday.

 

Lawmakers will depart with Trump and Senate Democrats seemingly as entrenched in their positions as ever.

 

About three-quarters of federal government programs are funded through to Sept 30 next year, but the financing for all others - including the departments of Homeland Security, Justice and Agriculture - expired at midnight.

 

Federal parks closed and more than 400,000 federal "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave.

 

The White House on Saturday reiterated that Trump was still pressing for $5 billion for a wall or barrier along the border with Mexico and other security enhancements.

 

Following a meeting at the White House with several lawmakers - all Republicans, Trump again tweeted about the need for border security to ward off "the crisis of illegal activity," though this time he called for "a great Steel Barrier or Wall."

 

In turn, the Senate's top Democrat, Chuck Schumer, said any proposal that would included money for a wall would be rejected by his caucus.

 

An afternoon meeting between Schumer, Vice President Mike Pence and White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney provided no resolution. McConnell adjourned the Senate afterward.

 

Republican Senator Richard Shelby, who attended the White House meeting with Trump, said it was unlikely a stopgap funding measure was imminent, but said that Trump "wants to end the shutdown."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-12-23

 

[edwinchester]

"......but said that Trump "wants to end the shutdown."

 

Then maybe Trump should agree funding for the affected Departments and not try to tack on huge additional budget requirements.......simple.

[Cryingdick]

I hope the shutdown lasts for a very long time. For no other reason than to demonstrate how little the federal government does for the average American on a daily basis. They will probably spend money to make signs to shut the national parks and make barricades. lol What would we do with out park rangers?

 

The panda cam at the washington zoo will be turned off. it is hardly a pressing emergency. 

[Tug]

I will be nice sorry Donald the majority of us don’t want the wall please stop punishing us because we think there is better ways to stem illegal immigrants is that nice enough?

[helpisgood]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

more than 400,000 federal "essential" employees in those agencies will work without pay until the dispute is resolved. Another 380,000 will be "furloughed", meaning they are put on temporary leave.

 

A not-so Merry Christmas and Happy New Year for many civil servants.  Hopefully, their savings will tide them over until this is over as they go through the trouble of readjusting their family budgets.  Meanwhile, the Trumps should be able to weather the storm while other Americans, who have dedicated their lives to serve their country, have their lives disrupted. 

 

And, all due to pandering to a base and "the invasion" of destitute people from Central America.  Sad.

[Longcut]

13 minutes ago, Tug said:

I will be nice sorry Donald the majority of us don’t want the wall please stop punishing us because we think there is better ways to stem illegal immigrants is that nice enough?

Texas want's the wall. You don't speak for the majority.

[welovesundaysatspace]

6 minutes ago, Longcut said:

Texas want's the wall. You don't speak for the majority.

I have a friend in Texas and he says it’s bullshit. So I guess you don’t speak for Texas either. 

[Cryingdick]

9 minutes ago, Longcut said:

Texas want's the wall. You don't speak for the majority.

 

Don't read too much into it. This site is full of expats that are completely unaware of what is actually happening in the USA. They say a lot about Trump because they are allowed to say so little in Thailand.

 

The post office runs, TSA is still working. Trump can basically let this run until things like social security become impacted. He really doesn't have another choice. If he caves in now he is finished. America can run like this for another 6 months or more. 

 

I am sitting here having a beer in America with no government help. lol My husband is British and was worried at first now he understands how little the federal government does for us .

 

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by Cryingdick

[metisdead]

Troll posts containing offensive references to Trump have been removed.  If you do not want your posts to be removed, spell people's names correctly.

[quandow]

33 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I hope the shutdown lasts for a very long time. For no other reason than to demonstrate how little the federal government does for the average American on a daily basis.

Exceptionally heartless, cruel statement. Over 800,000 employees will now be hurt, and the businesses their income ripples out to will be as well. And even if it's only ONE employee financially crippled during their Christmas holiday in order to feed the narcissist-in-chief's ugly ego, to consider this acceptable is right up there with, "Let them eat cake." Shame on you.

[Longcut]

8 minutes ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

I have a friend in Texas and he says it’s bullshit. So I guess you don’t speak for Texas either. 

Probably from Austin. They don't count. Try talking to someone from a border town.  Oh, wait! That's me.

Edited December 23, 2018 by Longcut

[quandow]

[quandow]

15 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

The post office runs, TSA is still working.

 

TSA is one group of employees who will be required to work without pay until the furlough is over.  You're way off base on this one.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/380000-federal-employees-could-be-furloughed-in-shutdown-and-420000-would-work-without-pay-2018-12-21

[Cryingdick]

24 minutes ago, quandow said:

Exceptionally heartless, cruel statement. Over 800,000 employees will now be hurt, and the businesses their income ripples out to will be as well. And even if it's only ONE employee financially crippled during their Christmas holiday in order to feed the narcissist-in-chief's ugly ego, to consider this acceptable is right up there with, "Let them eat cake." Shame on you.

 

The average wage of a federal employee is well above the average. Most people have already bought their Christmas gifts. Santa Claus isn't an employee of the federal government.

 

Federal workers are not living below or near the poverty line. Very far from it, They agreed to be on furlough and do their duty in the event of a shut down. Again it's people like park rangers at Yellowstone. 

 

Christmas spending is up 4 to 5% from last year this didn't come into effect soon enough to impact that.

 

Most of these federal employees are not needed and have gravy train jobs. 

[Cryingdick]

16 minutes ago, quandow said:

TSA is one group of employees who will be required to work without pay until the furlough is over.  You're way off base on this one.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/380000-federal-employees-could-be-furloughed-in-shutdown-and-420000-would-work-without-pay-2018-12-21

 

i said TSA will have to work. I don't understand your comment.

[puukao]

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

I hope the shutdown lasts for a very long time. For no other reason than to demonstrate how little the federal government does for the average American on a daily basis. They will probably spend money to make signs to shut the national parks and make barricades. lol What would we do with out park rangers?

 

The panda cam at the washington zoo will be turned off. it is hardly a pressing emergency. 

It must be fun being extremely bitter.  America does more than about 99% of all other countries, combined.  Now go help the people of Venezuela, or Columbia, or Thailand.....and quit complaining while really being mad at yourself.  lol.  try smiling.  don't worry, life might get better for you.  

[Cryingdick]

16 minutes ago, puukao said:

It must be fun being extremely bitter.  America does more than about 99% of all other countries, combined.  Now go help the people of Venezuela, or Columbia, or Thailand.....and quit complaining while really being mad at yourself.  lol.  try smiling.  don't worry, life might get better for you.  

 

I am not bitter at all. The government is shut down and i give zero <deleted>. I make  a decent living on the volatility of the market, I own my own land and house. I am not dependent in any way on the government  and it can shut down. 

 

My husband who is a legal immigrant from the uK is glad to be here. I am simply not sure why you think I am bitter I could understand an accusation of smug. Christmas is good to me this year. 

 

I never complained I said let the government agencies that close now continue to be closed forever. I don't get your point.

[metisdead]

Posts containing profanity have been edited.  Continue to post in a manner to bypass the profanity filter may reward the member with a warning.

[quandow]

43 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

The average wage of a federal employee is well above the average. Most people have already bought their Christmas gifts. Santa Claus isn't an employee of the federal government.

 

Federal workers are not living below or near the poverty line. Very far from it, They agreed to be on furlough and do their duty in the event of a shut down. Again it's people like park rangers at Yellowstone. 

 

Christmas spending is up 4 to 5% from last year this didn't come into effect soon enough to impact that.

 

Most of these federal employees are not needed and have gravy train jobs. 

I take PARTICULAR offense at these misguided words. As a 27 year career civil servant, I assure you, you couldn't be more wrong. Entry level civil servants qualify for food stamps and they have to work their way up the ladder like anyone else. The average pay for civil servants compared to equivalent private sector jobs is LOWER and getting lower all the time because they are supposed to enjoy other benefits like job security. This furlough is attacking the very foundation of this protection. We used to get extremely angry when idiots who didn't know what they were talking about started spouting off how much of a "gravy train job" civil service was. And, you obviously are not reading the statistics I provide you in my responses.

Edited December 23, 2018 by quandow

[quandow]

32 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

The average wage of a federal employee is well above the average. Most people have already bought their Christmas gifts. Santa Claus isn't an employee of the federal government.

 

Federal workers are not living below or near the poverty line. Very far from it, They agreed to be on furlough and do their duty in the event of a shut down. Again it's people like park rangers at Yellowstone. 

 

Christmas spending is up 4 to 5% from last year this didn't come into effect soon enough to impact that.

 

Most of these federal employees are not needed and have gravy train jobs. 

I take PARTICULAR offense at these misguided words. As a 27 year career civil servant, you couldn't be more wrong. Entry level civil servants qualify for food stamps and they have to work their way up the ladder like anyone else. The average pay for civil servants compared to equivalent private sector jobs is LOWER and getting lower all the time because they are supposed to enjoy other benefits like job security. This furlough is attacking the very foundation of this protection. We used to get extremely angry when idiots who didn't know what they were talking about started spouting off how much of a "gravy train job" civil service was. And, you obviously are not reading the statistics I provide you in my responses.

[quandow]

32 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

The average wage of a federal employee is well above the average. Most people have already bought their Christmas gifts. Santa Claus isn't an employee of the federal government.

 

Federal workers are not living below or near the poverty line. Very far from it, They agreed to be on furlough and do their duty in the event of a shut down. Again it's people like park rangers at Yellowstone. 

 

Christmas spending is up 4 to 5% from last year this didn't come into effect soon enough to impact that.

 

Most of these federal employees are not needed and have gravy train jobs. 

I take PARTICULAR offense at these misguided words. As a 27 year career civil servant, you couldn't be more wrong. Entry level civil servants qualify for food stamps and they have to work their way up the ladder like anyone else. The average pay for civil servants compared to equivalent private sector jobs is LOWER and getting lower all the time because they are supposed to enjoy other benefits like job security. This furlough is attacking the very foundation of this protection. We used to get extremely angry when idiots who didn't know what they were talking about started spouting off how much of a "gravy train job" civil service was. And, you obviously are not reading the statistics I provide you in my responses.

[edwinchester]

I guess now is the time, again, to insist that Mexico is going to pay for the wall.

[Cryingdick]

23 minutes ago, quandow said:

I take PARTICULAR offense at these misguided words. As a 27 year career civil servant, you couldn't be more wrong. Entry level civil servants qualify for food stamps and they have to work their way up the ladder like anyone else. The average pay for civil servants compared to equivalent private sector jobs is LOWER and getting lower all the time because they are supposed to enjoy other benefits like job security. This furlough is attacking the very foundation of this protection. We used to get extremely angry when idiots who didn't know what they were talking about started spouting off how much of a "gravy train job" civil service was. And, you obviously are not reading the statistics I provide you in my responses.

 

civil servants get salaries and benefits well above the people in poverty that struggle. You don't work at Taco bell and the shut down is going to be proof of how little changes. Get over yourself, There is not one thing that changed for the average American today, 

 

So go take your pork barrel mentality somewhere else.

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by Cryingdick

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

People can argue back and forth about whether the U.S. federal civil service ranks is oversized or not. But in my book, if someone is working as a federal employee, they deserve to be paid for the work they do, and to receive the salary they're entitled to based on their job.

 

And to not have their job and livelihood held hostage by political games by an unpopular president trying to pander to his right-wing base before he loses his Republican majority in the House of Reps in January. The Senate wasn't going to give him $5 billion for the wall, and the incoming House of Reps with a Democrat majority sure isn't. So get over it!!!

 

At this point, it's just a bitter, heartless Trump trying to score political points at the expense of federal employees and the American public.  The one difference about this shutdown vs some of the prior ones is this shutdown only affects a smaller portion of the federal workforce whose departments don't have budget spending authority, whereas some of the prior ones were much broader in their impact.

[quandow]

48 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

So go take your pork barrel mentality somewhere else.

 

Do you realize how nonsensical this is, coming from a supporter of the biggest, most mean-spirited pork barrel government in history? Do you actually read your posts before you submit them?

Edited December 23, 2018 by quandow

[Boon Mee]

If Chuck Schumer doesn't give up a measly 5 billion (fraction of the cost of the illegal aliens) the shut down could last beyond Christmas of next year. 

[direction BANGKOK]

Is it possible the shutdown could extend to beyond tax season ????

 

It is interesting watching the "services" that remain open, and the ones that actually shut down. 

 

[farcanell]

4 hours ago, Longcut said:

Texas want's the wall. You don't speak for the majority.

 

4 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

 

Don't read too much into it. This site is full of expats that are completely unaware of what is actually happening in the USA. They say a lot about Trump because they are allowed to say so little in Thailand.

 

4 hours ago, Longcut said:

Probably from Austin. They don't count. Try talking to someone from a border town.  Oh, wait! That's me.

???????????????? and yet....

https://www.star-telegram.com/news/state/texas/article152402734.html

 

or more yetis.... y’all believe in yetis, right?

https://aplus.com/a/border-wall-mexico-texas-arizona-california-new-mexico?no_monetization=true

 

damn that readin’ an’ writin’ stuff... who’d a thunk it, right?

[wayned]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

If Chuck Schumer doesn't give up a measly 5 billion (fraction of the cost of the illegal aliens) the shut down could last beyond Christmas of next year. 

The Dems aren't going to give up the 5 billion for a wall!  They might negotiate an amount somewhere between the 1.6 that they are offering and the 5 billion, but it would have to be named for something such as improved border security and not say anything about the wall.  I suspect that after the first of the year when Trump can say that he tried everything he could think of to get the 5 billion but now that the Dems control the house there is no way.   I'm sure that anything that he does will have to be approved by shadow President Ann and Vice President Rush.  Once done he will sign a deal that ends the shutdown. 

[farcanell]

1 hour ago, Boon Mee said:

If Chuck Schumer doesn't give up a measly 5 billion (fraction of the cost of the illegal aliens) the shut down could last beyond Christmas of next year. 

A true celebration of trumpian policy.... winning... yay