the looming, probable, government shutdown, part 2

[mickeym]

I finally heard back from Doug (quelle surprise, he emailed me this morning). He said his employer's contract is funded through August, and his paycheck shouldn't stop. I'm cautiously optimistic about that.

I've been watching some of the video feeds, and reading all the blogs and updates on CNN.com, and it's a sad, sad day when grade school children can act more mature and responsible than those we elected to represent us.

I've emailed all my elected officials. If you're interested in emailing yours, and don't know where to find them, you can go to the US Senate website. Plug in your state information, and it'll tell you who you can contact.

This is the text of the message I sent:

Senator___________,

I am writing to you to convey my absolute disgust and disappointment with all Congress persons regarding the impending government shutdown, as related to budget issues.

I don't care at this point who started it, whose fault it may or may not be, or who is keeping it from passing. FIX IT. Every single one of you -- all people we, the public, elected to represent us and work for us -- is acting as selfish and immature as a kindergarten-aged child.

At the very least, if you won't work at settling it quickly, I feel the honorable, the *right*, thing to do would be to waive your salaries for as long as other government employees are going unpaid. None of you are any more important than the hundreds of thousands who have been deemed "non-essential personnel".

As I said above, I don't care 'who started it'. I don't care about party affiliations, and who's done what for whom in the past. Just fix this situation before it gets any worse than it already is.

Thank you,

(my name)

And if you're interested in what's likely to be affected, you can go here: Government Shutdown list.

Comments

[raynedanser.livejournal.com]

I TOTALLY stole your letter and contacted my two senators because JFC it pisses me off just to think about it.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Good :)

And yeah. I mean, the whole thing annoys me -- WE certainly can't get away with shit like this; if we had someone working for us, or with our creditors, I doubt saying, "oh, hey, can't agree on a budget, sorry about your luck" would get us very far. Except maybe to collections.

But I was managing to keep 'annoyed' down to mostly bearable levels, until I got to the part on that list where it said that congressional staffers would be furloughed, military would go without pay, but oh, CONGRESS WILL STILL GET THEIR SALARIES.

My response? Are you fucking KIDDING ME? So, yeah.

That island is sounding better by the nano-second, isn't it?

[raynedanser.livejournal.com]

That island is sounding better by the nano-second, isn't it?

Definitely. let's get packing!

[surevesta.livejournal.com]

Oh thanks for posting that link. My to be sis-in-law is immigrating to the US from Canada (resident)/Holland (citizen) and they're interviewing shortly and they have her scheduled as coming into the US and getting married on May 10th (as it has to happen right away). My whole family already booked flights and arranged things as the wedding is happening in New York state. It's good to know that immigration shouldn't have any issues with the gov't shut down.

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Welcome! But man, I don't know about your sis-in-law-to-be wanting to come here. o_O I don't think this is the best place to be living at the moment.

Here's hoping she (and your family) don't have any problems related to all of this!

[surevesta.livejournal.com]

She loves my brother and spends her holidays here with us when not working for the last couple years (outside of thanksgiving with her Dad). Her Dad is the only one living in Canada full time of her family that she's speaking to. Her sister stopped speaking to her outside of sending her rude text messages around Christmas (the only one she got this year was her sister texting her pissed because they both got their brother the same DVD apparently). I think the fight has a bit to do with religion, but I'm not positive.

Her brother constantly moves around with his job... and her Mom and Dad aren't speaking (Her Mom lives in the Bahamas).

She and my Mom get along awesomely (I swear my brother for all that he's practically an atheist found almost a carbon copy of our Mom to marry personality and belief wise... it's kind of weird). I actually love it when she's here because I don't have my Mom trying to get me involved with various church activities or religious discussions. She makes my Mom happy and I get to avoid fights with my Mom because our religious and political views don't mesh and my Mom has someone to talk to that agrees with her.

I think P. just loves my Brother a lot and adores the rather close supporting (even if we don't agree with you or like what you're doing, we still love you and will always be there to support you no matter what) attitude that makes up my father's side of the family. It's a lot different than what she has in her own.

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

i just copied your letter and sent it to both of mine.

*fierce hugs*

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

I don't know that it'll make any difference if every person in the US sent emails, but at least I've done *something*, and I guess that's what counts right now.

*hugs you back*

[rainbow.livejournal.com]

me too *HUG* and iconlove <3

[kgoodbuddy.livejournal.com]

Well, it must have been the day to bitch at your senator. After receiving a letter from mine telling me all about what a fab job he's doing, and how he's the sole arbiter of common sense, here's how I responded:

"Senator Corker,

When you and your Republican colleagues decide to increase taxes on the people (like yourself) who can afford it most----and stop putting the cost-cutting burden on the most vulnerable among us who have already suffered from the Great Recession you gave us, you'll have my support. Stop wasting our time and money on your culture wars-----97% of all Planned Parenthood funding goes to basic health care for women who have no access anywhere else, but I guess their lives will never be as important as the unborn. Stop lecturing us about common sense----common sense (and history) would say we should NEVER cut taxes during wartime, and corporations should be expected to pay their fair share as well. Of course, as long as corporations are allowed to buy elections, I'm sure you and your colleagues will continue to do their bidding, even if it isn't in the best interests of the American public. Welcome back to the good ole days of oligarchy! I find it really interesting that Republicans only pay attention to the findings of the Congressional Budget Office if its reports support their position. Truly, the hypocrisy is appalling.

Have a nice day,

KG"

Fucker really just hit my LAST nerve;)

Sadly, I think your message is...not useful

[sherrold.livejournal.com]

that means, no matter what stupid things the Repubs try to pass, the Dems should just go along, because people like you are saying, I'm unwilling to pay attention to what's going on; I will punish you both.

That's great. Say good bye to Head Start, to insurance for children, to Planned Parenthood, to hundreds of programs that help the poor, sick and mentally ill in this country. Because it's stupid for the Dems to say no.

Sadly, I didagree. I get a gov check, too, and there's a good chance I won't get it while we're down. But telling the Repubs -- okay, you can cut whatever you want, and we'll let you do it, because otherwise, the government will fall -- just means that the Repubs will never stop asking for more.

Re: Sadly, I think your message is...not useful

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

I actually wasn't telling anyone to go along with anything/everything -- I'm sorry that's what you got from the message I sent, because that's really not what I meant. I am paying attention to what's going on, though I admit I don't always understand. I don't want any settling, I want things fixed. I want Head Start, and insurance for children, and I donate to Planned Parenthood and write letters on their behalf. I'm one of the persons who relies, at least at present, on programs to help the poor, etc., and my ex-husband's job, the one that pays my child support, is funded through a military contract.

What I AM tired of, is everyone pointing the finger and saying someone else is to blame. They're all to blame, and they need to stop arguing and work together on doing the best for ALL people.

Re: Sadly, I think your message is...not useful

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

Honestly, that's how your letter came across to me as well.

I'll happily bitch at the Dems for not getting the budget passed back in October when they were supposed to do so and they were in control of everything, but writing to my two Democratic Senators and telling them to "just fix it" does certainly sound like I'm telling them to keep the government from shutting down at any cost. And, up until the literal 11th hour yesterday, that cost was saying, "Okay, fine" to whatever the Republicans want.

I'm sorry if you think this sounds like I'm "blaming" a side, but the fact of the matter is that compromise only works when one side doesn't interpret that to mean "you give us whatever we want". What the Republicans have been demanding is disastrous, and I will absolutely not tell my elected representatives to go along with it.

Re: Sadly, I think your message is...not useful

[mickeym.livejournal.com]

Well, since none of my elected officials are Democrats, I suppose it works out, then.

And again, sorry if that's how it came across to you, or to anyone else. It was not my intent to even remotely imply that I thought anyone should give in to anyone else.

Re: Sadly, I think your message is...not useful

[liz-w.livejournal.com]

I think the disconnect was in you saying, "I wrote to my senator, you should think about writing to yours. Here's what I said to mine," and then people (me included) mis-reading that as "This is what I said to my senator, you should say it to yours."

Once I re-read everything it all became a lot clearer, sorry for the confusion!

[munibunny.livejournal.com]

20% of my monthly revenue comes from a contract with the US Army so I'm already nervous funding is going to be cut. The whole thing sucks...

I knew that congress wasn't going to let it get to the point of a shut down but, believe me, I'm not anxious to see the outcome of these last minute negotiations. :(