Government Shutdown 2015

[Belsnickel]

(09-24-2015, 12:49 PM)StLucieBengal Wrote: I know your also concerned about the size of the fed gov.  That's why I don't understand the uproar by the media and general public over the shutdown.   It should be the starting point .  If this 15% isnt essential then let them go.     If that means the fed can't manage parks then let the state's  take over that responsibility.    

Personally I would like to see a 25% haircut.   That would put us on the right track.

GOP should shut it down then go to the people and explain why we don't need the 15%. Change the media narrative. No one wants wasted money.

The uproar is because there are public-facing segments that are impacted. Aside from that, the furlough that occurs leaves many people jobless. Some get back pay (the direct federal employees are usually covered by this) but the government contract workers affected don't receive pay for that period. There is a lot of financial hardship that comes about from these things. Living in Virginia, our state budget is impacted by government shutdowns. We faced a budget shortfall in part because of the lost revenue from taxes paid by federal workers and contractors.

I'm for reducing the size of the federal government, but it has to be done in measured steps with research done on the feasibility of shifting burdens and the potential issues related to eliminating certain offices. If it is not done in a stepped-down way then it will throw our country into another recession.