April8
Update: Government Shutdown Averted – What Now?
The LA Times has a good road map of what we can expect in the days to come.
Republicans will still fight to give entitlements to the rich, and the Democrats to the poor, children, elderly and women. The crisis has only been adverted for a week.
Here’s how the government shutdown, threatened for shortly after midnight tonight, just as Saturday begins, might affect homeschool and other families.
Military Families will get IOUs instead of paychecks. Hope your mortgage provider or landlord accept IOUs!
If you haven’t sent in your Federal Tax return yet, file electronically. It is the only way you’ll get a quick refund. No one will be there to open mailed returns or send out checks.
Mail is self-funded through stamps. You’ll still get mail.
Social security will be sent out to current beneficiaries. It is unlikely new applications would be processed.
Medicare should make payments for awhile yet. If grandma has postponed any medical work, get it done now!
FBI, Border Patrol and other Federal law enforcement agencies would stay on the job.
National Parks will close, so forget that field trip for awhile. This includes National Monuments, too. National Forests may have no rangers, and so be closed. This means that Bureau of Land Management won’t have funds to keep their recreation areas open either.
Forget international travel. Passports and Visas will not be issued.
But if you are flying within the country, Air Traffic controllers will continue to be paid.
The Smithsonian and National Zoo in Washington DC will be closed. Will a government shutdown affect your spring break plans?
You will not be able to tour the White House or any other public government building. The White House Spring Garden Tour will be cancelled.
A minimum of 800,000 government workers will be furloughed. Businesses that depend on spending by these families may suffer. Unlike the military, they will not be given IOUs.
Federal Courts have enough to work for 10 days, and then may be reduced to essential staffing. Jurors would not get paid.
Meat, poultry, eggs, grains will continue to be inspected. Child nutrition programs, including Food Stamps, National School Lunch and Breakfast Programs, and WIC, are funded through May and June, but most USDA employees will be furloughed. This page has long list of USDA programs that will go on hiatus during a federal shutdown. These will affect rural homeschoolers.
Gee.. Offshore Drilling Permits will continue to be issued!
Mines and Health facilities will NOT be inspected.
Like to go fishing or duck hunting? Well, the Fish & Wildlife Service won’t be preserving habitat. Here is what the FWS was going to be spending their budget on.
Financial Regulation is put on hold. No inspections of stock brokers. No enforcement of financial transactions. Should be field day for White Collar criminals, so be wary!
The Department of Energy won’t be publishing its reports about gas and oil inventories. If this goes on for weeks, prices are expected to soar.
Affecting farming and ranching families, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission will be minimally staffed.
Hoping for a home loan or an small business loan? Consider those services halted.
Got savings in the stock market? The Securities and Exchange Commission would be unable to process or review filings, provide interpretive advice or issue no-action letters.
Government contractor employees may face furloughs. This might include the U.S. Army’s Rock Island Arsenal. In other words, the military will still have to fight, without pay and without military items they have might need. Great.
Elected officials will all still get their standard paychecks unless Congress changes the law.
Oh, and government websites won’t be updated to let you know what is going on.
My major Resources for this article:
Long Government Shutdown Would Harm U.S. Economy, Hit Washington Hardest
Bloomberg, By Catherine Dodge and Julianna Goldman
Government shutdown: The mail will come, but your tax refund might not be in it
Mercury News, By Steven Thomma
Government Shutdown: What to Expect
Wall Street Journal – Washington Wire, by Patrick O’Connor
