One Thing This Govt. Shutdown Has Revealed

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lol - this thread sure went sideways in a hurry....
 

I agree with mathjak107 & sassy cakes #16 post. Re unemployment compensation I saw in today's paper that those who are still physically reporting for work won't get it because technically they aren't unemployed; the ones who are "furloughed" and get it will have to repay it when (and if) they get back pay for the time they were getting unemployment.
Also, the cost of living varies amazingly in different states and even different parts of the same state. For example here in NM
housing costs in ABQ are much lower than in Santa Fe & towns in our "oil patch" . Both have had trouble attracting qualified school teachers because they couldn't afford decent ordinary housing ( not luxury) California has had a net loss in population partly due to high cost of living.
Those of you who are going tsk tsk about people living paycheck to paycheck, how old were you, how long married, how many children in your home before you felt you had a comfortable emergency cushion without recourse to your parents or going into debt in an emergency ?
 

Some years back when the steel mills were shutting down here in PA, there was a man, who had a family of four kids and a wife. The wife was a part time teacher’s aid. When he lost his job, unemployment just couldn’t make up their earning difference compared to how much they made before the mill closed.

In order to feed, clothe and pay for a roof over their heads, he took up robbing banks. I think he had robbed seven banks for a total of around $250,000.00. This was all perpetrated in less than six months.

When questioned as to why he kept robbing banks even after he had stolen enough money to keep his family going for a few years, his reply was, “It was so easy and I just couldn’t stop.”
 
Geezerette said:
I agree with mathjak107 & sassy cakes #16 post. Re unemployment compensation I saw in today's paper that those who are still physically reporting for work won't get it because technically they aren't unemployed; the ones who are "furloughed" and get it will have to repay it when (and if) they get back pay for the time they were getting unemployment.
Also, the cost of living varies amazingly in different states and even different parts of the same state. For example here in NM
housing costs in ABQ are much lower than in Santa Fe & towns in our "oil patch" . Both have had trouble attracting qualified school teachers because they couldn't afford decent ordinary housing ( not luxury) California has had a net loss in population partly due to high cost of living.
Those of you who are going tsk tsk about people living paycheck to paycheck, how old were you, how long married, how many children in your home before you felt you had a comfortable emergency cushion without recourse to your parents or going into debt in an emergency ?
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Absolutely true. It is easy to judge the actions of others when you don't know the whole story. I personally know a family here where both parents are employed in very good jobs and live in a modest home, drive older cars and live very frugally, yet they still struggle because they have a child who suffers from a debilitating (and unfixable) condition which requires the expenditure of large sums of money each month simply to keep her alive (in addition to what their insurance pays). If one or both of them lost their paychecks it would be disastrous for the child and for the whole family.

We never know what another person is dealing with in life, and IMHO we should not be so quick to judge how they live. I think most people, particularly in their younger days, have had periods where there was too much month left at the end of their paychecks. I know I sure did.
 
From one of my local TV stations: (Nashville TN)

"To help furloughed employees without a paycheck, a number of companies, institutions, and restaurants are offering assistance and discounts."

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/a...-a-paycheck-heres-a-list-of-resources-to-help

[FONT=Georgia, serif]The list includes free admission to the local zoo and museum discovery center, free restaurant meals, food assistance, financial assistance and cellular assistance from a variety of institutions and businesses, even free pet supplies from our local Humane Association. [/FONT]



 
I grew up poor. Son of a single mom with an 8th grade education who supported us by waiting tables at greasy spoons for nickel and dime tips. It's not easy to break out of the cycle of poverty when you start with nothing. It took me until I was in my 40's before I didn't have to wait for payday to go grocery shopping. In fact there were more than a few times when I kited a check at the grocery store a day or two before payday. That was back in the days before the internet when it took a couple of days before they hit the bank. So even though I have a fairly comfortable position now, I'm slow to judge those that don't. "There but for fortune go you or I"
 
One odd bit of news about the shutdown that is getting lots of air time in my area is the payout of February SNAP benefits in mid-January.

The concern is that people will use the benefits immediately and then be struggling during February.

In my area, approximately 30% of the population is on some form of government assistance other than SS and Medicare so it is a legitimate concern for the people who operate the local food pantries, soup kitchens, etc...
 
Don M. said:
Agreed! if these ego-driven politicians can't or won't do their jobs, and shut down the government, they, too, should give up their paychecks and perks. I swear...it seems like our politicians are this nations worst enemies.
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I'd go further than that. I think no one who gets any kind of check from the federal government should be paid during a shutdown. That includes the military and all of us old geezers that get social security checks. And there should be no retroactive back pay either. If you miss a check, that money is gone. Forever. I guarendamnteeyou if that was the case no politician would dare to try to shut down the government.
 
Between the bad weather, and this govt. shutdown, the situation at most airports is becoming worse, almost daily....I sure wouldn't want to have to fly anywhere during this mess. If the number of TSA agents failing to report for work continues to climb, it won't be long before air travel becomes almost not worth it....passengers having to report to the airport several hours before their flight just to stand in line for screening.
 
Don M. said:
Between the bad weather, and this govt. shutdown, the situation at most airports is becoming worse, almost daily....I sure wouldn't want to have to fly anywhere during this mess. If the number of TSA agents failing to report for work continues to climb, it won't be long before air travel becomes almost not worth it....passengers having to report to the airport several hours before their flight just to stand in line for screening.
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Not to mention missing connecting flights due to the slow down.
 
Well, people aren’t going to make their flights if TSA agents continue to be absent from work. No one wants to get to the airport 3-4 hours before their flight. As it is now, passengers complain about the long lines and slow agents working the security sections.

Flight crews are fortunate enough that they can generally walk through without having to be scanned or have to go through the screening process. I always recommended to the passengers that complained about having to go through TSA to pay the $85.00 and go through the process of obtaining a pre-check pass. Generally, it only takes 2-3 minutes to get through security with pre-check.
 
oldman said:
I always recommended to the passengers that complained about having to go through TSA to pay the $85.00 and go through the process of obtaining a pre-check pass. Generally, it only takes 2-3 minutes to get through security with pre-check.
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I never heard of that. Doesn't sound very safe. What's to stop a hijacker from paying 85 bucks to get a pre-check pass in order to have an easier time getting through security when he comes back later with a bomb or weapon hidden on him?

Plus it discriminates against poor people. 85 bucks may not seem like much to you, but that's more than I paid for my first car. :(
 
Trade said:
I never heard of that. Doesn't sound very safe. What's to stop a hijacker from paying 85 bucks to get a pre-check pass in order to have an easier time getting through security when he comes back later with a bomb or weapon hidden on him?

Plus it discriminates against poor people. 85 bucks may not seem like much to you, but that's more than I paid for my first car. :(
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The $85 is for a 5 year KTN (Known Traveler Number), which has to be purchased thru a screening process that takes several weeks. Plus, you still go thru a screening process at the airport, but the line is generally shorter/quicker, and you don't have to take off your shoes or belts or open up your lap top. Additionally, some folks with KTNs are randomly selected to go thru the normal security line. I've had that happen once.

You need to get out more. :)
 
While I was channel flipping through the TV news this evening, I came across a commentator who predicted that if the present shutdown continues, and the number of TSA agents showing up for work continues to decline, he estimated that sometime during the last half of February, passenger air traffic will almost grind to a halt. Were that to happen, about the only planes flying would be cargo flights....and of course, the politicians would still be chartering flights to enjoy their "perks" at taxpayer expense.
 
Don M. said:
While I was channel flipping through the TV news this evening, I came across a commentator who predicted that if the present shutdown continues, and the number of TSA agents showing up for work continues to decline, he estimated that sometime during the last half of February, passenger air traffic will almost grind to a halt. Were that to happen, about the only planes flying would be cargo flights....and of course, the politicians would still be chartering flights to enjoy their "perks" at taxpayer expense.
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That's just lovely. I'm scheduled to fly out to California on the 16th of February to visit my daughter. It will be the first time I have flown since before 9/11. And now that might be screwed up due to disgruntled TSA employees. Which I can't blame for being disgruntled. I would be too if I was being told I had to work without pay.

 
Warrigal said:
Some workers without pay are finding it difficult to afford the transport costs to actually get to work.
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Not surprising. Their average wage is about 16 bucks an hour.

https://www.payscale.com/research/U...ion_Security_Administration_(TSA)/Hourly_Rate

That's about 32K a year. A decent living wage, in the 1980's. Today, not so much.

Hell, I'm rooting for them to screw up the countries air travel, even if it does mess up my trip next month. This whole shut down crap and expecting people to work without pay is bullshit. It's time to make everyone start feeling some pain. Not just a select few.
 
All this work without pay is really money in the bank. Not easy to do if you have not practiced on your own and have some cash in savings to live on while all these brainless ones try to lead our country. But you have to know that all our leaders live in bigger money than all the rest of us do.
 
My brother and his wife got back yesterday from a 4-day trip from O'Hare to Knoxville. They're both seasoned air travelers and didn't notice any unusual wait times when boarding.
 
Trade said:
I grew up poor. Son of a single mom with an 8th grade education who supported us by waiting tables at greasy spoons for nickel and dime tips. It's not easy to break out of the cycle of poverty when you start with nothing. It took me until I was in my 40's before I didn't have to wait for payday to go grocery shopping. In fact there were more than a few times when I kited a check at the grocery store a day or two before payday. That was back in the days before the internet when it took a couple of days before they hit the bank. So even though I have a fairly comfortable position now, I'm slow to judge those that don't. "There but for fortune go you or I"
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Ooo, I remember the days when I did the write-a-check-early thing. I had it down to a science; I had figured out precisely how long it took for checks to clear every grocery store in town. Oddly, it varied -- maybe because of the way they handled their checks or the time of day they made their deposits; anyway, it took one grocery chain two whole days longer to clear their checks. I did a lot of business with that chain close to payday.

I agree with you; because I struggled early on, I am very slow to judge those who have a hard time making ends meet. It ain't always as easy as it sounds.
 
Tommy said:
My brother and his wife got back yesterday from a 4-day trip from O'Hare to Knoxville. They're both seasoned air travelers and didn't notice any unusual wait times when boarding.
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My son flies a LOT for his work and he says he's seen substantial slowdowns in the screening lines. He has to fly tomorrow and he's concerned about making his connections.
 
mathjak107 said:
don't forget they may be saving a lot but it is in retirement plan money.

the other problem is the mantra live below your means is pretty meaningless and un-actionable . it is really the ratio of discretionary to non discretionary spending that counts . you can certainly keep expenses below budget but if everything is a need then there is no where to cut back from even though you are below your means " whatever that is supposed to mean .

so if i buy a house that "fits within your means "

i get laid off ,,, do i move immediately ? or another scenario , what happens if unexpectedly i need a new car and a good part of our budget is spent , what happens to my "means " ? what if i work on commission and my means changes this year ?

what if the markets have a bad year ? do i move ?


so means is always changing . the problem is there are very few guidelines for how to spend . how much should be allocated go housing , to a car , to expenses you can't adjust ? that is an actionable plan ... telling someone live below your means is like saying drive safely or get a good paying job . they sound great but what does it mean as far as what do i do ? you get the idea .
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This is the kind of thinking that has weakened society as a whole. Nobody owes anyone a perfect life or a life without problems.
It also led to over half the nation on welfare in one form or another. Children without father's and millions of single mothers.
 

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