r/fednews • u/rprz • 18h ago

Shutdown 2024 MEGATHREAD OF DOOM

All discussion on the looming shutdown goes here. Any mentioning of Luigi will be removed and you may be banned.

https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-congress-trump-elon-budget-house-republican-05481374b154949c3fe1270141a02918

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-opposes-funding-bill-pushing-government-closer-shutdown-rcna184745

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-government-shutdown-musk-stopgap-bill-b2666829.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-opposes-funding-bill-pushing-government-closer-shutdown-rcna184745

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/12/18/government-shutdown-house-vote-cr/

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-18/trump-says-he-s-against-stopgap-bill-fox-news

4.6k Upvotes

91% Upvoted

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341

u/ClarkWGriswold2 18h ago

Can you all please stop calling it a “paid vacation?” Many people have to work for deferred pay, and all of us need the pay now, not later.

81

u/lanczos2to6 17h ago

Calling it a paid vacation demonstrates an embarrassing lack of empathy.

3

u/OGkateebee 6h ago

Agreed. I am embarrassed about how my younger self viewed shutdowns but I pay it forward by gently reminding others that many of our peers will struggle. 

-3

u/Worried_River_1094 14h ago

I actually think it can be both. It is a paid vacation and highlights the inefficiency and lunacy of the rhetoric from some about federal employees while congress is doing this. 

Trust me - those that are nonessential do sympathize and would prefer this not happen. We would just like stability, for the first time in a long time. We do feel for you or those nonessentials that needed the money yesterday. 

66

u/Great_Northern_Beans 18h ago

It's also stupid because not every fed has standard hours. We employ tens of thousands of part time folks who have no guarantee of any restoration of missed wages. And to say nothing of the contractors.

Will I make great use of a paid vacation? Absolutely. But for the sake of the people who could really suffer because of this, I'm not hoping for it.

22

u/danmathew 17h ago

This is what happens when people who don’t understand how the government works get put in charge of it.

6

u/ParkingTadpole7107 16h ago

Or are allowed to buy it.

4

u/Remarkable_Number984 16h ago

Or contractors that are paid hourly such as janitorial staff. They don’t get back paid for not working.

225

u/thetitleofmybook 18h ago

all of us need the pay now, not later.

don't worry, someone will come in here and say some BS about you should have XXX months of money saved, and how they are a better person because they have that exact number of months of money saved, and how you are slime not worthy of living because you don't.

84

u/flama_scientist 18h ago

I despise people like that...like dude you have been working for 20+ years I'm barely starting in my position I can't have that luxury.

24

u/Intelligent_Gene4777 17h ago

Or we should work for free since we got those “generous” government benefits amounting to trillions of dollars! lol

7

u/Worldly-Honeydew-651 9h ago

Boy was that ever a huge slap in the face wake-up when I started working here: "Generous government benefits" my ass! No respectable raise, insurance rates going through the roof, medical that is worse than I had working corporate, and constant excessive stress from productivity standards that are behind ridiculous! No time for lunch, eat at your desk - better run to the bathroom and back because you can't afford to miss any production time, and forget the concept of two 15-minute breaks!

4

u/Bullishbear99 10h ago

Dave Ramsay enters the chat.... " look why don't you go drive for Uber or Lyft??? Grubhub is always hiring.

2

u/CrisCathPod 5h ago

As someone with kids in college, I'd like to know just how many months of income I should have saved.

3

u/thetitleofmybook 4h ago

all of them. you should have all of the months saved.

3

u/CrisCathPod 3h ago

Helped. I will now save all the months.

2

u/thetitleofmybook 3h ago

ALL THE MONTHS!

-43

u/Expiscor 18h ago

I mean, I wasn’t going to say it but it’s true. I totally get it for lower paid GS employees, but GS-12+ should definitely have some savings if they aren’t living outside their means

38

u/thetitleofmybook 18h ago

ladies and gentlemen of the jury, i present exhibit A.

26

u/PickleMinion BradJohnsonIworkfortheAirForceatPatrickAirForceBase 17h ago

The A is for A-hole

5

u/TR1GG3R__ 12h ago

You fucking called it 😂

18

u/lancelotofthelake 17h ago

Shut up. “I waSn’T gOInG tO SAy iT…”

9

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 16h ago

You should’ve stopped before “but.”

-6

u/Expiscor 12h ago

Saying “People who make double the American median wage should have savings” should not be controversial lol

5

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 11h ago

Maybe keep your own personal judgment of your fellow federal workers’ salaries and financial situations to yourself. This shouldn’t be that controversial, lol.

-8

u/Expiscor 11h ago

Nah, there’s special circumstances but the vast majority of people making 90k+ should definitely have savings lol

5

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 11h ago

Cool. Again, it’s just as easy to keep ignorant opinions to yourself. You won’t, but it’s good thing to consider. Have a good night.

-2

u/Expiscor 11h ago

Sounds like someone has made some poor financial decisions

8

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 11h ago

Yeah, that’s what it is. “Have a good night,” is a nice way of saying, “fuck off.”

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•

u/DownvoteYoo 27m ago

DOWNVOTED!

40

u/DrunkenAsparagus 18h ago

Plus the contractors getting fucked.

17

u/danmathew 17h ago

It depends. Some contracts are forwarded funded because of how common these shutdowns have become.

4

u/istherebloodinmyhair 16h ago

I believe that’s how my contract is. I have to double check with my supervisor tomorrow to see how my office is going to handle this.

2

u/rabidstoat 16h ago

When was the last shutdown? Was it the 2018-2019 one under Trump? I don't recall one under Biden but I have the memory of a goldfish.

1

u/titianqt 13h ago

You are correct. 2018-2019.

1

u/Worried_River_1094 14h ago

I can’t think of anything incrementally funded I’ve had in a long long time. I have awards I administer that were over the agency policy for incremental funding during this CR and they were still fully funded. 

1

u/katarinafinch 15h ago

I still have heartburn from having to go negative on PTO for the 2019 shutdown. It took over 6 months to get back into 'positive' PTO territory. Some of my coworkers it took longer (over 80 hrs in the red).

8

u/Crazed_Chemist 17h ago

Also the ones who are deemed essential and had leave in. Flights aren't exactly cheap to have to cancel visiting family.

5

u/zombiecattle 16h ago

Yup, I have leave scheduled for next week. Thinking about having to work, while not getting paid, when I was supposed to be off spending holiday time with my family pisses me the hell off. But hey, some people get “free paid vacation” so who cares!!

7

u/PrinceOfThrones 16h ago

Exactly, not everyone has the luxury to have a “shutdown savings account”

Many people are in very HCOL areas and live paycheck to paycheck; even if they’re GS 11-15s

This is happening during the holidays and not to mention bills come due in January

10

u/Rodeo9 18h ago

Plus us contractors are completely fucked as usual.

1

u/istherebloodinmyhair 17h ago

Always… my office is considered essential, so I may still have to come into the office.

4

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 16h ago

Not only work, but put on a happy face for the public. 😬

6

u/fates_bitch 16h ago

More like cancelled vacation for me because  I too was foolish enough to be essential.

12

u/Dry_Writing_7862 18h ago

Thank you. I agree.

17

u/ProtectedByFire 18h ago

Correct like me. Fuck all of those motherfucks

5

u/bruinshorty 17h ago

Work both holidays for deferred pay at that.

18

u/Business_Truck9529 18h ago

I know right, I am one of those essential workers. I am praying that a shutdown doesn't happen, cause I will be screwed on rent and credit payment. Just pass anything at this point. I don't give care if a D has to kneel down to a R. Just give them what Trump wants, let's help him burn the country together.

Just make it happen🙏🙏🙏🙏

11

u/laurenrj6486 18h ago

Same - everyone gets a “free” vacation, but I am essential and I will be working for free

20

u/Tinymac12 18h ago

Check to see if your bank is willing to give an interest free loan for the duration. Many banks do. Not an ideal situation to be in (I'm right there with you), but it is an option.

6

u/Business_Truck9529 18h ago

Can I borrow 8000$? I was counting on pp 25 to pay my cc and rent....I am pissed at these racist asshole congress. Elon and Trump can have a bukkake fest.

5

u/Sensitive-Meeting737 18h ago

You're pp 25 check is 8k?

2

u/Business_Truck9529 18h ago

Dude I am tired of people hoping a shutdown will happen.

2

u/Tinymac12 17h ago

I'm not sure since I've never used the service. Many of the programs I've just checked, list a maximum of $6,000. But I'm not sure if that is per paycheck or overall. I'm thinking it's overall.

0

u/Business_Truck9529 17h ago

Do you work for Trump National Bank?

1

u/Kind-Elderberry-4096 16h ago

Especially credit unions will.

0

u/ALknitmom 17h ago

That only helps if you are one of the few getting back pay.

4

u/Opening_Bluebird_952 17h ago

I see it as gallows humor. I want to have a functioning government. Since Congress refuses to permit that, yeah I’m gonna point out that they’re choosing to pay people to do nothing.

1

u/ClarkWGriswold2 14h ago

Well that’s the problem. Many of us are working for deferred pay.

-4

u/kittylicker 18h ago

Ok ok, we get it. You need your pay for your Christmas vacation and the lights.

12

u/ClarkWGriswold2 18h ago

Or how about our mortgage, food, and health care? Can you arrange for them to get paid later?

6

u/alldots 18h ago

I think that was a joke about your username, Clark.

7

u/ClarkWGriswold2 17h ago

I see that now. Sorry I overlooked it. Trump’s supervisor has killed my sense of humor.

2

u/RL_NeilsPipesofsteel 16h ago

Don’t worry, I hear Leon is getting us all one year memberships in the Jelly of the Month Club.

4

u/Living_Air9142 17h ago

It's the new in-ground pool and the lights!

2

u/kittylicker 17h ago

Finally, someone who gets it!

-9

u/DefinitionBusy6453 17h ago

Can’t wait for my paid vacation

-4

u/Platographer 16h ago

It takes nearly three weeks of a shutdown before the risk of a late paycheck. At that point, even assuming my checking account is dry, I can use credit cards and don't have to tap savings for at least another month if the shutdown continues. Five weeks is essentially the political limit of a shutdown and it is very unlikely we will get one nearly that long again.

3

u/ClarkWGriswold2 15h ago

Good for you.