America shut down
@allknowing (137781)
India
September 30, 2013 11:23pm CST
Can someone explain what this is all about?
David Gergen says Washington is on the verge of doing something very stupid, but it's possible something stupid could help us avoid something dangerous: default.
3 responses
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
2 Oct 13
So as of today (until such time as parties reach an agreed-upon budget or some such or other grown-uppity thing), it's 'martial law' (not really any different than regular law, except now it doesn't have a government signature.)
Something I'm not quite understanding: this is all about "Senate not yet 'validating' the funds for the Healthcare Bill"---where ARE these funds? if they just gave those funds back to the taxpayers, couldn't THEY then get the healthcare they need?
@jsmith12 (438)
• Canada
2 Oct 13
The problem is the way the money is subdivided. Money that supports people who may have reasons they cannot work need the extra help. From what I understand, the Republicans are just doing this to show off. They don't want to support certain groups, then turn around and claim that they want to, it's the democrats who refused to.
Basically it's a power play move that the Republicans are pulling to try and gain support.
I believe it's an attempt at a similar system to what we have in Canada, a universal heath care. So that people who can't afford heath care, either due to low wages, or unemployed, or such can acess health care.
1 person likes this
@mythociate (21432)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
3 Oct 13
@jsmith12 I think it's the 'scam' that insurance is (the healthy & working pay for the ailing & unemployed/retired), except on a PUBLIC (rather than private) national scale.
2 people like this
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
1 Oct 13
As far as I can determine, a 'shutdown' happens when the House and the Senate cannot agree on funding for the upcoming fiscal year. Since no funding or budget can be agreed, all Government funded functions come to a halt, including social security and medicare payments, civilian Defence Department salaries and the salaries of other Government employees. Certain services are protected, including the salaries of serving military personnel, the Weather service, the penal service, the postal service and medical services at federal institutions.
This article in the (British) Daily Mail may help to explain it further. "GOP" stands for the "Grand Old Party" ( = the Republican Party).
The White House budget office told federal agencies at 11:46 p.m. Monday to 'execute plans for an orderly shutdown due to the absence of appropriations.' House Rules Committee Republicans wanted both parties to appoint 'conferees' to meet in a summit with
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
1 Oct 13
This Wikipedia entry may help you understand it further:
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search This article is about U.S. government shutdown in general. For the 2013 U.S. government shutdown, see United States federal government shutdown of 2013. Editing of this article by new or unr
@allknowing (137781)
• India
1 Oct 13
@owlwings Thanks a ton. Your explanation says it all. I need not go through anything else. As *I have understood as long as there is no agreement this impasse as I might call it will continue. In the meanwhile the staff I believe will be laid off with no pay. What is happening to US? And how long will it take to get back I wonder.
Thanks once again.
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
1 Oct 13
@allknowing It's very difficult to know how long it will last and what will happen in the US. It seems that either the Republicans must back down on the 'Obamacare' package they are refusing to accept or the Democrats will have to set them aside. Either way, it will be the American public at large who will lose out.
The shutdown could also have a serious effect on the American economy and it looks as though the dollar will lose value against other currencies, as it has already begun to do.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
3 Oct 13
Basically, the Republicans will not pass a budget unless it contains a provision to either defund or delay Obamacare (the Affordable Care Act). The Democrats are willing to compromise on almost anything BUT Obamacare. So both sides have drawn a line in the sand, and neither is willing to cross over.
@dawnald (85146)
• Shingle Springs, California
4 Oct 13
@allknowing Not so far...
1 person likes this
