My friend Cathy (we go back to college), pointed out that a government shut-down, should mean EVERYTHING SHUTS DOWN. I TOTALLY AGREE, even when I have a Everglades National Park reservation (on Tuesday 1/23/18). This is what I found on the National Park Service website:
Our Apologies…
The Recreation.gov website is not available due to a lapse in funding for the federal government.
We will keep all reservations in the system intact until the departure date has passed in the event you would like to use any part of your reservation. If your reservation falls completely within the time frame of the lapse in funding, full refunds will be made. No additional cancellation fees will be charged to the customer for reservation cancellations as a result of facility closures.
We invite you to return to this site as the situation evolves in order to obtain additional information about how services and reservations may be affected.
The vast majority of Americans don’t think about their federal government, until they need or want it. I think about government workers local, state and federal, every day. Weird but true. I spent my professional life in their service. I respect them and believe in the service they provide. Certainly, I have experienced horrible, awful and terrible public service. I have to bite my lip, when it occurs.
But this week, proves my point. Our elected officials: President, Senators and Representatives have failed the American people. The Federal Government is shut-down, and they are still getting paid.
But the military, federal corrections personnel, police, and the transportation security administration (TSA) to name a few, will report to work and NOT GET PAID. There is something terribly wrong, when workers don’t get paid for working, and elected officials – their bosses – get paid for failing to do their jobs.
You all know where I stand, I am a Democrat.
I hold both parties responsible. The Democrats are a disappointment, the GOP is a disgrace.
Democrats are using the same playbook that lost the 2016 election – identity politics. They have set-up a Sophie’s choice. Pitting poor children (CHIP) against undocumented children (DACA). Both groups lose.
The GOP is so incredibly disciplined they have their talking points and stick to them – no matter what the facts. I watched them every day for 17 years until 2016, when I could not stand it anymore. Even before Donald Trump came to town.
So, while I sit outside the gates of Everglades National Park, I think of all the federal government workers who are not getting paid. Some are reporting to work and some are sitting at home waiting to be told to come back to work.
There are so many problems the political sound bite cannot encompass.
Why is the Federal Government Shut-down?
Because Congress has failed to: 1) pass a Budget; 2) pass 13 Appropriation bills, that fund the 13 federal agencies; and, 3) follow regular order.
They spend too much time raising money and not enough time doing their jobs, getting to know their colleagues and working together.
Democrats are using undocumented children.
Republicans are using the military.
Common ground is what they are missing in today’s federal shut-down.
Of course, Trump as President is impossible for both his GOP colleagues and Dems. It is impossible to shame a man, who has no shame.
Thanks, Alison. Great post. I understand that Claire McCaskill introduced a bill that would serve as a stopgap so military would receive their pay. McConnell refused to hear it. Unfortunately, some people live paycheck to paycheck and those who are considered critical or essential should work and get paid. Everybody else should be home. Leaving parks open and providing Non-essential services lessens the impacts felt by Americans who might be more likely to pressure their representatives if they actually understood what services the government provides. Stop the mail! Shut it down! And yet, I am still sorry that this punishment we will all share will hurt, like you not going to your park. I am sorry about that. We supposedly have a president who is a deal maker, but apparently he breaks his deals and his word lightly. Like everything else the man does, he has no moral compass, no scruples, and cannot be trusted to do anything he says. As already shown in this budget fiasco, he has reneged on a deal he made. A pox on his house. We must all fight to end this presidency before the damage he does cannot be undone. I hope for the conued good health of Robert Mueller. Sorry for the long and rambling post. Xoxoxo. PS. Is there a state park you can go to? .