Quick Shutdown Solution

The quickest way to find a government shutdown solution is to have a real shutdown. Shut down air traffic by sending the TSA and air traffic controllers home. Stop checks to the military and Social Security. Let the Secret Service agents go home. The quickest way would be to stop the paychecks of the politicians. A solution would be found within 20 minutes.

Instead we have this cherry picking of agencies. Some people are sent home. Others have to work without pay.

I discovered something interesting. Let's say you have one of those “essential” jobs like a prison guard. A lot of them took vacation time for the holidays. Many made travel plans like buying airline tickets and hotel reservations. Not only are they not getting paid for the vacation, the vacation time itself is canceled and they have to come into work. It's either that or lose their job.

Of course, you can only have people come to work so long without pay. At some point people have to find a paying gig.

There are a lot of private contractors who take it on the chin. Most people don't realize how much of the government functions are actually run by private contractors. For example, most Federal campgrounds are run by private companies. Don't let the green uniforms fool you, most of the people doing the work are not Federal employees. Imagine being a carpenter doing work for a government agency that suddenly loses its funding. These people aren't getting paid either.

I really don't like the way the two party system has taken over the country. That's not in the Constitution. It's something that developed as time went on. People don't look at the individuals who make the laws. Instead, too many are rooting for their party as if they are sports teams. As long as the opposite team is losing, they feel good about themselves. Unfortunately, we are all this together and everybody loses.

-Sixbears