26 days

[Sytes]

The level of ignorance is mind boggling.

First, you have much more limited rights as a federal employee than you do if you work in the private sector. Striking or refusing to report for work as ordered can result in termination and/criminal prosecution. Seeking outside employment can result in the same if it appears to create a conflict of interest so in some cases must be approved by the Ethics Office (which is closed due to furlough). Despite what you see from both parties, there are ethics laws.

Requiring people to incur the costs of transportation and childcare required to report to work, without paying them should be (and is for non-federal employers) illegal.

All this garbage about rich federal employees is assinine. I must work in the wrong branch. The only people I know pulling in 6 figures are upper managers, who would be getting Golden parachutes and 7 figures in the private sector. The reason the “average” federal pay has appeared to rise is because they’ve axed many of the low paying jobs and now contract those out. Your rank and file fed isn’t making anywhere close to 6 figures. Plus in reality, the shutdown has a bigger impact than it would have in the past because fewer folks now going without pay are covered by this whole backpay bill. They work for private contractors and will never recoup those lost wages. But, yea shutdown!

Second, it’s really funny to hear people bash any federal employees, but the military and veterans are sacred. Um, folks do realize that the federal government (not just the military branches) is the largest employer of veterans, right? And they are a significant portion of those not being paid right now? They work in positions from HR to contracting, biology, engineering, maintenance, you name it. Many are young families, have a lot of medical bills and other expenses and yes, even though people can’t seem to grasp the concept, many are living paycheck to paycheck. But hey, they’re just lazy SOBs getting rich off the government tit. Thank you for your service, my ass.

Third, it’s pretty telling just how essential federal employees are when thousands are being called back (under questionable legal authority) because their absences are causing too much disruption. Get rid of all those lazy employees, except the ones that keep my recreational opportunities open, or the ones that give me my tax refund, or the ones who process my business loan, or the ones who inspect the safety of my food, or.....:W:

another great post.

 

[brownbear932008]

The level of ignorance is mind boggling.

First, you have much more limited rights as a federal employee than you do if you work in the private sector. Striking or refusing to report for work as ordered can result in termination and/criminal prosecution. Seeking outside employment can result in the same if it appears to create a conflict of interest so in some cases must be approved by the Ethics Office (which is closed due to furlough). Despite what you see from both parties, there are ethics laws.

Requiring people to incur the costs of transportation and childcare required to report to work, without paying them should be (and is for non-federal employers) illegal.

All this garbage about rich federal employees is assinine. I must work in the wrong branch. The only people I know pulling in 6 figures are upper managers, who would be getting Golden parachutes and 7 figures in the private sector. The reason the “average” federal pay has appeared to rise is because they’ve axed many of the low paying jobs and now contract those out. Your rank and file fed isn’t making anywhere close to 6 figures. Plus in reality, the shutdown has a bigger impact than it would have in the past because fewer folks now going without pay are covered by this whole backpay bill. They work for private contractors and will never recoup those lost wages. But, yea shutdown!

Second, it’s really funny to hear people bash any federal employees, but the military and veterans are sacred. Um, folks do realize that the federal government (not just the military branches) is the largest employer of veterans, right? And they are a significant portion of those not being paid right now? They work in positions from HR to contracting, biology, engineering, maintenance, you name it. Many are young families, have a lot of medical bills and other expenses and yes, even though people can’t seem to grasp the concept, many are living paycheck to paycheck. But hey, they’re just lazy SOBs getting rich off the government tit. Thank you for your service, my ass.

Third, it’s pretty telling just how essential federal employees are when thousands are being called back (under questionable legal authority) because their absences are causing too much disruption. Get rid of all those lazy employees, except the ones that keep my recreational opportunities open, or the ones that give me my tax refund, or the ones who process my business loan, or the ones who inspect the safety of my food, or.....:W:

Couldn't have said it better. And that third point is spot on. I'm not sure how one day your non essential and all of a sudden tax season arrives and your now essential. I think the following court case will prove they were wrong and the taxpayers will foot that bill also damn shame.

 

[noharleyyet]

Couldn't have said it better. And that third point is spot on. I'm not sure how one day your non essential and all of a sudden tax season arrives and your now essential. I think the following court case will prove they were wrong anus the taxpayers will foot that bill also damn shame.

Not sure if that was a freudian slip or typo...but it's damn sure accurate.

 

[VAspeedgoat]

Despite any beliefs or political leanings, I find it hard to believe some people have such a tough time showing empathy for people during a tough time. We've all lost loved ones and had to deal with that, can we not still feel bad when somebody else losses somebody? In this case we've all gone through tight times and have felt there's no end in sight. I know I have and have felt isolated and frantic. I know how it goes and the only thing I can say and mean it truthfully is it will end and things will be ok. I didn't say it won't suck or it will be better than before but it will be ok. Good luck to all of you out there.

Whenever I go through something rough I remember what Tarheels signature says. Something like, in the end it will all be alright, if it's not alright then it's not the end

 

[brownbear932008]

Not sure if that was a freudian slip or typo...but it's damn sure accurate.

Man your quick not sure how my phone confused anus and also. LOL

 

[HONEYBADGER]

So glad I retired from federal gov't work last summer, my ultimate "take this job and shove it" moment. What a clusterf**k. Donald has never had or wanted a fully staffed gov't. This looks like his way to drive out more experienced, higher paid employees and replace them w cheaper, less qualified help that he can more easily manipulate. Another example of hamhanded business management style that damages the gov't and the nation. Condolences to the dedicated public employees who are stuck w this atrocity.


Curvebow, why should Democrats yield to the Asshat-in-Chief holding the gov't hostage, when more than half the population opposes the wall? His campaign promise came out of the same mouth as all his other lies, obligating the USA to nothing. Our border w Canada admits many times more criminals and terrorists than the one down south, no outrage there.

After reading this I think its perhaps a good thing he is going to try and shed some federal employees.

 

[blb078]

While I do feel for the people that have to go through this and it sux that they have to. They are getting paid back...eventually so it's not like they aren't going to ever get paid for their work still sux to not get paid on time though. At the same time they signed up for a gov't job, anytime someone signs up for a gov't job whether it be a desk job, field job, police, military you have to expect some kind of crap. Whether it be a shutdown, being sent off to a war zone, handling a riot at home, etc(and before anyone flames me on this, I currently family in the military and have said the same to them and they've agreed 100%). You know what you're getting into ahead of time basically, if you don't want to deal with it sign up for a different job but even that will have some crap you have to deal with eventually. What I find odd though is that if company ABC where to have a massive layoff or completely go under and thousands of people are without a job, no pay, some with no severance there is very little sympathy for that. Yes I know this post will ruffle some feathers but it's true, when a private company has to get rid of employees no one ever thinks about it(or them) and life goes on.

I will say this is one of the reason's why I hate our political system now. The 2 party system has to go, worked fine for 13 colonies but it sux now. Although as much as dems and reps hate each other they will never allow a 3rd or 4th or 5th party to gain any prominence which is really sad.

 

[1_pointer]

I'd like to see the passing of a federal budget be like the election of the Pope. No budget on 10/1; all representatives and senators are locked in the Capitol until we see white smoke (ie a budget).

 

[BrentD]

I'd like to see the passing of a federal budget be like the election of the Pope. No budget on 10/1; all representatives and senators are locked in the Capitol until we see white smoke (ie a budget).

don't forget to lock the POTUS in there with them.

 

[marshman]

I am surprised a little bit to see some support for this "Wall" on a site dedicated to hunters and conservation. A Great Wall along our southern border would be an ecological disaster for the desert ecosystems and the critters that inhabit that country.
No politics here just common sense. I do also feel horrible for the many hard working federal people that are just pawns in the DC politics game.
I hope they move soon... I cannot even get a National Forest map until this is done.

 

[MTGomer]

From what I’ve seen these last two months of hunting, there already is an ecological disaster ln our public lands. The idea of ‘roadless/wilderness’ is a total joke. It might apply to you and me but not to the smugglers or the BP that chase them. There’s a whole lot of ‘pack it in’ and not a lot of ‘pack it out’.
Aside from the literal tons of trash, there is a serious amount of illegal off-road travel related to smuggling. You can see it on google earth when comparing legal roads on the travel plan to visible roads

Obviously a 2k mile border wall is not feasible or practical but there are places more could be done. Whether that’s additional physical barrier where appropriate, a high tech barrier of sensors( i don’t know what kind of tech is out there), or just more staff.
Hunting the OTC season in 40a and 39e, I’ve seen other hunters and law enforcement 0 times and people twice that are definitely smugglers and another guy that was highly suspicious.

I’ve reached out to the Wilderness Society 3 times to try to get assistance cleaning up trash in the Table Top Mountain Wilderness and they so far have ignored me. By assistance I mean help with communication to reach members in the area that might help, or try to coordinate with BLM. They’ve done a lot of whining about a garbage can overflowing at Yosemite, but thus far seem uninterested in helping with this. I could fill the back of my F-150 with black water bottles and camo backpacks in a couple hours within a couple hundred yards of the road by myself. It’s that bad where I’ve been.

 

[Southern Elk]

^Just noticed your location Gomer. Did you move south?

 

[Southern Elk]

I echo what many of you have said. It's a damn shame that the politicians that we elect, on both sides of the isle, can't do their jobs.

 

[MTGomer]

^Just noticed your location Gomer. Did you move south?

I did. My wife is from here and got into grad school that we needed to relocate for, so here we are. It’s not Montana but it’s pretty damn good. Especially right now. 66 degrees and it’s the rut

 

[Southern Elk]

I did. My wife is from here and got into grad school that we needed to relocate for, so here we are. It’s not Montana but it’s pretty damn good. Especially right now. 66 degrees and it’s the rut

I'm sure it's nice this time of year.

 

[midwesterncrosshair]

Does no one put away money for a rainy day? Missing one or two paychecks and all of a sudden it's fricken Armageddon?

Sadly some are living paycheck to paycheck, depending on on the location they live could really hurt them too.

 

[BrentD]

Sadly some are living paycheck to paycheck

a lot of people might be doing no such thing but have their money in investments that have penalties to withdraw -which are worth incurring for an emergency of one's own making or bad luck. But to have to pay for being someone else's political football is quite another. Why don't you get this?

 

[midwesterncrosshair]

But to have to pay for being someone else's political football is quite another. Why don't you get this?

Your right I don't get it... the government shinaigans that is.

I have a buddy in TSA that lived in Chicago and now works in Omaha, recently asked him how he was and he said if he was still in Chicago he would be screwed... that's all I'm saying by some are paycheck to paycheck (by location) I had to edit that. I personally avoid Chicago like its a plague but I still feel for the the workers up there that cant make it and all the others in the country. Like some have said before some are doing fine while others are not.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news...tsa-faa-shutdown-absences-20190114-story.html

I still don't understand how many presidents before said we need better border security, did nothing or minimal. This guy comes in wanting better boarder security and everyone's against it because its him. 5 billion seem like chump change compared to other things I've seen government throw money at.

 

[PrairieHunter]

Interesting to look back at the shutdowns since 1980. Appears to be something that should be expected moving forward for those who live here and especially those choose to work for the federal government. But in reality those short term financial challenges faced during shutdowns pale in comparison to the financial hardships those in the private sector face such as the likelihood of being fired, laid off or business owners who can lose everything. We all choose the paths we do and they all have risks/rewards, federal jobs sometimes lack either which has its good and bad aspects just like the other employers/occupations.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_shutdowns_in_the_United_States

I've got to think this won't be the last under Trump.

 

[BrentD]

Might be the last under trump. This one has to and did before the next 1 can begin. I am not optimistic.