The government is on the verge of shutting down for the first time in 17 years. The reason behind the shutdown is simple: Republicans are intent on delaying the implementation of ObamaScare for one year.
If the Republicans don’t get their way the midnight deadline for a budget agreement to keep the government running will pass.
The Senate and the House (which makes up Congress) are divided along party lines. Republicans control the House, and Democrats are the majority in the Senate.
Last week, the Senate killed language in the spending bill that would scrap funding for ObamaCare. The bill was sent back to the House to start over, but the House refuses to budge on the healthcare law.
Congress is at a stalemate. Even if the Senate voted to defund ObamaCare, the White House promised to veto the measure.
If Congress can’t reach a decision on the spending bill by midnight on October 1st, the government will effectively shut down.
But what does a gov’t shutdown mean for you?
According to CNN.com, if you are one of 800,000+ non-essential government employees, you will be on furlough. All essential gov’t employees, including postal workers, air traffic controllers, hazardous waste handlers and food inspectors, will report to work.
If you are relying on a non-essential government service, such as professional license renewals, applying for a marriage license, mortgage loan, or a passport, you will have to wait days, maybe weeks.
If you plan on enjoying a day with your family in a national park, you’re out of luck. All national parks will be closed come Tuesday.
The last time the government was shut down in 1996, gov’t employees and military personnel were issued catch up paychecks after being out of work for 2 weeks. But not this time.
CNN reports the mid-October paychecks will be the first affected. There will be no IOUs issued if the gov’t shuts down on Tuesday.
If you live in D.C., expect your city to stink to high Heaven by Friday. That’s because there will be no trash collection.
The gov’t has to approve a budget for the city’s services, which includes trash collection. And D.C. produces about 500 tons of garbage each week.
