For federal workers, anxiety over a possible shutdown

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Washington Post:

Just before 7 a.m. most weekdays, Michael Kane sits at a table in the cafeteria of the Energy Department headquarters on Independence Avenue SW and tries valiantly to quell the anxiety of the people who work there.

The government could shut down in a week if Congress can’t reach a budget deal. And the Obama administration hasn’t told workers what a shutdown would look like — who will be asked to come to work and who will be told to stay home.

Rank-and-file federal workers have a thousand and one questions. Kane, Energy’s human resources chief, is fielding many of them.

Parents fret over whether the day-care center at headquarters will stay open. (Yes.) Employees who have planned business trips want to know how — and whether — they’ll get home. (It depends.) Everyone asks: If I’m told I’m not essential, will I be able to get into my office? (Definitely not.) The extra-diligent wonder whether they should race to finish assignments before next Friday.

And everywhere workers wonder whether they will be paid. (There’s no guarantee.)

On Thursday, a resolution to the impasse seemed no closer as House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) and House GOP freshmen tamped down hopes that Democrats and Republicans had reached a deal. A tea party rally on Capitol Hill reinforced that message just a day after both sides resumed talks to resolve their stalemate. On again, off again — the possibility of a government shutdown has been seesawing for weeks.
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Considering that Chuck Schumer is one of those who wants a shutdown, seesawing might be the best course of action for now. On the other hand, the less government stays in business, the less damage it can do...

[Evad]

They need to coin a new phase to accurately describe this so called "government shutdown", since it isn't a shutdown at all.

[pollyannaish]

Of course they are anxious. And on a personal level I don't blame them. I am anxious about any company/job I have not making it and shutting down.

 

But what bothers me with this article how clearly it illustrates press bias.

 

 

My husband works for the state and because of that is forced to belong to AFSCME, the horrible union that is causing all the damage around the country. We are more concerned about a STRIKE than we are a government shutdown. And of course what that does to families and individuals is never mentioned in the press. A shut down is a shut down.

 

On the other hand, there are parts of this that could CLEARLY cause pain and misery for members of my family and I hate that part. This is pretty much a no win situation and it is going to HURT. The problem is that it is going to hurt WORSE if we put it off.

 

It is exactly the same thing as delaying the pain by paying for every day expenses with credit. Eventually you do have to pay the piper...and it's better to do it now before it drags you completely under.