March 4th was the prior shutdown date, avoided due to last minute temporary spending extensions, leading to the next shutdown date on April 8. This dance has ended in a shutdown 16 times since Jimmy Carter was president.
The voters were not able to eject Obama or Harry Reid, so cuts in spending are being resisted by the Obama Administration, and the Senate Democrats - both issuing threats to shutdown the government. The phrase "government shutdown' is a scare tactic the Democrats use, instead of abiding by responsible budgets and spending.
What really happens if the government is shutdown? It depends on the length of the shutdown. The standoff between Bill Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich over balancing the federal budget – lasted 21 days, from Dec. 16, 1995, to Jan. 6, 1996. Clinton characterized the shutdown as an attempt to gut Social Security, scaring seniors, and turning public opinion against Gingrich, and the budget work. During that shutdown, 800,000 federal workers were furloughed (out of 4.2 million). The only real effect was a delay in processing passports and visas, and other minor issues the Democrats exaggerate.
Bonus Points? Members of Congress are exempt from a shutdown as is the President.
Since 1980, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has required government agencies to make plans for an “orderly shutdown.” The plans require agencies to “limit their operations to minimum essential activities” and to reallocate funds to avoid interruption of services as long as possible. In short? The government has contingency plans, and funds to cover the emergency. The Obama Administration a few weeks ago issued a government wide memo instructing agencies not to divulge the depth and extent of these plans/funds.
The reason Democrats lost in the last midterm is due to their reckless, and malicious spending. The final answer still lies with the voters, will they side with the GOP? Or the Democrats? Remember, the gorilla in the room are the historically record deficits of nearly $2 trillion, and the unmanageable, and country killing debt of over $14.4 trillion.
Related:
Debt Ceiling - What You Need To Know...
