Name:   MAJ USA RET - Subject:   Analysis of a Shut-Down Date:   4/7/2011 8:52:05 AM (updated 4/7/2011 8:54:44 AM)

Y'all be sure to jump in here... 'specially Hound (who will tell us all how she feels).

800,000 federal employees (the same as 1995) the official says is the "vicinity" of workers who would be affected. Good, now if we can just keep 266,400 of them from coming back.

What's changed since 1995 though is that the Veterans Affairs Department was largely closed during the last shutdown, but will be open now because it has multi-year appropriation.  It SHOULD remain open because we owe our veterans uninterrupted support.  Military personnel couldn’t go on strike and couldn’t walk off the job.

Plus, the Department of Homeland Security didn't exist then, and many of their operations are necessary for safety and protection of property.  Too bad it doesn’t exist now.  CIA, FBI, and DoD (Special Forces, SEALS, Delta Force) could do a much better job under an interoffice cooperation agreement.  DHS is already BLOATED and INEFFECTIVE.  I would mind a holiday from government funded groping.

Military members will continue get paid through  April 8th, but after that are only earning and will get money when the government is funded again. Now, they should just keep from losing their lives or being wounded during the shut-down.  Military personnel can’t go on strike and can’t walk off the job.  They don’t (and shouldn’t have) a government employees’ union.

DoD Civilian members will be under same consideration about who stays and their pay situation will be largely the same. As long as they don’t pull any of that union behavior, the essential ones should be paid because we owe our military uninterrupted support. They expect a significant number of civilians to be furloughed.  Good, maybe 33% should not be allowed back.  If you don’t miss them while they are gone... let them stay gone.

What services will be suspended? IRS filings with paper claims won't be processed and audits will also be stopped. Electronic claims will continue. If we had an effective IRS and understandable filing forms, we could make this shut-down 90% permanent. 

Small business loans and Federal House Administration mortgages will also be halted. (The official noted that FHA had 12 percent of housing market in 1995, and now it's up to 30 percent)  Make this permanent.  The government should not be in the loan business.

The National Institutes of Health will not be accepting new patients or starting new clinical trials.  For those of you who doubt that ObamaCare could weed out the sick and the elderly... here’s your proof.  Maybe people shouldn’t get sick during the shut-down, because the government doesn’t consider that care essential.

The Environmental Protection Agency will cease facilities for air, land and water pollution, but keep up ones necessary for protection of life.  This should be permanent until Congress gets control of the illegal regulation and fines by EPA edict and fiat.

The Cherry Blossom parade in D.C. this weekend wouldn't be happening. (although officials running the parade discount that notion)  NO cherry blossoms will be allowed to bloom during the shut-down... so, don’