Shutdown Would Result in Furloughs for Many FedSmith.com Users

Will there be a government shutdown at the end of the month? That is what FedSmith.com users want to know, and after the House vote this weekend, it’s looking increasingly likely that the government will shut down on Tuesday.

We asked our users if they thought there would be a shutdown and what impact it would have on them.

Of the more than 2,600 responses, 58% predicted there would be a shutdown. 59% of respondents said they will get furloughed in a shutdown and 18% were not sure at this point. 62% of respondents said they think that federal employees will ultimately not be paid if there is a shutdown.

80% of respondents said they think that a shutdown will not result in any changes being made to Obamacare, the primary source of the contentions behind the shutdown.

Most respondents said they think that neither political party would gain anything from the shutdown standoff:

Which political party do you think will realize a political benefit from the action?

The possibility of a shutdown generated many comments, mostly from those who are frustrated by the situation:

• As a federal employee I am expected to report for work and perform above expectations. Congress, also federal employees call their own shots and perform way below expectation. And they keep their jobs. Something is wrong with this picture.
  
• As is usual, the media is with the Democrats and they will have the benefits of that. The American people are lazy, don’t go looking for their own information, and simply listen to sound bites. Generally, they have no idea what is going on. I am a Federal Employee and, frankly, think the Republicans are doing the right thing and if the Gov. gets shut down, so be it. It will affect my pocketbook greatly, as I do not have but 2 months of living expenses saved. BUT, something has to be done about this Affordable (HA) Care Act.
• I was furloughed earlier this year, and haven’t been paid for that time. I don’t expect to get paid for furlough time this time around.
• Our country is in a very sorry state when our political parties won’t put country first before their political aspirations and affiliations.
• The American Public is completely “fed-up” with both sides of the aisle. Both are wrong.
• A good long shutdown would finally show the American People that the Tea Party is not their friends.
• I just wish Congress would shut us down to get it out of their system instead of talking about it every few months to scare up votes.
• Republicans have realized that they can’t win through fair elections. They are also cognizant of the fact that future elections are not going to be favorable for them as a result of demographic changes. Thus, they will do everything they can to obstruct even if that means destroying the US or world economy.
• I have read comments stating that the ACA is the law of the land and has been upheld by the Supreme Court. It is in fact completely unconstitutional. When Justice Roberts labeled it as a tax, it should have been obvious to anyone with at least a ninth grade education. Taxes cannot originate in the House of Representatives.
• Let’s be clear in talking about government “shutdowns.” With about 60 % of Federal civilian employee due to keep working during any hypothetical “shutdown” – of which I am one – the word becomes essentially meaningless. This has been true since the 1995 “shutdown,” which began and ended with no significant impact on the general public. The main point is that only during the last few years has the periodic surfacing of the need to deal with yet another raising of the national debt limit occasioned anything other than an auto pilot-like response by extension rather than as an opportunity to begin seriously to rein in the Federal Leviathan. The “usual suspects” oppose this as crimping their agenda for ever-expanding government, but that’s become critical if we’re ever going to be able to halt our ever-growing and unsustainable borrowing and spending addiction.
• It’s sad that the government employees who are actually working will be punished while the ones who aren’t (our elected officials) will not.
• I have been through both of the more recent shutdowns, and this will be my last. Had hoped to last another three years, but I no longer have that intention…
• Obama and the Democrats think (believe) they are above the law in their quest to create a socialist/communist empire for themselves. They need to be trimmed back starting at the top.
• Tired, worn out and otherwise frustrated. I absolutely love my job and am proud to be a public servant. However, congressional foolishness and mayhem is making it difficult to maintain a good can-do attitude.
• I don’t understand the issue. President Obama ran on Obamacare the last 2 elections and won. So that would tell me people are for Obamacare.
• Federal employees should go on a work slow down to show their displeasure with being kicked around.
• We need to do what it takes to correct the ACA. So I think they should delay it for a year. Congress should not get paid till both sides agree on all the corrections and pass the amendment. Bet they would get it done in a short order!
• This isn’t about the people of America. It’s isn’t about what’s right or wrong. It’s about who in DC gets their way.
• I think there will be a CR approved keeping the Government operational up until the date for the Debt Ceiling – beilieve it’s Oct. 17th, at that point I feel that the Government will be shut down.
• The shutdown is the fault of the Democrats because Harry Reid has not passed a budget in 4.5 years. If Obama Care is such a wonderful plan why are there exemptions? What authority does the President have to pick and choose the laws and/or parts of a law to enforce.
• It will last 14 to 21 days and it will accomplish exactly nothing, except that the Republicans will lose control of the House in the 2014 election and will lose ground in the Senate.

Thanks to our users who took the time to share their feedback in our latest survey.