Calling Bull on the Shutdown

So over the last few days we have seen a growing showdown between the Republicans in the House of Representatives who want to use the threat of a “shutdown” to get Obamacare defunded, and the President and the Senate who want to use the threat of a “shutdown,” to get Obamacare defended.  And by all reports the House Republicans have pulled the trigger.  Barring a surprising turn of events, the “shutdown” will occur.

So what will happen if the government shuts down?  Well, the Guardian has a representative—albeit biased—piece on this.  If you work for the Federal Government, either directly or through a contractor, you might read the whole thing, but let me pour over some highlights:

Travel:

Federal air traffic controllers would remain on the job and airport screeners would keep funneling passengers through security checkpoints, though some airports have warned of delays at security. Federal inspectors would continue enforcing safety rules.

The State Department would continue processing foreign applications for visas and US applications for passports, since fees are collected to finance those services. Embassies and consulates overseas would continue to provide services to American citizens.

Courts:

Federal courts would continue operating normally for about 10 business days after the start of a shutdown, roughly until the middle of October. If the shutdown continues, the judiciary would have to begin furloughs of employees whose work is not considered essential. But cases would continue to be heard.

More annoyingly, we get this from the Washington Examiner:

A federal government shutdown will temporarily cut off pay of thousands of Uncle Sam’s workers, but for those considered “excepted employees,” there could be a nice salary bump thanks to rules allowing overtime, compensatory time and other benefits provided to those the administration feels too important to furlough.

In advance of the potential shutdown, the Office of Personnel Management distributed a 30-page “Guidance for Shutdown Furloughs” that spells out who will get what, if anything, if President Obama and House Republicans can't negotiate a break in the budget stalemate by Monday night, the end of the fiscal year.

You can read that whole outrageous thing, here.

This, my friends, is how unreal the debate is in Washington.  Everyone is calling it a shutdown, but it isn’t all shutting down.  So the correct term is “partial shutdown,” or something to that effect.

But the media isn’t calling it that, because then it would ruin the scare-mongering.  “Oh my God!  They are threatening to shut down the entire Federal Government!” sounds a lot worse than “Oh my God, they are threatening to severely curtail what the Federal Government does!”

This is especially true when we read this in the same Washinton Examiner article, discussing who are considered the essential, “excepted” employees:

Most workers won’t be considered excepted employees, but OPM emphasized that it’s not because their work isn’t valued. “Excepted employees include employees who are performing emergency work involving the safety of human life or the protection of property or performing certain other types of excepted work,” said the guide.

In other words, most of the rest of these positions we can do without.  We will keep the prisoners in the prisons, the soldiers in the fields, the planes from falling out of the sky, but all that other bull you can live without, you will be living without until and unless they work this out.  Which raises the question: why not fund the government at about this level all the time?

The irony is that after scaremongering about the shutdown for all this time, when all the gloom and doom predicted doesn’t happen the left and the media will have to explain this uncomfortable reality—that the “shutdown” is not anything close to a complete shutdown.  So for once the doublespeak of the left will bite them on the behind.  And meanwhile for millions of Americans, they will start to wonder if the Federal Government does them any good at all.

Let me be clear.  I am not advocating a total government shut down.  I am glad the shutdown will only be partial.  I am not an anarchist.  But then let’s stop calling it a “shutdown” and call it a “partial shutdown” or something to that effect.  Let’s cut the bull in this debate.

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Finally, a programming note: This week we will be welcoming into the world a new nephew or niece (depending on whether that thing we saw in the ultrasound is a finger or not).  And I plan to do some gumshoe work.  So blogging might be interrupted.

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Disclaimer:

I have accused some people, particularly Brett Kimberlin, of reprehensible conduct.  In some cases, the conduct is even criminal.  In all cases, the only justice I want is through the appropriate legal process—such as the criminal justice system.  I do not want to see vigilante violence against any person or any threat of such violence.  This kind of conduct is not only morally wrong, but it is counter-productive.

In the particular case of Brett Kimberlin, I do not want you to even contact him.  Do not call him.  Do not write him a letter.  Do not write him an email.  Do not text-message him.  Do not engage in any kind of directed communication.  I say this in part because under Maryland law, that can quickly become harassment and I don’t want that to happen to him.

And for that matter, don’t go on his property.  Don’t sneak around and try to photograph him.  Frankly try not to even be within his field of vision.  Your behavior could quickly cross the line into harassment in that way too (not to mention trespass and other concerns).

And do not contact his organizations, either.  And most of all, leave his family alone.

The only exception to all that is that if you are reporting on this, there is of course nothing wrong with contacting him for things like his official response to any stories you might report.  And even then if he tells you to stop contacting him, obey that request.  That this is a key element in making out a harassment claim under Maryland law—that a person asks you to stop and you refuse.

And let me say something else.  In my heart of hearts, I don’t believe that any person supporting me has done any of the above.  But if any of you have, stop it, and if you haven’t don’t start.