Government Shutdown: Fear Not

In Transylvania parents warn naughty children that if they don’t shape up, Count Dracula will get them.

Indonesian children who misbehave are told the Komodo Dragon is in the next room.

In PC/DC, the boogeyman is the dreaded Government Shutdown.

Even the dullest schoolchild here knows what a shutdown means: Gloom, doom, instant poverty, food stamps, domestic violence, and bad breath too.

This is shutdown season. Lobbyists, politicians and easily outraged journalists love this time of year: when we go into end-of-fiscal-year countdown mode. October 1 is the start of the 2009 fiscal year and Congress hasn’t approved agency operating budgets for the FY 2009.

But the fact that a shutdown isn’t likely hasn’t stopped some pressure groups, and some politicians, from threatening the opposition with a shutdown. They are also telling constituents (and folks who send them money) that if the other side doesn’t cave, a shutdown is inevitable.

Congress has been away since late July and won’t be back until next week. It has plans to adjourn by October 6th. Not much time to do more than come up with another Continuing Resolution which would fund most federal operations at their current levels. Most, by the way, have been operating on a CR from last year when Congress again failed to do any serious appropriating.

But because nothing is happening, and nothing is likely to happen, this is the time when threats and rumors about shutdowns get rolling. Most long-time feds pay little heed. They’ve been through this before.

But some, either newcomers or those with short memories, still have financial concerns about a shutdown. They worry that they will be sent home and won’t get paid for their forced leisure time. In fact, during the few real shutdowns of the past, no federal worker lost a nickel. Or was paid late. Some contractors didn’t get paid on time, or at all during the shutdown, but for rank-and-file feds a real shutdown should be a time for celebration. Maybe even a mini-vacation.

So don’t fret about a shutdown. And if the worst actually happens, here’s a brief history of shutdowns: click here.

Nearly Useless Factoid

The author of the best-selling novel “The Horse Whisperer” is recovering in a hospital after eating poisonous mushrooms. The AP reports Nicholas Evans’ agent said the writer, his wife, her sister and the sister’s husband became sick after cooking and eating mushrooms they had picked in the woods.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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