Thanks to the rapid impact of political climate change the second week in December has become the time when many federal workers hone their survival techniques.

Within the next few days, Congress (and the White House) will decide whether to risk another government shutdown. Although the last one didn’t do well politically, or saved a nickel, politicians can be slow learners when their hackles are up.

The last shutdown was a total bust. It was a political black eye for whichever political party you don’t belong to. And although people were forced to go home and not work — and services were denied or delayed — they still got paid.

There is much speculation as to the likelihood, or not, of a shutdown.

On the flip side, federal employees no longer have to wonder whether or not they’ll be granted a bonus holiday the day after Christmas. Late Friday evening, after most feds had left for the day, President Obama issued an executive order granting feds the day off on Dec. 26.

Merchants in many fed-heavy towns — from D.C. to Huntsville, Norfolk, Ogden and San Antonio — love it when some of their customers with the steadiest jobs during the recession have another day to shop and spend.

So what about the wisdom of the crowd. The people who would lose (time, money, self-esteem) if there is yet another shutdown? Is it going to happen?

This isn’t an election. Not even a petition. But it would be interesting to see what the been-there-done-that crowd thinks is going to happen. And why. Let us know. Should be interesting reading.

Pearl Harbor: People in Hawaii and around the nation yesterday marked the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was Dec. 7, 1941, and it changed the world. And gave us the greatest generation. We are losing those World War II veterans at the rate of 500 a day! Something to think about.

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID:

By Michael O’Connell

The first President to preside over the lighting of a National Christmas Tree was Calvin Coolidge in 1923.

Nearly Shameless Plug: View Federal News Radio’s photo gallery of the 2014 lighting of the National Christmas Tree here.

Source: White House

MORE FROM FEDERAL NEWS RADIO:

Obama gives feds four-day holiday weekend
President Barack Obama signed an executive order closing all executive branch offices and agencies on Friday, Dec. 26, creating a four-day weekend for most federal employees. “The heads of executive branch departments and agencies may determine that certain offices and installations of their organizations, or parts thereof, must remain open and that certain employees must report for duty on December 26, 2014, for reasons of national security, defense or other public need,” the executive order says.

Retirement claims take a dip in November, OPM says
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