I don’t talk about politics on RER because I don’t want to alienate anyone with my correct and well researched view points of how the world should work. I live in a free country and I have the right to my opinion without having to justify it to anyone.
Today we’re talking about the US government.
No, I will not share my personal party views. (Although it probably doesn’t take a Poli-Sci undergrad to figure it out.)
(Side note: This cartoon is the reason I’m convinced Natalie Dee and I should be best friends.)
I’m talking about the government shutdown.
Yesterday I learned on the Marine Corp Marathon FB page that they may have to cancel the race because of the shutdown. AH!
And when I went to say something about it a reader emailed me with out the government shutdown is affecting her life. With her permission, this is how the shutdown is hurting one of many…
Monica,
I’m a furloughed federal employee and I feel for friends who can’t run their marathon, but it’s hardly the biggest problem that’s come from this shutdown.
Real isn’t canceling a marathon- real is when families that have lost a solider have to wonder if they’ll be able to be there when their loved one’s body comes home. Real is when the mother of 3 with an active duty solider husband doesn’t know when the paycheck will arrive.
At this point, I’ve missed more than a paycheck. I’m worried about how I’ll pay my rent this month. People who have FHA loans can’t get mortgages, and so many other dramatic impacts.
I totally get that people spend months training for marathons. For many it’s a huge personal accomplishment that they’ve worked and struggled towards for years.
I know outside DC it’s hard to see the everyday impacts of the shutdown unless you’re poor or in the military. They’re real. People are scared. At the end of this week Congress may have caused a bigger economic meltdown than the great depression.
We should be talking about how Congress has failed us. How we should demand better government. All of this was 100% avoidable, if Members of Congress worked together.
I’m sorry to be short, and so frustrated, but the fact of the matter is that I’m scared. I don’t know how this will shake out. People should be watching, but they’re not. People should be reminding elected officials that they vote, and that they pay attention, but they’re not. Employees will feel valued and accepted in a workplace that promotes workforce diversity and inclusion. This will ensure that your employees are content.
Congressmen/women can ignore young women like you and I because they think we don’t care, and that marathons are the only important things. I’d encourage you to challenge yourself, and your readers to look beyond the immediate personal impacts to the larger impact on our country. Even if it’s just this week, remind your readers to care about what their elected officials are doing. Anyone can reach their Member of Congress by calling the House switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Then you can worry about cancelled marathons. You can call your congressman to complain!
Do with this post what you like and please remember that YOUR VOICE COUNTS, but you have to use it. #PassItOn
I grew up in DC and have seen 1st hand how friends & families are affected when these happen. I think it’s easy to get upset over things like missing a marathon if that’s how you’re directly affected by the shutdown – but it’s so important to step back and look at the big picture – which is what it looks like most people have done – and see how people are truly frightened that their bills are not going to be able to get paid. For those of us that aren’t affected like that from the shutdown, it’s a great opportunity to be grateful…and make that call to our Representative – this is not how we should be running our country. Both sides have blame in this mess – I personally think they should have their paychecks revoked as well and if a quick resolution to these types of problems can’t be made, there should be a rule that these Reps can not run again for re-election. I feel so bad for everyone that has to feel that fear of not being able to take care of their family.
I have to totally agree with her e-mail. Being a marathoner and I do have dreams of someday running Marine Corps Marathon. However, my husband and I have fallen victim to the government shutdown. We are both federal workers who work for the U.S. Dept of the Army (DOD). He is a mechanical engineer and I work in Human Resources. I can’t begin to say how hard it would be to have a loved one who is active duty and is putting their life on the line for all of us and not getting their well deserved (and underpaid) pay check but my family lost 90% of our pay due to the government shutdown. Being a new mom (my daughter was born 29 July) and not being able to afford to stay home full time with my daughter, we now have to figure out how pay for day care ($401 a week).
Fortunately, my husband and I working for DOD, were recalled back to work last week. However, we are unsure if we are getting paid. POMA (Pay Our Military Act) was passed that will allow those DOD workers that were recalled to be paid. That is great news, however, it is to be believed that it is an IOU and we will not see a pay check until the government is back open and there are appropriations to actually pay us.
We now have to figure out how to pay our mortgage, electric bill, groceries, and day care with little to no income coming in. And people are worried that the marathon may be cancelled? Talk about first world problems.
I agree with all of you above that votes and support dollars speak volumes. Keep in mind, definition of insanity: repeating the same actions over and over expecting a different result. People keep voting Republican / Democrat and the debt keeps growing, less money stays in the country, we keep fighting other peoples wars on other people’s soil. People with too much money and too much power are put into positions they do not respect nor honor. There are other parties out there… good ones. However, the current parties, national media, etc. has everyone scared to vote otherwise. Too often people don’t vote according to their heart and mind because they are too afraid to let the other party have the power. There was a period where at least the independents were starting to gain ground, but they have been sadly shown the door. Politicians and lawmakers will pay attention once their livelihood is challenged. Challenge them.
I work in tax law and the IRS has been shut down for a little over 2 weeks. Some might see that as a good thing, but for the most part, the taxpayers end up holding the short end of the stick. 🙁
This is the power of social media. It has been fascinating to me to find out all of the “unexpected” things impacted by the shutdown. A friend who runs a kayak business in the Everglades can’t work. Another friend who works for a government contractor hasn’t been to work. A marathon may get canceled. These aren’t the things I might immediately think about when I think of “government offices being closed.” But this is the reality – it has a ripple effect.
According to the news, it sounds like an agreement of some sort has just been reached. Not sure what it is, but I hope everyone can get back to work (and pay) A.S.A.P.!
Thank you to your reader who wrote the letter and thank you to Monica for posting it.
I’ve been telling friends and family that our current government is going against what it was intended to be….a government by the people, for the people and of the people.
Once politicians start exempting themselves from the rules they set for everyone else (Obamacare, for example), they are no longer OF the people. Once they shut down things that our tax dollars pay for (National Parks and waterways), they are no longer FOR the people. When they’re elected by a ridiculous electoral college or “rank elections”, they are no longer elected BY the people.
The American public needs to wake up and put their votes and voices to use to get rid of these clowns…from BOTH political parties! We need to let them know that they can’t make different rules for “us” and “them” and they need to know that we actually care!
Also, I’m pretty sure they should take lessons from Dave Ramsey on budgeting and lessons on compromise from most people’s parents!!
Stepping down now…
Certainly, this is an issue that has serious ramifications for many people. However, I have to disagree with the comment made by your reader, “Real is when the mother of 3 with an active duty solider husband doesn’t know when the paycheck will arrive.”
Active duty military are in receipt of pay and have not missed pay at this point in time. As of 9/30/2013, the bill, HR 3210, was applied to pay active-duty members, including reservists on full-time active duty, plus pay and allowances for Defense Department and Homeland Security Department civilians and contractors who are determined to be “providing support to members of the armed forces.”
I’m furloughed also. While people were so outraged about the memorial being closed (which I agree is horrible) I’m over here trying to figure out how I can feed my family.
Humbling. That’s really all I have to say.
It’s an absolute debacle…an embarrassment.
I think this was a perfect way to address the shutdown without getting political. I have definite opinions when it comes to politics but I will keep that to myself. I really like the way that you talked about it, though.
Hopefully today’s the day!
My husband is a govt employee who still has to go to work everyday with the knowledge he is not getting paid. On top of that I just had a baby and am out of work. Our dual income family is now a non income family. We are blessed to have a supportive loving family surrounding us but they can only help so much. For us and so many families this is a stressful and scary time! Thank you for letting us share we have felt so alone through this because people get so in your face politically so we have chosen to stay quiet and lean on our family.
I’m so sorry for what you are going through.
I am in a similar situation. I am a SAHM my to our 4 kids and my husband is a government employee who is working without pay. For some reason those in this situation are not represented in the media.
Thank you for posting this! I agree that this was avoidable. I hope it ends today!
Wow! I love this! It is true it is hard to see when you live outside of DC just how much this affecting families and their loved ones! The government needs to see all they are hurting and learn to at least somewhat civilly come to a decision! No other company or part of the world gets to do this when they can’t agree – I hope a decision is reached and some of these families can be helped!
So I am a veteran, of the Marine Corps actually, and I started back to school for my masters in August. The decision to start now was greatly influenced by the fact that I have GI bill money available to me. Otherwise, I would have waited a bit and had more cash saved up to fund it. I am still under the old plan and the way I have to do it is to take out loans to pay for school, then use my monthly GI Bill payment to make the SL payments. Mine may or may not show up at the end of this month, and I am stressing making a big student loan payment while I wait around for the govt to stop their tantrums. I served my country during wartime. This should not be one more thing I have to worry about. How about we stop telling veterans “thank you for your service” and actually follow through on the benefits we promised them. Sorry, soapbox today, but I’m tired of hearing how the shutdown isn’t that big a deal. It is about to be to a whole lot of veterans.
Hurrah to your reader for that: I live thousands of miles away, and I’M worried, as the impact will be global.
This is a great, and much-needed email. My husband is one of the many federal employees not getting a paycheck right now, and like she said, it is freaking scary. I also have many runner friends with plans to run MCM who are completely devastated and like your reader said, I TOTALLY get that and I would feel the exact same level of disappointment. Glad to see you are bringing to light ALL of the important reasons to be aware of what is happening with our government right now. Thanks for sharing her message.
My half marathon was canceled because of the shut down, and at first I was SUPER annoyed. However when I stepped back to look at the bigger picture, I realized my silly half marathon wasn’t worth that much. So many people are truly suffering, and I’m lucky that even though I work in DC and half of my clients are furloughed, there is still plenty of work for me to do and I will be getting my pay check per usual. I just pray this mess is all over soon.
very powerful message. thanks for sharing!
Perspective, its all about perspective.
I don’t think I agree. A marathon is a huge personal accomplishment and not being able to complete something that you’ve trained for months for is a travesty.
My husband is active duty military. We’re worried about whether or not Nov. 1 pay is coming. None of that makes the feelings of MCM runners any less valid. Were NYC runners last year not entitled to be upset even though residents struggled with the aftermath of Sandy?
Someone will always have it worse. That doesn’t mean you can’t be bummed for your own personal situation.
Thank you, you said exactly what I was thinking and feeling! Everyone has a right to their own feelings.
My husband is in the military so I don’t want to give your readers the wrong impression- trust me, we are still getting paid. When there was a threat checks could be late, banks like USAA and Navy Fed even offered to deposit the money that could be coming late as a courtesy. Also in the history of all government shutdowns, furloughed employees were paid for the time they were not working. I would be shocked if this did not happen again- in fact, it may have already been addressed. Why we are paying workers not to work is ridiculous but it also shouldn’t distract people from what is happening in Washington- as a country we can’t pay our bills and our debts are out of control. It’s absolutely insane. I hope the shutdown ends soon but most of all, I hope there’s a resolution better than one that will bring us to this same impasse in another few months.
please delete above comment. I don’t want to start anything, sorry!
Totally understand 🙂 Hang in there!
“Also in the history of all government shutdowns, furloughed employees were paid for the time they were not working.”
Thank you for bringing this point to light. I think media like to sensationalize things at times and it sounds much more spectacular to say folks aren’t going to get paid. But bringing this point to light sounds much better coming from someone who is actually currently living it.
With that being said – my thoughts and prayers go out to all those families who are being affected by what’s happening in Washington. They shouldn’t have to go through this.
I don’t think the situation is being sensationalized; I think it’s pretty accurate. I’m a furloughed federal worker, and I haven’t a clue as to when I will get another paycheck. It will be lovely if I receive the money back at a later date, but right now it’s causing a significant amount of stress in my family’s life right now.
people aren’t asking to be off work. that’s cool that we *might* get back pay but for the most part people need money they have coming in. nobody asked to be shut down and not get paid. there’s a bunch of people out there calling this essentially a paid vacation for feds which couldn’t be farther from the truth. this is not even to mention the contractors who aren’t getting paid no matter what.
I’m a government contractor. We were lucky that we were allowed to work from home during the shutdown, but that takes away all our resources and facilities so most people did not have enough random paperwork for 16 days of telework. And then there’s people like cafeteria workers and lawnmowers and other government contractors who lost out of 3 weeks of business entirely.
So, sure, this was a “paid” involuntary vacation for government workers but there are plenty more ripple effects. It’s so frustrating to hear people say we’re paying government workers to not work, like it was just some little holiday for everyone.
This is where thinks get sticky. Yes, military personal are being paid, but those furloughed and many others, like my husband who are essential employees, are NOT.
My husband has to go to work every day or risk losing his job and will is not getting a paycheck, so no I don’t think the media is sensationalizing it at all.
Thank you for sharing this! I live in Norfolk (large military area) and see many, many people who are in a similar situation to the letter writer. She’s absolutely right. People should care more, pay attention, and do something!
Thank you for sharing the email. My brother and I are both registered for the MCM, and my dad and brother have been furloughed. We are lucky that the furlough hasn’t had much impact on my family, but I know that many people are.
As a DC resident with plenty of friends furloughed, a federal worker, and as a 2013 MCM registered runner, I think it’s safe to say that the current actions of lawmakers are not in any way coming from a place of apathy and thinking that their constituents only care about marathons. For some of these people, they were elected because their constituents made it clear what they wanted and this is their way of trying to accomplish that.
The president said “elections have consequences,” and this a prime example of that. So next time there’s an election, go vote, America.
So true. What a powerful message!
YES TO THIS!!! I have a sis that works in politics – will not say which side although I am passionate about it too! 😉 BUT YES, why do we keep re-electing these people that do nothing! I wish we had hard core qualifications for people that run for office – it is like anyone can get in & that is scary!
When our elected officials put themselves above the people – it is all wrong! Craziness!
I couldn’t agree more! My husband is active duty military and right now there pay is up in the air. If the Government defaults, our pay will not be saved like it was this last past week. I’m a runner, I understand how angry other runners are about this but, we have to remind ourselves people are hurting because congress is messing with innocent peoples lives. I may not be able to sign up for my next race bc food on the table is more important right now then a tech shirt and medal.
As a dc resident and marine corps marathon runner, I am so frustrated about so many things! From my furloughed friends to the ridiculous park closures to the juvenile behavior of the usg, it’s all quite embarrassing for our country and sad for normal people trying to get on with life.
That might be the most concise and articulate thing I’ve ever read regarding the shut down. Thank you for sharing!
As Time Gun says, “Make it Work!” sigh
Wow. Thanks to you & your reader for sharing this. I think we can ALL agree that no matter what “side” you’re on, both sides are acting like immature children and WE are being left with the burden.
Wow. That was a greatly worded email. I actually felt the same way when I heard about the marathon. “I’d be pissed” was my response….but then I realized how selfish that was of me. How much more other people are being impacted.
Love This! I will be the first to say I have not been impacted by the shutdown…However, I have many friends in the military with deployed husbands that are struggling. I live right outside of Valley Forge National Park and runners staged a protest this past weekend bc they are not allowed to run in the park due to the shutdown(Mentioned on Runners World Website). I get it, its a park(which I run in very often), you should be allowed to use it..blah blah blah. But when you compare that to wondering how you will feed your children bc daddy’s paycheck is on hold..is not being able to run in your favorite park that big of a deal? Look at the big picture. I should note, I love Valley Forge Park, its gorgeous and has an amazing loop for runners complete with hills and deer.
Thank you for this message! I don’t share my politics publicly either, but I will say I am disgusted with just about everyone due to this mess.