Government Closed, Sun Still Expected To Rise

[Gaspar]

I read '81 was the year of the change, so blamed Reagan's AG. That's not the point, though. The point is that talking about a pre-1980 "shutdown" is silly. And IIRC, the 3 or 4 mini-shutdowns on Reagan's watch were no more than 3-4 days and always included a weekend, so those don't really set any useful precedent. The only good precedent we have is the shutdowns under Clinton, after which there were a spate of Anti-Deficiency Act complaints that seem to have appropriately chastened the executive branch.

[Conan71]

I read '81 was the year of the change, so blamed Reagan's AG. That's not the point, though. The point is that talking about a pre-1980 "shutdown" is silly. And IIRC, the 3 or 4 mini-shutdowns on Reagan's watch were no more than 3-4 days and always included a weekend, so those don't really set any useful precedent. The only good precedent we have is the shutdowns under Clinton, after which there were a spate of Anti-Deficiency Act complaints that seem to have appropriately chastened the executive branch.

Not even Clinton had the spitefulness to pull this smile of sending in manpower to close open air memorials and parks and attempting to close a privately run operation at Mount Vernon because the Park Service owns the parking lot or parts of the parking area. 

Although President Obama claims that he can't avoid shutting down public sites and monuments, war memorials were in fact kept open during the 1995/1996 government shutdowns.  The administration's decision to barricade the Lincoln Memorial marks the first time in its history the memorial has been totally off limits to visitors during a shutdown.

The administration has also balked at efforts by non-governmental groups to maintain access to public sites. (Related: RNC offers to pay to keep WWII memorial open)

But during the Clinton-era shutdown, World War II veterans kept the Pearl Harbor memorial open.

It is not clear how much taxpayer money the Obama administration is paying to ensure that government sites and services remain shuttered to taxpayers. Popular Washington spots such as the World War II memorial are now guarded by more security personnel than they are during normal operations, while federal employees have been dispatched to put up barricades on capital bike paths and other public grounds that are not usually patrolled at all.

Obama's team has also been caught deliberately punishing World War II veterans trying to visit their own memorial, with one administration official telling a veteran's supporter, "It's a government shutdown, what do you expect?" (Related: Obama admin. knew about WWII veterans' request and rejected it)

The American people are currently paying for eight mounted cops to keep people out of the World War II memorial.

Daniel Burnett, a volunteer with Honor Flight, sent The Daily Caller FOAIed documents showing how much the Park Service is spending on the mounted police. To house, feed, and care for the horses it costs more than $41,000 year. Park police starting salary is $52,020, according to their website.

Another unprecedented aspect of the current shutdown is that the president has until Wednesday evening refused any discussions with the opposition leadership. In 1995 and 1996 President Bill Clinton and House Speaker Newt Gingrich negotiated vigorously and struck several  compromises, such as 75-percent funding plan that lasted more than a month. (Related: US economy boomed during 1995/1996 shutdown)

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Tags: Government Shutdown, Lincoln Memorial, World War II



Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/02/monuments-and-memorials-remained-open-during-previous-shutdown/#ixzz2hA4WpBCp

A photo of the Lincoln Memorial during the government shutdown of 1995 shows the info booth closed but tourists still had access to the grounds.



2013:




Read more: http://dailycaller.com/2013/10/02/monuments-and-memorials-remained-open-during-previous-shutdown/#ixzz2hA52Sg8g

[Gaspar]

Congressional gym has been kept open though.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2013/10/08/2748461/members-only-congressional-gyms-deemed-essential-remain-open-during-shutdown/

[Townsend]

Congressional gym has been kept open though.

Tanning

[nathanm]

Yeah, Conan, never mind the many requests before the shutdown to sit down and hash out their differences. Those apparently don't count.

[AquaMan]

The point is, be careful what you hope for, ask for, demand, minimize the effects of, glorify, and use for political bargaining purposes. It may just come back to bite you in the posterior.

Put me in the group that enjoys Obama and the Senate having called their bluff and looks forward to this threat being less effective in the future. Bullies who act surprised when met with their own tactics get no sympathy from me. Boehner and other responsible Republicans need to stand up to those minorities in their party who think the American population sympathize with their anarchy couched as patriotism.

[Red Arrow]

Yeah, Conan, never mind the many requests before the shutdown to sit down and hash out their differences. Those apparently don't count.

The ones I heard about don't.

Fully fund everything or fully fund everything.

[Red Arrow]

I read '81 was the year of the change, so blamed Reagan's AG. That's not the point, though.

But it gave you a chance to (incorrectly) take a shot at the Reagan administration.

[nathanm]

But it gave you a chance to (incorrectly) take a shot at the Reagan administration.

I wasn't taking a shot. I think the way it is now is how it should be. If appropriations lapse, the government should not be allowed to continue on as if they haven't. The previous situation where they just wandered along in violation of the law because it was easier was not the right (or legal) way to handle the situation.

The actual point was that blaming Obama for doing his duty and faithfully executing the law is nonsense. Not nearly as nonsensical as the House Republicans trying to overturn a law by forcing the government to shut down. Or force deficit reduction or repeal of the medical device tax or whatever other excuse they've decided to use today. (Never mind that the deficit was $200 billion lower in FY2013 than it was in FY2012 and under current law will be another $250 billion lower than that this year if the Republicans don't succeed at forcing us into a depression, anyway)

Funny they would advocate repealing the medical device tax if their goal is to reduce the deficit. Oh, right, it's part of the ACA so it's evil. Plus they would get the added bonus of retroactively making their claims about Obamacare increasing the deficit correct.

[patric]

So, who really is responsible for "the liberal shutdown?"
Another smoking gun clip from the Daily Show has the answer:

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-october-8-2013/the-shutdown-blame-game

[Gaspar]

Excellent graphic of what is and is not shut down.  Perhaps a good roadmap for cuts?
http://labs.enigma.io/shutdown2013/

[nathanm]

Where we stand regarding default:

[Conan71]

Excellent graphic of what is and is not shut down.  Perhaps a good roadmap for cuts?
http://labs.enigma.io/shutdown2013/

Notice how many the EPA and IRS have furloughed?

[Conan71]

Where we stand regarding default:

Here's Bloomberg's take:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-10-07/a-u-s-default-seen-as-catastrophe-dwarfing-lehman-s-fall.html

[Gaspar]

Notice how many the EPA and IRS have furloughed?

Most probably didn't even notice.

DEPARTMENT OF REDUNDANCY DEPARTMENT