By I seriously doubt this will happen, because of the reaction the American public would have to Soldiers not getting paid:
Troops would be forced to work without pay if the federal budget impasse leads to a government shutdown, according to multiple reports citing draft guidance circulating at the Pentagon.
The government has been funded by a series of continuing resolutions since the fiscal year began in October, but the current temporary measure expires on March 18. Should the deadline pass without another extension, servicemembers would begin missing paychecks if the shutdown lasts beyond April 1, the Air Force Times reported. It noted, however, that troops – and Defense Department civilians deemed essential and required to stay on – would receive back pay once the budget situation is resolved.
DOD civilians ruled nonessential would be furloughed in a shutdown and it was not clear whether they would be eligible for back pay. [Stars & Stripes]
4:07 am on March 15th, 2011 1
Sounds like a Liberal Bluff. I'd like to see that happen. Call their bluff. Perhaps the Liberals are not so afraid of the Military as they have let on. Of course there hasn't been a coup attempt since JFK was "taken out". Americans have short memories.
6:30 am on March 15th, 2011 2
With the increasing band wagon to denigrate government employees, I wouldn't put it past them. "So be it", said one.
7:15 am on March 15th, 2011 3
A government shutdown might be just the thing to convince people to wean themselves off that bloated, scabrous teat…
8:22 am on March 15th, 2011 4
The Stars and Stripes story says, "During the last government shutdown in 1995, servicemembers continued to work and continued to receive their pay." It doesn't explain why this time would be different.
10:23 am on March 15th, 2011 5
This is crazy. They don't have to put us through this. As soldiers, we are on duty 24/7. We are not part-time workers, but the public and politicians seem to think that we are. Personally, I believe that this political behavior is irresponsible and hateful. The wrong type of fear is being allowed to creep into everything for too long. How is this a good thing? Healthy fear should push us to find solutions,
form a dialog, plan appropriate actions and to efficiently execute. Yet, we are inundated paralyzing inefficiency, embarrassing facts, and hiding even when we have the moral, ethical, and legal high ground.
I BEG you as a service member, give us good leadership that will not abuse or misuse us. Give us the time and materials, so we can bring peace to our world. Please remove the shackles of legalism so that we can make you all proud of us.
You are writing your own obituary,if you continue to deny us these things.
Good leadership; factual, ethical and moral laws; and a reasonable amount of time to execute. PLS, don't cut us short or cheat us.
11:55 am on March 15th, 2011 6
Back in the 90's we had a few of these but, as I recall, they always made sure the soldiers got paid. No one wants that monkey on their back. I can't imagine this would affect soldiers in any way.
12:16 pm on March 15th, 2011 7
There is no way the GOP prevents soldiers from getting paid… Can't say the same for Harry Reid or Barack Obama…
4:01 pm on March 15th, 2011 8
I've been keep telling you guys, US government and the country is bankrupt. They can't pay you, you're going to end up walking home or swim home.
Now here is what I propose. Cut Retired GI's GI retirement handout. Completely stop it. That should help you guys through the next month.
5:53 pm on March 15th, 2011 9
No Tom – you're the one who needs to get cut off.
Anyone got any tweezers?
5:59 pm on March 15th, 2011 10
General Petraeus today said that the budget situation could require belt-tightnening by the services, but that they would provide everything needed on the front line. In June, Support for the Afghan National Security Force might have to be reduced, though.
It's in his reply to Senator Inhofe after 1:16:32 in this c-span video.
10:50 pm on March 15th, 2011 11
I am ashamed at the fact that people seem to think that the military should not be paid or government employees for that matter. We are in a volunteer army and we the Soldiers volunteered to serve our country and accept the pain and stressers of that decision. Maybe we DO need to start the draft back so that those that HAVE to do this job watch as their families are torn apart by the seperation of deployment, the lack of leadership, the egos, the fear of not seeing your loved ones again. Maybe when Cuba invades southern north america and the military is needed to protect the masses will the american people start to form a since of responsibility and pride to serve their country. We are so quick to judge and hate our government but fail to cheerish the luxuries of internent, freedom, the power to make our own choices. To the person who suggested that retirees have their benefits removes, I ask what do you think would be a just reward for a career choice of service to your country and 20 years of nothing but sacrifice. What would you reward a person for volunteering for life of sacrafice for the better part of his or her early years for the hope of being invovled in making a change in the world. The military has changed drastically over that last 30 years. For someone to be nieve enough to say that the lack of financial support would not hamper the operations of the military is someone who has never served, or lives in a world of luxuries themselves so they will never understand. They mentality of the Soldier to fight for the pride, love, and respect of their fellow Soldier is long gone. The team concept is long gone and would take years to get back. I think the most shocking thing about this is we are in harms way and contrary to popular belief we do not want to murder and die. We want to get married, have children, buy things for our families, live like human beings. We are not just people dressed in simular uniforms with a license to kill, we are warriors of freedom. You should praise me for haveing the character to sacrafice my freedoms so that you won't have to sacrafice yours.
10:59 pm on March 15th, 2011 12
In the 90's I believe the Defense Department shifted money around to make sure those in uniform were paid on time. If there's ever a time that they don't get paid then every Congressman and Senator should be ashamed of themself.
11:02 pm on March 15th, 2011 13
I see a lot of comments suggesting that the liberals are at the bottom of the possible govt. shutdown or not paying soldiers. The crux of the situation is that liberals AND conservatives are unable to sit down and work things out. To say that one side or the other is at fault, is only a self serving statement to back up one's own political leanings.
11:47 pm on March 15th, 2011 14
Dragonfly, What's tho compromise between increase spending or cutting spending? Neither side likes the status quo. Neither side wants to increase the same areas. Neither side wants to cut the same areas.
We're going broke faster than Sherman went through Georgia. And it's all because we're spending more than we make. We need to make massive cuts in order to survive and the Democrats are thinking we can spend ourselves out of debt…
Here's a cute story to help explain it all:
http://itooktheredpill.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/t…
12:22 am on March 16th, 2011 15
Setnaffa, you used the word "compromise" in your post. That's exactly what I'm talking about, neither side wants to sit down and negotiate in good faith. We just don't have the people in congress today who can get past their own politics to make tough, but fair decisions for the betterment of our country.
I agreee wholeheartedly that we are going broke fast. Actually if my personal financial balance was the same as the US, I'd have to say I was broke. You stated that neither side wants to increase the same areas or cut the same areas. Why? Because decisions on both sides are not based on what is good for the survival of the whole country, they're based on pandering to their base. It's not what's good for the country, it's what's good for the specific group that elected that individual.
We used to have people in congress who, even though they were on complete opposite sides of the fence, could come to an agreement on almost any issue. Not now.
Also, Tom's idea of cutting off Retired GI's pension won't be needed at this time. From what I hear he is voluntarily sending this months check back, which (due to the size of it) will in turn stabilize the govt. for several months to come
12:26 am on March 16th, 2011 16
SHOCK AND AWE,
If you're in the service, you know the tune to BOHICA…
Unfortunately, military service affects so few families directly that many are less willing to cut unnecessary spending and instead aim to cut the funding for the folks who actually make Freedom possible.
The only way to fix that is to retake control of the budget from the guy in charge, guys who make "drunken sailors" look like greedy misers…
If the economy continues to plunge, watch the Democrat Party disappear… Watch the Tea Party oust the spendthrift GOP old guard… And may it please God, watch America get back on course…
12:58 am on March 16th, 2011 17
#15, How does one compromise with a mad dog? Or someone who wants to destroy the nation?
"Obamacare" (bad name but he's stuck with it) was passed by Democrats who crammed it down the throat of an unwilling electorate. Instead of 2000+ pages of bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, 10 (easy to read and understand) ten-page bills could have fixed the health care problems this country faces. Without all of the waste, fraud, corruption, and abuse we have now.
I'm not about to justify the GOP. Under Bush they were out of control on spending. And it's worse now.
But the train left the station on Obamacare. Any and all bipartisanship potentials disappeared under Nanci Pelosi and Harry Reid's gentle tutelage. No one wants to negotiate with a mad dog or lunatic. You either shoot the one or lock up the other.
We're waiting to see what should be done with the Democrats. Looks like a few in the Senate are coming to their senses. We'll see if the President wakes up. And in November 2012 there will be a "regime change"…
1:27 am on March 16th, 2011 18
You demonstrate my point exactly. You obviously see no sense in negotiating with someone who doesn't see things your way. "Obamacare", a solution in itself? NO. A start? Yes. Now which "mad dogs" are you proposing to shoot? The ones who sold us down the river with WMD's, or the ones who handed out cell phones for all the "poor unfortunates" who couldn't afford one? So, did the disappearance of biapartisanship vaporize with the current regime, or was the same pretty much in force during the reign of George the Second? Which mad dogs – Pelosi/Reid or Cheney/Rove? If your solution is to shoot all the mad dogs, who will be left? The trick is to get all the mad dogs fed at one time, out of the same bowl. But the polarization of our congress and citizens are preventing that. Otherwise, a dog fight is like a knife fight – everybody bleeds.
1:42 am on March 16th, 2011 19
Obamacare is a non-starter. What do you think created the Tea Party?
You blame Cheney/Rove when it was Congress all along under Bush/Clinton/Clinton/Bush/Bush/Obama…
We need to cut spending by about 50% if we're going to have a country left in 20 years. We can either cut now, irritating people unwilling to wean themselves, or we can become the Zimbabwe you apparently long for…
1:45 am on March 16th, 2011 20
You can't negotiate with cancer. You can't negotiate with gangrene. People need to be supoporting themselves and their neighbors, not stealing from them to support a huge, unnecessary bureaucracy that treats people with all the compassion offered by the DMV, the Passport Office, and the SSA… unless they know someone or can bribe their way into an administrator's office…
1:50 am on March 16th, 2011 21
I don't believe members of any party have the People in mind as they attempt to mold government to suit their purposes. But it's a bit late in the day to blame Obamacare on Bush/Cheney/Halliburton, doncha think?
We just need to elect people willing to cut the spending. And if they won't, toss 'em out and elect someone who will…
We can argue about the color of the curtains after we stop the bleeding and restart the heartbeat…
2:15 am on March 16th, 2011 22
HUH?!? Zimbabwe? What are you talking about? Are you trying to brand me as a supporter of the Zimbabweization of the U.S. through innuendo or the making of a false statement? What have I been saying? Only that the two basic sides in this country cannot or will not come together for the betterment of this country, as your posts so aptly demonstrate. Period. Is the deficit worrisome? It's scary! Do we need to cut spending? Absolutely! How do we do that? Apparently by shooting all the mad dogs (i.e. those people who think differently) as opposed to doing the hard work of hammering out solutions.
I'm not sure where you live but everytime I go to the Sec. of State (DMV) office I take a number and when it comes up they take care of it all, plus cheerful conversation. I recently submitted a passport application and they treated me just fine. I had to straighten out some SS issues for my dad once. I sat in the office for about 10 minutes then a very nice lady came out and got me. Helped me with everything, plus wished me luck in caring for my dad. And not one time did I know any one of them, nor did they ask me for a bribe. Next time try the Social Security office in Kalamazoo instead of Kabul.
2:21 am on March 16th, 2011 23
Setnaffa #21:
You wrote, "I don’t believe members of any party have the People in mind as they attempt to mold government to suit their purposes."
That's it EXACTLY. See? Hammer it out, come to an agreement?:)
4:06 am on March 16th, 2011 24
I propose a fix, and this is coming from a lowly Korean. You can take my advice, or you can trash it, as usual and likely.
Get rid of the entitlement/pension funds in the military. Slash it, get rid of it, let Retired GI's on doe, support themselves. You can afford them.
Cuts gotta come from somewhere. I think it's American ludicrous that you all are looking at each other in the face, but no one wants to do the right thing, it's always the other guy who should do it.
Too bad you guys don't have something like the Korean national unity.
7:11 pm on March 16th, 2011 25
Tom, how about we cut out scholarships for foreign students and make them pay for their educations? After all, it's not like their families have paid taxes all of those years to support the education system.
9:06 pm on March 16th, 2011 26
Your choice. But I would think that it's so small in amount, it wouldn't make that much of a difference. But all power to you.
9:46 am on March 19th, 2011 27
Tax football, Movie Stars, Casinos, Music download, ect… There are billionaires that do nothing but throw around a ball and smile for the camera and yet the country is running out of money! I think that if we taxed the crap out of them for awhile and made them give up some of their undeserved money then we could straighten some of this out.
3:20 am on March 24th, 2011 28
As a military spouse I am deeply worried about the budget cut for the military as well as soldiers not being compensated at all. We have families to take care of and the majority of military families are surviving off one income and that happens to be through the government. The fact the government is telling our soldiers that they still have to work with no pay is rediculous and a breach of contract. How is it ethical for anyone to think it's okay for the military to work for free? I have read many posts and some people think that moral rewards are going to put food on the table and give you a roof over your head. The last time I checked, money does just that! Robert Gates deosn't seem to relalize the effect that no pay is going to create if this bill is not passed. I hope that we can come to a conclusion to this whole mess and live our lives.
9:58 am on March 24th, 2011 29
The solution to the US budget issue is simple. The republicans in congress just need to start slashing SS, Medicare, Obamacare and similar programs, and tell the Democrats to take it or leave it. If the Dems prefer to shut down government, rather than pass the funding bills that don't contain as much funding for these programs, they take sole responsibility for blocking all the things the Republicans did fund. Winning that message-war, when 40% of outlays are financed, should be easy.
'the majority of military families are surviving off one income'
Why?
You should probably set aside some money. Even if the shut down doesn't happen, drastic fiscal tightening has to happen in the near future. Between tax hikes and spending cuts I doubt many Americans will escape unscaved.
I imagine any pay not provided to soldiers during a shutdown will at least be distributed when government resumes operating, so some savings should do the trick.
11:19 am on March 24th, 2011 30
Yeah Tor! Let them eat cake!
12:07 pm on March 24th, 2011 31
I feel a song coming on… Wait for it….
One, two, three, four…
Hrmm!
One, two, (one, two, three, four!)
Let me tell you how it will be;
There's one for you, nineteen for me.
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Should five per cent appear too small,
Be thankful I don't take it all.
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
(if you drive a car, car;) – I’ll tax the street;
(if you try to sit, sit;) – I’ll tax your seat;
(if you get too cold, cold;) – I’ll tax the heat;
(if you take a walk, walk;) – I'll tax your feet.
Taxman!
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Don't ask me what I want it for, (ah-ah, mister Wilson)
If you don't want to pay some more. (ah-ah, mister heath)
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
Now my advice for those who die, (taxman)
Declare the pennies on your eyes. (taxman)
'Cause I’m the taxman,
Yeah, I’m the taxman.
And you're working for no one but me.
Taxman!
3:20 pm on March 24th, 2011 32
Broke and whining soldier's complaints are profuse
but a "single income family" is a pathetic excuse.
Blame the GI who can't manage his life
because he's too stupid to marry a juicy wife
and charge his buddies for each hour of three-holin' use.
4:09 pm on March 24th, 2011 33
May I?
Married a juicy, not a good choice
Should have stayed single, buy a Rolls Royce
Damn ball and chain, intentions were noble
Left in the dust, *ssf*cking global
The powers don't care, abandoned, sold out
The sacrifice large, lost all my clout
I wish you best, I hope things go well
Time will show all, see you in hell