

Library of Congress and FTC will take their sites offline if gov’t shuts down - timw6n
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2013/09/library-of-congress-says-it-will-take-its-site-offline-if-govt-shuts-down/

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eli
These comments seem very ignorant of what a government shut down is and why
it's happening. It has nothing to do with debt or taxes or spending limits.
Congress must pass a budget or a CR by September 30 or most agencies must
close their doors. There are exceptions for public safety and other reasons.
It's the law.

[http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/28/gover...](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/28/government-
shutdown/2885749/)

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metric10
To translate, "shut down" means subsist on tax revenue alone and not issue
anymore debt. For 2012 that was $2.5 trillion for the year. I realize it would
be a disaster to go cold turkey like that, but I also don't buy the notion
that you can't run an effective and modern government on that kind of money.

~~~
eli
I think you are confusing the budget with the debt ceiling.

This has nothing to do with how efficient the government is or taxes or debt.
By law Congress must pass a budget (or a Continuing Resolution) by Sept 30 or
vast swaths of the federal government _must_ literally shut down. It does not
matter how much they spent nor how much the treasury has in the bank. `

~~~
metric10
I'm aware of the distinction, but from the article:

"With the possibility of an American federal government shutdown looming next
week as the result of the debt-ceiling crisis ..."

Not a "continuing resolution" or "budget" crisis.

But if that is the issue, then OK. I concede that $0 is NOT enough to run an
effective government with.

~~~
eli
The article is wrong.

[http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/28/gover...](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/09/28/government-
shutdown/2885749/)

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ywyrd
They will claim they have no money for cops, post offices, libraries, kittens
and apple pie, while they continue to spend billions waging endless war on
anyone, foreign or domestic, who does not kowtow.

~~~
droopyEyelids
It's an old trick, like a smaller city will shut down bike paths and school
bus service to inconvenience voters into coughing up the dough.

I wish there was a way to call their bluff though, and separate the finances
of these services from the rest of the government. I'd gladly stick an extra
$100 on my 1040 if I knew it'd go to the Library of Congress. Let the fucking
department of defense make the cuts.

~~~
eli
It's not a trick and it has nothing to do with tax raises or asking voters for
money. The LoC cannot continue most of its services if Congress does not
appropriate funds to it. It's the law.

~~~
ars
So why shut down the website? Why not just leave it there?

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pstack
Politicians, government, and many government employees are petulant children
that will take their ball home the instant they feel they're not getting their
way.

~~~
tzs
I'm curious. When your funding goes away and your employer stops paying you,
how long do you need to keep working for free to avoid being considered a
petulant child?

~~~
revelation
This isn't funding going away, nothing and noone being paid.

It's more like the unlimited credit card was cancelled.

~~~
tptacek
Do you know anyone who works for the federal government? I do; I have cousins
who work at EPA. They got their hours cut because of the sequester; they
weren't paid full weeks.

Obviously, _some people_ are still getting paid. But your "unlimited credit
card" observation is inaccurate.

~~~
flagnog
Yep, the limit so far is 17 trillion, which is very limited..

~~~
flagnog
It's always funny when the libs can't take what they dish out. Really?
Negative points for pointing out the obvious - Obama only stands for what
benefits Obama?

~~~
flagnog
Wow, guess you can't take it, eh? :) that's ok, I know you're butthurt over
it.

