The Ongoing US Federal Government Shutdown Thread

[Richard Cranium]

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Just before the weekend, the National Park Service informed charter boat captains in Florida that the Florida Bay was "closed" due to the shutdown. Until government funding is restored, the fishing boats are prohibited from taking anglers into 1,100 square-miles of open ocean. Fishing is also prohibited at Biscayne National Park during the shutdown.

The Park Service will also have rangers on duty to police the ban... of access to an ocean. The government will probably use more personnel and spend more resources to attempt to close the ocean, than it would in its normal course of business.

This is governing by temper-tantrum. It is on par with the government's ham-fisted attempts to close the DC WWII Memorial, an open-air public monument that is normally accessible 24 hours a day. By accessible I mean, you walk up to it. When you have finished reflecting, you then walk away from it.

At least that Memorial is an actual structure, with some kind of perimeter that can be fenced off. Florida Bay is the ocean. How, pray tell, do you "close" 1,100 square miles of ocean? Why would one even need to do so?

Apparently, according to an anonymous Park Service ranger, “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

Centuries ago, King Canute famously failed to command the ocean tide to stop. His display was actually a means to educate his subjects on the limits of royal power. Today, however, our President actually believes he has the power to control the ocean

[deebakes]

:facepalm:

[Richard Cranium]

The official Amber Alert page is www.amberalert.gov.

The Amber Alert is a national program that alerts the public when a child has been abducted. The Department of Justice broadcasts specific information about missing children so the public can be on the look out for the child and/or the abductor.

If you type www.amberalert.gov in your browser, you will find that the website redirects to an error message stating that the government shutdown has stopped the program. I am not linking it here because it redirects to an error message.

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If you try and visit letsmove.gov, Michelle Obama's healthy child/exercise initiative, no such redirect takes place.

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[Richard Cranium]

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One of Obama's preferred golf courses, the course on Andrews Airforce Base remains open during the government shutdown. The grocery stores on the base, where troops get discounted groceries for their families are, however, closed. They will shop "at local stores that cost about 30 percent more, Lieutenant General Raymond Mason, the service’s deputy chief of staff for logistics, said yesterday at a House hearing."



The Andrews Air Force Base golf course is funded through user fees and that’s why it remains open, said Air Force Captain Lindy Singleton, chief of public affairs for the 11th Wing at Andrews.

Obama hit the links last weekend for a round, on the eve of the possible shutdown. Last week the President played his 35th round of golf this year.

[Richard Cranium]

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This is not a surprise - we've been calling the administration's needless barrycades "shutdown theater" all week for a reason. We haven't forgotten how the Obama administration also used ham-fisted scare tactics in the wake of the Sequester in an attempt to spur public outrage over the cuts in spending.

This is how the Regime rolls. According to an anonymous Park Ranger, he and his fellow workers have been told to make life as difficult as possible for people.

Wesley Pruden of The Washington Times reported:

The Park Service appears to be closing streets on mere whim and caprice. The rangers even closed the parking lot at Mount Vernon, where the plantation home of George Washington is a favorite tourist destination. That was after they barred the new World War II Memorial on the Mall to veterans of World War II. But the government does not own Mount Vernon; it is privately owned by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association. The ladies bought it years ago to preserve it as a national memorial. The feds closed access to the parking lots this week, even though the lots are jointly owned with the Mount Vernon ladies. The rangers are from the government, and they’re only here to help.

“It’s a cheap way to deal with the situation,” an angry Park Service ranger in Washington says of the harassment. “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

The Obama Regime expects the MSM to carry their water by blaming Republicans for all the pain caused by the government shutdown. But when stories like this one get out there, their "blame the GOP" narrative becomes somewhat less convincing.

[FBD]

:priorities:

[perrhaps]

No white kids on the homepage?:racist:

[Richard Cranium]

The wookie doesn't much care for white kids,

[Richard Cranium]

While our president still enjoys his essential employees and locations: the White House chefs, Camp David, and a military golf course, there doesn't seem to be any question that in mercenary pursuit of a political win, this White House is determined to unreasonably punish as many everyday people as possible. And this includes children sick with cancer. That might sound like hyperbole, but it is not.

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Although Barack Obama's chefs have been deemed "essential," employees at the National Institutes of Health who offer last-chance experimental cancer treatments for children suffering from cancer have not. Worse still, House Republicans have offered to compromise with the president and single the NIH out for funding. The White House has threatened a veto.

Using children sick with cancer as pawns is community organizing on steroids. And the media are covering for him. When the media thought they could emotionally blackmail the GOP with these sick children, telling their story was all the rage. Now that it is Obama and Senate Democrats wrist-flicking refusing treatment for these children, suddenly the media aren't too interested in telling their story.

There are many other examples of this president's cold-hearted fanaticism and willingness to punish people for reasons that seem to have much more to with spite than what is and is not "essential." In fact, there are a number of examples where Obama seems to be spending more money and using more resources to close and block and inconvenience than to just leave it alone.

The media may or may not report on these individual occurrences, but what they will never do is provide the American people with the full context and scope of Obama's shrill pettiness.

Below is a list of illogical, unnecessary, and shockingly spiteful moves our government is making in the name of essential and non-essential.

This list will be regularly updated, and if you have something you feel should be added, please email me at jnolte@breitbart.com or tweet me @NolteNC.

--

1. Treatments for Children Suffering From Cancer - The GOP have agreed to a compromise by funding part of the government, including the National Institutes of Health, which offers children with cancer last-chance experimental treatment. Obama has threatened to veto this funding.

2. The World War II Memorial - The WWII memorial on the DC Mall is a 24/7 open-air memorial that is not regularly staffed. Although the White House must have known that WWII veterans in their eighties and nineties had already booked flights to visit this memorial, the White House still found the resources to spitefully barricade the attraction.

The Republican National Committee has offered to cover any costs required to keep the memorial open. The White House refused. Moreover, like the NIH, the GOP will pass a compromise bill that would fund America's national parks. Obama has threatened to veto that bill.

3. Furloughed Military Chaplains Not Allowed to Work for Free - Furloughed military chaplains willing to celebrate Mass and baptisms for free have been told they will be punished for doing so.

4. Business Stops In Florida Keys - Although the GOP have agreed to compromise in the ongoing budget stalemate and fund the parks, Obama has threatened to veto that funding. As a result, small businesses, hunters, and commercial fisherman can't practice their trade. While the feds have deemed the personnel necessary to keep this area open "non-essential," the "enforcement officers" to ensure no business is done are "essential."

5. Obama Blacks Out Sports, Entertainment Programming to Overseas Troops - The American Forces Network (AFN) that provides American sports and entertainment programming to our troops stationed abroad, has been shut down. For some reason, though, AFN News will still broadcast news, just not any of the popular and fun stuff.

Camp David is essential, but popular programming for heroes overseas is non-essential.

6. Obama Closes D-Day Memorial - The GOP have offered to compromise and fund the National Parks. Obama has said he will veto this compromise legislation. As a result, along with 24 other military cemeteries, the D-Day memorial in Normandy has been barricaded.

7. Obama Tries to Close Privately-Funded Mt. Vernon - Although George Washington's Mt. Vernon estate is privately funded, the feds blocked visitors from entering the parking area because the Park Service maintains the lot. Apparently, the New Media publicity resulted in the feds backing down.

8. Obama Closes Over 100 Privately-Managed Parks That Cost No Money to Run - The U.S. Treasury actually makes money from the rent paid by a private company that "employs about 400-500 camp workers and managers across about a dozen states." No federal money is used to operate these parks. No federal employees are used to staff these parks. Taxpayers make a profit from these parks. Still, Obama had them closed and as a result 400-500 employees and a private business are taking it in the neck.

9. Obama Closes Self-Sustaining Colonial Farm It Hasn’t Supported Since 1980 - "For the first time in 40 years, the National Park Service (NPS) has finally succeeded in closing the Farm down to the public. In previous budget dramas, the Farm has always been exempted since the NPS provides no staff or resources to operate the Farm.”

10. Obama Tries to Close State-Run Parks in Wisconsin - "The park service ordered state officials to close the northern unit of the Kettle Moraine, Devil's Lake, and Interstate state parks and the state-owned portion of the Horicon Marsh, but state authorities rebuffed the request because the lion's share of the funding came from state, not federal coffers."

11. Obama Closes Vietnam Memorial - The GOP have passed compromise legislation that would fund national memorials and parks, and open them to the public. Obama threatened a veto. Apparently, the "essential" government employees are those erecting barricades, not those who could keep the memorial open.

12. Obama Closes Privately-Owned Hotel, Police Block Parking Lot - "The operator of a 51-room inn located on U.S. government-owned land in North Carolina abandoned his defiant stance on Thursday to keep the property open despite being ordered to close as part of the federal government shutdown."

October is this inn's prime season. The GOP have offered compromise funding opening the parks. Obama said he will veto that compromise.

State troopers blocked customers from entering the inn's parking lot.

13. Park Service Ranger: 'We've Been Told to Make Life As Difficult For People As We Can' - “It’s a cheap way to deal with the situation,” an angry Park Service ranger in Washington says of the harassment. “We’ve been told to make life as difficult for people as we can. It’s disgusting.”

14. Obama Forces Residents Out of Private Homes - "The government shutdown is being felt close to home for some locals. They say they're being forced out of private homes on Lake Mead because they sit on federal land."

The GOP have agreed to fund the parks. Obama has threatened a veto.

15. Acadia Park In Maine Shut Down - '"We’ve been training for two years at CrossFit for this hike — no kidding,” Hart said. She added that the shutdown should be as inconvenient for the Washington politicians who caused it as it is for average citizens.'

The GOP have agreed to fund the parks. Obama said he will veto.

16. Historic Restaurant Open During Last Shutdown Forced to Close - "An iconic Philadelphia restaurant has been forced to close its doors and turn away booked parties because of the government shutdown. …

"Restaurant public relations director Molly Yun said they were notified there was a possibility a closure might happen, but they were allowed to remain open during the last government shutdown 17 years ago."

The restaurant is part of the federal park system, which the GOP have agreed to fund. Obama said he will veto the funding.

17. Obama Shuts Down a Road Tha Goes Through CO Park: "The Forest Service announcement, in turn, led the Pitkin County commissioners to order that Maroon Creek Road be shut down at the height of the colorful leaf-changing season. Ahead of what is to be one of the busiest weekends of the fall, the road is to be closed to vehicles at T-Lazy-7 Ranch, pending a resolution to the government shutdown."

The GOP have agreed to fund the parks. Obama said he will veto that compromise funding.

18. Residents Plan Protest of Cape Hatteras Closing - "Businesses and residents on the Outer Banks have planned a peaceful protest of the closure of Hatteras Island's beaches due to the government shut down.

"The U.S. House Wednesday passed a measure to reopen national parks and monuments. It will now go to the U.S. Senate."

In the unlikely event the Democrat Senate passes the bill, Obama has threatened a veto of any compromise legislation opening the parks.

19. Obama Blocks People From LOOKING at Mt. Rushmore - "Blocking access to trails and programs at South Dakota’s most popular attraction was one thing, but state officials didn’t expect Congress’ budget stalemate to shut down a view of Mount Rushmore.

"The National Park Service placed cones along highway viewing areas outside Mount Rushmore this week, barring visitors from pulling over and taking pictures of the famed monument.

The cones first went up Oct. 1, said Dusty Johnson, Gov. Dennis Daugaard’s chief of staff. The state asked that they be taken down, and federal officials did so with some of them. The state was told the cones were a safety precaution to help channel cars into viewing areas rather than to bar their entrance."

20. Crucial USDA Websites Taken Down - "The U.S. Department of Agriculture has turned off its entire website in response to the government shutdown, leaving farmers, reporters and others with no way to access any of the agency's information online. …

"USDA's total website shutdown goes far beyond the response of other federal agencies, and seems to be part of an effort to make people feel the effects of the shutdown. Thursday morning calls to USDA's press office seeking an explanation were not answered."

This website is down and yet the ObamaCare and White House websites are up.

21. St. Louis Gateway Arch Closed - The GOP have agreed to compromise legislation funding the parks. Obama has threatened a veto.

22. Park Shutdown Bounces Rowers from Potomac - "The ripple effect of a government shutdown has pushed rowers from the Potomac River.

"Multiple high schools rent space at the Thompson Boat Center in Georgetown. But like other places controlled by the National Park Service, it closed Tuesday morning."

The GOP have agreed to compromise funding opening the parks. Obama has threatened a veto.

23. Thompson Boat Center Closed In DC - The GOP have agreed to fund the parks. Obama said he will veto.

24. Obama Closes Military Commissary - "Military members, veterans and families who shop at local tax-free store are shocked to discover the store's doors locked; no progress to end stalemate in Washington."

While the government has deemed the White House chefs "essential," working class military personnel have lost their tax-free store privileges.

Military personnel and their families tell me that they have never lost these privileges in previous shutdowns.

25. Arizona Offers to Fund Grand Canyon, Obama Says 'Drop Dead' - "Obama has ordered the Grand Canyon to stay closed, even after the state of Arizona and local businesses have offered to cover the costs necessary to keep it open. In other words, the shutdown isn’t about the money — it’s about hurting the American people just because he can."

[Richard Cranium]

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On October 3, President Obama's Acting Director of Digital Strategy, Nathaniel Lubin, posted the following question on the White House blog: "How has the government shutdown affected you?"

Below this, the White House blog fleshes the question out:

Congress has two jobs to do: pass a budget and pay its bills. But earlier this week, Congress failed to pass legislation to fund the government, and now many vital services are shut down. So, we want to hear, how has the government shutdown affected you?

In the event that someone may answer the question and no one responds or prints it on the website, the White House has that covered too--it's Congress' fault. The blog makes clear that, due to the government shutdown, "some submissions may not be processed, and [they] may not be able to respond to...inquiries."

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[Teh One Who Knocks]

Okay, we don't need 3985734968734967 threads about the shutdown...let's try and consolidate them please?

[Richard Cranium]

Delete them, I cannot..

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I have no problem with them, I just don't want to see a bazillion threads all about the same thing ;)

I will consolidate them.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Such bullshit, they are purposely trying to make the average citizens life difficult even by spending more money to do it

[Muddy]

I said this from the beginning.. They're trying to teach us a lesson so we'll call our representatives and raise hell.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

I have no problem with them, I just don't want to see a bazillion threads all about the same thing ;)

I will consolidate them.

And I stickied it until the shutdown ends :thumbsup:

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Such bullshit, they are purposely trying to make the average citizens life difficult even by spending more money to do it

All the while saying it's the evil republicans fault that this is all happening.

[FBD]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0

[Goofy]

America was not shut down properly. Would you like to start America in safe mode, with free healthcare & without the guns? (Recommended)

[Griffin]

Free healthcare is far from free.

I'll keep my guns for when the foreigners invade with their knives and sticks.

[Griffin]

One day a Washington, D.C. florist went to a barber for a haircut. After the cut, he asked about his bill, and the barber replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The florist was pleased and left the shop.

When the barber went to open his shop the next morning, there was a "thank you" card and a dozen roses waiting for him at his door.

Later, a police officer came in for a haircut and, when he tried to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The officer was happy and left the shop.

The next morning when the barber went to open up, there was a "thank you" card and a dozen donuts waiting for him at his door.

A Congressman came in for a haircut and when he went to pay his bill, the barber again replied, "I cannot accept money from you; I'm doing community service this week." The Congressman was very happy and left the shop.

The next morning, when the barber went to open up, there were a dozen Congressmen lined up waiting for a free haircut. And that, my friends, illustrates the fundamental difference between the citizens of our country and the politicians who run it.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Free healthcare is far from free.

I'll keep my guns for when the foreigners invade with their knives and sticks.

Yeah, never really sure where the whole 'free healthcare' logic came from/comes from, and it's a fallacy perpetrated everywhere except the USA....somebody somewhere is paying for it, and that's usually on the backs of people who are actually out working for a living and not sponging off the government and the taxpayers.

[FBD]

obscure costs and watch 'em blow the fug up, its pretty simple.

[perrhaps]

The longer this continues, the more suspicious I've become that a lot of insiders are making a lot of money manipulating the stock market as a result of the shutdown.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

MSN Now


John Bell was looking forward to a quiet run in Valley Forge National Historical Park. Instead, he got a $100 fine for being in a park that's closed due to the government shutdown. He returned from a trail to the parking lot, where two park rangers wrote him the citation. Bell, a marathoner from Chadds Ford, Pa., told Runner's World that he was aware of the shutdown and saw that the park's main gate was closed, but "didn't put two and two together" because the trailhead he used wasn't blocked. He plans to fight the citation and says it's not about avoiding the fine, but about reinstating access to public land.

"Closing main gates, visitor’s centers and concession stands, I understand that," Bell said, "but shuttering the public from trails, trees and birds is excessive." A protest run is reportedly a possibility, and Bell says if it happens, he'll be there. Runner's World reported that requests for a comment from the National Park Service were not answered because the press office is currently closed.

[FBD]

The longer this continues, the more suspicious I've become that a lot of insiders are making a lot of money manipulating the stock market as a result of the shutdown.

biggest point: its all for the central bank.

[FBD]

http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2013-10-20/debt-ceiling-was-hit-back-may-so-why-did-it-become-crisis-five-months-later

The US can now collectively breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve averted the “debt ceiling debacle.”

The only problem is that this entire “crisis” was a lie. The US actually hit its debt ceiling back in May 2013, a full five months ago.

At that time neither the Treasury Department, nor the White House, nor Congress talked about this.

So for five months, the US debt level was frozen. The reason was because the Treasury was resorting to “extraordinary measures” to keep us below the debt ceiling. It’s interesting that no one in the media talked about this, nor that anyone seemed to care at all.

Then, suddenly we had yet another “crisis” in which the world would literally end if the political class didn’t get their way. The US would default if we don’t spend more money now!

Our President and other political “leaders” fussed about this for two weeks and basically wasted all of our time. The whole exercise was totally pointless outside of setting up an “issue” on which to campaign for the 2014 Congressional elections.

How do I know it was pointless?

Because the deal they made doesn’t raise the debt ceiling. All it did was make the debt ceiling unenforced for a few months… until February 17 2014 specifically.

So we hit the debt ceiling in May… manufactured a crisis in October… just to ignore the issue another three months…

THIS is the state of Government in the US today. The fact the media in this country goes along with this as “news” tells you everything you need to know about the “objectivity” of the fifth estate.

If you want to talk about a real debt crisis, let’s talk about the US Federal Reserve.

The Fed’s current balance sheet is $3.86 trillion. It will be over $4 trillion before the end of 2013 and over $5 trillion before the end of 2014.

THE FED is the debt problem. It is allowing the deficit and the debt to swell like this for the sake of benefiting a handful of banks and screwing the economy. QE doesn’t create jobs. It never has.