Government Shutdown?
Speaking at the Mayflower hotel today in Washington DC, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga) speculates about the possibility of a government shutdown come November, assuming the GOP takes over the House. Via the Daily Caller:
A prominent Republican congressman raised the specter Friday of a government shutdown if the GOP wins control of the House.
Speaking to hundreds of activists gathered at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington for the Faith and Freedom Conference, Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-Ga.) urged the audience to stand with House Republicans when they go toe-to-toe with President Barack Obama.
Westmoreland said his caucus — presuming it takes control of the House come November — aims to pass spending bills that Obama is likely to veto. He predicted Republicans would not be able to override such a veto, creating a standoff that could cause Congress to grind to a halt.
“If the government shuts down, we want you with us,” he said.
The congressman recalled a similar shutdown that took place in 1995, when Newt Gingrich — also a speaker at the conference — was serving as House speaker. A future standstill could temporarily close national parks or delay payments from the government, Westmoreland speculated.
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May '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Emily Esfahani Smith:
"This letter is to inform you that your tax refund will be withheld until Dr. J. Dolittle has received grant money for his fascinating research on cross-species communication."
Edited on Sep 10, 2010 at 12:26pmSep '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Am I wrong in remembering that Gingrich's shutdown is when the country began to fall back in love with Clinton?
Jul '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Like a government shutdown was a bad thing!
Aug '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Can I ask a naive economics question?
How much is actually saved by shutting down the government for X number of days? And how does it vary based on length of notice given for the shutdown and duration of actual shutdown, etc?
I get the impression that sudden shutdowns, like the kind that come with snow days, sometimes cost nearly as much money as they save, if not more, and not just because the snow itself causes expenses, but also because the unexpected disruption of routine has real costs, too.
I'm all for the government doing less, so the idea of a government shutdown sounds appealing in theory. But I sure wouldn't want it to turn into an excuse for the government to spend even more money. And exactly how much political capital do the shutters-down of government stand to lose? I mean really lose, not just what some fear might be lost.
So, what are the costs and benefits?
Jun '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Government shutdown hits defense too. Gingrich's shutdown did. In a time of war, that may be a bridge too far. R's better be sure they have political support for it.
May '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Aaron Miller "This letter is to inform you that your tax refund will be withheld until Dr. J. Dolittle has received grant money for his fascinating research on cross-species communication."
Oh, no, Aaron. Say it isn't so!
Jim, if the Rs are writing the budget bills, they can write a full-on defense budget and send it up alone for O to veto or sign. And they could simply refuse to write a budget, or write a very spartan budget for education. And, of course, no budget at all for Obamacare.
Jul '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Hay, Midget, if I recall correctly, after the government shut down back in '95 all employees still got backpay after the "crisis" was over. It was simply a paid vacation. Don't forget, it's still government.
Aug '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
Thanks for the info, JC.
If that's how it's gotta work, the idea of a government shutdown becomes somehow less appealing.
May '10
Re: Government Shutdown?
In '95, Gingrich & Co. handledthis pretty ham-handedly, and Clinton followed a masterful PR campaign to engineer the actual shutdown, but blame it on Gingrich. The public is different now (I doubt nearly as many people would object to government taking a few weeks off), as are communication channels.
But they had best have this all figured out a lot better than before, because the main newspapers and TV channels are quite eager to paint a picture of Scrooge and Little Beth. I can't help but think that that was a stupid statement by Westmoreland.