Friday's Military Times posted an article explaining to its readers what the impact of a government shutdown would be on the military. They are correct in wanting to keep the military informed, but they really missed a few important points.
At the beginning of January 2010, the Democrats controlled the House, the Senate and the Presidency. In the Senate, after the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts, there were 57 Democrats (including Independents who caucused with the Democrats) and 41 Republicans. In the House of Representatives there were 256 Democrats and 178 Republicans. The U. S. Government's fiscal year begins on October 1 and ends on September 30. Congress is expected to pass a budget bill before the start of the fiscal year. Budget bills are constitutionally required to begin in the House of Representatives. The failure to pass a budget for 2011 falls squarely on the shoulders of Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats in the House of Representatives--they simply did not do their job--they funded the government through temporary measures. Now they are screaming because the Republicans are introducing spending cuts into those temporary measures. The President is screaming at Congress and blaming the Republicans because his Democrat party failed to pass a budget while they held the majority.
The Military Times reports:
"When the government was shut down in 1995, military personnel continued to report to work and were paid, but the planning guidance sent to the services and defense agencies says a shutdown this time will be different.
"All military personnel will continue in normal duty status regardless of their affiliation with exempt or non-exempt activities," says the draft planning guidance that was prepared for the services and defense agencies. "Military personnel will serve without pay until such time as Congress makes appropriated funds available to compensate them for this period of service."
"Troops would miss a payday only if the shutdown continues through April 1."
The obvious questions here is, "Why will a shutdown this time be different?" The government is the one issuing the planning guides--why will the shutdown be different this time?
More from the Military Times:
"Troops and essential civilians who report for work without pay would receive back pay when government funding is restored. But whether furloughed civilians would receive back pay could depend on whether Congress specifically authorizes that, according to congressional aides who have been doing their own shutdown planning.
"The memo, prepared in early March but never formally issued as guidance, attempts to spell out what defense missions would shut down and what would stay open in the event funding stops."
I have a better idea. If the government shuts down, let's stop paying Congress (and their staffs) until a budget is passed. Let's not give them the back pay for the time the government was shut down. Do you think that might speed up the process?
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