Everything about the US government shutdown is about people – of course. It is people who caused it: a disagreement in government over the federal budget because the Repiblicans have linked Obamacare to the budget. They don’t like it and Obama and the democrats don’t want to negotiate about it.
800,000 public servants will be off work without pay until the warring parties agree. For a while things will be OK. We expect an agreement to be reached before the consequences are really serious.
This sort if impasse at federal government level interests people in Europe. It concerns people in Europe. It also concerns me that all family members might be affected, which includes the family cat.
Everything that people do that affects people also affects cats. It is a second tier responsibility that gets overlooked.
There is a worry that many governments, on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, are unable to manage effectively. This slightly chaotic state of affairs impacts our lives and the lives of tens of millions of domestic cats.
There is an erosion in the credibility of politicians. People don’t believe in politicians anymore. They are all the same. Nothing really changes. They are career politicians; in it for themselves. That is what a lot of people believe.
I would expect many people in Europe and America to be disillusioned with politicians who can’t even come to an agreement over a budget, which should be a routine matter.
The British government is not much better, often paralysed because it is a coalition of two parties with quite different objectives.
I just want to state that irresponsible government affects cats as well as people. They should not be forgotten.
Ruth – I had absolutely no idea it was such a huge percentage of people who choose not to work.
I suppose that can’t work in any country no matter what. I have always thought the cause of alot of problems in the US and Canada where I lived – is because of standard of education. Kids just leave school un-motivated and therefore they don’t see why not just take from the government. I remember when i was living in England I knew alot of people who just took the £32.50 weekly dole money from the system rather than get a job. I never did that. I would never have felt good about myself if I was taking money from the government. But I know alot of people who see absolutely no reason why not. Those are the ones who also have no particular aim in life except have a good time. I’m sure they are all feeling stuck by now! But in Australia it was the same thing – I met alot of squatters living off the dole and quite happy about the fact. It’s the result of a poorly enforced education system. Without education that is competitive then you don’t feel like there’s a point to even trying I think. I do get that but I couldnt take the handouts because I’d feel like an asshole;
This is a major problem in the UK as well as you probably know. The government here is forcing long-term unemployed to work on community projects or they won’t get their benefit payments.
Totslly agree. America spends far too much on the military. Although as a percentage of GDP they are about average.
What works in Switzerland will not work here, Marc, because just over 50% of our population now does not work, but takes benefits from the other half. And the balance is tipping more and more the other way. We just don’t have enough productive people.
There are companies hiring all over the place, so people could work. But the wages are so laughably low– you really can’t live on ten dollars an hour and a lot of places don’t pay that much. So people just stay on unemployment as long as they can and get on food stamps and other government hand out programs because even if they are working they aren’t making enough. A lot just refuse to work in favor of welfare. And why not? Working doesn’t pay anymore– you can be a lot better off taking the government hand outs. Except that there’s hardly anybody left working to pay for them.
If everybody really did their best to be productive socialism would work. And to Switzerland’s credit it does work.
Wisconsin had awesome programs for the poor to get healthcare– Badger Care was one of them. But we’re being forced to go into this national program. Things were fine in this state before.
It is not the government’s problem if a few able bodied people chose not to buy health insurance and then got into a problem. The government cannot solve all our problems. I’d rather be poor but free. Most people would rather be taken care of and give up freedoms.
Excellent point, Dee. I could rant away about China until Christmas. PoC has discussed Chinese products before.
This is one example written years ago:
https://pictures-of-cats.org/melamine-in-cat-food.html
I don’t respect politicians because they are career politicians. Their first priority is themselves. China is full of corrupted behavior that affect people. They produce cat fur products (the world’s biggest by far) by the millions. They are known for human rights abuses etc..
America should stop trading with China. China is a problem because they feed retail therapy but Americans and Europeans are addicted to cheap products made in China.
The shutdown has such a negative impact for people, babies, and animals. It was just reported that 45% of our FDA has gone on “furlough”. This, primarily, affected the individuals who inspect incoming products. CHINA! CHINA! YIKES! They have already tainted our baby formulas and pet foods in the past, killing many. Now, they have a free pass! WHY DO WE KEEP TRADING WITH THESE PEOPLE? Because we have a huge debt with them. It seems they are just trying to kill us off and our animals.