Anyone impacted by the U.S. government shutdown? Share your story.

Comments

[Thomas H Jones II]

That's one of the "fun" parts about these shutdowns: it makes a lie of the "accept lower compensation in exchange for stability" bargain. It makes it so that those who can afford to do so, re-examine that bargain. Many say, "nope, won't ever be worth it", while others say "we need to rebalance this equation". In the former case, it means fewer qualified people willing to do the work at all. In the latter case, it means that, the people that are still willing to do the work require higher compensation. Either way, the government — and, by extension, the general population — is adversely effected going forward even once the immediate shutdown is ended.

[Dylan]

I live in DC, and it's honestly become a ghost town. Trains are maybe half full during rush hour, cafes and shops downtown changed their hours since there are fewer customers. A few days after New Years I saw a lot of tourist groups, school kids and families and the like, wandering around the mall looking for things to do since some of the museums were beginning to shut down.

The weekend nights people still go out since they're mostly younger, but on sunday nights, where you could reliably spot people through the window of a sports bar / pub, there is nothing happening it.

[Jeff Hall]

It's crowded where I live so that actually sounds pretty nice.

[Thomas H Jones II]

It's a comparative assessment. DC area is normally "stoopid-crowded". Right now, it's more like "normal city" crowded. Overall, different things/areas are differently impacted. For example:

• Instead of it taking 5+ minutes to go a mile on the main driving-routes, it's more like 3-4 minutes.
• Public transit, on the other hand is disproportionately impacted. Around here, the train-lines are laid out primarily to move govvies from the burbs into the federal buildings inside the beltway. Thus, trains that normally make you wonder when stations will have Japanese-style "pushers", you now have a shot at getting a seat even if boarding closer-in to the city.

[Thomas H Jones II]

Things like this are part of why the consultancies I've worked for have generally only bothered to bid pre-funded contracts. Which is to say, regardless of any stoppage nonsense with the government, the salaries (etc.) are already fully funded. Even if you can't work on-site, you still get paid (though, unlike furloughed workers, that pay is immediate, rather than "back", pay).

[Jeff Hall]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope you find something enjoyable soon. Or at least something that pays reliably.