You’d never know it from much of the coverage but no federal employees have missed a paycheck yet.
— Brit Hume (@brithume) January 8, 2019
And I still don't feel that I "know" it. There's no link to an article in this tweet. Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland.
Posts
64 comments:
This Friday will be the 1st bi-weekly paycheck they miss.
The #1 job of Fake News is to hide the News. If we had the News, then we could think for ourselves. Quelle Horreur!
"Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland."
It has long been so.
It's a medium looking for its own audience, is all.
PUERILE ... 2. I'd like to see ... [an] experiment in which callers describe the [TV] show just seen in three adjectives. Within reason, of course. ("We have a Mr. Buckley here who finds Laverne and Shirley EGREGIOUS, PUERILE, and JEJUNE"). (D. Cavett, of NEA, "Television `Wasteland' Revisited," Norman [Okla.] Transcript, 6/23/76, p.6)
(the Quintessential Dictionary, example of usage)
You mean all the pieces on Fed worker families suffering at Christmas were fake news? "No presents this year, Kids. And no food!" "Awwwwwww!"
"Mainstream media is a horrifying wasteland."
"Television is called a medium because it is neither rare nor well done” ---Fred Allen (November 1950)
Last paycheck, #26, for federal employees was issued on December 28. First paycheck of 2019 will be issued on January 11th.
So, no one has been denied pay as of today.
But, the story is: "orange man bad" so everyone is suffering.
CNN did a story on some guy not being able to buy a headstone for his wife be use of the shutdown.
Idiots actually believed that story.
WaPo, so probably fake -
‘I been eatin[sic] like a boss’: Federal prisoners served steak by unpaid guards during shutdown
"Steak" = Special Christmas dinner.
Given today's hyper-partisan, rabidly anti-Trump media, the presence or absence of a link tells us ... what?
Almost nothing.
I'v already missed one band practice, and will likely miss another Thursday because the Smithsonian ran out of "old money" Jan. 1.
paminwi said...
CNN did a story on some guy not being able to buy a headstone for his wife be use of the shutdown.
He'll get back pay. It's not like she's going anywhere...
Funny that 90 % of your blogs are riffs on mainstream media. So why do you wallow in the basement?
I am affected by the shutdown. But if this is my price to pay, so be it. The border needs a "wall" -- and a "wall" is any effective barrier to entry. So far we have almost NO EFFECTIVE barriers to entry.
Australia has a reef.
I usually understand what you are trying to do with your blog posts, Althouse. But in this case I don’t understand the aim of your complaint. Are you agreeing with Brit Hume, that it is a problem that no federal employee has missed a paycheck yet? Because with all due respect to Brit Hume, I think that he knows about it because of reports in the media. I and others amongst your commenting community know it, and more, because we have heard all about the various problems, and when they kick in, from observing media reports.
Or are you disagreeing with Brit Hume, as a prominent member of the media, who has been part of the problem?
While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February. But there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.
I don’t understand your media attack language in this post.
"There's no link to an article in this tweet. "
So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?
You really need a *link* to "know" that?
Even if you got a link, why would you be inclined to believe the "reporting" provided by a link to the "horrifying wasteland"?
That's the real issue here - the willful damnation of the fourth estate, not by Trump, but by the fourth estate itself. Trust no one.
He is technically correct; but as I understand it, no deal today means no paychecks on Friday. If I was a federal employee my allegiance would start to shift from the Dems to the President. I want my paycheck, and if carving out $5B for a wall (that will probably never be built) gets me my money, so be it.
Geeze you'd think fedgov workers would be money ahead by now and could handle some funemployment anyway. Is everyone living paycheck to paycheck? I wasn't, even in my very average salary.
Our grandson works for the GAO. We asked him during Christmas if he was one of the government employees who would be without pay during the shutdown. He said no. His department had already negotiated their contracts through to the end of the fiscal year. (Or something to that effect.)
"So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?"
No, I have trouble knowing the fact he's asserting. I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion. If there were an article with real facts I'd find out exactly what the situation is. It's wafting to me through the comments that the federal workers are paid semi-monthly and so they don't miss a check until the end of this week. Specify that and let me have the substance to think about how bad things are for the workers. Someone who works for half a month, relying on a paycheck, is facing a lot of problems paying bills. It would be very stressful.
"If there were an article with real facts..."
Well, there's your problem.
"While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February. But there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.
I don’t understand your media attack language in this post."
Please rewrite this so it makes sense. With all of the abuse and violence you suffer here, it surely has taken its toll. Maybe remove the "But" and period before it and replace with a comma?
While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February, there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.
Is that what you attempted to write but were unable properly to convey?
tomaig said...
"There's no link to an article in this tweet. "
So without Hume providing a *link*, you have trouble believing that the MSM has been churning out sob stories about the woes and travails of the poor downtrodden federal government employees, employees who have not yet been deprived of anything?
You really need a *link* to "know" that?
It's a conundrum, isn't it? If Brit Hume linked to a nice, meaty substantive article from a mainstream media outlet, explaining exactly how and when federal paychecks will actually be interrupted, it would self-defeat his point that no such stories were appearing in the mainstream media.
It's really hard to tell what it is that either Brit Hume or Ann Althouse want.
Which is such a pity; I've been a fan of both of them for decades. And now, in the era of Trump, they both seem to have substantially lost some of their perspective.
WaPo, so probably fake -
Yup, it was fake. I'm shocked.
"Prison workers last got paid Dec. 29. The first payless payday is slated for Jan. 12 if the shutdown continues, Dominick [vice president of the union that represents the prisons workers] said."
While it is true that mostly, no federal employees have as yet missed a paycheck, and many will continue to work even if their paychecks are stopped for a short period of time into January and February, there are many more problems involved in this federal shutdown, beyond federal employee paychecks.
Yep! That is exactly what I was attempting to convey. Thanks! Thanks a lot! (It really was a terrible paragraph from me, that I attempted to edit, got interrupted, came back to it in mid-edit and basically screwed up. I am grateful to you for taking the trouble to figure it out, and to do it correctly for everyone's benefit.)
They are whining before it has actually happened, in order to create a narrative.
You know, about the shutdown.
I have lots of military friends and the last time there was a shutdown that did not exclude them, OH the whining and OH the rending of garments.
In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this. Those of us who do not have free housing and free medical care provided ~ that is, those of us who are not in the military ~ manage to save enough money so that we can buy groceries for our kids if something happens to an expected paycheck (or paychecks....it may come as a surprise but people who don't work for the feds and thus have permanent jobs and benefits sometimes get laid off. And there's no back pay for us). There is ZERO excuse for not having an emergency fund, especially for active duty military and for white color fed workers. If you are living paycheck to paycheck in those conditions you only have yourself to blame. Stop buying tattoos, RVs, meals out and video games and save money like a responsible adult.
No, I have trouble knowing the fact he's asserting. I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion. If there were an article with real facts I'd find out exactly what the situation is. It's wafting to me through the comments that the federal workers are paid semi-monthly and so they don't miss a check until the end of this week. Specify that and let me have the substance to think about how bad things are for the workers. Someone who works for half a month, relying on a paycheck, is facing a lot of problems paying bills. It would be very stressful.
It's a fact that the last pay check (really direct deposit) goes out Jan. 11. Is it stressful knowing that at some budget battle or another, you might end up having to wait a while for your money to get restored? Sure. I worked with a lot of Feds, even, was one sort of. Of course they're pissed, but most of them will suffer no particular hardship. Some of the lower level ones who really do live paycheck to paycheck will suffer.
But I feel far worse for federal contractors who could be working but can't because of the shutdown, and won't get their checks restored.
The funny thing is I’ve never heard an actual person complain about any government shutdown but I’ve heard a shitload of people complain about the fact that already privileged Federal employees are getting some extra paid vacation. When a factory burns down, the company doesn’t pay idle employees while the factory is being rebuilt. Let’s apply the same dynamic to Federal shutdowns. If it isn’t real, who cares?
I have lots of military friends and the last time there was a shutdown that did not exclude them, OH the whining and OH the rending of garments.
Tell them to switch their banking to USAA. In the past, it has given interest free pay loans to service members during shutdowns.
Lots of the gov was already funded. Plus those areas declared essential can keep on working.
Amazing to watch Trump change the rules of shutdown theater.
"In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this."
Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.
No one is remarking on the fact that Trump is holding many Americans hostage to his caprice because Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall, a Wall he declared, promised, swore, guaranteed, promised, asserted, assured and vowed would be paid for by Mexico.
Robert Cook said...
"In things I can only say anonymously: Responsible adults have emergency funds for situations like this."
Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.
He did specify responsible adults.
Darrell: You mean all the pieces on Fed worker families suffering at Christmas were fake news?
Not necessarily. If I knew (or suspected) that a pay stoppage was coming in a month, I'd start limiting my spending now.
Robert Cook: No one is remarking on the fact that Trump is holding many Americans hostage to his caprice because Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall, a Wall he declared, promised, swore, guaranteed, promised, asserted, assured and vowed would be paid for by Mexico.
First, stop pretending you don't know what "Mexico will pay for it" means. Pretending to be that stupid is beneath you.
Second, Congress is "holding Americans hostage" just as much as the President is.
Teenage wasteland!
Federal workers can’t really get fired. So are they financially irresponsible because they think the party will never end?
They’ve been thru this before and refuse to learn their lesson?
It’s not like they have terrible heath insurance where they’re all bankrupt.
Congress won't ante up billions for his Wall,
Ante up walking around money Cookie. Glad handling blip of cash.
How detached is one from reality who thinks Uncle Sam can’t find $5 billion?
First, stop pretending you don't know what "Mexico will pay for it" means. Pretending to be that stupid is beneath you.
Second, Congress is "holding Americans hostage" just as much as the President is.
+1. Though the pretend stupid is often not beneath you...
"He did specify responsible adults."
Ah! I see you subscribe to the ages-old lie that people in distress are always the authors of their own difficulties.
Here in Vegas the TSA guys at the airport are getting nervous about their paychecks. A big part of the local economy depends on processing people smoothly through the airport, so it could be a big deal, especially with CES in town. Maybe some of the big casino honchos will step up to the plate and extend payday loans (also a big part of the local economy) to them.
Robert Cook said...
Apparently, you're unaware of how financially insecure many Americans are.
I get it, because that was me a year ago. It is true nearly 8 out of 10 Americans live paycheck to paycheck. But you're not going to convince me it's because they are unable to do otherwise.
Firstly, having no savings did not keep me from paying any bill. You can still use credit cards to cover emergencies (it isn't smart, but it works). And this is what people are going to do if their paychecks don't come. It is ridiculously easy for almost anyone in this country to borrow a couple thousand dollars.
Secondly, most people would not be living paycheck to paycheck and would have savings for an emergency if they had a budget, followed it, and were organized. But instead, they spend their money until it runs out and then they accumulate debt.
Robert Cook said...
"He did specify responsible adults."
Ah! I see you subscribe to the ages-old lie that people in distress are always the authors of their own difficulties.
Not all of their problems are self inflicted. The government causes a lot of problems for them too.
Fortunately Trumps policies are raising employment and wages for the working class for the first time in decades.
But we all know your talk about helping the poor is bullshit by how you react to the undeniable improvements to working class peoples lives.
Well, Achilles, that's not quite true: Robert Cook really does want to "help the poor." He just thinks that the way to help the poor is to enslave them to the Democrat party, where they will be owned body and soul and never, ever be able to depart, totally dependent on Big Daddy Government for everything, and the gulags for those who say "bugger off".
In short, he wants us all to be Russian peasants, circa 1918. The last thing he and the rest of the left want is for us to be American peasants, circa 1776.
--Vance
So our hostess doesn't want tweets without linked articles supporting the assertions made in them? Who made her the boss of Twitter? (She MIGHT do a better job than @Jack tho).
And for those who might suffer from the loss of a continuing paycheck? Simple answer: contact your representative and senators and tell them to fund the wall.
THEOLDMAN
Reminded of the old joke/New yorker cartoon?: Man falling from the Empire State Building is asked by someone on the 50th floor: "how are you"--response is" "all right so far".
Brit's bucking for a Fake News Pulitzer: https://www.google.com/amp/s/thehill.com/latino/424221-border-patrol-stopped-six-immigrants-suspected-of-terrorism-in-first-half-of-2018-nbc%3famp
Amazing to watch Trump change the rules of shutdown theater.
This may be the last one for a while. Trump has really flipped the script compared to the Obama shutdown. The "shutdown theater" may not work anymore.
"Trump managed to keep the parks open, why can't you? Are you an ineffective manager?"
Wow, Ms. Althouse, I can't believe you wrote this:
"I need a real article with facts in it, not just an assertion."
How, exactly, would you determine an article had the correct facts? If Hume had written a published article at FoxNews.com making the same assertion, would you consider it superior to his tweet?
"And now, in the era of Trump, they both seem to have substantially lost some of their perspective."
This might be the most unintentionally hilarious thing I have read in the last half year. How many of you, without searching the thread, could have guessed who wrote that quote?
Chuck said...
"I am afraid you are mistaking me for someone who has an interest in fair treatment of Donald Trump. I'm not your guy. I am interested in smearing him, hurting him and prejudicing people against him."
And when a Fed finally misses a paycheck, we should remember that:
1. 75% of the Feds continue to get paid, because their appropriations were passed
2. The 25% who won't get a check are getting a vacation and they ALWAYS get paid later for this vacation
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Verified account @RepAOC
2h2 hours ago
I just had a furloughed worker come visit me in my office.
“I work for HUD,” he said. “My family is hurting now that I’m three weeks without a paycheck,”
“but please - please don’t give into a wall. I don’t want the political tool of withholding my paycheck to be legitimized.”
A shutdown that lasts a month won't be too big of a deal for the federal employees affected.
A shutdown that lasts 3 plus months?
That'll be a different story.
Blogger Rabel said...
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Verified account @RepAOC
2h2 hours ago
I just had a furloughed worker come visit me in my office.
“I work for HUD,” he said. “My family is hurting now that I’m three weeks without a paycheck,”
“but please - please don’t give into a wall. I don’t want the political tool of withholding my paycheck to be legitimized.”
She's lying or the person who she talked to is lying. The first missed paycheck will be this weekend.
Blogger The Drill SGT said...
And when a Fed finally misses a paycheck, we should remember that:
1. 75% of the Feds continue to get paid, because their appropriations were passed
2. The 25% who won't get a check are getting a vacation and they ALWAYS get paid later for this vacation
#2 isn't true. Border Patrol (As one example, not the only ones) are essential employees who are not on vacation right now. Some areas have had all vacation canceled. Even if you have vacation time and sick leave, you're not supposed to be taking it during a shutdown because you're an "Essential" employee.
So please don't spread false information. There are a lot of federal workers who are still going to work each day without getting a paycheck.
"Fortunately Trumps policies are raising employment and wages for the working class for the first time in decades."
Except when his policies further enrich already powerful, wealthy and huge corporate entities and their upper management, who then axe thousands of workers.
Yeah, not going to get at least one paycheck at this point. We have ready savings but only about 2 months worth. Funny thing is, we are very fiscally responsible and have made provision for any typical loss of income (no debt but mortgage, excellent and expensive disability insurance, huge life insurance policy, banked maximum sick leave, aggressive retirement savings) BUT a complete shut-down that lasts for more than a few weeks was unexpected. We also normally have about 6 months of expenses in ready savings but my car---which we kept and drove until it died--up and died in October. On the no-debt principle, we used most of the ready savings to purchase a good, new-used car. Had we thought there could be a shut-down, we wouldn't have chosen to do that.
I still support the insistence on border security, controlled immigration, and no raise for Federal employees this year either.
Mary Beth said...
Tell them to switch their banking to USAA. In the past, it has given interest free pay loans to service members during shutdowns.
Navy Federal Credit Union (NFCU) did the same thing, putting in the normal deposit. As did several other military oriented credit unions.
Commercial banks? Ha! Not a chance.
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