US government to close shop tomorrow (Singapore time)

[Nhyone]

This is very good for me. This shut down will educate the people on the pit falls of a stalemate government and changes to their voting habits will be made. Its a good lesson for USA and the World.

Or, life goes on and people will realize the Government is not as important as it seems.

[Mockngbrd]

Or, life goes on and people will realize the Government is not as important as it seems.

not for those that kenna furlough with bills to still pay.

[Karoon]

what's in it for me?

[Mustank]

shutdown liao!!! shutdown liao!!!

 

http://news.asiaone.com/print/news/world/u...okes-washington

 

US government shutdown chokes Washington

 

Wednesday, October 2, 2013 - 09:37

AFP

WASHINGTON - The first US government shutdown in 17 years has put a choke hold on Washington, with the White House and Republicans digging in for an extended struggle with no way out in sight.

 

National monuments were barricaded on Tuesday, US war cemeteries in Europe closed, and hundreds of thousands of federal workers were sent home without pay, after dawn revealed the wreckage of America's latest paralysing political crisis.

 

President Barack Obama accused conservatives in the House of Representatives of waging an "ideological crusade" by making government funding conditional on gutting his landmark health care law.

 

His top foe, Republican House Speaker John Boehner, meanwhile claimed Obama was pursuing a "scorched earth" policy by refusing to negotiate, as the rhetoric hit new heights and hopes for a swift end to the standoff faded.

 

The president was in feisty form at a White House event marking the rollout of a key portion of Obamacare, which turned into an extended taunt at Republicans for failing to halt implementation of the sweeping law.

 

"This Republican shutdown did not have to happen - I want every American to understand why it did happen," Obama said.

 

"They have shut down the government over an ideological crusade to deny affordable health care to millions of Americans."

 

It was the morning after on Capitol Hill, where late night brinkmanship sent America into its first government shutdown in 17 years when the money ran out at midnight.

 

Boehner, who effectively chose to side with the uproarious Tea Party faction of his party rather than risk his job by attempting to pass a straight funding resolution stripped of political poison pills, lit into the president.

 

"Washington Democrats have slammed the door on reopening the government by refusing to engage in bipartisan talks," he wrote in an opinion piece in USA Today.

 

The political paralysis remained unbroken as the Senate followed through on Majority Leader Harry Reid's promise, rejecting the House's demand that the two chambers appoint formal negotiators to thrash out a deal.

 

So far at least, Boehner is dancing on precarious political ground.

 

A Quinnipiac University poll found voters, by a margin of 72 per cent to 22 per cent, oppose the shutdown of the government as a way to derail Obamacare.

 

The New York Daily News tabloid had a more blunt summation: "House of Turds" its front page read, in a swipe at Republicans modeled on the hit Netflix political mini-series "House of Cards."

 

Thousands of federal workers trekked into town only to clear their desks and be told they were not "essential" to running the US government machine. Young aides trooped out of the White House, leaving Obama with only a skeleton crew on hand.

 

Perplexed tourists were turned away from monuments and museums on the National Mall secured behind barriers and tape reading "Police Line: Do not Cross."

 

But one hardy group was made of sterner stuff - an ageing band of the so-called Greatest Generation showed up at the World War II memorial and refused to be denied entry.

 

Those visiting their dead comrades in France, Belgium, Italy and elsewhere were turned away, as funding dried up for American cemeteries in 20 foreign fields.

 

Another symbol of hard-won freedoms - The Statue of Liberty in New York - was off limits to disappointed tourists.

 

The military and border patrol were kept at full strength, but the Pentagon was due to stand down almost half of its 800,000 civilian employees.

 

Warring lawmakers, exhausted by Monday night's political theatrics, stirred under the serene Capitol Rotunda, but early hopes that a compromise would emerge once the shock of the shutdown had hit proved premature.

 

House Republicans sought to pass a trio of measures funding popular parts of government, including veterans benefits and museums.

 

The plan appeared to be an attempt to shame Democrats who say they will not negotiate with "a gun to their head" with the government closed.

 

"That proposal shows the utter lack of seriousness that we're seeing from Republicans," said White House spokesman Jay Carney.

 

All three bills were defeated, heaping more pressure on Congress to end the stalemate.

 

Democratic leader in the Senate, Reid, added: "We won't be forced to choose between parks and cancer research... or the FBI."

 

Democratic tactics were designed to thwart every Republican attempt for a face-saving exit and to force an eventual climbdown by Boehner.

 

Obama warned that the shutdown could have disastrous consequences for America's sluggish economic recovery.

 

"We know that the last time Republicans shut down the government in 1996, it hurt our economy. And unlike 1996, our economy is still recovering from the worst recession in generations," the president said.

 

To highlight his case, Obama was due to meet CEOs of some top Wall Street firms at the White House on Wednesday.

 

see amazon got shutdown deal or not?

[Rncw]

哈哈哈 americanos got no money to pay liaoz.....

[Mustank]

哈哈哈 americanos got no money to pay liaoz.....

 

interest rate going to negative liao

[Jasonjst]

Why must shut down ? Why cant just introduce QE4 ?

[Mustank]

Why must shut down ? Why cant just introduce QE4 ?

 

ang mo D buay song ang mo R

[Rncw]

ang mo D buay song ang mo R

 

i think end of the day, they still close their doors and have orgies among themselves...sucking each other.....thats americanos

[Thaiyotakamli]

Shut down for how long? One week? One month? Now most civil servant gets off holidays

[Mustank]

i think end of the day, they still close their doors and have orgies among themselves...sucking each other.....thats americanos

 

whether the pigs or jones is in charge, still the same

[Kb27]

It shows it's not easy to be a Democrat President.

Once elected, you have 50% of the power brokers ready to bring you down.

 

The last time, the US gahmen shutdown also happened to a Democrat Prez

[Jasonjst]

It shows it's not easy to be a Democrat President.

Once elected, you have 50% of the power brokers ready to bring you down.

 

The last time, the US gahmen shutdown also happened to a Democrat Prez

 

We should have 50% WP and 50% PAP , then we can enjoy shutdown . Everyone can have free ERPs , free parking , wow !

[Jman888]

tourist attractions closed? no bus/train services? No big deal! it is not end of the world -_-

 

Tourists baffled and angry as Statue of Liberty shut

AFP | Wed, Oct 2 2013

 

NEW YORK - Where once she welcomed immigrants pursuing the American dream and more recently hordes of tourists, the Statue of Liberty stood alone on Tuesday, victim of the US government shutdown.

 

Thousands of frustrated tourists had the choice of a one-hour boat trip around New York harbour or their money back, with one of the most iconic monuments in the United States closed.

 

Dozens of people working on the boats taking people to and from Liberty Island, run by US National Parks, were on hand with infinite patience and multiple languages to help marshall the baffled tourists.

 

"No statue today, nobody is going on the island," said Brian Fahey, who works for Statue Cruises at the Battery Park pier in southern Manhattan. "But you can join a one-hour harbor cruise that goes by the Statue, Ellis Island, Ground Zero, the Brooklyn bridge," he added. Large notice boards everywhere repeated the same information.

 

"The government has temporarily shut both the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Please join our one hour sightseeing tour and see the magnificent sights of New York harbour." But many visitors were reluctant to be fobbed off with a boat trip.

 

"I just arrived yesterday from Seattle, I bought my tickets yesterday, they could have suspended the sales, or sent notifications," said Shriram Parameshwaran, a 26-year-old engineer.

 

He was uninterested in the cause of the shutdown - the latest ideological skirmish between President Barack Obama and House Republicans over the scope of the US government.

 

"I have no idea what this is about," he told AFP.

 

He wanted his money back. He wasn't interested in the mini cruise.

[Joseph22]

We should have 50% WP and 50% PAP , then we can enjoy shutdown . Everyone can have free ERPs , free parking , wow !

Dream on, those are automatic don't need ppl one.

Maybe u get ur pay later nia.

[Old-driver]

Only 1 thing to say... The Americans are MAD

[Jman888]

was watching the evening news where one of the american commented that "we voted them in to do a job, now they behave like a bunch of 3 years old kid fighting ......" (something along that line) [laugh]

Edited October 2, 2013 by Jman888

[Felipe]

not the first time shutdown. i wasn't surprised at the market's ignorance of this shutdown yesterday.