27 pointsby toomuchtodo17 hours ago3 comments
  • watwut15 hours ago
    > The government shutdown is taking a growing toll on air traffic controllers who are required to work without pay.

    Super weird that this part is actually legal. Either they should be required to work or goverment should be required to pay.

    • N19PEDL229 minutes ago
      > air traffic controllers who are required to work without pay

      What happens to them if they just refuse to work? They certainly cannot be prosecuted, as the 13th Amendment prohibits slavery.

    • testing2232114 hours ago
      The US has some very strange definitions of Freedom.

      Forcing people to work without paying them sounds like another one of those “uniquely American” problems like school shootings or healthcare.

      • cosmicgadget12 hours ago
        It sucks but the alternative is to let the government spend nonexistent money in violation of statute.

        And nobody is forced to work, like being at a startup that has some liquidity hiccups, sometimes you take a delayed paycheck. Other times you find other work.

        And for the nonessential employees, they legally can't work but get paid for their time when the government reopens. If you aren't living paycheck to paycheck, it's a great opportunity to work on that Steam backlog.

        • testing2232112 hours ago
          Always interesting seeing Americans justify the dysfunction of their system.

          This is terrible, and simply shouldn’t happen in what is ostensibly the best country in the world. Don’t justify it.

          • cosmicgadget12 hours ago
            I wish you had something more substantive than "don't justify it".

            The system is behaving correctly in the face of political dysfunction. Republicans don't want to fund healthcare subsidies and they don't want to negotiate appropriations in the house because Epstein. Democrats want healthcare subsidies. They have failed to compromise.

            It is good that the system is gradually grinding to a halt. It forces a resolution and provides valuable data for voters. It would be worse if the government could carry on indefinitely using pretend money. I especially don't trust this administration with the power of pretend money. It is also good that the government didn't fully deadlock on day 1. Many critical services remain functional.

            This isn't a great situation but I would be interested to hear about systems that handle deadlocks more gracefully. For sure I am cautiously on board with the idea of holding new elections in the event of legislative dysfunction.

            • UltraSane8 hours ago
              All money is "pretend money"
            • testing2232111 hours ago
              The US is $38 TRILLION Dollars in debt. I think it’s safe to say it’s been operating on pretend money for a long while.

              Also it’s bizarre you're fine with millionaires who are still getting paid while doing nothing to resolve their lack of agreement withholding the pay of people going to work who can’t afford rent, food and healthcare. There is no world where that is ok.

              • cosmicgadget11 hours ago
                I don't recall saying that was fine.

                I recommend you seek a better familiarity with nuance. It'll help you understand the difference between debt and pretend money.

                Have a good day.

          • jmye12 hours ago
            "Explanation" and "justification" are not synonyms, even if you just want an excuse for a Twitter-esque slap at Americans.
            • ruszki2 hours ago
              > It sucks but the alternative is

              This is plain justification regardless of context.

              With context it’s even worse, because the real alternative is to have a functional government, and a non far right president, who doesn’t happily kill people, if we want to talk about hypotheticals like using real money way after genie was let out of the bottle.

        • John238327 hours ago
          >And nobody is forced to work, like being at a startup that has some liquidity hiccups, sometimes you take a delayed paycheck. Other times you find other work.

          No, ATC's are actually forced to work by statute and contract.

          It's an incredibly demanding and selective job (you literally can't become one after age 30), so there are no ATC's on the bench.

    • stronglikedan14 hours ago
      They'll get back pay when gov resumes, and they know it. It doesn't make it any easier to get by in the meantime, especially for those that live paycheck to paycheck.
      • mokash14 hours ago
        Yep. Tricky for those that have childcare costs that they now cannot meet. Some in similar positions are forced out of work.
    • silisili15 hours ago
      Is this like mandatory you have to work, or ... you have to work or you'll be fired?

      If the former, I always wonder about folks who were set to retire, age out, got a new job they're starting, have health issues, etc..

      • noir_lord13 hours ago
        Have to work but can phone in sick, more and more of them will phone in sick.

        It's a weird system over the pond I have to say.

      • mmmlinux14 hours ago
        I think its also, you'll never have a federal job again.
    • code_for_monkey14 hours ago
      a very strange group of people to play chicken with as well, considering how important their job is
      • mmmlinux12 hours ago
        ATC has played this game of chicken before and lost. I'm sure they are well aware they need to tread carefully.
        • UltraSane8 hours ago
          I doubt history will repeat on that.
  • cosmicgadget12 hours ago
    Surely after Tuesday's election results and with Thanksgiving coming up the senate will nuke the fillibuster.
    • pjdemers12 hours ago
      >> senate will nuke the fillibuster.

      No, they will not. They will make a deal, probably covering spending until the end of this year.

      • cosmicgadget12 hours ago
        Doesn't that have to go back to the House?
  • cozzyd15 hours ago
    This is what I like to hear before I leave for Antarctica tomorrow...