Concern about government shutdown on May 1
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Yep, most people don't realize that while our Do Nothing Congress is on their so called "Easter District Work Break" the clock is ticking, and upon their return to Sodom on the Potomac they will have a week to do something to keep the Government operating.
Hence the Continuing Budget Resolution, its become the way to roll ever since the last Government shutdown.
Hence the Continuing Budget Resolution, its become the way to roll ever since the last Government shutdown.
KmH
Engineer
Amtrak is a corporation - The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, not a government agency.
By the way May 1 is Amtrak's birthday, in so far as Amtrak first ran the national passenger trains on May 1, 1971.
On May 1, 2017 I'll be on the Southwest Chief.
I was on the California Zephyr on May1, 2014
By the way May 1 is Amtrak's birthday, in so far as Amtrak first ran the national passenger trains on May 1, 1971.
On May 1, 2017 I'll be on the Southwest Chief.
I was on the California Zephyr on May1, 2014
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Not exactly. Amtrak is subsidized, but as a corporation and not a government agency it has an independent source of revenue - ticket sales, primarily (and payments from state Departments of Transportation, etc.). Such revenue is, of course, significantly less than annual expenses - hence the required subsidy. But it also means that Amtrak can function for a time even with its subsidy in limbo.
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As for a government shutdown, quite frankly I do not see that happening. The government will just print more money to keep things going. When a final budget is agreed to and in place,. only then will we know the commitment to Amtrak. It should be remembered that budgets are only decided by congress and not the president. The executive branch can recommend a budget but that's about the extent of it.
west point
Engineer
The gridlock already showing its ugly head this year one can only speculate on a possible government shutdown. Now if the president can make Amtrak shut down have no idea.
It has generally been know that other government shutdowns did not affect Amtrak other than the loss of some government workers and contractors taking the train.
It has generally been know that other government shutdowns did not affect Amtrak other than the loss of some government workers and contractors taking the train.
Austruck
Service Attendant
neroden
Engineer
Amtrak has survived every previous government shutdown and entire years with no budget. It's no fun but the way it's organized insulates them from short-term effects.
bmorechris
Train Attendant
This is conflating 2 issues, debt ceiling and the budget. A budget appropriates money to be spent by each of the government agencies. This is the issue end of April. Likely a continuing resolution that will maintain existing spending levels because I seriously doubt congress can get their act together in time to pass a new omnibus spending bill (this could potentially significantly change agency spending levels, but would still likely differ quite a bit from trumps proposed budget) As a federal worker, CR is probably the safest route to avoiding shutdown and maintaining current budget. Trumps proposal for my agency cuts have been dismissed by members of both parties fortunately.
The debt ceiling is literally the spending limit on the governments credit card. Once it is reached the US defaults on our loan obligations and who the heck knows what happens to financial markets. Current projections indicate it will be reached in the fall of this year.
RSG
OBS Chief
And while continuing resolutions have failed to pass in time in the past (hence the "government shutdowns"), so far there have been no failures to increase the debt ceiling---even though that has been threatened. Hopefully those that have wanted to do that in the past were appropriately smacked upside the head behind closed doors so they won't attempt it in the future.
bmorechris
Train Attendant
The debt ceiling debate is a joke. The people who authorized spending the money in the first place put on a circus act for their constituents as to whether we are going to pay for what they authorized. Ringling Bros may become a sad memory, but we've still got the government.
Yep, even though the "Biggest Show under the Big Top" has disappeared into the History books, we still have the Clown Car and the Chief Clown driving it in Sodom on the Potomac.
As several of us have said, look for a CR when the Clowns return from their "Working District and State Break." Book it Danno!
As several of us have said, look for a CR when the Clowns return from their "Working District and State Break." Book it Danno!
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Just think back to the shutdowns under the Clinton and Obama administrations: did those shutdowns cause Amtrak to stop running completely during the shutdown periods? NO!
Hence, there is no need to panic about the idea of a government shutdown bring Amtrak to a complete standstill.
Hence, there is no need to panic about the idea of a government shutdown bring Amtrak to a complete standstill.
RSG
OBS Chief
This is a very good point. Even with government services funded directly from the Treasury there are ‘essential’ and ‘non-essential’ services. The reason that government shutdowns don’t work for their intended goal is because the person who heads the Executive Branch can dictate which category those services fall into and manipulate the shutdown to their advantage. That some congresscritters don’t get that shows their lack of understanding of how the DC game is played.
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