How's the partial federal government shutdown affecting you?

[bcla]

SFO has opted to use Covenant Aviation Security instead of the TSA directly. As such SFO is unaffected by the shutdown. What I don't know is if the Covenant pays more or less then what the TSA previously paid.

They're legally a contractor of the TSA. If TSA isn't paying them, then I don't know how the company is dealing with paying their employees. I haven't seen anything in the news explaining how their employees would be affected.

http://old.covenantsecurity.com/Subcontents/SPP/
https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/screening-partnerships

Can the airport authority advise the screening contract company on security screening service operations at their airport?

The contract screening company is contracted by TSA to provide the security screening services. TSA monitors vendor performance according to their contract. The vendor must comply with all TSA standard operating procedures and operational directives. The airport authority has no new role or impact on the screening operations as a result of the program.​

 

[Hikergirl]

Hikergirl,

I get you and I also get kdonnel. I sat here on this thread and the other thread and gave stories of why some people can't prepare and gave some of my personal times of "poverty" and how I felt helpless. I didn't do that to be disagreeable or to say that what kdonnel and you pointing out isn't the truth. As many "poor" stories that I think we all have, I for one know the same amount of people who have the means to prepare but live recklessly when it comes to finances. Heck we see those travesties on this board.

The reason I related my own stories here is because, at least with the one poster, it was all one way or the other. They could see absolutely NO reason for anyone to be ill-prepared. I happen to think that is either showing an extreme deficit in empathy or means that people live in a very tight bubble where they only know their own experiences.

In general, yeah, I think people can be pretty irresponsible with their money management but I certainly know that you can also catch a few unlucky breaks and have something like a furlough or job loss be devastating.

I can't speak for the other poster but I am not talking about people who have caught unlucky breaks, or have some kind of tragedy, young people just starting out, or even families living paycheck to paycheck because their necessities take all their money.
I've been in a few of those categories myself. I also know that at any time I could be back in one. However right now I can save so that means I do. My dh works in a field that lays off people left and right, we have a responsibility to be prepared for that.
I know several people who are just irresponsible with money, they live in the here and now without thought about the future what ifs. They have the means to prepare, they choose not too. Those are the people I'm talking about, because they had the opportunity to make sure they would OK through it all but instead have to struggle because they couldn't be bothered. It is hard to have compassion for them, it just is.

 

[underdesea]

Can you provide links that the federal workers impacted are all on the verge of poverty before the shutdown and unable to set aside money to prepare for not getting a paycheck?

You clearly are trying to find something to argue about, nowhere did I say they were evil. If you want to put words in someone's mouth to prove your point then all that means is you don't have one or you aren't intelligent enough to discuss it. Maybe you have issues with reading comprehension.
I will give you the benefit of the doubt and say you are just looking to argue and in that case you can continue to put words in my mouth and speak for me. Then there is no need for me to waste my own on you.

Calm down. Clearly you don't like your opinion to be challenged. At all. But I'm glad you're not going to waste any more of your words on me, because frankly, I'm bored now. So thank you.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Well, it's an example. Swap in a different airport then. Chances are it's not easy for most to save on $20 an hour.

I see where you're going but I think focusing on dollar amount per hour doesn't give the full picture. There's just a lot to look at in there from how one lives, their expenses, their make up of their household, etc etc.

TBH for some people $20/hr would be an absolute godsent. And I for sure know some people can save a ton making that because of xyz specific to their situations.

We're getting very aquainted with CA rental market considering my husband is about to start a field assignment for 6months-1year in the LA area so yes I do know that CA 20/hr won't amount to much. Seriously we just looked at the income tax rate as he will be paying that due to length of time there and his income according to CA standards is a lot lower income. Back at home here he makes a fairly good living. I joked that we're like the poor people in CA (and I don't mean to come off insensitive that way).

I think your overall point, and I could be wrong, is depending on one's circumstances the pay they receive doesn't amount to much leftover for a rainy day fund. I would agree with that point. In any case it's never a good feeling to have to fall back on those savings, regardless of the situation and I've known the feeling of what the heck am I going to do when I found myself with $14 (and yeah I mean only that) to my name. I had no idea if I was even going to have enough gas in my car to make it to the job interview (luckily I did and luckily I was hired that day).

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Bless you little heart

Now we know why some people here think most people who say "bless your heart" say it as an insult. I've never understood where people got that idea. Everyone I know in real life says it out of compassion. You've solved the mystery.

 

[underdesea]

I don't react with anger when someone has a different opinion.

Well, you kinda did.. I just said you seemed to feel good in your superiority. If anything, that seemed to make you a bit upset. In fact, you've seemed really defensive whenever anyone disagrees with you. You're just a stranger on the Internet that I don't agree with. If you think you're more than that, well, reality check.

 

[Planogirl]

I realize that many people live beyond their means. I also know that many are frugal and yet are hit with some type of disaster. I can't tell which is which so I just assume that everyone does their best and I try not to judge. Except I do tend to judge those who feel that they are wiser than anyone else. They certainly understand their own situation but too often seem to be clueless about others.

Actually I feel bad in this case even for those who have savings. Who wants to possibly wipe that out because of something like this?

 

[jiminyC_fan]

I realize that many people live beyond their means. I also know that many are frugal and yet are hit with some type of disaster. I can't tell which is which so I just assume that everyone does their best and I try not to judge. Except I do tend to judge those who feel that they are wiser than anyone else. They certainly understand their own situation but too often seem to be clueless about others.

Actually I feel bad in this case even for those who have savings. Who wants to possibly wipe that out because of something like this?

I wish there was a love button not just a simple like. You hit the nail on the head.

 

[neverlandsky]

Since The Great Depression, inflation has statistically speaking outpaced wages. Now healthcare & home prices/rentals has outpaced inflation & wages for the first time ever in 2018. Food, Shelter, & Healthcare, the major 3 for survival outpace wages. The "living beyond their means" argument is the easy way out to what is truly going on. For the majority, it's not "living beyond their means", it's trying to just survive.

I highly recommend these movies: Too Big Too Fail & The Big Short if someone truly wants to be angry at something. Especially since CDOs are now BTOs. Our government doesn't earn any money. We the people earn the money our government spends. Any shutdown, $700 billion bailout, legislation, loopholes (i.e. college loans/tuitions rates) etc. ultimately affects us all.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Too Big Too Fail & The Big Short if someone truly wants to be angry at something. Especially since CDOs are now BTOs. Our government doesn't earn any money. We the people earn the money our government spends. Any shutdown, $700 billion bailout, legislation, loopholes (i.e. college loans/tuitions rates) etc. ultimately affects us all.

I haven't seen Too Big to Fail but I have seen The Big Short. I really enjoyed the movie...'course makes you upset too. That was like the ending credits of The Other Guys too. Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room another good movie. I admit though even after rewatching the big short a few times over I'm still flying through understanding all of what they were talking about even though I appreciate the pacing it's just the pacing makes it hard to get all the nitty gritty details for me personally. Maybe I need a few more times lol.

Do you know if Too Big to Fail is available somewhere to see?

 

[Dentam]

Since The Great Depression, inflation has statistically speaking outpaced wages. Now healthcare & home prices/rentals has outpaced inflation & wages for the first time ever in 2018. Food, Shelter, & Healthcare, the major 3 for survival outpace wages. The "living beyond their means" argument is the easy way out to what is truly going on. For the majority, it's not "living beyond their means", it's trying to just survive.

Yes! You've put into words what I've been thinking while reading this thread. How nice it must be for those who make enough money to not feel the effects of the increase in costs for food, shelter and healthcare. I live in a city where the cost of housing has over doubled in the last decade. And there are many other cities dealing with the exact same situation. Yet wages have barely gone up at all for many people.

If there was a way to force people to actually live in someone else's shoes for awhile, just think how different our world would be.

 

[LSUmiss]

And it is about THOSE WHO CAN PREPARE, SHOULD.
Look you all can keep coming up with stories about why people cant prepare, and disregard the fact that there are people out there who just choose not too because they would rather not think about. They'd rather buy the latest iphones and take $5000 vacations instead of putting money aside for emergencies. Those are the people I am talking about, they should be preparing for what they know could happen.

But those ppl that you’re talking about would most likely not be devestated by a shut down. They’d probably just use credit cards if they didn’t have actual emergency funds.

 

[tvguy]

So that pay provides enough to carry TSA personnel through countless missed paychecks?!

Some yes, some no. But they haven't missed a single paycheck.......yet. My brother was a Federal employee for 30 years and he always said being prepared for a shutdown just comes with taking a job with the Federal Government.

 

[tarheelmjfan]

Since The Great Depression, inflation has statistically speaking outpaced wages. Now healthcare & home prices/rentals has outpaced inflation & wages for the first time ever in 2018. Food, Shelter, & Healthcare, the major 3 for survival outpace wages. The "living beyond their means" argument is the easy way out to what is truly going on. For the majority, it's not "living beyond their means", it's trying to just survive.

I highly recommend these movies: Too Big Too Fail & The Big Short if someone truly wants to be angry at something. Especially since CDOs are now BTOs. Our government doesn't earn any money. We the people earn the money our government spends. Any shutdown, $700 billion bailout, legislation, loopholes (i.e. college loans/tuitions rates) etc. ultimately affects us all.

I've noticed the people who are against affordable health care for everyone are the same people who show no sympathy for those who don't have substantial savings. They don't seem to realize they're fortunate to have a job with good healthcare. It's not so easy to save a lot of money, when medical care is bleeding you dry. Some people are barely surviving to get the healthcare they need. Many simply can't afford it. They have to suffer. People who think everyone who can't afford healthcare has the government pay for it simply don't understand how healthcare in this country works. They prefer to live in a world where their best interest is the only thing that matters. Many can't afford the healthcare they need in this country. It's a shame that so many people don't seem to care about others. They only care about themselves.

 

[underdesea]

I've noticed the people who are against affordable health care for everyone are the same people who show no sympathy for those who don't have substantial savings. They don't seem to realize they're fortunate to have a job with good healthcare. It's not so easy to save a lot of money, when medical care is bleeding you dry. Some people are barely surviving to get the healthcare they need. Many simply can't afford it. They have to suffer. People who think everyone who can't afford healthcare has the government pay for it simply doesn't understand how healthcare in this country works. They prefer to live in a world where their best interest is the only thing that matters. Many people who work full time jobs can't afford the healthcare they need in this country. It's a shame that so many people don't seem to care about others. They only care about themselves.

Well, they clearly just planned better than those who got sick or injured and didn't make an effort to get hired by a company with stellar health insurance, or marry someone with that stellar health insurance. Personal responsibility!

 

[pooh'smate]

kdonnel is wrong about workers not yet missing a paycheck until the 11th. My husband works for Customs and Border Protection. Their first missed paycheck was January 1st. He also is Coast Guard Reserve. Yes that’s right - we’ve been hit twice - two jobs, no pay. He shows up for work every night protecting our borders because he is considered essential.
I think more people need to say “thank you” to those affected by the shut down. Those working everyday without a paycheck are dedicated individuals who take service to their country very seriously. My husband and his coworkers know what’s at stake at our borders if they don’t show up. So they do and do so proudly. Not happily but proudly.

If you are going to post “facts” about something that you know nothing about please at least make sure they are true. And my advice? Always choose compassion over being judgmental. You never know what burdens other people are carrying.

Thank you!!!!

 

[Colleen27]

I have no problem with getting paid well. My issue is people thinking that those numbers are not being paid well.

It is a solidly lower middle-to-middle class wage, depending on family size - precisely the income bracket in our country that is the most squeezed by rising costs and stagnant wages. Aside from a few very high COL areas, it isn't particularly poor... but it also isn't quite enough to get ahead in a lot of places without a significant dose of luck, because at that income it takes a long time to save a meaningful sum while still paying for life's essentials.

 

[Christine]

They're legally a contractor of the TSA. If TSA isn't paying them, then I don't know how the company is dealing with paying their employees. I haven't seen anything in the news explaining how their employees would be affected.

http://old.covenantsecurity.com/Subcontents/SPP/
https://www.tsa.gov/for-industry/screening-partnerships

Can the airport authority advise the screening contract company on security screening service operations at their airport?

The contract screening company is contracted by TSA to provide the security screening services. TSA monitors vendor performance according to their contract. The vendor must comply with all TSA standard operating procedures and operational directives. The airport authority has no new role or impact on the screening operations as a result of the program.​

Most government contracts are funded on a 6-month or one year basis. So let's say this company got their 6-month funding in October of 2018, then they have funds to pay their workers through the April 2019 timeframe. As long as where they work is open, they can work. Some contractors, while funded, can only work onsite with their government counterpart. If the facility is closed, then they cannot go in. If the work they do directly supports a government client who is not there and the work has stopped, then that contractor cannot work even if they have funding in hand.

 

[Hikergirl]

But those ppl that you’re talking about would most likely not be devestated by a shut down. They’d probably just use credit cards if they didn’t have actual emergency funds.

Or they are already struggling to pay down their credit card debt, or they are at their limit.
I know on the DIS we all pay our balances but that isn't the case for many people out there in the real world.

I get it, for most of you it is either people effected by the shut down are already on the brink of poverty or they are prepared enough where the shutdown won't effect them at all. There is no in between, and there is absolutely no people effected because of their own faults and financial irresponsibility.

 

[Hikergirl]

I've noticed the people who are against affordable health care for everyone are the same people who show no sympathy for those who don't have substantial savings. They don't seem to realize they're fortunate to have a job with good healthcare. It's not so easy to save a lot of money, when medical care is bleeding you dry. Some people are barely surviving to get the healthcare they need. Many simply can't afford it. They have to suffer. People who think everyone who can't afford healthcare has the government pay for it simply doesn't understand how healthcare in this country works. They prefer to live in a world where their best interest is the only thing that matters. Many can't afford the healthcare they need in this country. It's a shame that so many people don't seem to care about others. They only care about themselves.

I don't know anyone who doesn't want affordable healthcare for all. Just because people disagree on how to achieve that doesn't mean they don't want it.