WASHINGTON – President Obama delivered remarks Monday from the White House Press Briefing Room about what a federal government shutdown would mean for the country.
President Obama said that if Congress does not fulfill its responsibility to pass a budget, much of the United States government will be forced to shut down.
While some services will continue — social security checks, postal service, operations related to national security or public safety — a number of changes would go into effect immediately.
The president said:
“I think it’s important that everybody understand the federal government is America’s largest employer. More than 2 million civilian workers and 1.4 million active-duty military serve in all 50 states and all around the world. In the event of a government shutdown, hundreds of thousands of these dedicated public servants who stay on the job will do so without pay — and several hundred thousand more will be immediately and indefinitely furloughed without pay.
“With regard to operations that will continue: If you’re on Social Security, you will keep receiving your checks. If you’re on Medicare, your doctor will still see you. Everyone’s mail will still be delivered. And government operations related to national security or public safety will go on. Our troops will continue to serve with skill, honor, and courage. Air traffic controllers, prison guards, those who are with border control — our Border Patrol will remain on their posts, but their paychecks will be delayed until the government reopens. NASA will shut down almost entirely, but Mission Control will remain open to support the astronauts serving on the Space Station.
“I also want to be very clear about what would change. Office buildings would close. Paychecks would be delayed. Vital services that seniors and veterans, women and children, businesses and our economy depend on would be hamstrung. Business owners would see delays in raising capital, seeking infrastructure permits, or rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy. Veterans who’ve sacrificed for their country will find their support centers unstaffed. Tourists will find every one of America’s national parks and monuments, from Yosemite to the Smithsonian to the Statue of Liberty, immediately closed. And of course, the communities and small businesses that rely on these national treasures for their livelihoods will be out of customers and out of luck.”
Watch video:
httpv://youtu.be/Fy9GfGcJw4g
Let’s go back to the premise on how this law was ruled Constitutional by Judge Roberts. He determined it was a tax. Since then, the president has exempted many companies, Unions, and the Congress and Senate after the Grassley ammendment was passed to make Congress live by the same Law they were imposing on us.
If this is a Federal Tax as the Judge Ruled, how can anyone be exempt if they choice to enter? Can I get an exemption of the Federal taxes I pay if I don’t want to pay them?
Just some food for thought.I would be interested if anyone does not agree with what I said.
What I don’t understand is that everybody has overlooked that Judge Roberts rules obamacare as a TAX and only the House can write a tax, not the senate and not the president so that makes obamacare UNconstitutional.
Simple question to all you Obama and Obama scare supporters. If it’s so great why doesn’t your arrogant leader be the first to enroll and have his Democrat puppets do the same.
If you knew anything about the ACA, then you would know that all congress members are going to be covered under it including the President. The only problem is that the ACA says if you are already under an employer-based plan, then the ACA doesn’t apply unless you choose to drop your work plan. Now Dave, if you are afraid you can’t afford the minimal amount you must pay under the ACA, what are you doing now for health insurance? Do you have any? If you do, what are you paying for it? If you don’t, then you are one of those people the rest of us have been covering for and we don’t like it. That is what drives up the cost insurance.
It was all over the news a month ago that congress voted that they don’t have to take the obamacare and that they can exempt those that they choose. So if it is so great then why did they vote themselves out of it?
@ANONYMOUS-are you nuts or really that uninformed. Most if not all businesses are not offering health insurance anymore because they just can’t afford it. Why don’t you look on the web at the cost of Obamacare. It is pure socialism at it’s worse. There is a $3,000 dollar difference in the same exact health care under Obamacare for about $30,000 a year in gross income for a single person. On top of that the have deductible’s and co-pays and then have to pat 30% of their medical cost if hospitalized. They are penalizing people for working hard and making more money and that is socialism. You people need to wake up and realize that you have been played and played bad.
@Elvis no im not uninformed, i have read a great deal about the ACA because it affects me. And, you seem to be the one who is uninformed because you are reading all the pubtards teaparty bs on why the ACA is bad for us. If Mutt Romney would of been elected, he would have tried to institute a health care plan very similar to this and you and your idiot friends would have thought it the best thing to come around since fire.
All of the Democrates in the senate again voted last night to exempt themselves and their staff from the costs of Obamacare.
This was a bill sent to reach out to them to solve this thing. The republicans said, ok, you vote yourself and your staff to live by this law and our Democract legislators voted no. So who is to blaim for the shut down? The Dem’s are.
Our great leader will talk with his Muslim brothers in Iran but refuses to talk with Republicans. He’s a die hard Socialist who wants everyone to be dependent on big government as long as he doesn’t have to play by the same rules. This fool makes Jimmy Carter look like Steven Hawking.
What’s the matter President Obuma he must be afraid he won’t get his pay check ! He can always go on the food stamp program ! Same with those other bums in congress I would like to see them find out what it is like living on little to nothing and have an idiot President play the role of Hitler and make us American’s that are struggling to survive have to go with his Obama Plan. Him, his family and those in congress should go on it for a year and let us American’s make the decisions should they get medical treatment ? It’s so good Mr. Obama you go first !
Dave, Obama and Congress is still getting paid, they live a cozy life. They can shut the government down but they still get paid, so no big deal to them.