Lack of Military Pay, No Museums or Passports, ABC Highlights Liberal Warnings
Not paying U.S. military officers, closed museums and a lack of passports were just some of the potential problems highlighted by Good Morning America's Jon Karl on Wednesday. The ABC reporter discussed a possible government shutdown and warned that without a deal, "...Troops, including those on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq, may not get their paychecks."
Karl didn't note that a Republican plan rejected by Democrats would fund the government for another week and the military through September. Co-host George Stephanopoulos teased the segment by fretting, "Will your tax refund be delayed? Could American troops on the front lines actually not get paid?"
(Karl did reference this distinction on Tuesday, insisting that the $12 billion in spending cuts the Republicans required were a "steep price" to pay for the continuing resolution.)
Guest co-host Elizabeth Vargas touted the President's frustration over the budget impasse: "And the President called an impromptu news conference yesterday, lecture the Republicans to start acting like grown-ups. He's very exasperated. It was a quite a different tone."
Stephanopoulos did allow that Republicans are "grumbling" that Obama hasn't "gotten his hands dirty."
Karl then played up other areas of pain where a shutdown would be felt: "And there's the national parks and museums across the country. Treasures like Old Faithful and Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Yosemite's half dome, will be closed to visitors. And if you don't already have a passport, don't even think about leaving the country."
A transcript of the April 6 segment, which aired at 7:03am EDT, follows:
7:00
GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS: This morning, high-stakes showdown. Both sides dig in, just 65 hours before a government shutdown. Will your tax refund be delayed? Could American troops on the front lines actually not get paid?
...
7:01
STEPHANOPOULOS: Boy, it is really getting down to the wire in Washington right now. House speaker John Boehner, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, met last night, to try to reach a deal to prevent a government shutdown. And President Obama is going to decide this morning whether to call the negotiators back to the White House for another stab at it. But, Elizabeth, prospect of a shutdown is now greater than ever and we're going to really outline what this could mean to everyone at home today.
ELIZABETH VARGAS: And the President called an impromptu news conference yesterday, lecture the Republicans to start acting like grown-ups. He's very exasperated. It was a quite a different tone.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And they're actually grumbling that he hasn't gotten his hands dirty enough. So, we'll see what happens as that unfolds.
...
STEPHANOPOULOS: But, first, let's get right to Washington and that looming government shutdown. It would be the first one in 15 years and Jon Karl joins us with more on what it could look like. Good morning, Jon.
JON KARL: Good morning, George. Well, after a highly-contentious meeting at the White House, Democrats and Republican leaders had what both sides tell me was a more productive meeting here on Capitol Hill late yesterday. So, even as government offices prepare for a shutdown, talks are intensifying up here about avoiding one. This is what it sounds like when the government is about to shut down.
BARACK OBAMA: We don't have time for games.
JOHN BOEHNER: We're not going to allow the Senate, nor the White House, to put us in a box.
HARRY REID: We have bent over backwards, have tried to be fair and reasonable.
OBAMA: We don't have time for trying to score political points or maneuvering or positioning.
BOEHNER: That is not acceptable to our members. And we will not agree to it.
KARL: They're still fighting over how much to cut and where to make the cuts. Government funding doesn't run out until midnight Friday. But if they don't reach a deal and get it passed by then, American troops, including those on the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq, may not get their paychecks. And smack in the middle of tax season, that refund you've been counting on, well, you may have to wait. And there's the national parks and museums across the country. Treasures like Old Faithful and Yellowstone, Mount Rushmore, Yosemite's half dome, will be closed to visitors. And if you don't already have a passport, don't even think about leaving the country. Last time the government shut down, 200,000 passport applications were stopped in their tracks. Many essential services won't see a change. Yes, air traffic controllers will still be in their towers. Border control agents will continue to work. And whether rain or sleet or snow or a government shutdown, the mail will keep coming. Although both sides are sounding slightly more optimistic this morning, even if they strike a deal here today, time is running without because they still have to find a way to get it passed by midnight Friday because that's when the money runs out. George?
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Comments
I wonder what people expect
Submitted by MaximusBraveheart on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 12:33pm.
I wonder what people expect to happen when you run out of money & people stop lending to us! Foreclosure! What about National Security? Do we want China to own us or do they already? What if they bought up all our floundering real estate with their growing pile of dollars? IT IS healthy to have a balanced budget no matter the "cost." If you don't have the cash for it you can't afford it! Same with government!
-- Maximusbraveheart -- Is TRUTH knowable? Moral Relativism is the abandonment of Truth. Truth is knowable. Truth conforms to Reality. Reality is observable by evidence & witness in this day & from history. Relativism is Sesame Street play land.
Lack of Military Pay
Submitted by merlin61 on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 12:39pm.
I have a grandson and his pregnant wife in the military. These people who don't know their facts need to shut up and stop scaring these kids. It was
stated by Congress this week that military pay will not be affected by a shutdown. It wouldn't be fair to those fighting in the military. Also, Nancy Pelosi needs to shut up about starving seniors to death with these cuts. I am a senior, and they are talking about changes to SOC for people above
54 yrs of age, not 55 and over or those already receiving SOC. Lies, lies
and more lies. Just more the sky is falling and no real action by the DEMS .
Merlin 61, that is correct.
Submitted by bassndude on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 1:10pm.
Merlin 61, that is correct. Congress has set appropriated funds for the military pay to continue. But normally, military pay is held up. I know, I was in the Army during one of them.
Save a SeAL, club a liberal/troll!!
Essential
Submitted by nkviking75 on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 6:07pm.
I can't imagine a more essential group of personnel than the military. And the military is a constitutional function of government, unlike, say, parks and museums.
“Always love your country — but never trust your government!" -- Bob Novak (1931-2009)
When you put the clowns in charge, don't be surprised when a circus breaks out.
Alternate plan?
Submitted by Newsbubba on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 12:57pm.
Instead of cutting off the military and 'starving old people" how about:
No pay for congress or any other civilian government employee not in a combat zone.
No pay for Obama and his staff of czars, his cars, his Clydesdale's travel, his plane, etc.
No pay for any staffers in Washington.
No money to NPR or the "arts."
No pay to any department except Defense.
That ought to shake something loose.
Social Security checks would
Submitted by jdhawk on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 1:56pm.
Social Security checks would still go out. Troops would remain at their posts. Furloughed federal workers probably would get paid, though not until later. And virtually every essential government agency, like the FBI, the Border Patrol and the Coast Guard, would remain open.
That's the little-known truth about a government shutdown. The government doesn't shut down.
By the way, if this is so "high stakes" and concerns the dimocrats so much, why is duhbama going out of town?
Why did duhbama wait to meet with congressional leaders until yesterday when he knew that House rules state that a bill must have 72 hours after it is proposed before it can be voted on. That means that if an agreement was reached, the bill would be proposed on the floor of the House, Wednesday, today. If proposed on Wednesday, it would need until Saturday until it could be voted on. That is AFTER the shutdown which has to begin on Friday.
What kind of friggin' games are you playing, duhbama?
government shutdown
Submitted by Agnostic on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 2:02pm.
Yes, a shutdown shuts down most of the government activities that arguably should not be occuring anyway.
At this point it is all political games and President Obama can leave town because the message is in the hands of the media.
games
Submitted by jon_torlin on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 2:02pm.
The kind of games that are designed to cause as much trouble for this country as possible. He's doing pretty good with that so far.
-Jon
Waiting to hear the seniors
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Wed, 04/06/2011 - 4:00pm.
Waiting to hear the seniors on catfood story again. Military pay won't stop, it didn't the last time and it won't this this. More fear mongering from the left instead of actual budget recommendations.