Al-Jazeera America Collects "Shutdown Stories"
What's yours?
The government partially shut down at midnight after lawmakers couldn't agree on a deal to keep the federal government funded. Al-Jazeera America, America's newest cable network, is collecting government shutdown stories, which includes gems like this:
I am currently in Korea and still like to know what the weather is at my house in PA. The government shutdown prevents me from receiving the National Weather Service tweets and keeping up with the weather back home.
And this:
My name is Phil Egidi and I am from Hotchkiss, Colorado. I am 58 years old and have been employed for 2 years as an Environmental Scientist by the US EPA in Washington DC. Since I have taken this job, my wages have been frozen, I have been furloughed, and now am shut down. I have had to cash in portions of my 401K to make ends meet. My wife and two kids remain behind in rural western Colorado, taking care of our land while I finish my career as federal civil servant. I only see my family about three or four times a year because I cannot afford to fly back and forth more often. It is very difficult for my 12 year old son and 17-year old daughter to have a Dad on Skype and text, and not in person. My wife recently lost her job, and jobs are few and far between out there. We have no income as of this morning…
I have specialized in naturally occurring radioactivity, such as radon and uranium and radium (e.g., radium is found in waste-water from fracking) for almost 30 years, both in the private sector, government contractor and with State government.
I am proud and honored to be a civil servant and resent this treatment by the House. I could make much more money in the private sector, but am committed to updating our outdated radiation policies and regulations.
I make a fair wage (GS-14), and feel for those less fortunate; but at the end of the day, we all have to make ends meet, and this is going to be very difficult.
Share your own shutdown stories below!
