Here’s how the government shutdown will end:
Melina Khan of USA Today has categorized multiple outcomes of the ongoing government closure.
WASHINGTON – Just hours after the federal government was partially closed, the effects of Congressional Deadlock could be seen in capitals around the country.
Outside the office building there were federal workers left with boxes full of our belongings. Tourists encountered locked doors at the popular museum and scrambled to create new plans. The Cancer Research Council ended a day earlier, and participants were looking for something.
Amidst the rage, bars and restaurants offered “Shutdown Happy Hour” specials, filled with federal workers thinking about what to do when they think they’re back to work and in the meantime.
This was the beginning of the first government closure since 2019. And what appears to be poised to be dragged down as Democrats delve into healthcare demands Republicans refuse to provide.
After Congress failed to pass the fundraising bill by midnight on October 1, thousands of civil servants were filled, and others were considered “essential” such as TSA agents and continued to work unpaid. The looming closure was a threat from the Trump administration to enact mass shootings across federal workers. Several unions representing federal workers have filed lawsuits against the administration over the threat.
More than 12 civil servants who spoke to USA Today on the first day of the shutdown said they hope the government will reopen earlier than late. Many will receive repayments for holidays, but some say they need to immerse themselves in savings to cover their living expenses in the meantime.
Some workers have already considered whether to file for unemployment if deadlock is dragged. Many said they were worried about the prospect of a widespread layoff.
Shutdown Cocktails and Shutter Museum
By the afternoon, federal workers were crammed into eateries such as the Union Pub in Capitol Hill. A similar scene unfolds in Carmine’s. This is an Italian restaurant offering $8 “Go Go go here” cocktails (Cosmo Slash)! Butterworth, a favorite among the Maga crowd, offered his patrons a $10 “Farrow Rita.”
Federal workers used the deal, but many tourists had to modify their itinerary.
On Wednesday, October 1st, Chanterpeña and her family approached the Ford theatre, best known for being the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. As they approached the main entrance, they came across a paper sign that read, “Ford Theatre National Historical Site is closed due to federal government closure.”
It was the second disappointment of the day. Earlier that morning, Pena received an email saying that his family’s Capitol tour had been cancelled.
“We’ve been wanting to come here for years,” said Peña, who traveled from Los Angeles with her husband and children. “What a bad timing.”
Jeremy Lucke, 47, experienced a similar disappointment at the National Archives Museum, and wanted to show his two daughters the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
“I should have hit this yesterday,” Oregon pastor Lucke told his children after realising the museum had been closed. “We’re leaving tonight, so this was our last chance.”
Other attractions that have kept the lights down after the government shut down include the Library of Congress and the US Botanical Gardens. The Smithsonian said that money from last year’s budget would be used to keep the National Zoo and its 17 museums, the Aerospace Museum and the Museum of African American History, open until October 6th.
Mark Apinis, 24, traveled to Washington for the National Cancer Institute’s annual data sharing symposium scheduled for two days starting Tuesday, September 30th.
“It’s a shame because that was my first work meeting,” said Appinis, who jumped from Boston for the event. “Hopefully we have something to complete the presentation on a remote day or something. We’ll know when the funds come back.”
