[StBernard] Does Bobby Have Any Shame?

[Westley Annis]

Oh hell Westley, I had a good time!  Saved on gas and then no parking for VA
downtown.  Just ran around some and stayed up late on the computer (some
things never change).  What happened was that once funding was restored, we
got a retro check for the time out.  Then, because claims did not stop
coming in while on furlough, it took the local office almost 6 months of
overtime to catch up with the claims processing.  I felt badly for the folks
who were in, say, D.C. or Philly or someplace and wanted to see the
historical sites and they were closed.  And I think that's what Clinton had
in mind.  I blame both sides equally for not doing at least a continuing
resolution.  However, it was the Congress who looked bad, whether true or
not.  It was a peeing contest and Clinton "won".  

What amazed me was my supervisor there.  She had to go in for the
Adjudication Division, as well as someone in I.T. and the directors' office.
I called the supv a couple of times.  I remember her saying "I hope this
ends soon.  I can't afford to go very long without a check.  I said "[name]
I know what you make as a GS-12, I know where your husband works because my
Dad worked there too and about what your husband makes.  **I've** got money
saved and if you don't that's just unreal."  She kinda hemmed and hawed, but
it shocked me that she and her husband didn't have some type of savings or
whatever to fall back on.

I don't know if you recall or not, but there were some later instances when
the Prez and Congress couldn't agree on the budgets and Congress was real
quick to pass those continuing resolutions.  No one wanted another situation
like that one.

Jim





	-----------------------------------------------------
	Jim,
	
	I realize you didn't get paid for two weeks, but for us civilians,
that was
	probably the best two weeks the Federal Government ever had in the
last 100
	years.
	
	Westley