Imagine if this happened in Israel
As we went through passport control tonight, the woman in front me turned around when she finished and said 'they're not being paid.' I couldn't imagine this, but it's true - the CBP (Customs and Border Protection) inspector who took my passport next said that they are working without pay (and probably assuming they will be paid when the government gets re-funded).
When I told my host this story, he said that's precisely the problem. Everyone assumes that the government will be funded eventually, so they are picking and choosing what to close rather than facing the reality that the government is broke and that things really do have to be cut.
If this were to happen in Israel, we would have a different reality. The CBP would go on strike and shut down the airports until the government gave in. And if that didn't work 'properly,' the rest of the government would go on strike in sympathy.(The CBP going on strike would be enough to shut the airports because the rest of the airport workers would go on strike with them).
I'm not convinced that either system is better than the other or does a better job of forcing a confrontation with reality.
Labels: US economy
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:56 AM
3 Comments:
Wow! Someone from the NE US who thinks the US govt is broke. Who doesn't think the govt can just keep printing (or I guess now they just do a digital entry) for the rest of eternity! Your host is a NE trailblazer! Please invite them to post in the comments here on your blog, to cover the side of reason...
It is illegal for federal employees to strike in the US. If they do that they will be fired or worse. the law was enacted in the 1970s during the Carter administration. It is why Reagan was able to fire all the airport controllers when they went on strike during his administration.
Sunlight,
Much as Boston is definitely blue it's also the home of Howie Cah.
http://www.wrko.com/howie
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