I Hate The American Government

My husband's job just sent him to China for three weeks. He travels often, so that isn't odd. However, he happens to be part of the federal workforce. You know, one of the people who are considered essential but are forced to work for free? We have already missed two weeks of pay, and it doesn't look like that will change anything soon. Of course, the government obviously isn't directly funding his trip; he has to put it on his government credit card. Now Congress, in its infinite wisdom, actually put the credit card in his name and WE are responsible for paying it off every month. So, are we now required to pay thousands of dollars in addition to working for free?

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Johnson212 · 61-69, M

It was wise for congress to put it in his name, they did that because of all the stealing employees misusing government credit cards so they turned the tables, you get the card in your name and if you charge something personal too bad for you you pay for it.

He will get re-reimbursed when it is all over. I am not crying about these people with their phony baloney government jobs, you know what it is like in the private sector when there is a shut down. You don't work and you don't get paid later and they business may not start back up and you are out of a job completely.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@Johnson212 That is a really selfish attitude and wrong too. Yeah, he's getting repaid but to put a family is that kind of cash-flow problem is not cool.

You don't care though, right? Just so long as the stupid wall. Most illegal immigrants to the US don't come through Mexico anyway.

Edit: Make politicians also have the same pay freeze and see how that turns out

Johnson212 · 61-69, M

@Burnley123 No I don't care because as I pointed out elsewhere there are all kinds of programs to help deal with this, for example USAA, is offering a one-time, 12-month personal loan with an interest rate of 0.01 percent. That offer is only available to eligible members who are in the Coast Guard or National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Corps and who have experienced an interruption in their federal pay. All the various Federal Credit Unions have some form of plan. We need to quit crying over the hardship of federal workers most people would love to have the benefits of a federal job.

Burnley123 · 41-45, M

@Johnson212 This is a self-serving attitude for something which won't actually even benefit you.

Laifu · 46-50, F

@Johnson212 Huh. You have no fucking clue what you are talking about. Every penny has to be accounted for. Once he actually got 5 calls over a 2 cent discrepancy. (btw, those 2 cents were in favor of the government. not us.)

Laifu · 46-50, F

@Johnson212 How the hell does that help everyone else? No, there are no special loans for us, or for anyone else we know.

Johnson212 · 61-69, M

@Laifu There likely are you just have not bothered to be educated on it. All the federal credit unions have some sort of program if he works for the government or is even just a contractor for the government he should know this. Some financial branches have better deals than others but to say there is nothing for yall or anyone you know is just ignorance. If I worked for the federal government you can bet I would have a plan for this as I am sure many do. There is also law that allows you to borrow against your retirement plan. It is just a easy to solve short term problem that anyone who pays attention to the news knows is possible.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

@Johnson212 great way to ensure you hurt the innocent ... ensure that Whitehouse and Congress staff don't get paid .... shutdown would never happen again !

Laifu · 46-50, F

@Johnson212 omfg. 1) We don't live in DC or anywhere with a federal credit union. 2) We can ALWAYS borrow against our TSP. Unfortunately, we are already paying back the $50,000 we had to take out for emergency home repairs. You can only have one home loan and one general purpose loan out at a time, so unless we want to buy a new house, we can't get a loan! 3) What kind of an asshole tells people they should be prepared to work for no pay? We will be fine for awhile, but there are many, many people who won't. 4) Your supercilious attitude is both obnoxious and factually incorrect. I do not react kindly to being told that I am too stupid to research solutions. The people who I know in the federal government, including my husband, all have master's degrees or PhD's.

UserNameSW · 46-50, M

@Laifu sorry to hear you are gong through that.

Hope it gets worked out soon

Laifu · 46-50, F

@UserNameSW thanks. =)