It just so happened I was in D.C. this week and the city was looking a bit like a ghost town. Cab drivers I spoke with were disturbed that they had little ridership and while they normally would be bringing in $200 a day, this week were doing good to hit the $50 mark.
Normally there's lots of hustle and bustle all around the city and of course lines of people waiting to see key tourist sights and there's always lots of foot traffic. It was weird seeing things so still in the middle of the work week.
Seeing the city first-hand took me back to my childhood and constant fear of government decisions. Both of my parents worked for the government and we lived in a town that existed because of our military base. While growing up there were always worried conversations about base closures, budget cuts, oh and not to mention the
Cuban missile crisis with constant preparations to evacuate and remain safe when the bombs would fall. At one point my parents tried to build a
fallout shelter in our backyard! My home and school were located very close to the base so the daily siren and the sonic booms just added to my constant worries that the base would close, my parents would have no job and somehow because of the nuclear missiles that were sure to be directed at our base, our family would end up separated from each other living in bomb shelters. No wonder I'm such a fear-based individual!!
At any rate the government shutdown is affecting much more than just government workers and this week in D.C. it was evident that lots of employees - federal or not, will not have much, if any income. But this extends well beyond D.C.
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| There was a small crowd at the Supreme Court building. Looked like the Justices were working. |
On a very happy note, my sweet DIL had been deployed since May 1 and in spite of the shutdown, she managed to return home!!!! My son and grandgirls were so happy to finally have her back.
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| The Welcome Home Committee |
Happy weekend!
Seeing the city first-hand took me back to my childhood and constant fear of government decisions. Both of my parents worked for the government and we lived in a town that existed because of our military base. While growing up there were always worried conversations about base closures, budget cuts, oh and not to mention the Cuban missile crisis with constant preparations to evacuate and remain safe when the bombs would fall. At one point my parents tried to build a fallout shelter in our backyard! My home and school were located very close to the base so the daily siren and the sonic booms just added to my constant worries that the base would close, my parents would have no job and somehow because of the nuclear missiles that were sure to be directed at our base, our family would end up separated from each other living in bomb shelters. No wonder I'm such a fear-based individual!! 
At any rate the government shutdown is affecting much more than just government workers and this week in D.C. it was evident that lots of employees - federal or not, will not have much, if any income. But this extends well beyond D.C. 
Watching from up here, I find the whole process a mystery. I hope your dear country's issues are soon settled.
ReplyDeleteI had to smile at your description of your childhood. It was like mine. I remember air raid drills, afternoons in a communal fallout shelter (practice!) and the fear of something I didn't understand. I think there must be a lot of us with fears leftover from those days.
I think the shut down is shameful . . . innocent people suffering for congress is dreadful!
ReplyDeleteWhere is the For The People spirit . . .
Happy your DIL is home safely!
ReplyDeleteOh, so glad the DIL is back with her family.
ReplyDeleteI am so worried over this shutdown...Obama....ObamaCare...it is just the most terrible state I've ever seen in my looong life.
If we get another Dem. President next time, I don't know what will happen to America. I've seen things I never thought I would...things that are bringing America to their knees.
Last I heard a agreement has been reached to end the deadlock.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been hard for tourists – some saved for many years I bet to come to America and then some of the sights were closed. I remember taking my daughter to New York City for her birthday a long time ago and it was the same thing – we could not go to the Statue of Liberty. I think that an agreement was reached though. Even though people were not for the shut down the Republicans did not want to hear anything, it was their fault for sure – they did not gain anything. I hope that they will all get voted out of office. It must have been difficult to live with this uncertainty when you were a child.
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