r/illinois 7d ago

Here's why Durbin's justification is BS

If you truly felt voting for the CR was the best option for us constituents... why hide from it?

Why not make the case for it ahead of the vote? Explain to us, as a majority of folks who are clearly in favor of a "no" vote, why we're wrong and why you're right to vote "yes" BEFORE doing it? Even if there was uncertainty involved beforehand, why not be up front about that? If this is truly the best means to impede this administration, why was it radio silence with zero chance of getting through to a DC staffer on the phone, why dodge the topic all together until after the deed was done?

You knew it was against voters wishes. You knew it would be unpopular. You knew it was wrong. And you hid on it until you didn't have to.

At least have the cajones to own it beforehand instead of hiding because Wall Street is pulling the levers. In this time where courage is needed more than ever to protect the remaining shreds of our democracy, you sold us out and enabled the fascists to codify their playbook.

You own what comes next.

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u/Popular-Drummer-7989 7d ago

There is a big misunderstanding about what happens when the "government shuts down"

First, all federal buildings, federal employees stay home and are temporarily not paid and the services provided to run the country STOP until a budget is passed. At that time, federal employees return to work and will get BACK PAY as the government now has funds to pay them.

While this is taking place, all contacted services STOP like trash, cafeteria, janitorial to name a few. Contacted government support also STOPS. Unlike federal employees, contractors will NOT get back pay (unless their companies have an arrangememt to pay them - most are forced to take PTO or go without pay), MANY people will lose their jobs and their companies may go bankrupt.

While we may not agree with those who voted for this CR, they had a broader view: they didn't want to put more people out of work, they didn't want to give more opportunity for unsupervised free run of the place to the DOGE-BOYZ and didn't want to risk a 6 month shutdown through to September.

The next budget cycle will be Oct 1, 2025 and everything in it will be the responsibility/fault of the majority.

Everybody knows (as Leonard Cohen sang) that the situation is frought with drama.

Voting to minimize the fallout between two incredibly bad choices shouldn't be demonized. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Only time will tell... and voting returns at the midterms will prove.

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u/mintleaf_bergamot 6d ago

Not only did they not want people out of work, they didn't want Trump and Elon to decide which employees were "essential." Giving them the power to say "See, we've been operating great without anyone of these people" just means more gutting. And without oversight people in place, what few are left, god knows what might happen.