Government Shutdown

[Jack]

Do politicians still get their paychecks?

 

[Truth7t7]

Do politicians still get their paychecks?

Love It!

 

[Muna]

I asked AI

Yes, members of Congress continue to receive their paychecks during a government shutdown due to protections in the U.S. Constitution. While federal employees may be furloughed or required to work without immediate pay, lawmakers are constitutionally guaranteed compensation under Article I, Section 6, and the 27th Amendment.

• The U.S. Constitution mandates that senators and representatives receive compensation for their services, which is paid from the Treasury and cannot be altered during their term.
• Although some members of Congress have requested that their pay be withheld during the shutdown as a symbolic gesture, they are still legally entitled to it.
• In contrast, federal workers—including essential personnel like air traffic controllers and TSA agents—may go without pay during the shutdown, though they are typically guaranteed retroactive pay once funding is restored.
• Contractors, such as janitors who work in federal buildings, are not covered by the law guaranteeing back pay and may not receive compensation during or after a shutdown, depending on their private employers.

Which is neither here nor there for the politician because they make the least amount of their money with the government check granted them, they make their richs through the lobbyists, and those checks rolls in regardless.

 

[Triumph1300]

I thought Trump said billions of dollar is flowing into the US because of the tariffs.
I guess that gimmick is not working out that well.

The U.S. national debt reached approximately $37.5 trillion as of late September 2025, according to U.S. Treasury Fiscal Data and the Joint Economic Committee.

 

[Jack]

I asked AI

Yes, members of Congress continue to receive their paychecks during a government shutdown due to protections in the U.S. Constitution. While federal employees may be furloughed or required to work without immediate pay, lawmakers are constitutionally guaranteed compensation under Article I, Section 6, and the 27th Amendment.

• The U.S. Constitution mandates that senators and representatives receive compensation for their services, which is paid from the Treasury and cannot be altered during their term.
• Although some members of Congress have requested that their pay be withheld during the shutdown as a symbolic gesture, they are still legally entitled to it.
• In contrast, federal workers—including essential personnel like air traffic controllers and TSA agents—may go without pay during the shutdown, though they are typically guaranteed retroactive pay once funding is restored.
• Contractors, such as janitors who work in federal buildings, are not covered by the law guaranteeing back pay and may not receive compensation during or after a shutdown, depending on their private employers.

Which is neither here nor there for the politician because they make the least amount of their money with the government check granted them, they make their richs through the lobbyists, and those checks rolls in regardless.

I wonder if they would shut down without paychecks? lol

 

[Muna]

I wonder if they would shut down without paychecks? lol

I would still think would, because their yearly pay is nothing but pocket change compared with all the insider trading monies in stocks that they bring home. One hundred and fiifty thousand or so over the course of the year compared with millions?

If you made a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year, you really wouldnt care if you took a month or so off work without pay, but if you made that plus millions on stocks, you would probably care even lessER.

 

[Truth7t7]

I thought Trump said billions of dollar is flowing into the US because of the tariffs.
I guess that gimmick is not working out that well.

No gimmick, $Billions$ are flowing in, prove otherwise

 

[Jack]

I would still think would, because their yearly pay is nothing but pocket change compared with all the insider trading monies in stocks that they bring home. One hundred and fiifty thousand or so over the course of the year compared with millions?

If you made a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year, you really wouldnt care if you took a month or so off work without pay, but if you made that plus millions on stocks, you would probably care even lessER.

Amen

 

[quietthinker]

I wonder if they would shut down without paychecks? lol

It always stops at the dollar...even for those who claim to be 'not of this World'

 

[Rockerduck]

When voted out they still get a pension. However, the money train does stop, and their influence diminishes.

 

[soberxp]

It's not the first time and last time......

 

[Rockerduck]

It's not the first time and last time......

Nobody notices either.

 

[Always]

Nobody notices either.

I think the workers notice that are not getting paid

 

[Rockerduck]

I think the workers notice that are not getting paid

They will get back pay when a budget passes. I worked in gov't and most had a second job.

 

[Scott Downey]

32 trillion debt and rising. Government debt is so high, it can't even be grasped by most people as to what it means. And government has to pay interest on that debt. How much interest is paid

ChatGPT said:​

It depends on interest rates and how much of the debt is “rolled over” each year, but here’s a rough estimate and what the data say:

---

What the data say​

• The U.S. Treasury reports that in fiscal year to date 2025, interest expense on the public debt is about $921 billion. FiscalData
• In 2024, net interest cost (interest paid minus interest the government receives) was about $880 billion. Peterson Foundation
• Projections by the Peterson Foundation / CBO suggest interest payments will rise from around $1 trillion in 2026 to $1.8 trillion by 2035. Peterson Foundation+1
• One popular summary: “Gross interest payments are expected to top $1 trillion for fiscal year 2025.” The Journalist's Resource+2PBS+2

---

Interpretation & back‐of‐the‐envelope​

So, with debt on the order of $30 – 37 trillion (depending on how one counts intragovernmental debt), paying $0.9–1.0 trillion per year in interest is consistent with an average effective interest rate in the ballpark of 2.5% to 3.5% (or somewhat higher, depending on the mix of debt types and maturities).
Thus:

• The government pays close to $1 trillion annually in interest on its outstanding debt.
• Over the next decade, interest costs are projected to total $13.8 trillion (net) under current law. Peterson Foundation+1

If you like, I can break that down per day, per person, or compare it to other spending categories. Do you want me to do that?

You said:​

yes

ChatGPT said:​

Alright, let’s break down the ~$1 trillion per year the U.S. is paying in interest on the national debt:

---

1. Per Day​

• $1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 365 ≈ $2.74 billion per day
  So, every day, interest alone is about the cost of building several large airports or funding a major federal agency.

---

2. Per U.S. Person​

• U.S. population ≈ 335 million
• $1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 335,000,000 ≈ $2,985 per person per year
  That’s nearly $3,000 in interest per person, every year—without reducing the debt itself.

---

3. Comparison to Federal Spending​

• The interest tab is now larger than the entire defense budget was just a few years ago.
• Interest costs in 2024 were more than we spent on Medicare or national defense individually.
• Within a decade, interest is projected to be the single largest federal spending item, surpassing Social Security.

---

4. Long-Term Risk​

Because much of the debt has to be rolled over, if interest rates stay high (say 4–5% instead of 2%), the annual cost could double within 10 years.

 

[Jack]

32 trillion debt and rising. Government debt is so high, it can't even be grasped by most people as to what it means. And government has to pay interest on that debt. How much interest is paid

ChatGPT said:​

It depends on interest rates and how much of the debt is “rolled over” each year, but here’s a rough estimate and what the data say:

---

What the data say​

• The U.S. Treasury reports that in fiscal year to date 2025, interest expense on the public debt is about $921 billion. FiscalData
• In 2024, net interest cost (interest paid minus interest the government receives) was about $880 billion. Peterson Foundation
• Projections by the Peterson Foundation / CBO suggest interest payments will rise from around $1 trillion in 2026 to $1.8 trillion by 2035. Peterson Foundation+1
• One popular summary: “Gross interest payments are expected to top $1 trillion for fiscal year 2025.” The Journalist's Resource+2PBS+2

---

Interpretation & back‐of‐the‐envelope​

So, with debt on the order of $30 – 37 trillion (depending on how one counts intragovernmental debt), paying $0.9–1.0 trillion per year in interest is consistent with an average effective interest rate in the ballpark of 2.5% to 3.5% (or somewhat higher, depending on the mix of debt types and maturities).
Thus:

• The government pays close to $1 trillion annually in interest on its outstanding debt.
• Over the next decade, interest costs are projected to total $13.8 trillion (net) under current law. Peterson Foundation+1

If you like, I can break that down per day, per person, or compare it to other spending categories. Do you want me to do that?

You said:​

yes

ChatGPT said:​

Alright, let’s break down the ~$1 trillion per year the U.S. is paying in interest on the national debt:

---

1. Per Day​

• $1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 365 ≈ $2.74 billion per day
  So, every day, interest alone is about the cost of building several large airports or funding a major federal agency.

---

2. Per U.S. Person​

• U.S. population ≈ 335 million
• $1,000,000,000,000 ÷ 335,000,000 ≈ $2,985 per person per year
  That’s nearly $3,000 in interest per person, every year—without reducing the debt itself.

---

3. Comparison to Federal Spending​

• The interest tab is now larger than the entire defense budget was just a few years ago.
• Interest costs in 2024 were more than we spent on Medicare or national defense individually.
• Within a decade, interest is projected to be the single largest federal spending item, surpassing Social Security.

---

4. Long-Term Risk​

Because much of the debt has to be rolled over, if interest rates stay high (say 4–5% instead of 2%), the annual cost could double within 10 years.

No wonder we have so many filthy rich politicians.

 

[SavedInHim]

The Epstein matter will still be there when the government reopens.

 

[quietthinker]

Revelation 13:11
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lambing spoke like a dragon........
Is anyone cognisant of this?

 

[soberxp]

Revelation 13:11
Then I saw another beast coming up out of the Earth, and he had two horns like a lambing spoke like a dragon........
Is anyone cognisant of this?

17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

The Epstein matter will still be there

 

[quietthinker]

17:2
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

The Epstein matter will still be there

ahhhh, the corruption amongst the rich and powerful. Has it ever been any different?