Community Forums

**CLIFFTALL** · 03-15-2013, 04:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Whatnobeer

I understand Cliff.

That's why I'm not bashing any of our elected leaders or throwing them under the bus. I was just curious how it was effecting some of our fine netizens on the board.

This was a general reminder of our rules and not pointed towards any individual member.
Cliff

Whatnobeer · 03-15-2013, 04:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clifftall

This was a general reminder of our rules and not pointed towards any individual member.
Cliff

More than fair kind sir.

DSL417 · 03-15-2013, 08:03 AM

Clifftail, appreciate your concerns for the thread...there is a lot of mis-understandng of "sequestration" and I lived what it meant, officially, up to mid-Dec. That's when I simply got tired of the mis-information and spin; retired rather than participate in hiding the on-coming train wreck where I was at. This isn't political, it is a real impact.

Unfortunately, the combination of the media and spin by those in power deflect the fact that millions of people are going to see reductions of 10% in their income or outright loss of jobs. No doubt, we need to create a better tomorrow for our kids. But that needs to be planned and managed....then communicated accurately.

For us campers, it means less access to the national parks system, decreased improvement in the highway system,and, when the light finally shines on the issue of spending, they will have to address shortfalls using entitlement programs. That will impact how those of us who have planned on one path and have to adjust because the game has changed.

Point is ... read ...and ask questions. the issues are almost always different than the media and spin machines are using information...and this sequestration is a big issue that all need to understand.

Superslif · 03-15-2013, 08:08 AM

Quote:

For us campers, it means less access to the national parks system

We have reservation for a national park campground for June. Should we be concerned?

macgyver · 03-15-2013, 08:26 AM

I'm living like the government is not responsible for taking care of me. That said DW is a federal employee and is subject to the furloughs. It still won't hurt us as we have been preparing for retirement for some time. It will hurt some good folks and that's bad. but we all have to live within our means.

DSL417 · 03-15-2013, 08:33 AM

Honestly, I don't know how the National Park Service will respond. All I do know is they are part of the "non-discretionary" spending budget and they are subject to about a 10% cut. How they react to that could impact campers...through campground maintenance, reduction of availability of people, etc.

I suppose they could close campgrounds, or perhaps even some parks, monuments, etc...or reduce staffing hours.

Each agency has to respond. And since the sequestration is for the 2013 budget, and half of the budget year is already gone, that doesn't mean that the sequestration of funds started on 1 Mar. It means that effective 1 Mar, each agency must find the reduction in the annual budget for 2013 during the remaining second half of a year that they have already been spending at 2012 levels (because of the continuation actions responding to inability to approved a 2013 budget).

I'm not trying to be an alarmist. My point is this is a mess. I can imagine that each of the agencies is struggling with how to reduce their "annual" budget in the remaining 6 months of the year for 2013. There are no good solutions. This thread was started by pointing out the furlough. This was the easiest of solutions, but the hardest on the current workforce.

Sky_Boss · 03-15-2013, 08:59 AM

The sequestration will affect different agencies in unique ways. Agencies with a high PC&B (generally employee costs) will have to lean on furloughs more heavily than those that are not. The FAA is looking at a total of 11 furlough days between April 7th and September 20th. DOD is generally looking at 22 days for the same time. I would suspect that the National parks will be impacted on a higher level if their costs are manpower related.

Keep an eye on state level issues. If there was a large dependency on federal funds to support them, then they too might get caught up in the sequestration fall out.

It could also affect CG hosts. While I don't think it will cause that program to be reduced much, it could put pressure on them to do more than "contracted" to do. I would think that if pressure to do more functions because of paid staff reductions, you could see some hosts pull up stakes.

Me, I plan to use my furlough days to go places.

lgarcia · 03-15-2013, 09:13 AM

I am at a community college in Ohio. We have been furloughed since November, mostly from a state mandated change from quarters to semesters that resulted in a larger than usual graduating class last spring and less enrollment last fall. Since 75% of our students receive financial aid, the new federal Pell grant regulations also affect us.

Furlough for faculty means a 5% pay cut and fewer in-service days - the teaching load stays the same. Since this was done last year before any trickle down from the federal sequester, we don't know what that will bring.

To make things even more interesting, Ohio is now talking about making it an option of colleges to have faculty teach another class without compensation in the next academic year.

So, less spontaneous trips this year - my spring break is ending and we decided not to go camping during it. We booked one big trip in May, and then will play it by ear.

Whatnobeer · 03-15-2013, 09:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DSL417

Clifftail, appreciate your concerns for the thread...there is a lot of mis-understandng of "sequestration" and I lived what it meant, officially, up to mid-Dec. That's when I simply got tired of the mis-information and spin; retired rather than participate in hiding the on-coming train wreck where I was at. This isn't political, it is a real impact.

Unfortunately, the combination of the media and spin by those in power deflect the fact that millions of people are going to see reductions of 10% in their income or outright loss of jobs. No doubt, we need to create a better tomorrow for our kids. But that needs to be planned and managed....then communicated accurately.

For us campers, it means less access to the national parks system, decreased improvement in the highway system,and, when the light finally shines on the issue of spending, they will have to address shortfalls using entitlement programs. That will impact how those of us who have planned on one path and have to adjust because the game has changed.

Point is ... read ...and ask questions. the issues are almost always different than the media and spin machines are using information...and this sequestration is a big issue that all need to understand.

Amen. The media doesn't have a clue. I'm living it and we get information all day long the media doesn't know about. Our issue is we are losing 20% but as I stated earlier, we were warned last year to prepare for this year and most of us took heed and got ready. So I'm not going to gripe and moan, just look forward to some off time to get some work done around the house and detail the living daylights out of my cars.

Whatnobeer · 03-21-2013, 04:36 AM

According to our base commander, furlough notices go out tomorrow.

Some of our people are doing the run around with the hair on fire, but for the most part everyone is calm. I look at it as I'll have more time to bother the good people in here. So get ready to bombarded with whatever I feel like typing on Fridays.

Wayne M · 03-21-2013, 08:31 AM

My fear: Government retired pay is not a guarantee. Congress can enact cutbacks there also. That would really hurt those that are on Government fixed incomes.

Whatnobeer · 03-21-2013, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wayne M

My fear: Government retired pay is not a guarantee. Congress can enact cutbacks there also. That would really hurt those that are on Government fixed incomes.

I think that is the biggest crock of horse droppings.

You good people earned that with your blood, sweat and tears (well for Marines maybe just blood and sweat

). I haven't earned mine yet so I understand, but you guys did and some of you did it the hard way.

glarnold · 03-21-2013, 09:05 AM

Just want to mention that I appreciate all the posts here. It is valuable to see how this action actually affects real people. And how RVing may be impacted.

Thanks to all for sharing.

GL Arnold

Pricejh · 03-21-2013, 02:21 PM

While I feel for thos going on furlough, some of us are just going to be looking for new jobs. My part of the project I've been on for the past 3.5 years is coming to an end and I'm getting to start the job hunt all over again. Got the resumes out and have feelers out in my network. Just worrying about military retirement checks and what is going to happen to the medical program. I still need to put in another three to five years before I can "safely" pull the plug and start dragging the trailer for fun and very little profit.