Minnesota shutdown

[Sparky]

The state government of Minnesota has been shut down for nearly two weeks, the longest in recent history, and I've seen very little coverage of this. Have I just missed it? It seems that coverage of the Wisconsin state budget issues was inescapable, but here an entire state has come to a standstill and I haven't really heard much! I mean, this is an actual SHTF-type event; shouldn't this be big news, considering how many other states face huge fiscal shortfalls?

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/11/us-minnesota-shutdown-idUSTRE76A7LR20110711

[Sparky]

P.S. Isn't this much more significant than the debt ceiling debate, which is all a charade that we know will end with a higher debt ceiling and both sides congratulating themselves for putting partisan politics aside to do what's right for America.

All the while, an entire state has ceased functioning!

Any Minnesotans here?

[EE_]

It's no big deal and nobody cares.

[Joe King]

IMHO this is but a puesdo SHTF-type event. From the little I've read about it, the shutdown is but an attempt to inconveince the little people as much as possible, while actual gov is still in operation.

As an example, they supposedly can't afford to pay a clerk to issue fishing licenses, but they can still afford to pay LEO wages to enforce their use.

[nunaem]

It's business as usual other than the state holding some services and the parks hostage. I live in St. Paul.

[Sparky]

22,000 state workers furloughed. Not issuing drivers' licenses. Seems significant. I guess it will be more meaningful if it goes on beyond a month, which I'm guessing it won't.

[BabushkaLady]

I bet everyone would know about a shutdown if it were Michigan, Illinois or one of the other Thug states . . .

[Hatha Sunahara]

Here is a link that will put into perspective what is happening in Minnesota. It's the same thing that is happening in Greece, and what happened in a lot of 3rd World countries. It's the neoliberal agenda.

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=25586

This is how it starts. The government goes into a crisis to balance its budget. The politicians are allied with the billionaires and are looking to privatize public assets. What better opportunity to do this than when tax revenues are down and the states can't pay all their expenses. The politicians will urge selling off public assets at rock bottom prices. To their friends of course.

Michael Hudson explains this very clearly in the second video in the link above.


Hatha

[palani]

an entire state has ceased functioning!

Reflect that states are only to make gold and silver a tender of payment. One part of this requirement was struck down in 1933. The other part was struck down in 1967. The constitutional states went out of existence in the late '60s/early '70s period and what is now shut down in Minnesota is a federalized overlay rather than a consitutional entity.

People should be cheering!!!!

[MNeagle]

Sure seems like Nuaem! Here's an earlier post on what's open/closed:

http://gold-silver.us/forum/showthread.php?51511-What-s-opened-what-s-closed-your-guide-to-the-state-shutdown-(Minnesota)&highlight=Minnesota

[Celtic Rogue]

I think if it goes on much longer people will realize that they dont need all of that govt red tape regulated crap to be happy!!!!

The State and federal govts are outmoded and out dated. AND WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!!! 8-) They could be pared down to defense and boarder control. And the State shrunk to basic size as well.

I believe that the county level of govt is the best to govern the people.

[Ash_Williams]

The ontario public workers went on strike years ago.
You couldn't get your driver's licence renewed.
Other than that, no one cared.

[Sparky]

Reflect that states are only to make gold and silver a tender of payment. One part of this requirement was struck down in 1933. The other part was struck down in 1967. The constitutional states went out of existence in the late '60s/early '70s period and what is now shut down in Minnesota is a federalized overlay rather than a consitutional entity.

People should be cheering!!!!

I'm not criticizing it. I'm only saying that it seems to deserve more attention in that it may be the first of many major state and municipal shut downs. This may be a tip-of-the-iceberg event for a future SHTF scenario. All the attention over what the debt ceiling default might lead to (and it won't), while this is actually occurring! I realize the politics that may be behind it, but there will also be politics behind a major SHTF scenario.

[Silver Rocket Bitches!]

TAXES

Taxes will be collected, but no refund checks will go out.

BIG SURPRISE THERE!

[mick silver]

hell , most here have talk about this coming to a town are city near you for some time . well guess what it here people and it will come to a your state sooner then later

[Awoke]

Sounds like a great opportunity to do some fishing to me...

[goldleaf]

They probably don't want to talk to much about it because their neighbor to the east did it the right way. If Wisconsin hadn't
done what they did, it would have been in the same shape Minnesota is.

[iOWNme]

I just happened to be on UPS website and saw this:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/20110701_MN_gov_shutdown.html


Shutdown of Minnesota Non-Essential Government Offices Causing Delays

Service Update

July 6, 2011

When government offices deemed "non-essential" by the state of Minnesota were shut down on July 5, all UPS pickup and delivery services were suspended to these offices. Both pickups and deliveries to offices deemed "essential" by the state of Minnesota are not affected.

Pickup and delivery services will resume when once offices reopen. The UPS package guarantee does not apply when transportation networks are disrupted.

[Sparky]

I just happened to be on UPS website and saw this:

http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/about/news/20110701_MN_gov_shutdown.html

This is what I'm talkin' about.

[Joe King]

TAXES

Taxes will be collected, but no refund checks will go out.

BIG SURPRISE THERE!

There you have it. The real MN gov is open for business as usual.

IMHO, "gov shut down" means just that. Not just shutdown the parts of gov in an attempt to cause inconvenience only for the little people.