By Matt Angle, Lone Star Project
Texas was recently ranked third among states in the number of federal government employees. Estimates put the total number around 140,000 federal workers in Texas (not including military personnel). While not every federal employee in Texas will be sent home, tens of thousands of Texas public servants will be furloughed. The Corpus Christi Army Depot, one of the largest industrial employers in Texas, may be forced to send over half its workforce home.
Military
Military personnel in Texas will continue to serve. However, the Department of Defense may have to pay our troops in IOUs until defense appropriations are approved. Paychecks would be impacted beginning in mid-October and lower-ranking enlisted soldiers would bear the brunt of a pay freeze. Applications for VA benefits would also be stalled as the VA would be unable to process disability, education and vocational rehabilitation applications.
Federal Loans
Looking to buy a house during the shutdown? If you’re a buyer who qualifies for a Federal Housing Administration backed mortgage, you’ll be out of luck as FHA new loan processing would cease during a shutdown. Applying for college financial aid? During a shutdown, the Department of Education would stall the processing of new applications for federal financial aid. Small business owners looking for loans willalso face the same issue as students and home buyers.
Tourism
Last year over 3.9 million people visited Texas’ 13 national parks, bringing in $177 million in revenue. A government shutdown would close every national park in Texas, depriving the state of valuable tourism revenue.
Courts and public safety
During a shutdown, citizens can still be called up for jury duty in federal courts; however, they will not receive juror compensation until funding is restored. Enforcement of delinquent child-support cases may also be delayed as federal courts are forced to furlough all non-essential employees. A government shutdown could result in the cancellation of federal law enforcement recruitment and testing, including border patrol agents.
Where is Greg Abbott?
Senator Ted Cruz’s fauxlibuster proved earlier this week that he is driven by arrogance and ego and will happily shut down the government no matter what harm comes to Texas families. Even Rick Perry has called Cruz’s and the Congressional Republicans’ tactics “nonsensical”.
Meanwhile, Greg Abbott shrinks from the moment, hiding and watching – never willing to say out loud whether he supports shutting down the federal government to defund Obamacare or not.
Greg Abbott has used opposition to Obamacare to draw attention to himself for years. Now that price of his opposition to the healthcare plan may cost him some political capital, he cowardly goes silent, hoping neither reporters nor Tea Party activists force him to actually take a position on the issue.
