The US Government Shutdown
Trump accepts delay in State of the Union speech
By Patrick Martin, 24 January 2019
The traditional rituals of the US political system are collapsing under the impact of the mounting conflict within the ruling elite.
“I think we should take action like the L.A. teachers”
Federal workers and contractors demand action to end shutdown as second missed payday approaches
By our reporters, 24 January 2019
WSWS reporters spoke to workers Wednesday at a rally in Washington, D.C. and hiring event in Fairfax, Virginia.
800,000 US federal workers hit by partial government shutdown
By Barry Grey, 22 December 2018
The shutdown is part of a move by Trump to counter mounting political and legal threats by appealing for popular support outside of the normal two-party channels, including among fascistic elements of his base.
Illinois Democrats concoct pseudo-legal justification for cutting public employee pensions
By Alexander Fangmann, 9 February 2015
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan will argue before the state Supreme Court that Illinois is entitled to use its “police powers” to overturn the state constitution.
Snowstorms cripple aging public transit in Boston area
By John Marion, 9 February 2015
The recent spate of snowstorms in the Boston area have laid bare the effects of years of inadequate funding for public transportation in Boston.
Shutdown punishes Native American tribes
By Douglas Lyons, 24 October 2013
During the shutdown, the Bureau of Indian Affairs halted general assistance amounting to $42 million.
Top Senate Democrat backs Medicare, Social Security cuts
By Patrick Martin, 21 October 2013
In a television appearance Sunday, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin called for cuts in retirement income and health programs.
Obama, Democrats offer deeper social cuts in new budget talks
By Barry Grey, 19 October 2013
Behind the appearance of partisan gridlock, the differences between the two parties are tactical, concerning the ways and means of reversing the past social gains of the working class.
US budget deal sets stage for intensified assault on social programs
By Andre Damon and Barry Grey, 17 October 2013
The budget agreement passed by Congress Wednesday establishes the framework for a bipartisan deal to deepen cuts in social spending and initiate an historic attack on Social Security and Medicare.
Talks continue on deal to fund US government, raise debt ceiling
By Andre Damon, 16 October 2013
Senate leaders restarted negotiations Tuesday after the House failed to vote on a resolution to raise the US debt limit.
Washington, DC workers speak out against government shutdown
By our reporters, 16 October 2013
On Tuesday, World Socialist Web Site reporters spoke to residents and workers in southeast Washington, DC about the furloughs of federal workers that have been in place since the beginning of October.
US sequestration, shutdown cuts target scientific research
By John Marion, 16 October 2013
Scientific research has been cut, delayed and thrown into chaos by the ongoing federal budget crises.
Fifty eight million US retirees to receive negligible Social Security COLA increases
By Nick Barrickman, 15 October 2013
For the 20 percent of the population that relies on Social Security to pay their bills, the negligible size of the monthly increase will add to the hardship resulting from five years of economic slump and cuts in social programs.
US government shutdown impacts millions of workers
By Andre Damon, 15 October 2013
Amid reports of an emerging deal between Senate Democrats and Republicans on lifting the debt ceiling and funding the government through the beginning of 2014, the social impact of the shutdown continues to spread.
Washington, DC Metro faces funding shortfall
By Trent Novak, 15 October 2013
The federal government shutdown is deepening the fiscal problems of the mass transit system in the US capital.
Behind the US government shutdown
By Andre Damon, 14 October 2013
The ongoing government shutdown and threat of a federal default is being used to create the political framework for another stage in the assault on the working class.
Shutdown of National Institutes of Health imperils critical medical research
By Philip Guelpa, 14 October 2013
The federal government shutdown will cause severe, and in some cases, irreparable harm to a vast amount of medical research and to many critically ill patients.
US shutdown cripples investigation of salmonella outbreak
By James Brewer, 11 October 2013
To date, 278 Americans have been sickened by tainted chicken while the agency responsible for investigating the producer has two-thirds of its staff on furlough.
After calling for Medicare, Social Security cuts
Obama’s Federal Reserve pick reassures Wall Street of continued bank bailouts
By Andre Damon, 10 October 2013
One day after mooting plans to slash Social Security and Medicare, Obama appointed Janet Yellen, a top advocate of continuing billion-dollar handouts to the banks, to head the Federal Reserve.
Amid government shutdown, Obama signals cuts to Social Security, Medicare
By Andre Damon, 9 October 2013
US President Barack Obama reassured congressional Republicans that he would agree to entitlement cuts if they vote to increase the government’s debt limit.
US government shutdown reaches second week
By Andre Damon, 8 October 2013
The US government shutdown entered its second week amid calls from Wall Street and creditors to prevent a default on the federal debt.
Government shutdown hinders safety probe
Maintenance accident kills worker on DC subway
By Nick Barrickman, 8 October 2013
A 41-year-old contractor was killed and two subway workers were injured Sunday in an underground tunnel in Washington DC.
US budget and debt talks to focus on cutting Social Security, Medicare
By Patrick Martin, 7 October 2013
Top Democrats and Republicans are working towards a bipartisan agreement to gut the basic social programs on which tens of millions of working people depend.
US government shutdown closes the National Park Service
By Douglas Lyons, 7 October 2013
Over 21,000 national park workers have been laid off and millions of visitors prevented from entering any of the 410 national parks and other sites operated by the National Park Service.
With US shutdown in fourth day, Wall Street signals concern on debt ceiling
By Bill Van Auken, 5 October 2013
While indifferent to the suffering caused by the four-day shutdown of the US government, Wall Street has signaled both parties that raising the debt ceiling must not be delayed.
Washington, DC workers, youth speak out against federal shutdown
By our reporters, 5 October 2013
The population is disgusted with the attacks on pay and public services ushered in by the government shutdown.
Day three of US shutdown: Talks focus on cuts to Medicare and Social Security
By Andre Damon, 4 October 2013
There were more indications Thursday that the aim of both the Democrats and Republicans in negotiations to reopen the government and raise the debt ceiling will focus on major cuts to entitlement programs.
Washington DC chase ends in shooting death of driver
By Kate Randall, 4 October 2013
A woman was shot and killed by police following a car chase across downtown Washington DC Thursday afternoon.
US shutdown a smokescreen for assault on Social Security, Medicare
By Barry Grey, 3 October 2013
In an interview on day two of the shutdown of the US government, President Obama offered talks on cutting social programs such as Medicare and Social Security in return for Republican support for funding federal operations and raising the national debt ceiling.
US government shutdown hits social services
By Andre Damon, 2 October 2013
Some 800,000 federal workers were sent home for unpaid leave Tuesday in the first federal government shutdown in seventeen years.
US shutdown: A bipartisan war against the working class
By Barry Grey, 2 October 2013
As with previous artificially engineered government crises, a phony war between the two corporate-controlled parties is being used to escalate the relentless and very real war against the living standards of the working class.
US shutdown targets workers and poor people
By Barry Grey, 1 October 2013
The shutdown will have a punishing impact on millions of workers and poor people. At the same time, the government functions considered essential by the corporate-financial elite will be largely unaffected.
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