When the money runs nearly out then you will see which Priorities matter and which don't.

[ThomWV]

When the ability to borrow runs out next tuesday there will still be money coming into the Treasury and that money will be used to pay the bills that the Administration puts the highest priority on. Some bills will be paid even if most of them are not.

So, who will be aid and who will not?

Will Social Security checks go out? This is a program that takes in money every single day of the year and one that every working person pays into. Will it have a high priority and be paid, or will it be set aside?

Will Federal Contractors be paid? They worked for the money they are due, they deserve to be reimbursed for their work.

How about active Military, the men and women who are actively engaged in combat this very day, who will bleed and lose limbs. Where do they fit on the priority list?

Foreign Aid? What about Israel, will they be treated differently than other Aid recipients?

Federal Employees in General - will they come to work wednesday, will they be paid for it? How about prison guards? How about agricultural produce or meat inspectors? What about your mailman?

And more and more and more ....

If this horrible thing happens - and its looking more and more like it will - then we will see just what sort of Administration we have got ourselves. That's because despite all the whoop and holler about the Congress it is the White House who will decide who gets paid and who does not and that set of decisions will tell the story.

[spanone]

1. wanna bet military contractors get paid before the foot soldiers

[ThomWV]

3. My guess is you're right - and I'd also bet that bonds will be paid before any person

They will redeem expired bonds and pay interest on outstanding debt before they will issue any check to any individual, be it military personnel, Social Security recipients, Medicare or Medicade recipients, or even the blessed-by-god contractors.

[Aerows]

4. The bills

32.1 billion for just the month of August for Defense contractors

contrasted with

2.4 billion active military pay


Does everyone see the problem here? How about 42 billion in unclassified military and discretionary spending?

Medicare and SS are 27.6 and 28.1 billion, respectively

Meanwhile, 2.1 billion in US trucker funds went to the Taliban, and we are pissing and moaning about cutting SS and Medicare. We fund our own damn enemies because we don't know where the damn money is going.

Do you see the source of our budget problems? I do.

[DURHAM D]

2. As I understand it the WH can not prioritize bill payment.

It is unconstitutional.

[ThomWV]

5. Where's it say that?

[DURHAM D]

8. There was a con law professor on Lawrence O'Donnell last night.

He spelled it out.

Actually, the 14th is the lesser of the evils as regards constitutional standing.

[Poll_Blind]

6. What in the Constitution would bar that prioritization?

The Treasury will get to make the call, and they said they would make the call, about how they're going to handle it on as Tuesday approaches.

PB

[SoutherDem]

7. Unconstitutional or not I heard they were doing just that

Yesterday on NPR someone was being questioned as to if SS would go out. The person basically said since there will be only so much money to go out. The government would need to choose as to priority as to who did and did not get paid, and just as in a "shutdown" there are some things which stay opened.

I guess we will find out in a few days.