An extra 47,000 out of work in Miami area thanks to Ileana and Marco

MIAMI (Oct. 2) – There are an extra 47,000 persons out of work today in the Miami-Fort Lauderdale areas because of the U.S. government shutdown. All are employees of the federal government. And although they only represent a bit over two percent of the South Florida workforce, the large number of real people gives you an idea what the possibilities are if this irresponsible action created by members of the U.S. congress continues.

And I start with our local impact on purpose. Too many of us tend to believe this is ONLY a Washington thing. It’s not. Also, the 47,000 I mention are actual employees of the government. What of the elderly who depend on their checks delivered on time – for medicine, let’s say?

“The shutdown of the federal government has sent as many as 770,000 employees home, delayed the paychecks of another 1.3 million ‘essential’ workers, and shuttered various government functions,” says Washington Post blogger Brad Plumer.

Still, those same members of Congress playing politics seem not too worried for themselves. Although the federal government pays them, those members of congress will receive their checks – on time. They are NOT affected by the shutdown.

An English writer, John Lyly, once said that all’s fair in love and war? The U.S. had yet to be discovered when he made that statement or he may have added “and the whim of members of congress.”

“How big an impact will this have? In a research note Tuesday, J.P. Morgan analysts estimated that federal furloughs will reduce national income by a total of $1.3 billion per week. As a result, the shutdown could shave 0.12 percent off fourth quarter GDP growth for each week it goes on. That forecast doesn’t account for any knock-on effects on the private sector or dent in economic confidence, which are harder to quantify,” said Plumer.

All of this is taking place because there’s a group, mostly republicans, that want to eliminate Obamacare, whose real name is the Affordable Care Act (ACA). I mention ACA for good reason. And if you watch at the bottom you will see a brief clip of the Jimmy Kimmel television show where he interviews persons and asks them if they prefer Obamacare or the Affordable Care Act (which is one and the same). By the way, once you’ve watched, you’ll understand why it gives credence to Winston Churchill, who is quoted as saying that “The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter.”

So, mostly republican members of congress, including our own Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Marco Rubio, don’t want Obamacare. For that they’re willing to let Americans suffer through a government shutdown and all its consequences.

Note I did not mention Mario Diaz-Balart. The Miami Herald reported that “Diaz-Balart was one of just 12 Republicans to oppose the House’s third attempt to undermine Obamacare … Nine Democrats crossed party lines and voted for the House plan.”

Most interesting, I thought, was that while the Ros-Lehtinens and Rubios of the U.S. congress lead us through this unknown, perilous and selfish path, a huge number of persons in this country are showing an interest in Obamacare. This is what Washington Post columnists Ezra Klein and Evan Soltas had to say: “So on the one hand, Washington was shut down because Republicans don’t want Obamacare. On the other hand, Obamacare was nearly shut down because so many Americans wanted Obamacare.”

I can attest to the fact that I’ve been trying since yesterday to log on to the healthcare providers’ exchange created by ACA with no luck. Reuters estimates that on the first day alone they received more than 10 million visits. I am sure that as days go by it will get easier.

What should be noted is contrary to what our mostly republican members of congress are telling us there is a great deal of interest in ACA. Or is it Obamacare? Whatever the name, it also shows you the desperation most Americans feel when it comes to health care and the insurance we need to cover us – for when it’s our turn to face health issues that come sooner or later.

Of course, Ms. Ros-Lehtinen and Mr. Rubio could care less. They are covered by the program offered to members of congress, which is much different than ours… and not affected by the government shutdown.