Thread by @ABustedBoomer

The federal government has about 400,000 furloughed employees ... regular federal workers (not contractors) that are not working during the shutdown and are not receiving a paycheck.

The government also has about 400,000 regular federal employees considered "essential" whose agencies and departments are part of the shutdown. These employees are working but will not receive a paycheck during the shutdown.

Yesterday, the House passed legislation, which @realDonaldTrump has said he will sign that guarantees both groups -- essential working employees and nonessential and furloughed employees -- will get back pay once the impasse over funding border security is resolved.

In the meantime, Vanity Fair has decided to deride and mock some financial guidance offered by the United States Coast Guard to its employees on surviving economically during the shutdown.

You can read the VF piece here:

vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/d…

I don't celebrate the misfortune of others. I have no doubt that people will feel the pinch during this shutdown. Millions of Americans have lived in exactly the spot where the employees are now, not knowing when they will be working again and not knowing how to make ends meet.

In that context, the advice is actually tried and tested. It includes smart and simple steps. For example, don't ignore or avoid creditors, mortgage companies, etc. Be proactive: contact these folks and let them know of the impact of the shutdown...seek and get forbearances, etc.

These are things, as I mentioned, millions of Americans have had to do before or have learned the hard way that they could have, or should have, done.

Still there remains the mockable optics and @VanityFair specializes in mockery.

So what is it that was so particularly mock-worthy?

It was the Coast Guard's "helpful" tips on supplementing one's income that probably provoked VF's writer to get jiggy with the "mockingpen." The tips included:

->Have a garage sale
->Sell unwanted, larger-ticket items through the newspaper or online
->Offer to watch children, walk pets, house-sit
->Turn your hobby into income
->Become a mystery shopper.

During a financial crunch, our family sold a piano and a really nice guitar. What might be referred to as big ticket items. We also cashed out a meager 401(k), paying a fairly significant penalty for the privilege of accessing our own earnings.

These are things that common folk have done before; that common folk are doing now; that common folk will continue to have to do long after the government shutdown comes to an end and federal employees return to their regularly scheduled paychecks.

Still, I understand why VF would want to mock helpful guidance from an employer: it sells better than an article saying, "Perhaps federal employees will have greater empathy for Americans impacted by excess regulation and over taxation once the impasse comes to an end."

What does strike me as odd, after spending time on @VanityFair's pages, is being unable to find the article in which VF mocked @BarackObama for his petulant demand about the means by which Americans could afford his boondoggle, high priced "Affordable Care."

Perhaps you recall when President Obama participated in an electronic town hall with Spanish language media? He fielded a question from a father who complained that he could not afford the $300/month cost of health insurance under the plan.

True enough. @BarackObama didn't tell the dad to sell his piano, or to start teaching guitar lessons, or to hold yard sales. No. Barry is a smoother character, and he is particularly attracted to a more subtle jibing mock.

So what did he have to say to the dad?

He said, "if you looked at their cable bill, their telephone, their cell phone bill... it may turn out that, it's just they haven't prioritized health care."

That would be inductive guidance, in case you missed it.

President Obama telling Americans, "get rid of your cable television service, get rid of your cell phone service" so you can survive the impact of being COMPELLED BY LAW to purchase health insurance.

Not a peep that I could find from @VanityFair mocking the President for telling Americans to do without so that they could afford his "Affordable Care."

#lapdancemedia
#grindingonthepresidentslap
#howcanwepleasekingbarry
#nevermockthemoron

So here's a hearty "go to hell" to @VanityFair, an expression of empathy to furloughed federal employees, and a hope that VF chokes on its hypocrisy.

@VanityFair @threadreaderapp unroll