How This Shutdown Might Affect Your Trip to DC

photo uploaded to flickr by Simon CocksYou've probably heard a far bit about the budget jostling on Capitol Hill recently. Now I imagine most of you don't hang out in bars where C-SPAN is on round the clock, so you may not be totally up on all the ins and outs, but there's a very real chance that by the close of buisness March 4th, the Federal Government will be operating without a budget.

To grossly oversimplify the issue, the Federal Government authorizes and appropriates funds on a yearly budget. Once that budget runs out at the end of the Fiscal Year (Sept 30), Congress and the President can approve a temporary extension, or Continuing Resolution (CR). This is what the Government has been operating under since October, and the current one runs out March 4th. On that day, thanks to Art. I, Section 9 of the US Constitution (look it up yoursefl!) and the Anti-deficiency Act, it is now illegal for the Federal Government to pay its workers, outside of essential folks. The Congressional Research Service recently wrote an excellent report (.pdf) if you're a government affairs junky.

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Ante Up! Paying to get in the Smithsonian

Updated on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at 12:01PM by Tim Krepp

It's one of the greatest things about visiting Washington, DC. Visitors from all over are amazed at the cultural wonderland that is the Smithsonian, and even more so that it's free! It says something great about our country that we give as a free gift to our own citizens and visitors this peerless experience.

However, for those of you watching national news, you might have heard that the Federal budget deficit has been getting a little press recently. A bipartisan committee has recently come out with a series of recommendations to close it, a cause I can get behind in theory. However, in the report is a little blurb that's getting a lot of attention in Washington this morning: a proposal to save $225 million a year by charging admission to the Smithsonian.

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Weekly Washington: Craziest Weekend Ever!

photo uploaded to flickr by marabuchiThat's right folks. This may be the craziest weekend I can remember here in DC. Halloween is already my favorite time of year in Washington, and then we have the Rally for Fear/Sanity thrown in. It's going to be a busy one.

I thought about writing up a Rally Guide, but what's the point? Nine gagillion already exist and I have little to add. And if the mobs are too much, check out our Fear and Sanity sights throughout the rest of DC. (TBD)

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Weekly Washington: Sex, Drugs and Cannibalism!

courtesy of DDOTWoohoo! Roll Call has a great write up of our very own Walking Shtick Tours! Unfortunately, it's behind a pay wall, but if any of you have coughed up the subscription fees, go read it! But a headline that reads "Tour Focuses on Sex, Drugs, and Cannibalism" is exactly the kind of press we're looking for.

So, you go to snap a picture of some building and, all of a sudden, a security guard wanders up and demands you stop, or asks you to delete your pictures, or just inquires why you want to take a picture of the building in the first place. It happens all the time in DC.Well, this week, a Federal government, once again, affirmed that there is nothing wrong with taking pictures of their (our?) buildings. In fact, while we're on the topic, the only folks who can now hassle you about pictures is the Pentagon, especially when you are at the 9/11 Memorial. Other than that, just politely talk to the guard and move on. If you a shutterbug and what to know where you stand legally, print out this handy guide before you come. (DCist)

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Weekly Washington: Truthiness Restored!

photo uploaded to flickr by Ethan.KStephen Colbert and John Stewart announced last night that they will hold competing rallies on October 30th on the National Mall. You may recall that I asked my Congresswoman about this very topic this weekend. John Stewart is asking everyone to bring their indoor voices to his Rally to Restore Sanity in the shadow of the Washington Monument, while Stephen Colbert will March to Keep Fear Alive, thereby protecting Liberty and Freedom. I'll be honest, I don't make it many rallies (even one's I agree with). I'll probably be breaking that tradition this October, assuming the National Park Service manages to be more effective than the DMV. (TBD)

The whole Tour Guide license thing being unconstitutional thing keeps plugging along. Matthew Yglesias has a great discussion of it on his blog, from a Libertarian perspective. Channel 7 ran a story on it last night, although they incorrectly the test is "new" (it's been around for decades). And my original post has now been cross posted to Greater Greater Washington.

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