Money…

The government has partially ground to a halt. Here are some songs in honor of the shutdown…

I don’t pretend to pay a lot of attention to what goes on in Congress. I am not fond of politics, especially when it comes to arguing about them. However, because my husband, Bill, is a member of the Army, this government shutdown business does affect us somewhat. Yes, we were told that members of the military would continue to be paid while 800,000 or so other government workers will be furloughed until this mess gets sorted out. However, my husband has told me that there is a possibility that despite the fact that the “Pay Our Military Act” passed, his pay may still be delayed. This is what it says on the front page of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service’s (DFAS) Web site…

We are aware the President has signed the “Pay Our Military Act.”

We believe all pay and allowances included in mid-month pay are covered by the Act and pay will be received on time.

Hear that? They believe all pay and allowances included in mid-month are covered by the Act… How reassuring. Actually, I realize that we are very fortunate because Bill gets paid pretty well and we have managed to squirrel away some cash in advance of this mess. There are many military folks out there, along with government and contract workers, who don’t have anything to cushion the financial blow of a prolonged furlough.

Anyway, I thought today might be a good day for a post about songs in honor of the shutdown. The first song that immediately comes to mind is Bob Dylan’s classic hit, “The Times, They Are A Changin'”. I have to admit, this song popped into my head the other day when I sang it on SingSnap. I happen to own a great double CD set called No Nukes, which was originally released in 1979 when a bunch of stars got together to do a concert to protest nukes.

A clip from the No Nukes documentary.

And here’s Bob Dylan’s version.

Gwen Guthrie’s “Ain’t Nothin’ Goin’ On But The Rent” is a reminder that the bill collectors may be knocking if something isn’t done soon…

This song is really more about a gold digger, but the sentiments are still sort of the same. When you don’t have a paycheck, you suddenly start worrying about meeting your responsibilities.

ABBA’s “Money, Money, Money” might inspire a few folks to try their hand at gambling as a way to raise some quick cash…

What really blows about this is that some people are still working, even though they might not be paid on time. Bill told me that a bunch of civilians were recalled to work yesterday because it was decided that they would eventually be paid. Therefore, they didn’t need to be sitting at home doing nothing. My reaction to that? That’s bullshit! It’s probably a good thing I don’t work for the government.

The Beatles sang a song about taxes…

Don’t our taxes pay for all the folks in Congress hashing it out right now? Fat lot of good it’s done us. I fully understand that taxes make the government function… except when they don’t. It would be nice if the folks responsible for this shutdown gave up their paychecks too.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t include an entry by Pink Floyd…

Pink Floyd’s “Money” is no doubt on a lot of peoples’ minds right now as mid month looms and bills come due.

Donna Summer’s classic 80s hit “She Works Hard For The Money” resonates with women, especially…

And there are no doubt some mothers and fathers who are single parents trying to cope with these furloughs. Of course, this song is really about women who work in low wage jobs, but even if they aren’t being directly by the shutdown, those who wait tables or work in retail will be affected as business slows because people aren’t getting paid.

I have to add James Taylor’s “Money Machine” because I happen to love his music… and this song, in all its cheesy 70s glory, does sort of illustrate the power money has on society.

I know the money has to come from somewhere, of course. And Congress has to straighten some stuff out, which will no doubt require compromise from all parties. I sure hope they come to a conclusion sooner rather than later.