Mountaineers atop the rocks of Joshua Tree National Park were open, but other Visitor Center facilities were closed due to government closure on Saturday, December 22, 2018.
Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
Hide the legend
View the legend
Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
Rock climbers at Joshua Tree National Park were open, but the other visitor center facilities were closed due to the closure of the government on Saturday, December 22, 2018.
Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
The Christmas season is usually one of the busiest times of the year in Joshua Tree National Park California, while climbers and campers make their way to the great getaway in the desert.
The cactus and campers are here this year, as usual. But the rangers who usually patrol the park were thrilled by the spending stalemate in Washington that forced the closure of about a quarter of the federal government.
"The Visitor Centers are closed," said John Lauretig, executive director of the non-profit Friends of Joshua Tree National Park. "All the bathrooms are still open but the parks department does not maintain them at the moment, so the local community is mobilized to start cleaning the toilet and filling the toilet paper."
As the partial closure of the government comes into effect. second weekend without any sign of compromise on the horizon, Lauretig and others embark on what could be a long-term project.
"As dumpsters fill up and pit toilets fill up, what kind of solutions can we provide to solve these problems?" he asked.
Washington's politicians offered little hope of a quick compromise.
"I can not tell you when the government will be open." President Trump told reporters this week. He insists that Congress pay $ 5 billion for its border wall project. The Democrats, who are expected to take control of the House next week, have refused. This stalemate has left nine major ministerial departments – including Homeland Security, the Interior and the state – without spending authority.
Up to now, the partial closure has only had an annoying effect for some and invisible for many. Some 400,000 critical federal officials remained in office. And although they are not paid for the moment, this impact will not really manifest until the end of their next paycheck on January 11th. Nevertheless, the longer the closure lasts, the more the effects will be felt. [19659017] A trash crammed into a box near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on December 27, 2018, while some government services were shut down during a partial government shutdown.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP / Getty Images
Hiding the Legend
See the Legend
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP / Getty Images
A trash bursts near the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC on December 27, 2018, while some utilities were shut down during a partial government shutdown.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds / AFP / Getty Images
"More things are going to close," said Jacqueline Simon, director of policy at the American Federation of Government Employees, the largest union of federal workers. "Some agencies affected by the lack of funding still had some money to carry them through until the end of the year.But this money will deplete.
The EPA, for example, announced plans to shut down at midnight on Friday. The Smithsonian Museums and the National Zoo will close on January 2nd.
The Food Stamp Program (officially called the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP) and the School Feeding Program are funded until January, but could take a hit. if the closure continues beyond this period.
White House economist Kevin Hassett predicted that the closure would not cause lasting damage to the US economy. But he admitted that the unemployment rate could deteriorate if hundreds of thousands of federal employees were still inactive in a few weeks.
"It would be rather temporary," Hassett said. "This is not something we are waiting for, it is really important for the prospects."
On Thursday, December 27, 2018, people will be skating on the rink of the Art Gallery's Garden Sculpture, while the government continues to close halfway to Washington. The museum and skating rink will be closed to the public after January 2 following the closing of the store if it continues at the beginning of the new year.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Hide the legend
Toggle the legend
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
On Thursday, December 27, 2018, the Garden Sculpture rink of the National Gallery of Fine Arts skates as the government continues to partially close its doors in Washington. The museum and skating rink will be closed to the public after January 2, due to the closure of the store if it continues early next year.
Jacquelyn Martin / AP
Social security payments and health insurance payments are still made, as usual
but FHA mortgage applications may be delayed. FEMA also shook the housing market by announcing that it would stop selling flood insurance during the closure, a decision that could have compromised some 40,000 home sales in flood-prone areas each month.
"If they can not get flood insurance, they can not get the mortgage," said Allan Dechert, who heads the insurance committee of the National Association of Realtors.
Under pressure, FEMA turned back Friday night and announced the resumption of the sale of flood insurance during the closing. [19659008] For now, volunteers will continue to clean toilets in Joshua Tree National Park. But worshipers say this does not replace park wardens, who usually keep an eye on Native American rock art and other stories that dot the desert landscape.
"There are rare and unique artifacts that need to be protected National Park Service staff," said Lauretig. "My concern is that these unique objects in the park are unfortunately not protected."
Lone Park Park Warden, Dylan Moe, at the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, provides park maps to visitors on Saturday, December 22, 2018. The park was open, but its center was closed. Visitor reception and other facilities were closed due to the partial closure of the government.
Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
Hide the legend
View the legend
Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
On Saturday, December 22, Lone Dylan Moe Park Warden, located at the entrance to Joshua Tree National Park, provides visitors with maps of the park. The park was open, but its reception center and other facilities were closed due to the partial closure of the government. 19659006] Irfan Khan / LA Times via Getty Images
