Ever wondered what life would be like with no federal government?

If budget negotiations go down hill in Washington DC this week…we may just find out.

House Republicans and Democrats are trying to reach a budget deal by a Friday deadline… no one is optimistic that a compromise can be reached.

No deal by deadline… the Federal Government closes down.

The news from Capitol hill suggests that a couple of issues are holding up an agreement. Mainly anti-abortion and environmental measures.

Anti-abortion Republicans want to eliminate federal funding from family planning centers. They also want to prevent the city of Washington DC from spending non federal funds on abortion.

The Republicans also want to target the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). They want to prevent the EPA from being strict on environmental enforcement like cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay or controlling water pollution. (Isn’t enforcing environmental laws supposed to be the EPA’s job?)

A full list of hold-ups is available here.

On these contentions differences Sen. Chuck Shumer (D-NY) said;

“It would be a tragic mistake to force a government shutdown, but doubly tragic if the shutdown were on issues not related to spending,”