Would we be better off if the government shut down?

I bet ISIS would love that, as would all of the illegal immigrants crossing the border.

First off remember this about a government shutdown. You the military has a VERY large organization populated by government civilian workers providing your logistics support. A shutdown will impact supply, maintenance and transportation programs. Need a part? Too bad. Need your equipment fixed? Too bad. Shutdowns affect the military even if the service members are still getting paid.

Why should government employees be punished because the elected leadership cannot do their job. During the last shutdown, I can tell you first hand the stress I was under because I had no idea how long it was going to last and how long my funds would last for. I didn't even know if I was going to get paid for the time I was furloughed (it is not guaranteed that we will get paid). Its not like I could even go anywhere on a vacation during it because I was subject to recall at any time.

When making statements about how the government should shut down, remember that these are peoples' lives you are talking about. Honestly, the people that are to blame for the bad things are still going to get paid anyway because they are not subject to shutdowns.

No...it's a ridiculous exercise anyway with all the exceptions.