What does the government shutdown mean for Atlanta?

• carson mc/wikimedia commons
• Come back and visit MLK’s boyhood home when the government chooses to fund it

Around midnight, Republicans in Congress refused to budge on their effort to delay or defund Obamacare, a tactic that ultimately resulted in the failure to pass a bill to keep the U.S. government funded. As a result, the federal government shut down for the first time in 17 years. It’s a special day.

The most devastating effects of the move will most likely be seen in Washington, D.C., home to thousands of federal employees and facilities. Our beloved sister paper, the Washington City Paper, has everything you need to know about how the shutdown will affect the district. (D.C. officials have decided to keep the local government running by tapping its reserves.)

The effects will ripple throughout the country, however, resulting in furloughs for approximately 800,000 federal employees, closed gates at national parks and monuments, and empty federal museums.

What will we see here in metro Atlanta?

• Downtown might look a little less crowded, as some non-essential employees who’d normally show up to work at the Sam Nunn Federal Center or other federal offices will probably stay home, without pay, and not buy lunch at nearby restaurants.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it will “continue minimal support to protect the health and well-being of US citizens here and abroad through a significantly reduced capacity to respond to outbreak investigations, processing of laboratory samples, and maintaining the agency’s 24/7 emergency operations center.”
• Tourists will not be able to visit the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s boyhood home in Old Fourth Ward. Don’t think about jogging at the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. Climbing Kennesaw Mountain to gaze upon the majestic sprawl stretching as far as the eye can see will be more difficult.
• Having problems with your passport? We don’t know what to tell you.

However, you will be able to check out your newly available health insurance options. And Congress will probably still collect their paychecks. Have a great day!