Government Shutdown 2011: How It Affects You

AP

With just hours away from a government shutdown, lawmakers remain at a standstill for a few billions of dollars in an otherwise resolved budget. Find out how this gridlock will affect you.

If an agreement is not met by midnight on Friday, the 2011 government shutdown will go into affect. This means national parks, monuments, museums, and more will close and many federal employees, contractors, and military members deemed 'nonessential' will go without pay, but that's not all. A government shutdown can trickle down to everyone, no matter where you work or live.

If the fight for the budget continues, many Americans will be affected, especially if the issue persists beyond a week. Below are just a few examples of how Americans will suffer if a government shutdown begins.

Residents in Washington D.C. will get one of the hardest hits from the squabbling in Congress. No trash collection and street sweeping will happen during this period. Libraries and DMV offices will be closed as well. The D.C. courts will be open, though. If you have jury duty, then you still have to go.

For individuals that receive Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, the results are a bit rocky. Social Security benefits will continue to go out to people who receive it, but should they have any questions reps might not be available to answer them. Medicare and Medicaid may get funding for a short period of time, but not many details have been released.

Taxpayers might see the government shutdown as a chance to hold out on doing their taxes. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Taxes are still due on April 18, no matter what happens.

The United States Postal Service will continue it's regular duties since it is self-funded. One function at USPS will be stalled, though. Passport processing will cease.

The FAA will keep all employees necessary to keep ingoing and outgoing flights unaffected.

Border patrol, the Coast Guard, and other agencies will continue their work with or without pay.

Although top politicians disagree as to what exactly is holding up the decision, two topics have been pointed out. Majority leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, says abortion is the last issue that both parties have not come to an agreement on. Republicans have tried to pull federal funding from Planned Parenthood for quite some time and want to leave the decision to fund the organization to the states. Democrats refuse to move ahead in this direction because they believe many states will strip funding completely due to their conservative notions.

A representative for House Speaker John Boehner, a Republican from Ohio, denied Reid's claims. According to reports, Republicans want to cut government spending and Democrats are stalling the effort.