Gov’t shutdown bad for Jews, but also bad for Klan

First, the bad news: As is the case for most other Americans, the government shutdown is bad for Jews.

The Forward reports:

For Jewish organizations dealing daily with federally funded programs, the shutdown’s impact could be much more than a scheduling nuisance.

“The longer this goes on, the greater the impact will be,” said William Daroff, vice president for public policy at the Jewish Federations of North America. He explained that agencies relying on government funding for their programs, mainly those treating elderly and people in need in the community, can shift funds for a while to cover for the lack of government dollars. But the longer the shutdown continues, the harder this task becomes. There is also no certainty that the government will cover retroactively these funds, although in past shutdowns that has been the practice. In a memo to federation on October 1, Daroff warned that “impact on the programs and services that Federations and affiliated agencies provide may be drastic and severe.”

Now, the good news: As it is for most other Americans, the government shutdown is also bad for the Ku Klux Klan.

Reuters reports:

A Ku Klux Klan rally became a casualty of the U.S. government shutdown on Tuesday when National Parks officials told the white supremacist group the event would have to be canceled.

The KKK had been granted a permit for what it dubbed a First Amendment demonstration on Saturday at Gettysburg National Military Park, but park officials said it could not take place because all National Parks have been closed.

Finally, a feel-good government shutdown story (until you read to the part about all National Parks being closed).