Dear Creditors: Please Show Some Compassion During This Shutdown

Federal workers furloughed in the shutdown are being offered letters from government agencies to give to creditors asking them for money. The letter asks creditors to “remain patient and show compassion” — two things that are not normally used to describe creditors who usually do everything they can to get you to pay them.

Meanwhile, a deal to end the shutdown and raise the debt ceiling looks like it will happen very soon. So that’s good news! The bad news is that it looks like we’re going to have to go through all of this again next year. The deal in question reopens the government until Jan. 15, and extends the debt ceiling until Feb. 7. But it’ll all be smooth sailing then, right?

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