Furloughs

I have been thinking about all the folks on furlough.

I have been furloughed - three years running for a total of 24 or so days.

I had to be available (essential employee).

I got no back pay.

I got no pats on the back for the work I did while I was not being paid.

I had no expectation of being paid for those days I was not at work.

I just heard that it is likely that the federal workers who are on furlough will likely get back pay when they return - for the time that they did not work!   

How does this happen?  I thought they were furloughed because the gummint could not pay them - where is the money to pay them back pay going to be found (of course I know - it will come out of our paycheck taxes, yours and mine....) when they return?

I do not wish them ill, I really do not.  I understand tight money.

I don't understand money that magically appears after it could not be found.

I don't understand paying folks not to show up.

Something about all of this is clanging a really discordant bell in my head.

And I am wondering - should I now sue the City of Baltimore for back pay for all those days I was forced to take off? Gummint is  gummint, or?

It's just a little but pissed that I am - but the longer it goes on, the worse it will get - and the harder the gummint will come after the rest of us to appease the federal drones.

What do you think?