[bastawhiz]

What would indicate to, say, a scientist taking a job earning a modest salary that they would be unable to earn a paycheck for over a month?

[cryptonector]

The fact that shutdowns happen.

[dragontamer]

This is literally a historic shutdown. Two missed paychecks in a single shutdown has never happened before in the history of the USA.

This is the longest running shutdown in US History, and it isn't anywhere close to over yet.

[bastawhiz]

Yet there is no precedent for this. Nor should there be.

I would be entirely unsurprised if this caused many professionals to leave public service, since the risk of not being able to make rent is now known. Why would anyone knowingly take a job that could suddenly and unexpectedly stop paying them a salary for unreasonable periods of time?