Ted Poe: “I received the following email from a constituent who forwarded me comments from a former government worker: As a former…”

“I received the following email from a constituent who forwarded me comments from a former government worker: As a former government employee, I have worked for the government for over 40 years. During that time I became familiar with requisitions, bidding, and awarding contracts. It is time-consuming with bean counters and pencil neck bureaucrats. A request takes months, not days or even hours. In less than 8 hours of the shutdown, miraculously professionally printed 3x4 signs--with logos--appeared all over the country in the 1000s saying: ``This park facility closed due to government shutdown.'' There has not been a government shutdown in 17 years. Signs had to be designed, requisitioned, and bids had to go out, approved and contracts signed; then the signs were made and distributed. Either this is the most efficient thing the Federal Government has ever done, or this quick shutdown was planned and determined months ago. Mr. Speaker, if the writer is accurate, this is an interesting and odd coincidence, don't you think? And that's just the way it is. ____________________”