Shutdown self-despair

Regarding “Shutdown is hurting many workers like me” (Outlook, Friday): All employment, government or private, is dependent upon proper resources to pay for itself. This doesn’t mean all workers are merely hostages or pawns to their employer’s budgets.

Yes, the continued employment of all government workers is dependent upon Congress funding their particular departments. The author knew that when he chose government work. Jerry K. Deutsch, Seabrook