John McDaid
The house and the senate couldn't agree on a bill to fund the government and because of it we have been put into a government shutdown that started on october 1. When I first heard of a government shutdown, I thought that it meant everyone that works for the federal government would be without their job completely and entirely and all parts of government would close. Some people in government stay and work during the shutdown and only parts of the government are shut down. This situation is horrible for our economy. Areas around Washington D.C. are said to lose $200 million each day in economic activity for each day that the government is shut down. 800,000 federal workers are estimated to be sent home. A prolonged and serious government shut down has only happened once before but smaller government shutdowns have happened seventeen times before. I wouldn't say that the government can ever really be prepared for a government shutdown but it is definitely something that should be further looked into because of how badly the economy can be affected by one. A government shutdown wouldn't happen if congress could just agree and follow through together. I wouldn't blame any particular party but congress definitely needs to pull together and seal the trench that is causing these problems.
It seems that the difference in congress is more about the political parties rather than actual issues and this is why a budget has not been passed. Congress must find a way to agree on the budget and get all of the americans affected out of work back. If this lasts a long time american citizens could really be affected.
ReplyDeleteI think that it's really easy to argue that the government needs to come to an agreement. But might I suggest just trying it from your own level of compromise? As in try going for a debate with someone on the other side of your views and see if you two could actually come to an agreement on a concrete plan and set of instructions or would you two get so angry and walk away from each other. Remember, we elected these people. We agreed with what they proposed and how they promised to act. Therefore the finger is also pointed at us.
ReplyDeleteCompromise is indeed difficult, and that is why some argue that Presidential systems of government, which require compromise when there is divided government, are less stable. Parliamentary systems do not require compromise. It's an interesting question about why compromise is even a desirable value. In our case, it is necessary for a functional system, but does it provide a useful service for any other reason?
ReplyDeleteJJ, as you point out part of the difficulty is what funding is even being debated here. There are two types of spending, mandatory (or automatic spending) which doesn't require yearly renewal, and discretionary, which does. Only those elements which are discretionary are affected by the shutdown. Part of the problem with the debt ceiling is that, unless congress enacts new taxes or raises the debt ceiling, mandatory spending would have to be cut. It's not clear, then, what would be more illegal: not spending the money by not borrowing, or borrowing when that was not permitted.
I agree that shutdown is horrible for the U.S. economy and is tragic for the many people that are now not getting paid as a result. It is awful that both Republicans and Democrats cannot figure out a way to compromise. I realize that compromise is hard but these people got elected to work together and do whats best for the country. The fact that they can't put their differences aside is sickening.
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