The government shutdown is the result of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act modified the role of Congress in the federal budgetary process. It created standing budget committees in both the House and the Senate, established the Congressional Budget Office, and moved the beginning of the fiscal year from July 1 to October 1.
I neither agree nor disagree with the federal government shutdown. I do believe it’s both a benefit and loss to citizens.
This is not the first time the federal government has shut down. Since the inception of this Act, Congress has failed to authorize funding for the federal government on 17 separate occasions. Due to the opinions of Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti in 1980 and 81’, the government started treating “funding gaps” periods when Congress has failed to allocate funds for the ongoing functions of government — as necessitating the full or partial shutdown of government agencies. Unfortunately, a shutdown does not seem like a rare occurrence anymore. It is however unprofessional for one the most powerful countries in the world to shut down because of a disagreement.
“In 2017, as the new fiscal year approached, Republicans passed a continuing resolution punting the need for spending bills until December 8. That was followed by another continuing resolution on December 7, punting it again until December 22, to give time to resolve the issues before the holiday break. That was followed by the third continuing resolution, to carry the government through the holidays, with the disaster of the Gingrich-inspired shutdown in 1995-96 fresh in the minds of Republican leaders. When the deadline of January 19 for that CR loomed, we got the showdown that led to the shutdown, and ultimately to a fourth continuing resolution, which will end on February 8.” said an article written by Norm Ornsten, The Atlantic
Congress was supposed to vote on a budget to fund the government and keep it open, but failed to do this because of partisan fighting. The Democrats made it their mission to transform this budget vote into a vote on DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). It was their way to draw a line in the sand get the Republican-controlled House and Senate to make progress on this pressing matter. Using DACA as a reason to not fund the government is both
reckless and selfish.
If there is every a government shutdown only essential branches of the government is left open. This includes active duty military forces, postal services, and airports will remain open. This is a way to make sure the government is not completely handicapped and susceptible to attacks. In the airports, officials like air traffic controllers and Transportation Safety Administration security will continue to work. However, there could be some delays as non-essential employees are furloughed.
Ever since the 80’s air transportation has been under government supervision. Air transportation and air traffic are a matter of national security. If air services were to be suspended during a government shutdown, it could potentially be catastrophic. During this time period, there would be no international or domestic flights. With these employees furloughed, national airspace is being left open and vulnerable to what and whomever. Situations like this can lead to potential hazards such as 9/11. With the current threat on the United States from other countries such as North Korea, this would not be a good idea.
The shutdown would create a phenomenon known as the butterfly effect. Whereby a minute localized change in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. In laymen’s terms, one person or a single occurrence can change the course of the universe forever. This would also not only affect airliners but other industries and companies who thrive on the expense of using air travel to transfer goods, products, and services. It affects their business as a whole as well as the employees. The companies are not able to profit, the company can no longer afford to pay its workers, and in turn, people’s personal lives are affected.
The federal government shutdown has affected approximately 850,000 or 40 percent of the workforce. One of those employees being very important to me, my grandmother. The federal government shutdown effects not only it employees, but also civilians such as yourself. With the federal government shutdown national parks, monuments, civil court cases with no threat to public safety, and civilian employees at military bases are affects. During the 16-day government shutdown in 2013 under the Obama administration, national parks missed about $500 million from visitors being turned away and became emblematic of Washington’s failures.
The upside to this government shutdown would be a stop on the “momentum” President Donald Trump has accrued. It can give members of Congress a chance to rethink their votes and reasons for the budget.
What do you think of the government shutdown? Are you a part of the problem or the solution?