      You could be forgiven if you were unaware or had forgotten that the government had shut down, but just in case, our government shut down a couple of weeks ago. While many media and news outlets had been predicting revolts and outrage and general disaster-movie apocalypse scenarios, not much has really changed for 99% of Americans. While those with jobs in government-related positions have been feeling the blows from furloughs and all the national parks and monuments have been closed, America has pretty much been going on as much as it had been earlier.
           But to help clarify the issue, let’s run down exactly what the shutdown entails and why it happened in the first place.
 One of Congress’s major responsibilities is to pass bills on how the government of our country should be funded, and if that responsibility isn’t met, money is shut off from certain areas of the government until a consensus can be met. And with the past twelve years seeing a remarkable increase in mudslinging, bad-mouthing, and general aggressive politics between the two parties, it isn’t surprising that no one wants to get along. Both sides can’t escape the blame; Democrats ardently refuse to budge on their healthcare laws, while Republicans equally refuse to pass such laws in the first place. With this standstill and nobody wanting to compromise, the shutdown began.
           Now with the government shutdown, the clock is ticking on just how bad things could get. Our government has shut down before, the latest being back in 1995, for about 21 days. So if things clear up by then, there shouldn’t be a lot to worry about. This might just be another example of our two parties continuing to bully and insult one another in order to get what they want. But if the situation remains unsolved, things could become very bad indeed.
             While neither side has been willing to cooperate, America has been making its displeasure heard. In a majority of polls taken by many news outlets, a large percentage of Americans blame Republicans for not budging, and urge them to compromise in order to end the shutdown. The Democratic view is spearheaded by Obama, who stated that once the Republicans have ceased issuing their threats and approve the new debt ceiling, then he will be open to discussing changing the healthcare plan.
           Republicans, meanwhile, still refuse to meet Obama’s demands, John Boehner stating that he will not give in to unconditional surrender by the Democrats. This stance has severely damaged the GOP’s status and popularity in the last few days, as their approval ratings continue to slip further as the shutdown continues. There have been recent divisive actions within the Republican Party, as some are willing to compromise at least until January to settle things. But without the approval from a majority of Republican members, not much will be done.
           While the situation isn’t too bad just yet, if no one wishes to cooperate with each other, the problem could grow a lot worse. If anything, this shutdown has highlighted the political issues between the two parties and the deteriorating collaboration needed between them in order for the country to work properly. But hopefully a compromise is reached soon, and the government can get back on track.
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http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/10/20903624-nbcwsj-poll-shutdown-debate-damages-gop?lite