In a time when political polarization has rendered bipartisan progress nearly impossible, consequences are inevitable. On Oct. 1 at 12:01 a.m., the federal government formally underwent a shutdown after a spending bill was not agreed upon before the Senate adjourned Tuesday evening.
Two proposals were made as last-ditch efforts to block the shutdown, the first backed by Republicans and the second by Democrats. Few senators crossed party lines, as the G.O.P. plan failed 55-45 — five short of the 60-vote threshold needed — while the subsequent Democratic proposal failed 47-53. The primary issue of contention was whether to extend subsidies for healthcare spending, with neither side willing to budge. Following the Senate’s adjournment, the White House Office of Management and Budget issued a memo for federal agencies to prepare for “an orderly shutdown.”
Prominent political figures were quick to point fingers after an aversion was deemed unattainable. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said Democrats “[took] the federal government as a hostage,” while Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said the American public “would blame [Republicans] for bringing the federal government to a halt.” Blame extended beyond just individuals; the White House website launched a countdown reading “Democrat Shutdown is Imminent” in the hours leading up to the shutdown. Neither side’s leaders opted to take a more civil approach.
The most recent government shutdown began nearly seven years ago in December 2018, and did not end until January 2019. That saga lasted 35 days in all — the longest shutdown in over 40 years. During this time, park services were severely damaged, federal programs were cut, federal employees were laid off, and general instability plagued the country. An estimated $3 billion was lost in Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Currently, Americans do not need to worry about Social Security payments or the United States Postal Service being halted, since these services are protected even under a shutdown. But, if a compromise cannot be reached for weeks, the country may experience many of the same adverse effects as before.
This shutdown, and the series of events leading to it, begs the question of whether the current lack of compromise in Congress is adequate. Millions of Americans will now be deprived of crucial federal services for an indefinite period due to the incompetence of elected representatives in working out a simple spending bill. One may look at the examples of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, where failure to pass a budget results in a mandated government resignation and new elections. Perhaps it is time to give real consequences to the government — not the people — when basic expectations are not met.
