OPINION: On Oct. 1, Congress failed to pass an appropriations bill that would finance the operations of federal agencies and programs, consequently partially shutting down the United States government.
This isn’t a full-scale halt of all operations; rather, it’s more of a game of allocation of funds. The goal is to win the ‘game’ when one party concedes their ideas for the allocation of funds.
However, it’s not that simple. Resolutions in response to these types of conflicts take time and deliberation. No one is willing to concede their fiscal ideals for the nation in times like this.
According to House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK), “What are Democrats achieving by instigating a shutdown and keeping the federal government closed? Nothing but pain, risked livelihoods and throwing the entire nation into chaos and uncertainty. It’s absolutely reckless to do what Democrats are doing. I authored the clean legislation they rejected to keep the government open and working, and I know exactly what’s in it: no partisan provisions, no poison pills, no political gimmicks — just a short-term, responsible extension. If they can’t be for that, then they’ve abandoned the most basic duty of public service: keeping the government working for the people.”
Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) and Subcommittee Cardinals cautioned that these consequences are not hypothetical — families are suffering because Democrats are unwilling to reopen the government with a clean, nonpartisan funding extension.
The nation is hurting and the finger is getting pointed at Democrats. Appropriations are not getting distributed and families are feeling the effects. As the shutdown continues, the state of our nation is declining. The economic impacts of the shutdown can even be seen in our state of Maine.
According to The White House official website, “CEA estimates Maine’s Gross State Product will decline by around $51 million each week the shutdown extends, the equivalent of around $222 million per month while the government is shut down.”
CEA analysis suggests that a one-month shutdown could lead to an increase of approximately 200 unemployed workers in Maine because of the estimated GDP declines. During the government shutdown, most federal workers in Maine, who make up about 2.6% of the state workforce, may be furloughed or required to work without pay.
Currently, we’re only on day 16 and counting of this stalemate and some of our most important government departments have been impacted.
Until we achieve reconciliation, agencies such as Homeland Security, the Department of Transportation (USDOT) and the Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) that rely on funding will remain without it. However, this doesn’t mean we are plunging into anarchy, as our government has shut down many times before.
According to Rep. Becca Balint, “The length of shutdowns vary, as they last until Congress passes and the President signs the appropriations bills to fund the government. The most recent shutdown occurred in 2018-2019 and lasted 35 days.”
This certainly helps put things into perspective that our current government shutdown isn’t the end of the United States.
Our nation has persevered through considerably worse times, including a couple of World Wars, a Great Depression, multiple recessions, a Civil War and some nasty terrorist attacks too. This is by no means the end; this is just another bump in the road of the greatest country to ever exist.
