No, it doesn’t mean school is cancelled. The government shutdown beginning Oct. 1 does, however, indicate that the United States government has officially lost all ability to compromise, and that party polarization has gone too far.
Government shutdown last occurred during the Clinton presidency, when conflict over the United States budget deficit resulted in two failures to pass a budget. While there exists some comfort in knowing that we have survived shutdowns in the past, there is no excuse for the inability of Congress to cooperate as it should.
The main problem lies with Congress, the legislative body that serves to maintain order not turn into a showdown between the two parties. Recently, members of both parties appear to view themselves as soldiers for their individual ideologies, refusing to look past their own beliefs and compromise for the good of the country.
In fact, this refusal to vote across party lines in Congress is worse than ever. According to DW-DOMINATE, the industry standard for measuring party polarization, the 112th Congress (2011-2013) was more polarized than any other Congress in United States history.
While it is important to maintain one’s values and beliefs, the individuals who represent their constituents have a duty to act in the best interests of others. When clinging to separate sides of the political spectrum results in the furlough of hundreds of thousands of government workers and affects the day-to-day life of everyone in this country, something must change.
A CNN/ORC poll indicated that 69% of Americans believe Republicans acted like “spoiled children” in the negotiations preceding the shutdown. Clearly, most of the country blames Republicans in this dispute, in large part because of their refusal to fund the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), which was the signature reason for the shutdown.
Their reluctance to fund a program they have no belief in is understandable, but with a Democratic president and a Senate controlled by Democrats, Obamacare will be funded eventually. It would make much more sense for Republicans to bite the bullet and allow the program to pass, especially because Obamacare has a reasonable chance of failing.
Most polls indicate voter disapproval of the healthcare law, but an even wider disapproval of a government shutdown resulting from attempts to block its funding. Republicans should look at the big picture and see that funding Obamacare will end the shutdown and allow everyone to see what actually happens because of the law. If the law fails, the government will cut funding and the whole problem will be solved.
Unfortunately, the current climate of Congress does not indicate that any sort of compromise between Democrats and Republicans will come soon or with ease. So buckle up, everyone. This government shutdown will most likely last for some time, and the inability of our government to put the nation’s well-being before party loyalty will continue to halt both the daily workings of the federal government and the progress it could be making to keep our country running smoothly.
