BY HALEY LENAUER
Between January 20th and 22nd, the U.S. government officially shut down operations. This was done in an effort to manage to fund government activities.
Shutdowns are not completely unheard of the most recent one being 2013. However, this one is causing controversy as it deals with the topic of immigration, a subject under scrutiny for the last couple of years. More specifically, it revolves around DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals), and whether those it currently protects can be deported.
Beyond DACA, the government is also fighting itself over other executive decisions, such as Trump’s well-known call for a “border wall,” and funding for health, military, and relief efforts, to name a few. Business Insider adds that the funding situation might be as much of an up-hill-battle as DACA.
Government shutdowns have an impact on everyone. The Washington Post mentions a few, such as a delay in paychecks and benefits for federal workers, veterans, small businesses, disabled individuals, and many others. Programs like education, nutrition, and healthcare could also be impacted for vulnerable groups like children.
One of the most pressing matters right now is the possibility of another government shutdown, especially in the next few weeks. Business Insider mentions how the government has until February 8th to settle on these topics or face a repeat shutdown situation. Yet with these decisions being highly-controversial, and with no foreseeable compromise, the future is very open-ended right now.
While there is no easy way to fix this situation, Time.com suggests a couple alternatives to prevent another shutdown. One option is to encourage more communication among political leaders, especially between Republicans and Democratic. Many legislative decisions take place privately-even amongst their own parties-before being presented to other officials and citizens. Public discussion would allow for faster, more direct conversations, and potentially mend some distrust amongst everyone.
Another possibility that Time.com mentioned was changing how the government manages their finances. Changing political spending, debt, and funding laws could relieve some of the anxiety amongst political leaders, and allow them to feel a little more secure this time of year. It would also encourage more trust from U.S. citizens concerned about government instability.
From my own experience with the last shutdown in 2013, it affected not only the more noticeable aspects of daily life but also the more personal. I was out of town at the time with when the last one hit, and there were concerns from the various people I encountered about the impact this would have on businesses, travel, tourism, local federal offices, the economy, and just daily aspects of their lives. I remember a lot of frustration, anxiety, and uncertainty in those conversations stemming from a lack of control over the situation. If shutdowns like this continue, it could lead to a further lack of morale in politics.
Until February 8th, or until a definitive agreement has been made, Americans will have to wait to see how this plays out. If nothing else, this is at the very least a potential learning opportunity for our political system in regards to better preventing and managing any future shutdowns.