A week, a month, or no end in sight. Opinions about the length of the federal government shutdown vary, but none predicts a quick resolution.
The shutdown began Oct. 1 following Congressional failure to approve legislation that would fund the government until Nov. 21. This shutdown has lasted to date due to deadlock between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare premiums.
Democrats have struck down a Republican Continuing Resolution designed to extend government funding temporarily in order to buy more time to pass permanent funding legislation in an effort to pressure Republicans into renewing Obamacare premium tax credits, which would preserve lower healthcare costs for many Americans.
If the tax credits expire, health care premiums may double or triple for millions of people. Congressional Republicans generally oppose renewing these tax credits, viewing them as unnecessary government spending that would increase inflation and insurance prices.
“It highlights the division and split in politics, the inability to communicate with the other side, amongst both Republicans and Democrats,” AP European History teacher Paul Kelly said.
“People believe too strongly in their opinions to be able to compromise,” senior Quinn Malone said.
Sophomore Eli Baker said disagreement seems to be the point. “I think this shutdown shows that there are groups of people in the country that are very opposed to each other and won’t agree on anything,” he said.
The Senate failed to advance either of two appropriations bills designed to enable federal employees to be paid. The Republican bill would have ensured paying military members, TSA agents and federal law enforcement. The Democratic bill would have ensured that all federal employees were paid.
President Trump signed an executive order Oct. 15 allowing the White House Budget Office and Pentagon to use leftover funds to pay active-duty military members; this is only a temporary fix, and money will eventually run out if the shutdown does not end.
“I think the government is childish most of the time nowadays,” Malone said. “It’s disrespectful to a lot of people that deserve to be getting paid.”
“They [servicemen and women] need the money,” Kelly said. “Young families can’t afford to go without their paychecks.”
Kelly noted that Trump might use the shutdown as an excuse to reduce the number of federal jobs, “If you don’t put a clean CR through now, Trump will use it to chop more jobs from the government,” Kelly said.
Sophomore RJ Lee said government employees should not have to suffer. “As the land of the free, people who have no say in this situation shouldn’t be affected,” Lee said.
As the shutdown reaches 24 days, Kelly is not hopeful that an agreement will be reached. “Honestly, [there is] no end in sight,” he said.
Lee is more hopeful. “I think the shutdown will end in a couple weeks or a month,” he said.
Malone said that he believes Democrats will eventually give in to Republican demands and pass a CR. “It’ll last another couple weeks,” he said.
“If this division keeps going, the government won’t be able to run efficiently,” Lee said, citing the deep disunity in American politics and culture. Lee added, “We have two different parties but we’re all a part of one country.”
“If Congress doesn’t ever negotiate, nothing will get done,” Baker said.
Said Kelly, “I think everybody in DC is out of touch. I don’t care whose side you favor; they really have lost touch with the average person.”
