Why the Government Shutdown Needs to End… And Soon

By: Bailey A.

Image Copyright: CNBC.com

The current government shutdown recently broke the record for the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The main cause of the shutdown revolves around the seemingly endless debate between President Trump and the Democrats about whether or not to fund a wall on our Southern border. No matter which side people blame for the shutdown, almost everyone can agree that it needs to come to an end. People are beginning to feel the effects of the shutdown, and they aren’t happy about it.

On the 11th, over 800,000 federal workers missed a paycheck due to the shutdown. These are people who are being forced to work without pay. Even if they will receive that money later on as backpay, they have current bills that cannot be paid. Many of them have families that need groceries and other simple home necessities. Also, since Trump has said he is willing to let this shutdown last for months, even years, when will these workers receive their paychecks? How long does the government expect them to live their lives with no money?

There are other aspects of the shutdown that affect the general public as well. National parks have stopped services, including trash collection and road maintenance, and some of them have closed to the public. Many museums and art galleries have closed their doors as well. The bottom line is, this shutdown affects everyone, and the effects will only get worse with time. What message does it send to the country that our leaders are using us to get what they want? Why would the people we trust to govern us throw temper tantrums to get what they want?

In all fairness, the debate under which our government is arguing is over a very important topic. The safety of our country is of great significance, and progress needs to be made on deciding what the best way to protect our people and our borders is.

There are several other ways to handle this situation rather than shutting down the government, and practically holding workers’ paychecks hostage. The mature, responsible thing to do would be to keep having negotiations and trying to find any common ground that they can. The shutdown is completely unnecessary, especially since it’s going nowhere and neither side has shown signs of giving in. The government is allegedly trying to protect us, but they are hurting us in the process.