The 16 Day Shutdown is Over

Week #7 Article #2

Washington Post (2013, October 17) Done- For Now. Washington Post

http://www.expressnews.com/news/politics/article/DONE-FOR-NOW-4902347.php

Category of problem: Economy

Level of problem: National

This article concerns:

The 16 day government shutdown that left the U.S. at a standstill due to disagreements in Washington.

Importance/affect on families/individuals:

This is important to families and individual because for 16 days, the government was at a standstill and many Americans were left without work and many National Parks and some services were out of reach to the people.

My input:

I think that this entire government shutdown could have been avoided if the Republicans just stopped playing games with the American people. Many times throughout this situation, Republicans went on and on about how it was not “the Republican shutdown” or “Republicans fault.” I am shocked that they are so oblivious that this is entirely their fault. This shutdown that started because of Obamacare has now turned into a sort of hostage negotiation between Democrats and Republicans that is negatively impacting the American Citizens. Obviously, when Barack Obama was elected in 2008 and re-elected in 2012, that communicated that the Americans wanted the Affordable Care Act. So why put all of this effort to trying to defund Obamacare? These 16 days that the government was shut down cost our economy 24 billion dollars. That is money that we cannot get back. The thing that surprises me the most is that the problem isn't solved. Even after all of this, all we have done is extend the nations debt limit. In other words, all of this drama will be back come January/ February. All of this could have been avoided a long time ago. Republicans have even admitted that they HAD a deal, the only thing that they didn’t agree with in the deal was that it did not defund Obamacare. And yet somehow, Ted Cruz thinks there is some sort of victory for him and his part in all of this, although he has been disowned by some of his fellow Republicans.