The US government is not working
Well, we already knew that. But as of today, it is REALLY not working.
It’s October 1 and I’m glad I don’t work for the US government. That’s because as of today, most of the federal government has shut down. The fiscal year ended on September 30, and legislators of our two political parties have not agreed to support a bill that would keep the government operating at least temporarily.
I thought some of my global friends might appreciate some explanation and comments on this unusual event. After all, a shutdown has happened only 20 times in the last 50 years.
Why does the government shut down? Because the US Congress and the president can’t agree on a bill to fund the government.
But it looks like the bill that the president wanted was passed by the House and got 55 votes out of 100 in the Senate yesterday. Wasn’t that enough? No, it is not. To encourage decision making by consensus rather than by a bare majority, the Senate needs 60 votes to pass a bill.
Don’t both sides realize that it’s no good for the country if the federal government stops operating? Yes. That’s why, under normal circumstances, a shutdown doesn’t last long. Each side uses whatever leverage it can to get the best deal possible. But as time goes by, the pressure on both sides from the millions of people affected by the lack of paychecks or government services mounts. No shutdown has lasted longer than 35 days.
Are these normal circumstances? Absolutely not. The Democrats think that President Trump and the Republicans are ruining the country and replacing US democracy with authoritarian rule, and the Republicans think the Democrats’ demands are insane.
The Democrats probably have a point, since Trump has angered the world with goofy tariffs, threatened to invade Greenland, asked the president of South Africa to explain photos of riots in the Congo, and sent the military into US cities. So what are they asking for as part of the deal? More money for healthcare.
That sounds strange. US democracy is at risk and the Democrats’ biggest concern is healthcare? I know it sounds strange, but it’s a political calculation. You and I care about democratic ideals; most Americans care about the price of eggs and whether they can afford to go to the doctor when they’re sick. And speaking of strange—it makes sense when Republicans shut down the government, because they want less government anyhow. But it feels sort of awkward that Democrats are shutting down the government because they want the government to spend more.
But the Democrats’ only other alternative was to keep funding the government, which would give Trump money to keep doing the things they don’t like. Wow, you’re a fast learner.
So what is going to happen now? Lots of people will be furloughed. Trump has threatened mass firings. Hard-core Democrats want the party to fight, but watching the Trump administration cut everything from environmental protection to food programs probably won’t make Democratic supporters happy either. Don’t be surprised if five more Democrats give in over the next few days and vote to keep the government running.
In the meantime, what are you going to do to relax? I’m not sure. I’d go hiking in a national park, but it’ll probably be closed.
And what can Christians learn from all this? I’m reminded of some of our religious freedom battles. Like frustrated Democratic politicians facing Trump, we naturally want to speak up and fight when we see Christians being persecuted, but sometimes fighting can make the situation worse. There are unjust systems all over the world. We have to be shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16), acting strategically to open up opportunities to share the gospel without betraying our values.