By Roger Caldwell
There are so many ways to avoid a government shutdown, with a temporary extension, which is called a continuing resolution. It can be for two weeks, or it can be for two months, but the government can stay open. However on October 1, 2023, it looks like the Republicans will disrupt many services with another government shutdown.
A government shutdown happens when the two Congress Houses fails to pass funding legislature, that is signed into law by the president. There are 12 different spending bills to fund agencies in the government. The work is very time consuming and the majority of the time, they pass temporary extensions to keep the government running.
The legislatures call this “CR or continuing resolution,” and it happens every time funding is passed in the government. There is never a complete agreement so the two parties kick the can down the road so to speak. Nobody gets all they want, but everybody gets some of what they want and need. This is called a compromise and negotiation, but in 2023 there is certain radical Republicans who refuses to work with Democrats.
Since the radical Republicans refuse to work with the Democrats, they are saying shut it down, shut the government down. Some services will be exempt such as Social Security checks, but 4 million will be affected. Certain federal agencies will stop, and millions of federal employees, including members of the military, will not receive paychecks until the shutdown is lifted.
The start of the new federal budget year, begin October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2024, and a new budget starts at 12:01 am, October 1. It makes no sense for the federal government to shutdown, if the two parties talk to each other, and work together.
The last government shutdown was when Trump was president, and it was 35 days, the longest shutdown in the history of the country. It started December 22, 2018, and lasted until January 25, 2019, because there was no funding allocated to the border wall. Trump blamed the Democrats for not finding some funding for the border wall, which he called a humanitarian crisis.
Any government shutdown can be avoided if the many different sides are not being stubborn, and willing to compromise. Speaker McCarthy can put together a bipartisan plan, and keep the government open. When Trump shutdown the government, it was only a partial shutdown, because certain parts of the government was still open, and they got their checks.
It is time for the Republicans to govern, and there are too many operations that must have financing to exist in 2023. It is extremely difficult to determine who is essential and who is a non-essential employee, and millions need a paycheck.
During the last shutdown the government lost $11 billion dollars, and in 2023, the shutdown could cost the government and country $22 billion dollars. In times of stress, it takes cool heads and strong minds to avoid a shutdown. It is time for the Republicans to govern and work together with the Democrats. America can avoid a shutdown, because the parties have the ability to work and build together. We will find out at the end of this week.
