Government Shut Down? Who Cares?
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Shut down the misleading Women and Child Development Ministry
So the federal government may shut down midnight on Friday if Republicans and Democrats fail to reach a compromise. The whole affair is rather silly since both parties can easily reach agreement if they wanted to but the high stakes game is amusing for their most fanatical of supporters. And it turns out that the dispute is no longer even monetary but solely a question of social issues, particularly resolutions dealing with abortion.
In order of the government to continue running, of course, a budget was to be passed. But don't believe the hype that the state will immediately cease all functions. The military and intelligences agencies will not be affected. And of the 2million non-military federal employees, according to the Wall Street Journal, only 800,000 will be affected and have to take leave. So a government shut down still allows for most employees to resume working.
And nations like Lebanon (ok, bad example), but take the case of Belgium which has been without a proper government for more than a year and yet things are still running well there. If anything a respite from the federal government may be a boost for national morale and the economy. Congress will have another excuse to stay home and not do anything which is almost never bad.
And I like the recent joke that one should not fear a government shutdown as the U.S. government will continue to provide services in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I personally welcome a shutdown. I was too young to remember the 1995 shutdown so this should be interestingly enough. Get ready for t-shirts that say "I survived that government shutdown of 2011 and all I got was this lousy shirt."
