History Rhymes: The Government Shutdown

By Victoria Vail

Throughout the most recent government shutdown many asked when will the deadlock in the Senate finally end?  Negotiators nearly came to a compromise to raise the debt ceiling until February 7, 2014, but were shut down.  Plans to finance the government until January 15^th were also negotiated.  Senators also discussed a long term tax.  Party leaders, Senator McConnell of Kentucky and Senator Reid of Nevada, agreed that both parties were making some strides towards a conclusion.  However, many grim faced Republicans still hoped to take down Obama’s health care law.  The entire world was a stage to the ongoing debate.  If America’s economy defaulted, the rest of the world would be greatly affected.  Distrust for the American government would have increased more and more. 

The government was shutdown past the average shutdown rate of seven days.  Like many other shutdowns in history, this one regarded the budget.  It is said that “History often repeats itself.”  However, I believe it rhymes.  For instance, more government shutdowns have occurred under Republican presidents, like Reagan, rather than Democratic presidents.  Seven out of the past eighteen government shutdowns in America have been because of budget disputes.  And, as per usual, the government will turn to taxes to pay for the enormous debt.  The bipartisan political deadlock eventually reached an all time high, and has directly affected the public.  Eight hundred thousand government workers were disenfranchised.  If only Obama could ask FDR for help at a time like this. 

            Although Roosevelt did act unconstitutionally during times of his New Deal plan, he was able to restore faith to the American people.  His fireside speeches proved he himself cared about the wellbeing of the American public and how they felt about their country.  Today, however, Senators would scoff at this notion.  They are concerned with Obama’s health care program.  In history, government shut downs did not revolve around a health care program.  Also, Obama is not running for re-election.  It is unclear at this point when exactly the shutdown will end.  The Senate can turn to history for answers, but in this case there are of course strings attached.

            If the Senators did not agree to a resolution by October 18^th, the banks would have defaulted and the American dollar would have lost its value.  Americans would have completely lost faith in the government system and pulled their money out of banks.  Social and economic disorder would have reached new high levels. History did rhyme in this case, and the government reopened on Thursday October 17^th.  However, President Obama urged that it was something to celebrate.  The shutdown causes huge economic issues throughout the country and left countries looking on to suspect troubled times for America.  Government workers returned to their jobs.  The debt limit was agreed to be raised until mid- January, so this is by no means a permanent solution to America’s enormous debt problem.

           

References:

Shear, Michael , and Jeremy Peters. "Senators Near Fiscal Deal, but the House Is Uncertain - NYTimes.com." The New York Times - Breaking News, World News & Multimedia. http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/us/politics/seeking-deal-to-avert-default-lawmakers-to-meet-obama.html?hp (accessed October 15, 2013).

Montgomery , Laura, Rosalind Helderman, and William Branigin . "Government reopens after Congress passes budget deal, raises debt limit." The Washington Post, October 17, 2013. http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/government-reopens-thursday-after-congress-passes-budget-deal-raises-debt-limit/2013/10/17/dbe7889a-371b-11e3-80c6-7e6dd8d22d8f_story.html (accessed October 28, 2013).