Today's Topic: The Government Shutdown

And if it, in fact, matters.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Holden: So someone flipped the switch on the government. It’s been bugging us for years and now it’s finally off. It doesn’t really concern you, does it? I thought AEPi was still up and running?

Nathan: Us Jews at AEPi may have our finances all sorted out, but as an American citizen though, I’d argue it does concern me. Maybe not as directly as the approximately 800,000 to 1 million people now furloughed because of this shutdown, but indirectly it absolutely does. First off, I feel for the Americans now no longer receiving a paycheck and the 9 million women, infants, and children who will soon stop receiving aid from the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program. Second, I like our economy strong and intact. Every dollar that these federal employees don’t get is another dollar being withheld from our markets. Amongst a host of other problems, let’s hope there aren’t any chemical attacks or disease outbreaks — the Center of Disease Control (CDC) is essentially defunct while the government is shut down over this childish squabble over ideology.

Holden: Assuming we spend a little more money (for the greater good!) and bring our SARS masks out of storage, we should be just fine. It’s just temporary. Right? It’s inevitable friction for a nation going under some semblance of fundamental change. Democracy allows for this sort of friction. Sure it’s not efficient, mature, or optimal, but it is transition. Puberty wasn’t pleasant either.

Nathan: Can’t disagree with that. The problem is, we’ve been going through puberty ever since the Affordable Health Care Act (AKA Obamacare) was passed in during Obama’s first term. There was plenty of friction then. There have been more than 40 failed votes held in an attempt to repeal the law. The Supreme Court has looked at the issue and deemed it constitutional. I’m not debating the issues with Obamacare — I have plenty myself — but you can’t shutdown the government and hurt hardworking Americans because you disagree with the outcome of the electoral process. That’s isn’t democracy, it’s a temper tantrum.

Holden: I agree, it is a temper tantrum: one last (legal) temper tantrum before we can become more like our more attractive, healthier, and happier Western European counterparts. So be it. And hey, at least if the government’s shut down they won’t be monitoring my texts and emails, right?

Nathan: If only.

Holden: If only this could lead to cancelled classes, ala a January snowstorm.

Nathan: No, but if the shutdown last longer than a week, the Department of Education’s spending on programs for school districts and universities could see drastic cuts.

Holden: Tough, but the real tragedy is that we can’t celebrate Yosemite’s 123rd birthday the way we ought to: trekking the most beautiful place in the world, stocked with cliff bars and hallucinogens.

Nathan: Oy.

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