Republicans know that a government shutdown is coming, and they know they’re going to get blamed. Even so, they seem helpless to stop the blood bath headed their way. Here is what’s happening.
Everyone Knows the Truth
As the October 1 deadline for setting a new budget for 2024 looms, the United States House of Representatives is gridlocked.
Everyone acknowledges it, and both sides know what that means.
Leaders Take the Blame
“I think the governing majority, which is presiding at the time the government shuts down, probably is going to bear a lot of the blame,” says Steve Womack, a Republican representative from Arkansas.
Republicans Holding the Bag
And, as Womack admits, it’s his own party who are “the ones with the gavel” this time around.
There May Be No Choice
The stakes are high for politicians on both sides of the aisle, and for Americans in general.
If no budget agreement is reached, the government will have little choice but to shut down.
Everyone Will Feel It
That’s disruptive to people all across the country and up and down the socioeconomic spectrum.
He’s Seen It Before
Pennsylvania Brian Fitzpatrick is a former FBI agent who has suffered through a shutdown from the other side of the table.
National Security at Stake
According to Fitzpatrick, a shuttered government is a blow to national security, not to mention the personal impact it has on workers who suddenly have their livelihood interrupted.
Cases Shut Down
“Your cases will get shut down, because there’s a gap in coverage on an investigation,” Fitzpatrick says.
Threats from All Directions
Several other threats loom over congress as they try to finagle their way out of a tight corner that has become a common uncomfortable position in recent years.
Stopped in Their Tracks
Government agencies from the Commerce Department to the Federal Communications Commission to the National Institutes of Health are all preparing to pull the plug on major ongoing efforts, at least temporarily.
Every Sector Will Suffer
If the worst happens and the government goes dark for a while, that will impact the United States’ ability to manufacture microchips, conduct important research, and even to have consumer complaints resolved in a timely manner.
Parks Go Dark
And for anyone who enjoys a brisk hike through the local national park, well, you might have to find other options, too. Those beloved oases would be off limits during a shutdown, too.
One Biggest Loser
But, while all of society stands to suffer if no budget agreement can be reached, and while pet programs of both parties would stall, there stands to be a single biggest loser in all this.
Republicans on the Spot
As Womack notes, the Republicans are holding the gavel right now thanks to reclaiming control of the House in the 2022 midterm elections.
Voters Hold the Key
But they’re also left holding the bag of responsibility if the government goes night-night.
Who are voters going to blame when the machinery grinds to a halt?
Looking for a Scapegoat
Most likely, they’ll point to the nearest and most blameworthy scapegoat they can find.
That’ll be Republican representatives in this case.
Shooting Themselves in the Foot
By sticking to their conservative ideals and not trying harder to find some middle ground with their Democrat counterparts, House Republicans just may be shooting themselves in the collective foot.
Can Trump Save Them?
And then they’ll have to hope against hope that they can ride Donald Trump’s coattails back into office next time around. How uncomfortable is that?
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The post Republicans Are Shutting Down the Government AGAIN, and They Seem Helpless to Stop It first appeared on Career Step Up
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Paul Brady Photography. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
