US Government Shutdown 2013

US Government Shutdown

The biggest question I have regarding the 2013 US Government shutdown is, who cares? Now I know there is a small segment of the population that is directly affected but I don't know anyone who is. It seems to me the news is spending an inordinate amount of time on this subject. In the end we will have a deal, one that does little of anything I would bet. We also will have an increase of the debt limit. The extent that the media sees to be going to look for people and places that the effects are felt is quite staggering. It almost reminds me of the blind allegiance they have to push patriotism whenever talk of war. There can be little doubt that government and media are in bed very deep. Or else why would stations be spending so much time petitioning for the horrors of the shutdown to be told. Every where I go, there is an article or social media post asking me to tell them of how the federal government shutdown has affected me. 

I completely understand why government wants us to believe they are the center of the universe, though I am skeptical enough Americans understand this as. The extend they have been closing or blocking off places and services that have no business being shutdown screams of a person desperate for attention. They do understand that having people go out and police places where there are usually no government employees costs more money don't they? As I mentioned to a friend the other day, the US government is the only institution I know of that costs more when it's closed than when it's open. Though I would say they cause more damage when open. My true hope in all this is that enough citizens of our great country learn that even when many services and not available, the country still goes on. Maybe we will come to the realization that some of these programs really aren't needed. If we cut the budget, really cut it not just cut the rate of growth, the US economy will not be that bad off. Actually in the longer run we will most certainly be better off, as we decrease the debt burden. 

Just as in the 1996 US government shut down things will get resolved and government will go back to normal. I actually fear the normal more than I do these fights. The US is not better off when politician agree to pass a litany of new law. We are not better off when together they find more ways to waste taxpayer money. Our economy is hurt when they come together to find bogey men in business that give reason to pass more regulations. If in 1996 they could go 26 days, I say in 2013 we should strive for longer. The federal government shutdown may just teach us the basic truth, that most of the economy and greatness of our dear republic have nothing to do with Washington, DC.