Here we go again. One more time around on the crazy merry-go-round otherwise known as a broken and dysfunctional Washington, D.C. And as usual, in this game of absurd brinkmanship there are accusations, frustrations, misinformation and political games afoot.
First of all, government shutdowns aren’t the end of the world. President Ronald Reagan had eight government shutdowns in his terms in office and the nation experienced strong economic growth.
Quite frankly, if Republicans really knew how to win a messaging fight, they should shut the government down. When shutdowns take place, all non-essential federal employees are sent home. While there is a pause in their pay, historically Congress has voted to make that pay retroactive once government reopens.
President Reagan said the nine most frightening words are: “We’re from the government and we’re here to help.”
I’d like to see a new term to describe the government employees during a shutdown: “Now we know what you don’t do.”