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SHUT 'ER DOWN!!

 Well, even though the media is doing what they always do and making the budget dispute now seem to be unique and disastrous, it is neither.

Just since 1980 there have been 10 government shutdowns. Some were for only certain branches of the government (in a bit of disclosure, I am not sure how the government can only shut down only some parts) and some were for only one day (actually only part of one day). 

The last two were during the Trump administration. Those times the executive branch (Trump administration) wanted to set some limits on spending and the Democratic controlled Congress did not. The entire government was shut down for three days in January 2018 and then in December of 2018 the majority of the government was shut down for 35 days into January of 2019. 

During the Obama administration there was a complete government shutdown for 16 days. The Obama administration was trying to increase spending and the Republican led Congress was trying to set limits. (See the previous posts on spending if you want to see that there have not been cuts - pretty much EVER). FYI, this time the "cuts" are in the growth, not the actual spending. But, that is another issue.

The government was shutdown for 21 days during the Clinton administration as well. 

The point is, even if the government is "shutdown" life goes on. As for not being able to pay Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid bills, the military, etc.; that is mostly hyperbole. The government takes in money every quarter. The problem is, spending is greater than the intake of revenue, but there is always money coming in. (again, see the previous post - and many others prior to that - for more information) We have survived shutdowns running weeks and we have all survived as has the government. 

As a final comment - spending DOES have to be cut or we will cease to have a viable economy. The spending bill passed by Congress (yes, there is one, but the Biden administration does not like it) has NO CUTS in it to spending. It has cuts to GROWTH in spending going forward. That is deemed to be radical and dangerous by the Democrats/Biden administration. SMH

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