The cogs on the machine that is the federal government are about to grind to a halt. The shutdown is nearly at hand, and we have seen nothing to convince us that the two parties are willing to compromise on their views of the budget. So what is going to be put on hold?
Essential federal employees still would work as scheduled — this includes air traffic controllers and prison guards — but others would be taking an impromptu unpaid vacation. Don’t care if the national parks have to close up shop?
Well, then consider military families, who are about to see their April paychecks cut in half as the government waits to reach an agreement. If your boss suddenly asked you to work while suspending half of your pay until he or she could find the money, how would you feel? How would your planned finances be thrown askew? Imagine that feeling of the rug being pulled from under you, and apply it to a family already struggling with having a loved one overseas and in harm’s way. The 1995 and 1996 shutdowns wouldn’t hold a candle to the impact.
We understand each side wanting to hold its ground against the demands of the other, but bringing our nation to a standstill and leaving thousands of employees indefinitely without work isn’t what we need. Or is it?
Perhaps seeing all the little ways the federal government affects our lives would help us to re-evaluate our views on it. Maybe we need a dose of “you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.”
