Can someone explain government shutdown in simple language?

[Anonymous]

Why does it happen every year?
What is the Democratic stand toward it?
What is Republican stand toward it?
What is the overall congress and senate stand toward it?
What is Trump's stand toward it?
Please if anyone can explain in simple language.

[Anonymous]

In the House the R’a have a majority so they control the agenda of the House but they don’t have a majority that wants to govern— a good chunk of them want to tear things down.

So when it comes time to fund the govt the R’s have to rely on D votes to pass the legislation but they don’t like to admit that (especially because then the “tear it down caucus” might not support the Speaker anymore) so it takes the threat of a shutdown to get them to work with the Dems.

[Anonymous]

Congress has the power of the purse, and for government work/funding to go on, they must authorize a budget. It’s literally their only job. Neither party right now has enough votes to do it on their own, because the margin is narrow and the Republicans (the majority party at the moment) have enough people who won’t go along with anything. The Democrats at the moment have good enough internal discipline that they will walk together. So with this, what we’ve seen is that for anything to be passed it actually needs to be a majority Democrat vote with a few Republicans BUT the Republican speaker determines what bills can be voted on.They all talk a good game about being bipartisan, but everyone, Republicans in particular, worry about the optics of “letting the other side” get something they want so almost nothing of substance gets to the floor.

In modern times, most shutdowns have been precipitated by boneheaded moves by the Republicans. Democrats try more broadly to keep it afloat. They have also internalized that the American people really don’t like shutdowns and it tends to blow back on the party that forced the issue. This is not to be read as an endorsement of either party’s policies, just how they move.

The former and future President has not always grasped the implications of his actions and also tends to shoot from the hip. That’s all I’ll say here until this moves into the political forum.

[Anonymous]

Every year Congress appropriates money to pay for the government - agencies, the military, national parks, embassies, etc. (There are a very few functions that have other funding sources and dont need it.)

They are supposed to do it by Oct. 1 for the following fiscal year. But they never agree, so it frequently turns into a game of chicken. Typically Democrats will vote to keep government open. Every few years Republicans forget how the last shutdown went for them (badly, always) and don't vote to keep it open.

When the government shuts down, certain public safety services keep happening - e.g., the military and TSA. These people do not receive paychecks until after the shutdown ends.

[Anonymous]

ChatGPT is good for questions like this. Not being snarky.

[Anonymous]

Also relevant: other countries do not do this, and the US didn't used to. Other places, if the budget doesn't get passed on time, government services continue at prior funding levels (like our continuing resolution, without the vote). This is very much a modern, US-specific, self-inflicted problem.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ChatGPT is good for questions like this. Not being snarky.

ChatGPT is bad for any question where accuracy is important (vs just replicating tone, or what a lot of other thi gs have said)

[Anonymous]

Why does it happen? Because we are running a massive budget deficit and face a looming debt crisis. Every time there’s a vote on continuing to fund the government (or raise the debt ceiling), both parties have to reach an agreement. Democrats have zero interest in addressing the deficit. Republicans pretend to care but only want to cut spending, not raise taxes, which isn’t a realistic solution. So what sometimes happens is the GOP rank and file forces a brief shutdown, or brings the government within hours of shutdown, before agreeing with the Democrats to do nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also relevant: other countries do not do this, and the US didn't used to. Other places, if the budget doesn't get passed on time, government services continue at prior funding levels (like our continuing resolution, without the vote). This is very much a modern, US-specific, self-inflicted problem.

Self-inflicted because it generates drama that works for media publicity.

Shutdowns are proof points for storytelling of a politically useful nature.

[Anonymous]

Got it... Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why does it happen? Because we are running a massive budget deficit and face a looming debt crisis. Every time there’s a vote on continuing to fund the government (or raise the debt ceiling), both parties have to reach an agreement. Democrats have zero interest in addressing the deficit. Republicans pretend to care but only want to cut spending, not raise taxes, which isn’t a realistic solution. So what sometimes happens is the GOP rank and file forces a brief shutdown, or brings the government within hours of shutdown, before agreeing with the Democrats to do nothing.

Democrats are much better stewards of the economy and deficit than Republicans but what they’ve found is everytime they balance the budget or even come close Republicans take over and enact huge tax cuts. Republicans crash the economy then Dems take over and fix it and the cycle starts over.

[Anonymous]

I want to point out that both parties are trying to add earmarks and additional pork into the budget. If we could just pass a clean budget that would be much easier.