Who Pays Most for the Government Shutdown?

Last updated on: December 28, 2018 at 9:24 am by Paul Louis Metzger

Who Pays Most for the Government Shutdown? 2018-12-28T09:24:27-08:00 Paul Louis Metzger

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A government shutdown notice posted on October 1, 2013 near the Statue of Liberty

Who pays or suffers most for the government shutdown based on the wall erected between the White House and Congress?

Based on one of his tweets, it would appear President Trump believes he is suffering for the shutdown. He tweeted “poor me” as he stayed at the White House in Washington on Christmas rather than depart for his luxurious Florida estate:

“I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal on desperately needed Border Security. At some point the Democrats not wanting to make a deal will cost our Country more money than the Border Wall we are all talking about. Crazy!”

For their part, rather than feel sorry for him, Democratic congressional leaders Senator Schumer and Representative Pelosi placed the blame for the shutdown squarely on President Trump’s shoulders:

“Different people from the same White House are saying different things about what the president would accept or not accept to end his Trump Shutdown, making it impossible to know where they stand at any given moment,” Schumer and Pelosi said. “The president wanted the shutdown, but he seems not to know how to get himself out of it.”

Some argue that it is not the President who has suffered as he himself tweeted, but Congress who continues to cede power to the Executive branch as evidenced by the shutdown:

“As the third government shutdown of the Trump era dragged into Christmas, lawmakers from both parties said on Monday that the partial lapse in government funding was in large part the consequence of Congress’s ceding of power to the executive branch, a longstanding trend that may have peaked in the Trump era.”

No doubt the President and lawmakers will pay for the shutdown in the polls and certain constituency bases. But according to one news source, they still get paid no matter how long the shutdown lasts. The same source also notes:

“The president receives a salary of $400,000 a year, plus a $50,000 expense allowance, plus money for travel and entertainment. Senators and representatives earn $174,000 annually.”

I believe many political leaders serve from a sense of duty to the nation and may even sacrifice personal gain in the private sector to pursue public office. Having said that, the current ordeal calls to mind something Simon Sinek said: “In the military, they give medals to people who sacrifice themselves so that others may gain…In business, they give bonuses to people who sacrifice others so that they may gain.” How does our current federal government function–like the military, or in the minds of many, business as usual?

Those who pay most for the shutdown are the one who have the least available means of paying. Many federal employees fit this description. Their fears of making ends meet, putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads are real. (Refer here, here, and here).

Consider also what the shutdown means for many of America’s most vulnerable: “Shutdown to cut office overseeing federal food stamps by 95 percent.” Another article highlights the damage done by the government shutdown in many sectors of the population:

“Americans can still expect to get their SNAP benefits (commonly known as food stamps) in January but will likely be unable to receive any assistance from program representatives. Those who rely on WIC or food distribution programs on Native American reservations may have greater difficulty. Those programs will lose funding, and support is subject to food availability. The Child and Adult Care Food Program and Summer Food Service Program will run out of funding by February, as will subsidized lunch and breakfast programs in public schools.”

The President and Congress can debate the building of a wall on our country’s southern border all they want, but to force the governmental closure/fail to keep the government open impacts severely many of our most vulnerable population sectors. Those with the most to lose are paying the most for the government shutdown, not the decision- or indecision-makers.

Locking arms in search of a solution needs to replace finger pointing, scoring political points, and digging in heels. Perhaps if our political leaders in the Oval Office and on both sides of the aisle in Congress were somehow mandated to give sacrificially of their own incomes and assets to meet the needs of those affected by the shutdown, they would find a solution quickly. As it stands now, until they can govern together and move the country forward past this partial shutdown, they won’t be the ones paying most dearly. Many of the most vulnerable will.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 26, 2018

Instant Gratification: What Have You Done for Me Lately Jesus?

Next Post

December 28, 2018 On the Third Day After Christmas, Make Room in Your Hearts for Jesus—and Animals.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz