“Ten Years Later: Another Shutdown Shows No Sign of Ending!

Ten years ago, on August 1, 2011, the U.S. government began the longest shutdown in its history. The partisan stalemate left hundreds of thousands of government employees without pay, while many citizens watched helplessly as their government-insured loans, mortgages, and other services were suspended. Today, the U.S. House of Representatives is in the midst of its second shut down since the 2011 event. The current shutdown, prompted by a heated debate over border-wall funding, has now reached its 26th day with no visible end in sight. Although the effects of both shutdowns are similar, their causes could not have been more different. While the 2011 shutdown was caused by a budget impasse between Democrats and the Republican-controlled House, the current shutdown is largely due to President Trump’s insistence on providing $5 billion in funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. The 2011 shutdown was temporary—lasting 16 days—while the current shutdown is already twice as long, with Congress unable to reach an agreement over the contents of a spending bill that would end the impasse. Unlike the 2011 shutdown, the current event has reached national media attention on a daily basis, making it even more polarizing. With the suspension of critical government services, the public is growing increasingly anxious over the delayed payments, altered routines, and other expensive implications of the long-dragged conflict. Moreover, with both sides blaming the other, it is becoming increasingly difficult to see a resolution in sight. And, with President Trump’s threat of extending the shutdown into 2019, the situation has become more chaotic. The government shutdown of 2019 has been the longest of its kind in American history. With two separate parties unable to bridge the divides on their platforms, it is unlikely that the conflict will end any time soon. Politicians, constituents, and government employees alike wait with bated breath, hoping for a solution to arrive, and to see a return to normalcy.