US Government Shutdown

Most governments don't just shut down. But the US does. Usually, just for a day or two. But Trump is different. Trump gave a speech that more people are killed by illegal immigrants every year than died in the Vietnam War, and the only answer is more border security and a $5.6 billion wallbarrier. The House Speaker says any wall under Trump is immoral (unlike his predecessors, when 600 miles of wall was a moral imperative), so not 1¢ for a wall. So far, the Congress hasn't passed a budget with funding for the unfunded agencies, so Trump has nothing to sign or veto. Having said the lack of a wall kills more than the Vietnam War, Trump would have a hard time backing down. Having said the wall is immoral, I can't see the Democrats backing down. So 800,000 government employees won't be getting paid (and it's illegal for them to take other jobs). Most are low-level, low paid, living pay-cheque to pay-cheque, so to pay the rent and keep food on the table, they have to take out very high-interest loans. In the past, once the shutdown was over, the furloughed Federal workers were all paid their full wages, but the interest will still take a hefty chunk when they finally get paid. People with pre-paid trips to visit Federal parks or museums have a hotel room next to a park or museum that's closed. And people who desperately need Federal forms won't get them.

But the wars will go on. Trump said he was immediately withdrawing from Syria, but most people didn't understand: 'immediately' in English means, 'later, maybe never.' Or so say Bolton and Pompeo.

So the shutdown inconveniences a lot of people, but none of the usual evils will be delayed or reduced in the slightest.