As the historically long government shutdown ends, questions arise concerning its purpose and ramifications. Starting on Oct. 1, the federal government halted for a total of 43 days following Congress’s failure to pass funding legislation. The decision led to what would become the longest shutdown in American history, which in turn brought significant outrage among the 40 million residents who currently receive aid in the country.
Due to the standstill, government assistance programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), were forced to go on an unprecedented hiatus. A complicated legal and administrative situation ensued, where the distribution of benefits was decided by the state, causing the amount of allotted benefits to be varied, according to ABC News. Alternatives to government assistance used during the shutdown include the temporary use of state funds, increased reliance on local food banks and other non-profits, and even the establishment of legal cases with the federal government on the grounds of overstepping authority.
This confusion and stress led to fury among the millions of aid recipients in the US. Many felt neglected and overburdened during this time, some resorting to desperate measures to meet their needs. Many threatened to steal from their local grocery stores on social media, according to the New York Post.
Even with the strain on the American people, FOX News reports that Democrats view the government shutdown as necessary, seeing it limits the power of the Trump Administration. These arguments have further separated the two main political parties, with the majority of Democrats supporting the government shutdown while Republicans opposed it en masse.
Personally, my stance is that the government shutdown wasn’t productive and actually harmed citizens of this country for a period of time. Even from a non-political angle, it is clear that the government shutdown had several drawbacks, and I would agree with the Republicans’ fears of federal workers missing paychecks and farmers being unable to access assistance programs. Also, government shutdowns are not good for the economy because they result in things such as delayed loan approvals for small businesses, suspended federal contracts\ and a reduction in GDP growth, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Even through this narrow divide, the situation was somewhat resolved, though some complications remain, such as payment delays and continued stress on local food banks. This swift transition back to normality comes at a price, with increased pressure in an already troubling predicament, but the institutions involved are doing their best to limit the negative consequences. Overall, this circumstance showed us that even through all kinds of difficulties and subversion, goodness can still prevail.
