President Obama recently used executive orders to make major changes to the United States
immigration policy, an act that did not sit well with the right.
Some Republicans are proposing
to fight back against the President’s immigration overhaul with threats of another government
shutdown.
But, what exactly does it mean to shutdown the government and is it an effective
political tool?
Well, a government shutdown happens when Congress does not pass funding legislation
put forth by the Executive Branch.
Basically, if Congress doesn’t pass an agreed upon annual
budget, federal programs begin to shut down.
This usually happens because the two sides
cannot agree on a major issue.
In 2013 the Republicans in the House passed budgetary
amendments that would harm Obamacare and the Democratic controlled Senate rejected the
budget.
There was more back and forth between the two sides, but this difference ultimately
resulted in a government shutdown.
However, even if the Obamacare changes passed through
the Senate, the President would have used his veto power, which would have also resulted
in a
government shutdown.
Every year in order to avoid a shutdown, the House, the Senate and the
President all need to come to an agreement on the budget.
So what happens when the government shuts down?
Welp, the President and Congress still get paid, but many other people do not.
Federal
employees are split into two categories, essential and non-essential personnel, with the latter
being forced to go home unpaid.
Anyone that works in national security, including embassies
abroad, federal prisons, border patrols, emergency and disaster workers and those who operate
the power grid are considered essential personnel.
Almost everyone else is considered non- essential.
This used to include Military personnel, but in 2013 Congress passed a bill
ensuring them a paycheck.
In 2013 federal programs like the National Institute of Health, Department of Housing
and the Department of Homeland Security all took major blows.
Over 400 National Parks
and Monuments closed down, as did the Environmental Protection Agency and parts of the
Department of Veterans Affairs.
The government estimates that about 800,000 government
workers went unpaid during the shutdown.
So, is shutting down the government an effective political tool?
The answer is.
Sometimes.
During a shutdown, the public starts to turn on political parties and both sides feel pressure
to get things done.
In 1978 there was a shutdown that lasted 18 days, mostly over President
Carter vetoing money for an aircraft carrier he thought was wasteful spending.
In the end,
congress relented and the budget went through without that line item.
A similar outcome
occurred in a 1982 shutdown which defunded a missile program that President Reagan wanted.
But usually shutdowns are resolved by passing temporary budgets that give the disagreeing
sides more time to compromise.
There have been 18 shutdowns since 1976 and they each
happen for their own reasons.
One time the government shut down for an entire day, because
Congress just didn't get around to voting on a budget in time.
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