The government shutdown: A shakedown

Let's hope the Democratic Shutdown ends soon

The government has been shut down since Oct. 1, 2025. A government shutdown is the suspension of non-essential government functions when Congress fails to pass appropriate bills to fund the government. This leads to many government employees going without pay, losing their jobs to job cutsor being furloughed. So, why is the government shut down now? 

According to bbc.com, the US Government shut down because Republicans and Democrats could not agree on a bill funding the government into October and beyond.  

The Democrats want an extension on healthcare, while Republicans want to cut unnecessary government spending. According to www.house.gov, a vote of 60 senators is usually required to pass a bill, paving the way for a majority vote which is 51 votes.

However, if there is a tie, the tie breaker goes to the Vice President of the United States of America. So, who is to blame for the government shutdown? 

Many people think that since the Republicans control the House of Representatives, the presidency and the Senate, it has to be their fault, right?Wrong. A quick civics class will show that just because the Republican Party controls these things, they can’t control how many people vote yes and no on passing a bill. According to Cnn.com, the democrats voted in a 55 to 45 margin to shut down the government. The Democrats voted for this to happen as they continue to try to leverage their way into lower healthcare prices.  

The Republicans main argument is that they don’t want illegal immigrants to receive free healthcare. If someone broke into your country illegally, would you want them to receive free benefits? The answer to that question is probably ‘no.’  

On the other hand, Democrats argue Trump’s cuts on healthcare need to be reversed as this would make it more affordable to access healthcare. Regardless of their stance, how does this affect the American people? 

This shutdown has led to many people's lives being changed. There have been workers that have been laid off, furloughed, and some are even going without pay. According to UStoday.com, there have been over 4,100 people laid off since the government shutdown started. According to FederalNewsNetwork.com, an estimated 750,000 people have been furloughed since this event has taken place. This has affected so many Americans. 

The Democrats are solely to blame for this. They voted for the shutdown to begin and now want to point their finger at the Republican Party.  

Donald Trump is prioritizing our citizens as illegal aliens should not have the access to free healthcare, and government spending cuts should continue to be made. Some of the government programs should be abolished because if you can work, you should go to work and not live off government-funded programs. Let’s hope that the Democratic Shutdown ends soon.