Most Americans aren’t sure how the government shutdown will affect their lives. Here are some important points about how they work and how Washington makes them worse.
With the nation’s capital fixated on tense negotiations over funding the federal government, apocalyptic warnings over a possible shutdown are filling headlines. Time is «running short,» we’re in «crisis mode,» and the House and Senate are on a «collision course,» to quote just a few prominent news outlets.
But for the 99% of Americans who live far from the swamp, it’s not always clear how a government shutdown would affect day-to-day life. Here are some important points about how shutdowns work – and how Washington makes them worse.1) Many Federal Functions Continue During Shutdowns
Even if there is a funding lapse, federal activities (and employees) deemed «essential» will continue to draw from the national treasury. Examples include national security, border patrol, law enforcement, disaster response and more.
In addition, funding for many benefits (such as Social Security) along with some agencies (such as the Postal Service) are independent of the annual spending process.
A lapse of under two weeks would have even less effect since federal employees would get their paychecks on time. However, longer shutdowns are typically coupled with providing back pay to bureaucrats and congressional staffers.
Accordingly, the real-world effect of a shutdown would be much less than the apocalyptic rhetoric that often characterizes press coverage of the issue.
