OH NO! A “government shutdown”!
The hysteria peddlers using this terminology, and the media that purposely play to it, must know these two words emit an extreme emotional response. The phrase essentially becomes a weapon to be used on political opponents.
This enables the media to have undue influence in spending and undermines the sole power of the House on this issue.
A budget always involves the House of Representatives, as it alone constitutionally must initiate all government spending. “All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives” (Article I, Sec. 7, Clause 1). This places the people in charge of taxation. The Senate cannot initiate a tax bill but can adjust any initiated by the House.
So what does a “government shutdown” look like?
Do the president and vice president resign now that the government ends? No, they stay on the job and receive full pay as before.
Does Congress fly out of Washington D. C. the following day and cease to draw their pay, and the Supreme Court cease to deliberate on constitutional questions? Does the army come home and cease to protect us?
No! No, NO!
Do states, counties, and cities no longer function? No again, they have their own tax base and policemen, prisons, and teachers remain in place.
Will we still get mail? Yes. The U.S. Postal Service functions as an independent business unit.
Will we still get Social Security benefits, food stamps, unemployment compensation and veterans’ benefits? Yes!
Why then the hysteria? Because these two words, “government shutdown,” and the possibility of missed food stamps send the largely uninformed into a frenzy—they finally awake from their stupor.
They largely know nothing of the wrangling of government to protect them from themselves and oppose any proposed government diet that might reduce their daily feed. They worshipfully listen to the party and political leaders that are least likely to disturb this base.
There will never be a government shut down because none of these things will ever happen, short of an overthrow of the government from within, the collapse of our financial structure , or a successful invasion from without. So stop the media frenzy and hysterical over-reaction.
The sky is NOT falling and a piece of it didn’t just hit you on the head Chuck Shumer, er, Nancy Pelosi, er, Chicken Little.
