According to published accounts, September 30, 2023 is a deadline for prevention of a federal government shutdown. For shutdown prevention, Congress needs a “CR” or Continuing Resolution to allow more deficit spending, which seems to be the federal government’s favorite type of spending.
It looks like a few House Republicans known as the “Freedom Caucus” will stand in the way of a Continuing Resolution unless their demands (budgetary and nonbudgetary) are met. The Democratic-controlled Senate will not go along with Freedom Caucus demands from the House of Representatives.
The most likely result is a federal government shutdown born of the partisanship and financial irresponsibility of our elected representatives. You and I know that we must live within our financial means. Local government knows. The State of Indiana knows.¹ But the federal government is clueless. The feds make a habit of spending even beyond what we provide. What allows this is the Continuing Resolution.
While the CLB has no affinity for the House Freedom Caucus it is unafraid of the shutdown that the Freedom Caucus may force upon us. The CLB would call the bluff. If a shutdown comes, remember that the federal government does not deserve your sympathy. And see how little the feds do that has an actual impact on you.² What if federal employees miss a paycheck? The CLB asserts they should not be paid for not working during the shutdown. And just maybe a lesson of fiscal responsibility will be forced upon Congress. And just maybe a lesson of accountability will befall the Freedom Caucus. Let it begin.
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¹ See, for instance, Article 10 § 5 of the Indiana Constitution severely limiting State debt.
² I can barely recall the 21-day shutdown of 1995-1996 during the Bill Clinton first term.. Likewise, I can barely recall the record-setting 35-day shutdown of 2018-2019 during the Trump reign of terror. I remember absolutely no negative impact (upon me) during either shutdown period.
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