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On Oct. 1, the government entered a shutdown, making this the fifteenth government shutdown since 1980, following the most recent of which took place in Trump’s first term.
However, despite the similar administrations, the reasons for a shutdown differ wildly. In 2018, the proposed construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border sent the government into a shutdown, but now congressional arguments over the Affordable Care Act and tax credits are the driving force behind the shutdown. Democrats want funding for health care subsidies that are expiring for millions under the Affordable Care Act, the expiration of which will spike insurance premiums.
Since the announcement of the shutdown on Wednesday morning, the blame game has begun to make its rounds. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the matter of a government shutdown was “in the President’s hands. He can avoid a shutdown if he gets the Republican leader to go along with what we want.” However, Vice President J.D. Vance reported to TIME that “we’re headed to a shutdown because democrats won’t do the right thing”.
Unlike last time, when Trump threatened Congress with a shutdown, he was vocally against the prospect this time. However, he has vowed to “do things that are irreversible, that are bad” as retribution, according to AP.
Trump also reported to AP that the administration could focus on programs important to democrats, “cutting things that they like, cutting programs that they like.” Roughly 750,000 federal workers are expected to be furloughed, forced to take mandatory time off, and some potentially fired. This follows mass layoffs by DODGE and the Trump administration earlier in his term.
Over 35 former park superintendents have signed a letter urging the Trump Administration to close national parks to visitors during the shutdown, citing poorly staffed parks as a risk both to visitors and the natural landscape. During the last shutdown, Joshua trees were cut down, people illegally off-roaded in the dry lake beds of Death Valley, and trash bins overflowed. The park superintendents worry that this shutdown could be worse as “the Trump admin already slashed parks-related jobs.”
The last government shutdown under the Trump administration lasted 35 days, the longest in U.S. history. Nine executive departments with around 800,000 employees were shut down fully or partially, affecting approximately one-fourth of government activities and causing the loss of an estimated $11 billion USD, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
This time, deportation services will continue while education, environmental, and other services are expected to fall off. Additionally, the shutdown may cause economic fallouts across the nation. Senate Republicans require five Democrats to support their short-term funding bill, which would keep spending at its current level. Currently, two democrats and an independent who caucuses with Democrats have joined republicans in voting for the bill. With no sign of agreement between the two parties in sight, it’s unclear how long or detrimental this shutdown will be.
