The United States govern- ment shut down due to the spend- ing bill that was not passed, early Tues. morning Sept. 30.
According to the U.S. Con- stitution, it is Congress’s duty to pass the federal spending bill
that funds the government, fail- ure to do so ultimately caused the government to shut down. The government’s fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30, which is why if a spending bill is not passed before the fiscal year ends, the government shuts down.
The current debate between the Republican House and the Democratic Senate is mainly
over the incorporation of the Pa- tient Protection and Affordable Care Act, more commonly called “Obamacare”.
The majority of Republicans want the new spending bill to include a change that will either defund or chip away at “Obam- acare” and the majority of Demo- crats do not want the change. Due to this disagreement the process of passing the spending bill is at
a standstill.
People put the blame on both
sides, some blame the Republi- cans others the Democrats, and there are even more that think that they are equally to blame.
The majority of students at Pace believe that both sides are to blame for the government shut down. Based on a poll done of 50 students, 56 percent believe that both sides are responsible. Over
half of the polled students believe the Republican House that is re- questing the change in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care act to be changed.
“I feel that healthcare shouldn’t be a big issue,” sopho- more film major Lexy Santiago
said, “and it should be accessible to everyone equally.”
Those that believe that spe- cific parties are responsible are less, with 12 percent holding Re- publicans responsible and four percent holding Democrats. Al- though many students are very sure of their opinion, 28 percent of students are unsure whom they should blame for the shutdown.
Many Americans and Pace students have much to say about the current U.S. shutdown. For many it is shocking that the U.S. could allow a shut down at all. Many students question the ef- fectiveness of the shut down it- self.
“I feel the government should never be shut down,” junior IT major David Wallach said.
For other students they see the shut down as a reflection of the country as a whole.
“It is a negative reflection,” junior English major Brett said, “on our country and its direc- tion.”
With the national parks, post- al service, and branches of the armed forces all being affected by the shutdown, many question what is kept running.
“Our nation’s defenses,” freshman education major Lee- Ann Reynolds said, “should still be running in the event of a shut- down.”
Thousands of government employees and their families are being affected. Hitting close to home, students at Pace feel the effects of the shutdown as well.
“My parents are not getting paid,” sophomore biology major Joselyn DeWitt said, “which af- fects my whole family and makes things very difficult.”
The last time the United States government shut down was in 1995 and lasted for 21 days. No party knows for sure how long the shut down will last; it all depends on how quickly the disagreement can be settled. The United States waits to see an end to the shut down, but until the funding bill passes waiting is all one can do.