Here we go again, folks. Our incompetent Congress was not able to avert another government shutdown. The last one was in 2018 and lasted 35 days. This was the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Let’s take a look.
How Did We Get Here?
Frankly, our elected officials put party over people, again. Congress has been dysfunctional for way too long. This is long past being acceptable. Here are the reasons we are at this point:
- Healthcare Subsidies—Democrats demand an extension of enhanced healthcare tax credits, which are set to expire at year’s end and affect over 22 million Americans. Republicans refuse to include this in the short-term funding bill, insisting it be handled separately.
- Spending Levels and Cuts – Democrats opposed cuts to social programs, while Republicans pushed for reductions and even permanent layoffs in federal agencies.
- Foreign Aid and Rescissions—Disagreements over rescinding foreign aid packages added another layer of complexity, with both sides accusing each other of politicizing global commitments.
- Political Leverage and Midterm Positioning – Democrats, in the minority, saw this as a rare chance to assert influence ahead of the 2026 midterms. Republicans, holding majorities, resisted concessions that could weaken their control or embolden opposition.
Both sides will tell you their positions are valid and supported by most Americans. The Republican proposition was reportedly a “clean” Continuing Resolution (CR). The same reports support the Democrats’ position on increasing spending on social programs and restoring foreign aid.
What Does It All Mean?
This means thousands of government workers, including the military, will not receive paychecks until the shutdown is over. Congress and the Executive Branch continue to receive pay. The very people responsible for the shutdown continue to get paid. This is completely unacceptable. Meanwhile, here are the services the shutdown disrupts:
- Food Assistance Programs—SNAP and WIC continue temporarily, but they risk running out of funds if the shutdown persists.
- Federal Employee Pay—The government has furloughed over 750,000 federal workers and forced essential personnel to work without pay. During the shutdown, it withheld pay from military service members, including those on active duty and in the National Guard.
- Social Security and Medicare – Benefits continue, but services like card mailing or application processing may slow down.
- Public Health and Safety Agencies—The CDC furloughs over half its staff, pauses public communication and research, and reduces FDA inspections and food safety oversight.
- Federal Courts and IRS
- Passport and Visa Services
- National Parks and Museums
This is Unnecessary and Completely Avoidable
The people who put us in this situation have no repercussions for their actions. This is on both sides of the aisle, and we should all be fed up with this lack of collaboration across parties. The only ones who generally “cave” are the politicians up for re-election. In situations like this, the people usually blame both sides to some extent, so those up for re-election are put in a challenging position. How can we avoid shutdowns in the future?
- We absolutely must have term limits in Congress. If members of the House were limited to three terms (six years) and the Senate to two terms (twelve years), anywhere from 45-55% of Congress would be ineligible to run for another term. Both sides refuse to work together. As their employers, we should demand term limits and filter out those partisan politicians who refuse to work together.
- The approach of “kicking the can down the road” with CRs has to stop. You cannot run a business without a budget—period, end of story. I thought President Trump wanted Congress to put forth an annual budget and avoid these CRs. I realize this will be difficult with the current members of Congress, but so are the CRs. Let’s do this once annually and operate with some level of certainty.
- If you want to end shutdowns, impact those responsible for them. By that, I mean that all elected officials in Congress and the Executive Branch are not paid during a shutdown. I would say they lose that pay. Realistically, I don’t think that will happen, but I am confident that shutdowns would be a thing of the past if those responsible for them suffered the consequences.
This is the equivalent of the “tail wagging the dog.” As of February 2025, roughly 83% of U.S. citizens support term limits for Congress, with some reports indicating as high as 87%. This is “mandate” territory. Resolutions were proposed in January by the House and Senate to implement term limits on their members. These bills are still in committee. That is unacceptable.
The Catholic View
Jesus consistently spoke of caring for the poor, the vulnerable, and those who labor. If our leaders put food and paychecks at risk—especially for families, workers, and the marginalized- His words in Scripture should be concerning to those making these decisions:
Matthew 25:45 – “He will answer them, ‘Amen, I say to you, what you did not do for one of these least ones, you did not do for me.”
The government is responsible for protecting and meeting the people’s needs. Its authority rests in its servitude, not in its power. This is the same charge Jesus gives us; His charge is at a personal level:
John 21:17 – “Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep.”
We cannot allow this behavior to continue. Please call your elected officials and let them know we will no longer tolerate our employees’ lack of collaboration. The contact info for your elected officials is here.
Please share your thoughts on this article in the “Comments” section.
Peace
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