YGBSM 2: Government Shutdown! Run for the Hills!

         So the Federal Government is about to shut down—over a measly $28 billion dollars. According to this article from CNN, the issue is the size of the spending cuts for the rest of this year. The Republicans want $61 billion in cuts, while the Democrats want $33 billion in cuts. I am thinking we need more like $1.5 trillion in cuts, aka our deficit.
          The funny thing is the ferocity with which they are defending their cuts. In a deficit that has seen many approximations, all in the neighborhood of $1.5 trillion, the $61 or $33 billion are nothing. Talking about billions of dollars sounds like a lot, so when this comes up on the news most people are impressed that the government is working so hard to cut spending. But let’s look at the numbers written in a similar way: we are spending $1,500 billion more than we make EVERY YEAR. Congress is negotiating to cut about $50 billion of that. That is 50 out of 1500, sometimes known as 3.33%, and that is just of the deficit, not of total spending! Why even bother? I mean, if that is the biggest commitment we can make to responsible fiscal policy, then just don’t even cut anything. It won’t make a bit of difference.
          The funny thing about the government shutdown is that many “essential” personnel will still be working during this time, presumably to be paid later. This more than anything highlights what people truly believe to be the purpose of government. Workers such as FBI and DEA agents, US Marshals, prison guards, and military will still be working. What do these all have in common? They exist to protect people from force and are deemed essential. This “shutdown” shows us what is essential in government and what is not. By forcing people to pay taxes and support non-essential items regularly, the government is overstepping its role. The best way to begin paring back government is to watch this partial shutdown, see where the essential jobs are, maintain those, and cut the rest to be picked up by States or private businesses. I have a feeling there will still be much more “essential” than not, but it might at least be a start. Bring on the shutdown.