Staff Reports
The government is once again facing the prospect of a shutdown, and it’s causing quite the stir in Washington, D.C. Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson recently expressed his frustration over the ongoing political gamesmanship being played by his colleagues, particularly those in the Democratic Party. According to him, this shutdown is “engineered” by Chuck Schumer and the radical left Democrats, who he believes are using people’s lives as pawns in a larger political chess game. With the House having passed a clean Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government running through Thanksgiving, Johnson is scratching his head, wondering why Democrats can’t just come to the table and help avoid this unnecessary drama.
In an amusing twist of fate, Johnson’s hope is that this will be the last government shutdown ever. He’s taken steps to ensure that by introducing the Eliminate Government Shutdowns Act. This legislation proposes a rather pragmatic approach, allowing for rolling 14-day appropriations until Congress can sort out a budget. He pointed out that since joining the Senate in 2011, there have been three government shutdowns, a staggering 55 continuing resolutions, and a debt ceiling increase that has tripled our national debt to a jaw-dropping $37 trillion. His patience appears to be wearing thin, and one can almost hear him exclaim, “Enough is enough!”
Johnson also emphasized the breakdown of the appropriation process, noting that during his tenure, only six out of the 180 required appropriations bills have been passed on time. That’s a success rate of a mere 3.3%, which he candidly describes as dismal. The senator believes that if lawmakers can’t manage to get their budgeting acts together, then perhaps a new approach is needed, which is precisely why he put forth his bill.
Despite his efforts and apparent logic, not everyone is onboard with the Eliminate Government Shutdowns Act. Some Republican appropriators voted against it, expressing concerns that it would undermine the appropriations process. This brings a touch of irony, as Johnson implies that this process has been fundamentally broken – a sentiment that suggests his colleagues might want to take a hard look in the mirror.
Meanwhile, time is of the essence. With Yom Kippur on the horizon and Congress scheduled to be out until the following week, the clock is ticking. Johnson remains hopeful that cooler heads will prevail, and more Democrats will decide to cross party lines and support legislation that protects “the people’s lives” from unnecessary disruptions. One can only imagine the backroom discussions and the urgent mood that pervades the Capitol. Wouldn’t it be great if they could just sit down with a cup of coffee, hash out the nitty-gritty, and keep the government’s lights on?
In a time when many Americans are feeling the pinch, Johnson’s fight against government shutdowns is more than just politics. It’s about creating stability for families, businesses, and the economy alike. As the votes approach and uncertainty looms, the senator’s hopes for a long-awaited change in the budget process might just be what everyone desperately needs. And perhaps one day, a government shutdown will be a relic of the past, with stories told to future generations about how Washington finally got its act together. Wouldn’t that be a tale worth telling?
