As I’m sure you’re all aware, we are now in Day 34 of the government shutdown. This is the longest shutdown in United States history, surpassing the previous record of 21 days during the Clinton administration over education, the environment and Medicare, among other issues.
Before that, the longest shutdown was 17 days, during the Carter administration. This was caused by disputes over funding for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, which was included in a defense bill Congress had passed. Carter deemed the aircraft wasteful, and the government closed as a result.
The government shutdown during the Obama administration in 2013 happened as the result of a variety of issues. At the core of it though, were disputes between the Republican-led House of Representatives and the Democratic Senate along with President Obama. Republicans offered a handful of continuing resolutions that would delay or defund the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.
The difference between these three shutdowns, and the one President Trump is so graciously continuing, is that they were bolstered by a belief is making America better for the general populace. While we at The Setonian are sure President Trump thinks he’s doing what is best for US citizens, there is no denying the fact that this government shutdown is laden with racism disguised as “border security.”
President Trump would love to have us all believe that a wall is the way to solve America’s immigration “problem.” He’d love for us to think that a wall would make everything better; that it’s not just some cheap attempt at fulfilling only one of his campaign promises.
While thousands of federal workers across the United States are either skipping paychecks or working without pay, the US economy is suffering. The economic costs of the shutdown “may already exceed the $5 billion President Trump is demanding for a border wall,” according to Time and some analysts’ estimates.
It’s no secret that much of Trump’s presidency has been a series of impulsive words and actions used as a means to distract the American people from what’s really going on: our president’s incompetence.
The Voice is intended to best represent the collective opinion of The Editorial Board. It is written by The Setonian’s Editor-in-Chief.
